We were able to return to Lockport's Canal Days for the first time in 3 years, and with the help of the local Knights of Columbus (Council 18043), we secured a spot for the whole weekend! We also got a lot of help from not  just one, not two but THREE Knights of Columbus Councils in manning the booth! A big thanks to Councils 18043, 18037, and 1176! Below are some of the memorable encounters that we had had over the weekend, especially on Saturday. First, a report from our Station leader, Michael, and certified evangelist, Suzy:

Except for the rocky start without knowing what entryway to use and where our booth was, it was a great experience! The Lord blessed us with sending the event manager to us to assist us, and fortunately the Knights of Columbus were very friendly and helpful as well. It actually worked out good being with them.

As far as the evangelization part, I left there filled with the Holy Spirit! While not real crowded, we had people who did stop by and get about 10 names of those who want prayer! Some people that stood out for me are a woman whose family left the Church, I was able to identify with her and encouraged her to keep praying for them and shared some ideas of how I approach my family, she was very grateful and happy she stopped by.

Two of my most inspiring experiences were a young man, who after talking about his faith, stated he is thinking about becoming Catholic! Praise
God! I gave him some reading materials and my contact information and told him he is welcome to contact me to discuss more. He was really appreciative, let’s pray that God continues to lead him to the Catholic Church.

My favorite was running into an old neighbor and his family who moved away about two years ago, they are avid Catholics and their young daughter has what doctors call a terminal disease where the white matter in her brain is dissolving and they told them years ago that she would not make it to her teen years. They traveled the world looking for a cure but nothing. However, she has such a positive attitude and her parents are holy and so supportive that she is now well into her teens! She is still in a wheelchair and the disease is still active. Suzy and I prayed with her and she expressed a warmness (the presence of the Holy Spirit, no doubt), and I too felt a sense of joy that all is going to be well!

I am so glad to be part of this team and working with Suzy is awesome as she has so many gifts and filled with the Holy Spirit! What a great way to begin Pentecost weekend! The Holy Spirit showed up and people were feeling his presence! I know I did!

And this report is from Suzi:

Michael stated beautifully our experience in praying for others at Canal Days. I’d like to add another encounter.

A young man, probably around 20-22, home from college, was wearing a Christian t-shirt and approached our table. His shirt was the conversation starter. Turns out, he & his family had attended St. Dennis Parish in Lockport, but have fallen away. He very much believes but is searching to learn more “ about God & my own spiritual Journey.”

He stated that he knows the Catholic Church is the true Church given to Peter, and he knows the power of the Eucharist. His stumbling block is the Blessed Mother. I asked if he was open to me explaining. He was. We had a beautiful sharing where I felt the Holy Spirit nudging him back to the Catholic Faith. So many non- Catholics have a huge misconception about our Lady. But I felt blessed to clarify the role of our Blessed Mother in our faith. It was a Spirit-filled encounter,
Praise Jesus!

Next, we have my report as Team Leader. I was able to go with my whole family (my wife and 5 sons). As my wife stayed at the table with the baby, I walked around with my four older sons, and then my wife and I switched off. As the afternoons went on, more and more people came to the booth, all different ages. Many pamphlets were given away, especially on how to pray the rosary, but also quite a few on "Praying to the Saints". Many rosaries and miraculous medals were given away, and many people were requesting the saints. One man specifically asked if we had St. Christopher after we had a lengthy conversation with his devout Catholic lady friend. Fortunately, we had a few and he was very glad to take one! Many people came up for prayer, and one young lady in particular really wanted a "Why We're Catholic" book by Trent Horn as she walked up to the booth. We gladly obliged!

The parishes in Lockport all have Formed.org, so throughout the weekend, we were giving away postcards to many people who came to the booth. Most were not familiar with Formed, and I told them that they could use this for their children, and for their own spiritual edification. All willingly took the sign up information and were excited to share shows like Brother Francis and The Wonderful World of Benjamin Cello with their children! One woman, Maria, said that her kids had just convinced her last year to go back to church, and she says they've been going to Mass every Sunday! She gladly took the Formed.org info and said she was looking for good things for her kids to watch.

One group of 4 or 5 young adults came up to the booth. One gentleman, Ramon, said he wanted to pick out a rosary for his 13-month old niece, who his sister was holding next to him. He finally found a nice pink one for her and he also took some other materials from the table as well. Another young man, Tyler, lingered as his friends walked away. He couldn't have been more than 19 or 20 years old. He finally said he'd like a rosary, and I asked him if he knew how to pray it. He answered "no", and said he doesn't really know a lot about the rosary, but his girlfriend would as she was a Mexican Catholic. I told him I'd be glad to explain how it works. I handed him the pamphlet and told him that the Rosary is a walk through Scripture, and that we meditate on the mysteries of Jesus' life while asking His Mother to pray for us. I asked him then if he was Catholic or baptized himself. He said no, but added that he was willing to learn more. His friends were beckoning to him to follow them, but I asked him if I could share why I was a Catholic Christian. He said that'd be OK and I told him that following Jesus has brought joy and peace to my life. I told him by following in His footsteps we walk the right path, and since we as humans mess up a lot, and sin, Jesus came to heal us, and take that away. I encouraged him to talk with his girlfriend more about it, and I also gave him a "Why Be Catholic" pamphlet. He still lingered, seeming pensive, and I asked him if I could give him my contact info he has more questions. He said he'd appreciate that, and he repeated that he wanted to "learn more" and that he might reach out to me. We shook hands, told him I'd be praying for him and he walked away to join his friends. Please pray for Tyler's conversion!

Later, we encountered a biker with his girlfriend. He was wearing many chains and crucifixes, one of which was combined with a St. Benedict medal. He said he wanted to get some miraculous medals because he is a ghost hunter. One of our evangelists pressed him a bit on that, and he shared a few stories of what he's encountered. He said some people quote the Bible and say that the soul sleeps until the end of the world, and he says that can't be true because he's seen so many ghosts. I told him that he had the right sense, because we are immediately judged by God at our deaths, and it's our body that reunites with the soul at the end of the world, and I told him some Christians interpret Scripture incorrectly to get the false doctrine of "soul sleep". Sadly, he didn't seem to believe in the true power of Jesus' name, nor consider himself "a believer". I told him that the "ghosts" of people he was communicating with could very well be demons and not human beings, as Jesus in Scripture calls Satan "the father of lies". He admitted that this might be true. He conversed a bit more with another of our evangelists, but sadly walked away without truly thinking about a conversion. Please pray for this man as he is dealing with literal demons in his spiritually dangerous "ghost hunting" work.

A woman, Kristie, came up with her son who was about 10 years old. They both wanted rosaries, and I naturally asked if they knew how to pray it. Her son tried putting it around his neck, but I said it's not a necklace but an aid in prayer. I explained again, while handing her a pamphlet that it's a walk through scripture. She then said that she just prays directly to Jesus, and that she is a "pastor" at a local non-denominational church, and would be leading the "worship service" the next day on the main stage at Canal Days. She said she had struggled with addiction for years, as had her husband, but she has been clean for almost 10 years now, as has her husband, and she owes it all to Jesus. Therefore, she said she wants to pray directly to Jesus since she is a Christian. I told her I was a Christian, too... a Catholic Christian! I told her that just like she would ask me to pray for her, we ask Jesus' Mother to pray for us, and the other saints as well. I started quoting from John's Gospel on how Jesus dealt with the Sadducees and how God is the God of the living not the dead... but I messed up the verse, and felt a bit self conscious that I might've confused her! Still, despite that, she wanted to keep talking, and I asked her if she ever thought about the Catholic Church, and she said she hadn't as she just wants to focus on Jesus. She said Muslims have their traditions ("was she comparing Catholics to Muslims?", I thought) and other Christians have theirs, but I told her that Jesus wants all Christians to be united, and quoted John 17 to her on the unity of the Church, and that there could only be one path, one tradition. She asked what else we had and I gave her a medal or two, and she said she'd like to learn more and we exchanged our contact info with each other. I gave her a "Why Be Catholic" pamphlet and she said she would read it and would contact me with more questions. We took her prayer requests and parted amicably. Please pray for her conversion to the one true Church... the Catholic Church!

On another occasion, a woman named Noelle came up and took some rosaries and medals. She said she was going through a difficult divorce, and was technically homeless with her children because she did not qualify for government aid and she made "too much money" yet could not afford a house or place to stay. We prayed right on the spot for her and her whole family, and that God would bless her and walk with her. Afterwards she said she felt strengthened after this and she said she knows things will work out in the end. Please pray for her. Another man in a difficult situation, Bob, said he wanted a miraculous medal for his daughter, and when I asked if he was Catholic himself, he said he used to be but left after the abuse scandals, saying that he didn't like how it was covered up and priests were moved around. He said that he thought it had been happening for centuries. I told him it was evil what happened, but there are many safeguards in place, and I said I'd like to share why I'm Catholic. He said he didn't want to get into it, and after the talked to one of our other evangelists a bit more, he walked away, but before he did, he said that maybe the new pope, Leo XIV, would change something, and he has hope he will. Please pray for Bob to come back to the Church and be open to Christ again.

A final memorable encounter was with a woman accompanied by two young adults, both women. The older woman was a sacristan at the local parish, and the other two had just completed their Christian initiation at the Easter vigil. Therese had just been confirmed, sayin that her mother had baptized her when she was a baby, and then never took her to church. She finally decided of her own free will that she wanted to come home, and receive her Confirmation! The other young woman, Pam, said that she was baptized and went through OCIA this past year and said she had learned so much and has felt immense joy since being baptized. They appreciated us being there and we told them they would be prayed for by our whole team. We invited the young ladies to the local Theology on Tap next month that I regularly put on, and they were excited to know there were more options for community among young Catholics in the area!

Please keep all these people, and all the others we encountered, in your prayers!