Boise

Country: United States
State or province: Idaho

Team Leader
Lucy Stamm
Contact

Admin
Login

Team Badges

Young people are out and about - 2020-08-09

August 16, 2020

Young people are out and about, and we try to reach them. So thank you again for your prayers for the Boise Catholic street evangelization effort.

A group of 4-5 teenage boys zoomed by on noisy skateboards. They ignored our offer of a Rosary until the last and smallest member of the pack stopped. He accepted Rosary and pamphlet, then sped off to rejoin the group. Minutes later, they all came riding back, wanting a Rosary. As we handed them out, explaining the devotion, a tall teen asked, “What religion is this?” We started telling him about Christ, when a long-haired young man interrupted and asked how to actually pray the Rosary. Another boy then started asking if this and that (e.g., using nicotine, illegal drugs) was a sin. E. Chuck fielded the questions, while e. Lucy handed one of the boys a copy of the “Confession” pamphlet, with its self-test on their relationship with God and what can harm it. The tall boy then took up the questioning and, with an almost joking manner, asked e. Chuck very pointed questions about sins against purity. When e. Chuck said that one such activity was indeed sinful, the teen crowed, “That’s a deal breaker!” and he sped off (but still wearing the Rosary). But then, another few minutes later, they came back again, this time with two girls added to the group. The girls each accepted a Rosary. Another girl was following the group, but probably wasn’t part of it, since we saw her by herself again later. She also accepted a Rosary. Altogether? 10 Rosaries and its booklet, and a copy of the Confession pamphlet.

A two-family group stopped, interested in the Rosaries. The mom told us they were “church shopping”, attending a different denomination’s service every weekend. They had started saying to each other, “We need to go to the Catholic Church,” but hadn’t yet. E. Lucy gave the mom a map of area parishes, and encouraged her to check the parish website before going, because Mass times have been changing frequently. That group accounted for another 10 Rosaries and its booklet, plus a map.

The woman, a previous visitor who has and uses all sorts of prayer beads, had received a Rosary from us recently. She stopped to thank us for it. When e. Lucy suggested that if she wanted to “take it to the next level”, she might try praying all 4 sets of Mysteries. “Funny thing,” the woman said, “just the other night I did that. I stayed up all night praying it, and couldn’t stop crying.” Her grasp on spiritual truths is still very confused, but we encouraged her to continue praying the Rosary, confident in our Blessed Mother. May Mary help the woman sort out her religious confusion.

A woman on a bicycle stopped, a toddler in the bicycle’s baby trailer. She accepted a Rosary, but said it was for her child. E. Lucy encouraged her to begin praying it, for peace and protection.

Two men stopped. One made a point of choosing a pink Rosary. We encouraged them each to pray it.

Two 20-something women, one raised Catholic and the other not, each took a Rosary. As e. Lucy explained to the non-Catholic how to pray it, e. Chuck encouraged the Catholic to pray the Rosary with her friend.

We had a similar encounter with a young couple. She was Catholic and he was not, so we encouraged her to pray the Rosary with him.

Altogether, we gave away better than 30 Rosaries and its pamphlets, 2 maps at least, and 1 Confession pamphlet.

Please pray for us again today? Ask that God send people to us prepared to perceive their need for Jesus Christ and His Holy Catholic Church, and that much good fruit for His Kingdom comes of today’s effort.

Young people may be careless, but God is calling them. 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).