Boise, ID
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The following comes to us from team leader Lucy with our team in Boise, ID:
Sometimes we get real questions. So, thank you again for your prayers for the Boise Catholic street evangelization effort.
Two young-adult church friends declined our offer of a Rosary, but five minutes later came back to the table. “Drew” and “Olivia” attend a non-Catholic Christian church, but Olivia has a couple of friends who are converting to Catholicism and had questions about Church teaching. Though she didn’t understand why we pray to Mary and the Saints, she’d made the charitable assumption that we were not actually worshipping them, and was relieved when we affirmed that thought. As the evangelists talked about the Communion of Saints and shared various Bible verses, the Hebrews 12:1 reference to the “great cloud of witnesses” seemed to resonate with her the most. She also wanted to understand the Eucharist, so Chuck shared his encounter with our Eucharistic Lord shortly after he converted and which confirmed the Real Presence for him. They stayed to talk for a long time. Olivia accepted our “Praying to the Saints” and “Eucharist: True Worship” pamphlets, as well as a map to area parishes. Drew accepted a pamphlet about Mary. Olivia showed no interest in taking a Rosary. But, just as they were about to leave, Drew asked if he could have a Rosary. We encouraged him to try the prayer and to focus on falling more deeply in love with Jesus by seeing Him through the eyes of His mother. Pray for Olivia and Drew, that they hear the Holy Spirit’s call and answer Him.
A Catholic family with a toddler stopped to get a Rosary for the young boy. “Boyd” and “Marci” attend the same parish but a different Mass as Chuck. Boyd commented that they were always worried about disturbing everyone at Mass when their son, also named Boyd, started crying. We assured them that most people are thrilled to have young families with children at Mass and any noise the children make just means that it is a living and vibrant parish. Pray for Boyd, Marci, and BB, and for all young families with children in our parishes, that they may be confident of our love for them and that their family will grow in faith.
Another family stopped. The preschooler came to the table for a Rosary, while the baby sat contentedly in the stroller. The parents were non-Catholic Christians, but were interested in the Rosary. After listening to a brief explanation of the Christ-centeredness of the devotion, the mother chose a pink Rosary for the baby girl, though on my advice, didn’t put it around the child’s neck. She also chose one for herself. Continue to pray for young families that they will answer the Holy Spirit’s call to live out their vocation by raising their children in a faithful, Christian home.
Please pray for us, and ask God to send people to us with hearts prepared to perceive their need for Our Savior Jesus Christ and His Holy Catholic Church, and that much good fruit for His Kingdom comes of today’s effort.
Although we lead with the Rosary, we are actually an informal Catholic information booth. So, thank you again for your prayers and other support for this apostolate! In turn, may God protect and greatly bless you and all those you love!