Watertown

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State or province: New York

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Scott Lowry
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Watertown NY - The Square Evangelization 9 May 2026

May 10, 2026

Saturday 9 May 2026 was the opening day for the Watertown, New York St. Paul Street Evangelization Team in the city square surrounded by local businesses, central park benches, nice walking paths to our table and a scenic water fountain being overseen by a towering historic church with a clock and bell that sounds off at certain times. The day started out with some local confrontations between a man and woman in the square over some bags which resulted in the police being called out. Please pray for Christ to heal all divisions and strife in people we encounter. While out there, food and water were provided along with rosaries, information about the faith, and material donated by Bishop Robert Barron’s Word on Fire Ministries. Here are some of my experiences and encounters – please pray for them:

Evangelization Encounters:

EE1. Chad and Patrick came up to the table and was looking around. They seemed interested but not willing to engage in conversation. They were headed to get some food at the Crystal Restaurant in the square. Please pray for Christ to lead them to faith if they are lacking and to strengthen it if already there.

EE2. Chris came by the table with a red mark on his face. He seemed to be in a difficult situation. He also had what appeared to be some occult marking tattoos on his arms. He took some food and water along with the Good News and Salvation information tract that mentions these topics regarding the Church. He also took three blessed Rosaries for himself and his wife and kids. He also took a blessed Miraculous Medal after I gave him a brief history about The Virgin appearing to a nun giving her the design of the medal and attributing many powerful graces to it. Chris did not know what we should pray for, but I promised that I would still send his name out on a prayer chain for him and his family. I also told him about the love of Christ and that He is for everyone. Chris agreed without question. Please pray for Chris to lead his family always to God and for his family to always know God.

EE3. A young man in a hoodie walked by the table. I asked if he wanted any religious items or wanted to talk about faith. The young man responded “no, I am good,” and kept walking by the table stoically. On the back of his hoodie there was a text in big bold letters that read “Don’t reach for me.” This made me sad, because I know there are many people out there like this who are hopeless as I was once like this as an atheist before Christ Jesus converted me. Please pray for the Holy Spirit to come for this young man and to bring him into knowing of the truth and God’s mercy and love.

EE4. A group of young men came up to the table – Anthony, Jayden, Chris, another man I did not catch the name of (might have been Bradf), and yet another man (did not catch this one’s name) who followed on later in the square who seemed to know the group (this last man had a Jesus tattoo on his neck, a diamond cross around his neck (among other flashy jewelry), and dressed like a Nu Metal lead vocalist singer which I could relate to with the snappy duds as I grew up in the 90s listening to Nu Metal) who was mostly interested in the food, as he said to me “man, I got to eat.” As this man was picking through the food, I was talking mainly to Chris and Anthony. Anthony immediately asked me respectfully but with caution, “do you think God performs magic?” almost as if he was telling me that he practices magic, and trying to receive some kind of moral guidance in its practice pertaining to faith (from what I gathered). I explained to Anthony firmly the Church’s position on these things; God is not “magic,” but rather divine power. Magic is the inverse of the divine worship justly and rightly due to God who is the Creator of all thing’s material and immaterial. Additionally, I explained that the practice of magic is a direct sin against the first commandment and opens doorways to the demonic (who seek our destruction). Anthony seemed a bit shocked when I said this. Chris began talking about when he was in jail, they had some recent demonic horror movies on for the community space for the inmates to watch (because I mentioned the practice of magic is linked to the fallen angelic substances). I talked to both of them about the purpose of the angels, as those who chose to adhere to their purpose for existence followed God, and those who chose to reject their purpose (what they were made for), fell and became the inverse of what they were made for (which is why they are condemned forever and cannot be forgiven because they knew what they were doing and not sorry for it). Unlike humans, who are not in full knowledge of things, but come to know things gradually by time until death when our soul is locked in its spiritual state forever. Anthony replied to this, “if we were in ancient times, that statement would have cut through me like a sword.”

Anthony then gave me a follow-on question about homosexual relationships. I explained to him the Church’s teaching on the matter, that the proper order of sex is between a man and woman in marriage for the purpose of children. I further explained that fornication (outside marriage) between members of the opposite sex is also wrong, as God told us what the normal means of generation for man would be through the biblical covenant of marriage. Anthony seemed a bit shocked by this as well, so as a result I handed him an information tract that explains the Church’s position on sexual purity in more depth to which he received. After talking about this for a while, Anthony asked me if I was a Mel Gibson fan and watched the movie he directed about the Aztecs. We talked about this, to which he led into the Spanish conquests being brutal towards natives. I responded by reminding him that the Dominicans followed these explorers and Armies throughout the Americas during this time and kept them in check through the Church’s teaching on morality and the teachings of Christ, although there was brutality committed and we acknowledge that it is wrong to harm others for the sake of harming them alone (so as to attack dignity). Additionally, since such pagan societies like Aztecs and Mayans offered human sacrifice towards men, women, and children and performed other horrific ritual acts for good harvest that would be highly illegal and cause outrage today, we believe that the divine providence of God calls for justice on earth when nations are stood up to punish other nations for their transgressions towards people; for example, the Vikings, pagan Rome which sacrificed many people in blood games for entertainment, Sparta, Canaan and the like. I also mentioned the Just War theory of the Church, which states the conditions for just war to be waged. Anthony seemed to accept this answer.

Finally, Anthony didn’t know that the Dominican Republic was named after and consecrated to Saint Dominic and the Virgin Mary, as he thought I was talking about the country of the Dominican Republic. After I explained what I meant (that it was the religious order that followed the explorers and armies), his other friends had to go somewhere after saying goodbyes to me. Anthony stayed a bit longer to talk to me about other topics such as salvation, Christ’s sacrifice and the garden narrative (mainly God not making us to die, but to live forever). Once Anthony had to leave, I went behind the table and provided him Bishop Robert Barron’s Word on Fire bible which had all four gospels with commentary. Anthony was very happy with this and indicated that he would read it so I could make a good decision. Please pray for Anthony to consider Christ and His Church and to reject anything contrary to true worship to God.

EE5. Ryan and a friend of his who was wearing an ankle bracelet came up to the table and began talking to me about God and the various trials in life. Ryan’s friend was very interested in the case of Ramen noodles that were provided, so I gave him the entire case (not many people wanted it at this point). Ryan asked for a prayer request for financial stability and no negative energy around him. Both also stocked up on a bunch of rosaries they put around their necks, some books on the discipline of religion, miraculous medals and information about various topics of the faith. I promised them I would send up their prayer requests. When they left, the other friend who took the Ramen and some religious items began passing some of them out to people he walked by on the street who looked like they were in need. It would appear he also had the love of God in his heart and was sharing what little he got with others who didn’t have anything either. Please pray for Ryan’s financial situation to stabilize and for the Holy Spirit to always surround him with good people. For his friend in an ankle bracelet, please pray for the Holy Spirit to guide him through his current situation and to grow in the love of God and neighbor and for God to provide for his future needs when necessary. Amen!

Good start to the street evangelization season in Watertown, New York. Please pray for these people I encountered and be on the lookout for more evangelization reports. Thank you!