Philadelphia - Lower Bucks County

Country: United States
State or province: Pennsylvania

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Nancy Hoyt
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• Street Evangelization at Frankford Hospital on Saturday, November 26, 2022

• Ambler Farmer's Market July 30th, 2022

• July 9th 2022, Sister Cities Park sidewalk Philadelphia

• Downtown with the Deacons and more! June 18th 2022

• Campbell Park, Port Richmond, Philadelphia on Saturday, 21 May 2022

Downtown Philadelphia July 14th 2018

September 19, 2019

Lyrics from The Summons (heard at Mass this morning, felt fitting):

Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown? Will you let my name be known,
will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?

Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?

(NH) Don and Nancy went downtown about a block from the Cathedral Basilica of SS Peter and Paul on Saturday, after attending 8 am Mass and after making a quick visit to pray at the altar of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (i.e., see photo below).

We were blessed with many encounters, almost all male and most homeless or living in shelters. It has been remarkable in this location before, how one sezzztup with a prayer station for street evangelization may feel the hostile stare of suburbanites and millennials in center city. This is in contrast to the poor and visitors to our city of brotherly love, who usually seem much more open to friendly chatter, offers of sacramentals, books and prayers. The current climate in the Philadelphia area is difficult for faithful Catholics as we wait for the release of a two year detailed grand jury report on historical sexual abuse cases by clergy in five area dioceses and we see news headlines on the pending activity nearly daily this summer. The details promise to be horrific and may be the final straw that makes Pennsylvania decide to completely remove the statute of limitations on lawsuits. All one can do is praise God for the purification of His Church, ask Him for blessings on all victims, and humbly ask Our Lord to show us personally how to be His body in the world, granting us fortitude, perseverance, right judgement and absolute charity always.

Our encounters included:

Sage, who prays for his health and his family’s health and prosperity

Jon, from France, who spoke very little English but was ecstatic to be given the Miraculous Medal and prayer card about St. Catherine Laboure. For his safe travels and to know God is with him always.

Marvin, who prays for healing from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for his addiction to drugs. He agreed that Christ is the great healer and promises us that anything asked in his name may be granted.

Don, for his healing from a knife attack and for the grace to forgive his attacker, and for his future safety.

Robert Ford, for his finances, health and shelter.

Luis, from Honduras, for remaking his life and following God’s will for him. He is recently out of prison from serving a six year sentence and so prays to have strength, right judgement and blessings.

Jose, new to city from Florida, to find shelter and God’s direction. He was working but arrived after allowed time and the shelter refused to allow him back and threw away all of his clothes.

Bruce, for his life.

Curtis, to make the right choices in life for good health and success.

Marcell, for his senior housing to come through and for his health.

Jason, to make the right choices in life.

Ryan and Constance, to be filled with the Holy Spirit again, as he was greatly moved during prayer, and for them to get jobs and an apartment.

Nate, a man of God with a glowing and happy personality. That his love of God shines on to others and for his safety, well-being, and continued walk with God.

Finally, we met up with a bunch of young men exiting the Cathedral. They were there as a “Heed the Call” group who were discerning priestly vocations. We gave them SS Peter and Paul medals and prayers cards and promised them our prayers. They were very thankful and their director gave Don and Nancy St. Benedict medals. God knows the young men discerning the priesthood and those in the seminary need our prayers and that Our Church needs some great young faithful priests ~ Praise be to God!