Boise

Country: United States
State or province: Idaho

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Lucy Stamm
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Is it over? - 2020-05-24

May 31, 2020

Is it over? We think not, so thank you again for your prayers for the Boise Catholic street evangelization effort.

After a week of unusually heavy rain, we had beautiful weather for the national holiday known as “Memorial Day weekend”. The number of people out reached pre-pandemic levels. Despite government guidelines, only 3 people besides ourselves wore masks.

We two evangelists, masked and gloved, set up our table with Rosaries and pamphlets again, for the first time in a couple of months. We were using our newly finished Plexiglas “table topper” sneeze guard. It seemed to really encourage visitors.

“John”, the mask-wearing parking lot attendant, visited for awhile. Our governor, while allowing a few businesses to resume, had said, “continue to wear masks, stay 6 ft apart”. But people acted as if they heard, “It’s over. As you were.” John had brought a few extra paper masks with him in case anyone, seeing his, expressed a desire for one. No one had. He also noted that the daily number of new cases in the area has increased dramatically.

Evangelist Chuck had at least 3 people grab the Rosary out of his hand as they rode by without stopping. He got faster at getting the booklet into their hands, too,

A 30-something man stopped. He’d been raised Catholic, but had been away from the Church for awhile. He told us that he was feeling the tug to come back. He accepted a Rosary, its booklet, and a map to area parishes.

Another man accepted a Rosary and its pamphlet, saying he was raised Catholic. Every time his family went anywhere in a car, they would say the Rosary in Spanish. So, he could recite the Rosary in Spanish, but still did not understand the words. We encouraged him to study the prayer in English and to seek a parish to attend.

Two 20-something men stopped. They each accepted a Rosary and the booklet on how to pray it. One requested another copy of the booklet in Spanish. We encouraged them to get in the habit of praying it daily.

A non-Catholic Christian couple stopped. They were hesitant to accept a Rosary when they heard we were Catholic. But we showed them how the Rosary was a tool for entering into a deep meditation on the life of Christ, and they got excited. “I can’t wait to try it!” the woman kept saying as they took their leave.

A cognitively impaired man stopped. He was almost overly grateful to receive a free Rosary. He insisted on shaking e. Chuck’s hand as he left. (Chuck changed into a clean glove afterward.)

A man and grandson (perhaps 5 years old) stopped. The man had evidently gotten a Rosary from us before. That morning, they had attended a non-Catholic Christian church and were glad that churches were opening up again. They each accepted a Rosary and the encouragement to pray it, “for protection”.

Several people thanked us for being there, saying they had already received a Rosary from us in the past.

A group of 20-something men stopped and accepted Rosaries and its pamphlet. They were in town for a job. The man from the eastern part of the country was the most enthusiastic and appreciative.

One man from a passing group refused receiving a Rosary by holding up a can and saying, “No thanks, I have beer.” Lord, have mercy!

We had such a constant stream of visitors that the two evangelists managed to pray only 1 decade of the Rosary. We gave away 15-20 Rosaries and its pamphlet (less one), and at least 1 map to area parishes.

Please pray for us again today? We’re doing another “pray together separately” session, since one team member, though asymptomatic, is under strict quarantine pending test results. We plan to pray all 20 decades of the Rosary at our usual session time. Please join us in praying that many people will perceive their need for Jesus Christ and His Holy Catholic Church, and that much good fruit for His Kingdom comes of our efforts.

Wishful thinking can lead to unwise behavior. Spiritual danger has not lessened, hence the need for a continued visible Catholic presence in public. So thank you again so much for your prayers and other support for this apostolate. In turn, may God protect and greatly bless you and all those you love!

“Send forth your Spirit; they are created and you renew the face of the earth” Psalm 104:30.