San Francisco, CA. Ted and Robert from the San Francisco team went to the Civic Center Plaza to evangelize on a Saturday.
At first it was very slow except for those who protested against the Catholic Church or Christianity in general. Some were angry. Many Protestants with issues to argue stopped by, and though some would take the St. Benedict Crucifix, none took the Miraculous Medal or Rosary.
But many other people stopped, including a Baptist girl, Amaiya, who took the good news pamphlet, a rosary, and medals on chains. She was open to hear what the evangelists had to share, and took all the items they offered her. Eventually they learned that she was only 10 years old. She had used public transportation from across the Bay in Richmond, to downtown San Francisco, to the edge of the dangerous Tenderloin district where drug addicts, drug dealers and prostitutes abound. She was on her way to visit her mother.
Toward the end of the day a Catholic woman stopped by. She was away from the church for 40 years but had just attended Mass the previous day with a friend. She said it was “more than a coincidence” that she met the evangelists, but truly “a sign from God.” They invited her to the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist. She replied that she was not yet at that stage. So the evangelists urged her to read the Gospel of John chapter 6 right away. She replied that she was about to enter the library and would do exactly that!
So after starting out with much resistance, the evangelists ended the day with smiles on their faces.
Praise the Lord! All Catholics are called to preach the Gospel in season and out of season. Add your efforts to ours, and bring more and more people into the Kingdom of God, and relationship with Jesus Christ!