SPSE’s Atlanta chapter welcomed their newest team — Smyrna, GA. For their first outing, team leader Clarence Burkholder set up in front of Smyrna’s City Hall, near its Spring Jonquil Festival — the semi-annual family event that attracts crowds of up to 15,000. Showing his support for their evangelization effort, pastor Fr. John dropped by and gave the SPSE team his blessing.

Among the many that team members talked with was a man named “Raj”. Raised in a non-Christian religion, he was dissatisfied with it. Every center of worship he went to taught and practiced something different, depending on the local leader’s preferences. Raj wanted certainty.

So he asked the evangelists about the Catholic Mass. One evangelist took quite some time explaining to Raj that the liturgical structure of the Mass is the same throughout the world. He also told Raj that readings from the Old and New Testaments of the Bible are an integral part of the Mass, and that the readings for any particular day are also the same throughout the world. The prayers, too, are the same no matter where you attend Mass.

The evangelists also explained to Raj how the Old and New Testaments together help reveal Who Jesus is as well as our heavenly Father’s plan for humankind. Then they briefly explained the Sacraments, how they were instituted by Christ to offer us access to God’s grace, and how the Church uses earthly realities to connect to the supernatural reality. SPSE team members also explained to Raj how the priest works in participation with the priesthood of Christ — and not in place of Him — using Reconciliation and the Eucharist as examples. Clarence then invited Raj to attend Mass with him. Raj accepted literature and CDs, as well as Rosaries, prayer cards, medals, and a local parish bulletin.

Please join us in praying that Raj finds his way to the Truth, Whom he seeks. Thank you, Smyrna team! Are you part of an active SPSE team yet? Becoming a member of SPSE gives you access to our training and evangelization materials. If you haven’t done so already, please pray about joining us today?