• Started with SPSE October 2016

Bill was motivated to start a team after a friend gave him Steve Dawson’s book “Catholic Street Evangelization” and said, “Read this. We need to do this.” That fall he held a few meetings with Catholic friends and had our first event in October 2016.  Bill has gathered a team of about 70 Catholics from the Tampa area for the team.  About a dozen are active evangelists and the rest support the team through prayer.  You can usually find them on the 3^rd Saturday of the month at the Ubor City (Tampa’s version of Bourbon St.) or the Riverwalk. The team also mixes it up and attends other Tampa Bar events such as festivals, conventions, sporting events or they may simply hit the parks or shopping centers.

– What motivates you to evangelize?

I’m a cradle Catholic. I attended Catholic grade school through 8th grade, but like many, I entered adulthood with an 8th grade understanding of God and His church. Once again, like many, that wasn’t enough to keep me faithful to God and the tenants of our faith. I’m one of those who had to hit bottom before I had my metanoia. No sooner did I make the decision to place Christ at the center of my life, and felt His grace, that I knew I had to share this experience with others like me. There are so many lukewarm Catholics and Christians who try to satisfy their desires with comfort and earthly pleasures. Like the old me, God is in fifth place or worse, behind their career, sex, family, sports, school, partying, you name it. Because I was just like them, I have the empathy necessary to communicate effectively with them. Because my new life in Christ is so much better than the old one, I am motivated to tell them my story so it can be their story too.

– What is your favorite part about the Mass?

That’s easy: The Consecration because it is the most amazing event that happens here on earth. Like the incarnation, Jesus continues to humble Himself by allowing the transubstantiation of His body and blood into bread and wine so we may consume and become one with Him. For a few moments, when the priest raises the bread and again the wine, heaven touches earth and something outside space and time occurs in front of our very eyes. So many people I talk to on the street are yearning for something extraordinary. That’s why there are so many fantasy and superhero movies and TV programs. I love to describe the Consecration to these people, so they can imagine being part of a real miracle. The consecration is not just my favorite part of Mass, it’s my favorite part of life. Check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOLZDaTgIaM