SPSE teams from three different St. Louis, MO area dioceses combined forces to take Catholicism out in public. They were led by Gary McLeane, Chip Awalt (both pictured), and James Hooper. In one of their many encounters, a young man stopped to ask them for a Rosary.
His Catholic grandmother had given him one, but he liked the colorful Rosaries better. The team asked why he wasn’t Catholic. He replied that he was Christian and had gone to many different churches. He felt confident that all believed basically the same thing, and was convinced that if he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior and confessed his sins, then he would be saved.
The evangelists complimented him on his faith, but suggested there was “more to the story” and it could be found in the Catholic Church. While bits of the truth are upheld outside the Faith, the complete teachings of Jesus Christ are found in the Catholic Church. The team went on to explain the importance of all seven Sacraments, which bring the sanctifying grace of the Cross to us. They also explained our need to continue to believe and confess our sins.
The young man then had questions about the Rosary, its prayers, and how the beads relate to the prayers. The team explained the prayers in some depth, as well as its Gospel mysteries and different methods of meditation. He seemed pleased. They also encouraged him to visit his 90-year-old grandmother, and to pray the Rosary with her. At that, he seemed more skeptical, but they continued to encourage him.
Thank you, St. Louis teams! So many leave the Church without understanding her. Bringing the Catholic Faith to public places gives people such as this young man a chance to discover the fullness of Truth and Grace that Jesus Christ offers through her. Please pray that this young man returns to Holy Mother Church and participation in the Sacraments. And so many more need her! Are you part of an SPSE team? SPSE membership gives you access to training and other resources to help you become quickly effective at this. If you haven’t joined us yet, please pray about doing so today!