We show a living alternative to religious indifference - 2019-08-11
August 25, 2019
We show a living alternative to religious indifference, thanks to your ongoing prayers for Boise's Catholic street evangelization effort. Two evangelists were available.
A Catholic couple from the other side of the country stopped and asked us to pray for the happy repose of the soul of their friend "Bill", who died here one year ago.
"Eric", a 20-something Catholic, stopped and expressed interest in joining us.
Meanwhile, another "Eric", a tall guy on a bike, passed us once then later returned in order to take Rosary and its pamphlet from evangelist Chuck. He is friends with a Catholic deacon, and they go together on what he calls "theology walks" as he considers the call to become Catholic. He plans to bring the Rosary on their next hike and surprise his friend. While evangelist Chuck was explaining the devotion to Eric, three other people stopped at the table and chose Rosaries.
A man, missing his front teeth and smelling of beer, stopped to say he was planning to kill himself. He blamed his troubles on himself and his drinking problem, and said he needed some money to buy a drink to stop the shakes. (Neither evangelist brings money to this apostolate, in accordance with Mt 10:9-10.) Evangelist Lucy explained the real answer was the power of God and gave him directions to a recovery group meeting nearby. (He left in the opposite direction.) At the end of our visit, we prayed together for him. When he took off his hat to pray, evangelist Chuck recognized him as visiting us with the same story last winter.
Two women stopped. One accepted a Rosary, the other (who had grown up Catholic) politely declined. The first woman said to the other, "We can put it in the car." She told us she felt drawn to the Catholic Church and had been attending Mass at the nearby cathedral. Pray for them? Both evangelists suspected they may be tempted to a lifestyle that is incompatible with Christianity.
A woman accompanied by a young child (boy? 3-4 years old?) stopped so the child could choose a Rosary. The mother sported dreadlocks and had lots of "skin art", the visible ones consisting of snakes and drops of blood. She said her husband's family were all Catholic, which she seemed to shrug off as not for her.
A man wearing a leather cowboy hat stopped. He was carrying a thick library book on the history of war. He said he'd like to be Catholic, but had a problem with the current pope because of how he perceived his politics, and because he didn't like the present scandals in the Church. Both evangelists said we, too, were angry over the scandals. Evangelist Lucy then pointed to the corrupt members of the hierarchy through the ages and how the Church has always traveled a path of corruption and reform, and how we can find real helps to holiness within her. Our visitor responded, "Oh yeah, I guess that's true." Lucy offered him a copy of the Catechism. He declined, but asked for the Catholic Bible next to it. He also accepted a Rosary and its pamphlet, and walked away seemingly less sure of his belligerence toward the Church.
A group of three girls in their early teens stopped. They chose matching blue chain Rosaries. While they were at the table, two teenage boys came up to also get Rosaries. (They left in the opposite direction.) Later, a pair of sisters, also in their teens, briefly left their family group in order to accept a Rosary. They also chose matching Rosaries in the same blue chain style.
One man, a practicing Catholic, dropped back from his group in order to choose a Rosary. He said he wanted to get back into the habit of praying it daily.
Two people stopped to take a Rosary and pamphlet. (We don't remember if it was a man and wife, or a mother and daughter, but only the woman talked.) They are lapsed Catholics who are content to stay away from Mass and just have faith in their hearts. Evangelist Chuck reminded her of the Eucharist and the chance to really get God in her heart. But she waved off the idea of coming back to Mass.
A 20-something woman was heading for the library, but stopped and took a Rosary, its pamphlet, and a copy of the *kerygma*. She wasn't really sure what the Rosary was all about, and seemed unsure if she had faith or not, but listened to us tell her about praying the Rosary.
A bicycling father and his 6- or 8-year-old daughter stopped. The man said his daughter could get a Rosary, if she wanted. Evangelist Lucy talked to the daughter, found out the family wasn't Christian, and gave her a copy of the kerygma along with the illustrated pamphlet on the Rosary. Meanwhile, evangelist Chuck talked to the dad. He said they weren't religious, that it wasn't important to them, and he declined to take anything.
A man in his late teens or early 20s told us he was living on his own and no longer attended Mass. He accepted Rosary and pamphlet, as well as a map to area parishes and the invitation to get reconnected to the Church.
Altogether, the two evangelists gave away 15 or so Rosaries and its booklet, 2-3 copies of the kerygma, 2-3 maps of area parishes, and 1 Catholic Bible.
Please pray for us again today? Please ask God to send people to us prepared to perceive their need for Jesus Christ and His Catholic Church. Please ask Him to grant that much good fruit for His Kingdom comes of today's efforts.
Our visible presence challenges the culturally accepted indifference to Jesus Christ and what He has done for us. 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 those you love!
“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).