Boise

Country: United States
State or province: Idaho

Team Leader
Lucy Stamm
Contact

Admin
Login

Team Badges

Witness, Silent or No - 2022-12-12-18

January 1, 2023

Our presence provides a wordless witness to Jesus Christ and His Church. As evidence, during nearly every session, people hurry past while calling out they’re already Catholic, or non-Catholic Christians, or believers, or were at least raised Christian. This happens even before we say a word.

Early in our last session, several groups of large and muscular college-aged men went by. One group stopped. They were football players, in town for a bowl game. Three out of the four men chose a Rosary. One was a non-Catholic Christian, “in love with the Lord.” He picked out a Rosary for his girlfriend, but listened as we encouraged him to actually seek Christ in the prayer. We wished them well in their game. Pray that their love for the Lord grows to fill their life.

A 30-something couple stopped because the man was curious about the Rosary and “what this is all about.” After explaining the how’s and why’s and the promise of the Rosary, he still declined to take one but he did praise us for being out during the Christmas season. We let him know we were there year round and have been for ten-plus years. We then went back to challenging him to take a Rosary and try the prayer, but he only agreed to take a how-to-pray-the-Rosary pamphlet and promised to pray for us. Pray they hear Christ saying to them, “Behold, your mother” (John 19:27:)

A perhaps-homeless woman, whose backpack sported a large combination lock, stopped for a Rosary and its pamphlet. She also asked for a plastic sandwich bag to put them in so they wouldn’t get dirty before she got a chance to pray it.

The several-time visitor, who is also a world traveler, stopped to chat with e. Chuck a bit.

A Catholic family stopped after the man pulled a large wooden Rosary from his pocket to show us, and saying they had lots of Rosaries at home. Visiting from a town a couple hours north of us, the parents told us they had been non-Catholic Christians until the father looking into the history of Christianity and discovered that it was Catholic. The mother, when her husband shared his discoveries with her, began asking questions herself and also found that all the answers pointed to Catholicism. They entered the Church last Easter. They had attended Mass that morning at the cathedral and had been impressed with the reverence there. Since they already had Rosaries, we encouraged them to pray it together as a family every day. Praise God that their response to Catholicism was “not my will but Yours be done”.

A group of 3 or 4 teenage girls stopped for a “free Rosary”. One of them claimed to be Catholic, and accepted a Rosary and the pamphlet on how to pray it. At least two of the young women declined to receive a Rosary.

The mother in a passing family stopped to ask if we had heard that a school in a nearby city had banned the wearing of Rosaries, because some gang members wore a Rosary as part of their “uniform.” She added that, even though she was no longer a Catholic, it bothered her that the school had banned wearing them. We emphasized that Rosaries are not jewelry and are meant for prayer. And so, if carried in the pocket instead of around the neck, they were just as potent for those who intended to pray with them. We then encouraged her to select a Rosary for herself as a route back to the Church, but she quickly declined and rejoined her family. Pray she stops banning Christ’s Church from her own life.

A tentative young man told us he was raised Catholic but wasn’t now, though he did not elaborate. Yet, he wanted a Rosary. Mother Mary, call him back to the fullness of faith in your Son’s Church.

We received a text from John (the retired parking lot attendant) that he was ill and couldn’t come downtown to visit us, so we ask you all to please keep him in your prayers.

Foot traffic was fairly steady, if light. Still, the two evangelists gave away 12-15 Rosaries.

Please pray for us again today? 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 efforts.

Sometimes, God just uses our mere presence to remind people of His Lordship. 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!

“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).

P.S. In case you noticed the delay in reporting from our last session, please know that last week was one of those rare days when neither evangelist was available: one was taking care of family obligations, the other was ill. We both plan to be there this week. So thank you again for your prayers!