Detroit, MI
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This report is the first in a two-part story from evangelist Mark with the National SPSE team:
Bob and I were invited to evangelize at the annual St. Aloysius block party in downtown Detroit last Sunday. The parish took over the sidewalk and half of the street in front of the church, corner to corner. Everyone was offered free burgers, hot dogs, ice cream and, more importantly, holy cards, parish bulletins, rosaries, religious medals and crosses, etc. The church doors were wide open, encouraging everyone towards private prayer and guided tours.
The Detroit Tigers had a home game at the same time—dozens of baseball fans quickly passed through on their way to the nearby stadium but none of them stopped. I would estimate that, among the couple hundred people we talked to, half were parishioners and half were non-Catholic neighbors from the nearby apartments.
A majority of people wanted Rosaries but saw them only as vain jewelry. Many were initially upset that they were too small to fit over their heads. I explained how a Rosary is made for prayer and not intended to be worn around the neck. People debate if you should wear them or not, but their intended purpose is definitely for prayer. I described the Holy Rosary as a “meditation on the Gospel”, “a way to better understand the life of Jesus”, and “every bead is a prayer.” Many times, I briefly explained some of the mysteries and emphasis on different Gospel passages. In every case, I handed them a How to Pray the Rosary pamphlet and encouraged them to follow along, noting how many people find internal peace when they pray the Rosary devoutly.
Praised be Jesus Christ!