Somerville, NJ
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This report comes to us from evangelist Michael with our Somerville–Immaculate Conception parish team in New Jersey:
The Holy Spirit was clearly moving hearts on the streets of Somerville this past Saturday.
One memorable encounter was with Cristiana, who shared that she is Jewish but asked for a Rosary because she loves Jesus. We spoke with her about that love for our Lord and had the opportunity to pray with her right there on the street. Given her openness and devotion to Jesus, we encouraged her to consider coming into the Catholic Church. She graciously accepted a pamphlet explaining why one should be Catholic.
Another visitor, Joe, stopped to receive a Rosary and told us he was Catholic but had been away from the Church for some time. We spoke with him about the beauty of returning to the sacraments, especially Confession and Mass. Joe listened attentively and was very pleasant in conversation.
A woman also approached the table asking for prayers for her son, who currently lives in the Midwest. We spent some time talking with her about her faith and then prayed together for her son and for her family. She was very grateful for the prayer and the chance to share her concerns.
Ted, another passerby, identified himself as Catholic and asked if we could pray with him. After praying for his intentions, our conversation turned to his faith life. He shared that it had been quite some time since he had gone to confession. We encouraged him to return to this beautiful sacrament of mercy, and he accepted a brochure about Confession.
One especially joyful moment came when a young mother and father stopped by with their newborn baby. They shared their excitement about the upcoming Baptism of their child. We rejoiced with them, prayed for their growing family, and they gratefully received a Rosary along with a pamphlet on how to pray it.
We are so thankful for these encounters and for the many other conversations the Lord provided throughout the day. It was a beautiful reminder that the Holy Spirit is always at work, gently drawing hearts closer to Christ.