On the street @ Civic Center: April 16
September 5, 2019
Today it was a “duo” ..Matt and Robert hit the street at Civic Center, which has proven to be a ripe spot for evangelizing many people, and people from all backgrounds and socio-economic levels.
Many rosaries, leaflets, and prayer cards were given out ..and both Matt and Robert spoke to lots of people. Many conversations were short, but several were lengthy.
Nice young (unmarried) couple from Boston.
Robert spoke at length with a couple who were transplants from Boston. The man was recently in prison, and is Catholic. The woman (his girlfriend) was not Catholic, but decided to become her boyfriend’s religion (in her own words). Robert commented that he was an “intense” man, in a spiritual sense. The man is eager to get his life on track and to 
practice his Catholic faith. They were very grateful to have encountered SPSE and Robert.
Rich, a survivor of family tragedy, and faithful Catholic
City Hall, across Civic Center Plaza from where we typically set-up shop
One man, Rich, spoke with team leader, Matt, at length. He told a sad tale of his parent’s divorce when he was just 13-years-old. His mother couldn’t handle the break-up, and subsequently committed suicide.
Matt asked if the suicide negatively affected his faith. To Matt’s surprise, Rich said, “No, it’s actually what sustained me”. His father was not very paternal, and didn’t want to be “burdened” with raising a teenager, which added more tragedy to an already tragic story. When Rich turned 18, he left for college, and decided he would care for himself and get a good education. He admits to being happy and successful today. He also asked, “Hey, do you guys (SPSE) need help??”. He was given a business card and told to get in touch with Matt. We may have inadvertently recruited a new member for our apostolate!
Robert anxiously awaiting the next person to reach out to
We ran out of “How to Pray the Rosary” leaflets, which we always provide when giving a rosary to someone who doesn’t know how to pray it, or to a fallen away Catholic who has forgotten how. We also give out “15 Promises of Our Lady to Those Who Pray the Rosary”.
We feel it’s important (well, necessary!) that people understand WHAT they are praying,and HOW it will affect their lives.
We have some miraculous medals, but they are more costly so we reserve those for individuals who are in most dire straights (spiritually) and for those whom are suffering more greatly, perhaps physically or psychologically.
Two homeless individuals who accepted free rosaries from Rob
Civic Center has become one of our usual places to evangelize; the foot traffic is ideal, the sidewalk is very wide, and we reach a wide segment of the population, including tourists who visit the Asian Art Museum and City Hall, both on the Plaza.
A woman who moved to SF from LA, said she felt unhappy and alienated from people at her parish. She claims to be a “traditionalist” Catholic, and wanted to know where she could find a Latin mass.
Unofficial team mascot, “Buddy”, found a new friend today. Coincidentally, his new playmate’s name is also “Buddy”. God provides even for our smallest creatures!
Please contact us if you feel called to share your Faith with us!
On the street @ Castro District: March 28
September 5, 2019
So I decided to take the team to the belly of the beast ..we set-up shop at “ground zero” (Market & Castro Streets) in SF’s gay neighborhood: The Castro.
Interesting day! Lots of foot traffic, a great place to encounter people We did get our share of sarcasm, and rude and offensive verbal remarks. But the GOOD encounters outweighed the bad, by far.
We spoke with many young, lost, spiritually void people. We gave out lots of rosaries (including many pink and lavender ones!), taught several people how to pray the rosary, we ministered to a young Lutheran guy (John), to a non-practicing guy (Brandon) who listened carefully about the power of the rosary (he was told to ask God to reveal truth to him, because he was considering checking out other religions).
Team member, Pie, spoke with a young gal who waned to chat on a philosophical level. She had asked if gay people go to hell, solely for BEING gay.
It was very rewarding being a small beacon of light, in a spiritually dark place.
On the street @ Civic Center: March 9
September 5, 2019
We returned to CivicCenter because our first time there (Feb 24) was a big success. It’s a fantastic place to encounter a wide variety of people who are going about their lives. Typically, we are out on the street between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm, so that we also get the lunch crowd, when professionals and other workers are strolling around. It seems to be a good strategy!
On the street @ Civic Center: Feb 24
September 5, 2019
Here we are evangelizing at Civic Center..a great place to encounter people of ALL types: professionals, city and county employees, lawyers, law students, professors, homeless, local residents, etc.
On the street @ The Embarcadero: Feb 21 ..with the Dominican dudes
September 5, 2019
On Friday, February 21 … Team Leader, Matt (and his faithful companion and Team 
Mascot, “Buddy”) hit the street …evangelizing alongside Brother Thomas, Brother Tuan, and Brother Matthew, from the Oakland Dominican Priory, located in the Rockridge area, near Berkeley.
The brothers took the BART transbay tube into San Francisco to meet up with Matt and Buddy, and we set-up camp along The Embarcadero (a public promenade along San Francisco’s waterfront), near the Ferry Terminal Building.
Bright, sunny, blue sky along with 70 degree temps, from 11:00 am to about 1:00 pm, made for an EXCELLENT day of street evangelization!
Many many rosaries were handed out to receptive members of the public. Gals and guys, young and old. Locals and tourists. We spoke with people from Brazil, a hindu from The UK, fallen away Catholics from Boston and Connecticut. Faithful Catholics from the Bay Area, who praised our work and gave words of support and encouragement.
It was a great day … rewarding, and we felt good about being an instrument of the Holy Spirit, by planting many seeds which we pray will flourish.
If you feel compelled to evangelize, or want to come out with us on a “trial” basis to see if it’s the right apostolate for you, I would urge you to get in touch!
Typically, newly interested individuals meet with Team Leader Matt for a very casual “meet and greet” over 
coffee, just to discuss your involvement, and anything else you wish to discuss on a personal level. But we also discuss practical things like “How to evangelize on the street”, your available, our schedule / calendar, etc, etc.
You can also become a Supporting Member thru the national website, where you pledge a minimal amount ($15 / month), which enables you to take online training courses, as well as good material to help you become familiar with apologetics and evangelization. The national organization has many downloadable leaflets and brochures, CD’s, videos, 
etc.
Look forward to hearing from you!
History of the Archdiocese of San Francisco
September 5, 2019
The history of Catholicism in California, including the San Francisco Archdiocese is very old, rich, and interesting.
By 1884, the Catholic Church was firmly established in San Francisco and northern California, with the tremendous help from women religious from Dominican Sisters, Notre Dame de Namur 
Sisters, Sisters of Charity, Presentation Sisters, Mercy Sisters, and the homegrown Sisters of the Holy Family.
Meanwhile, the priests of the Jesuit, Dominican, Salesian, Paulist, and Franciscan religious orders of men were prominent in the expansion of parochial and educational institutions of the Archdiocese
The
following link will provide you with a fantastic look at the history of Catholic San Francisco (and the Bay Area), including its fight with anti-Catholicism in 1894.
More detailed information is available by going to the Archdiocese of San Francisco official website.(Go back to the Home page on this website, and you will find the post, “History of the Archdiocese of San Francisco”)
Using Binding Prayers to Stop Evil
September 5, 2019
A very useful piece of spiritual warfare for your arsenal: binding prayers
Anyone who does any sort of evangelizing, can certainly be a target. After all, we are in the business of helping to save souls, right? Not to worry, however, because we have many tools in our spiritual arsenal!
In addition to sacramentals (the rosary, holy water, medals, blessed salt, oil, prayer cards, etc), The Gospel of St. Mark tells us that Jesus gave his followers authority over evil spirits (16:17).
The following text is taken from “Spiritual Dangers of the 21st Century” (2009) Queenship Publishing Company. By Father Joseph M. Esper:
Page 119 …
“…the binding of spirits is a form of prayer available to all believers. Binding of spirits doesn’t attempt to remove them or drive them away (as is the case in an exorcism), but merely prevents them from using their power on us or someone else…
A binding prayer merely requires us to say, in a whisper or soft voice, “Evil spirit, I bind you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
If you suspect a specific spirit, you can address it that way, for example:
“Spirit of fear .. spirit of lust …spirit of frustration …spirit of anger …spirit of deception …”
and so on.
Binding satan, or his helpers, stops them in their tracks from doing any harm to you, or to someone else, because the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is all-powerful. It’s quite possible that we are being tampered or confused or agitated, so it’s important to know that YOU have, at your disposal, the binding prayer and the power of the name of Jesus Christ.
Keep that in mind as you go about your evangelization! And of course, this prayer can be said in any circumstance, anywhere, anytime ..should you suspect the presence or intervention of the evil one, or any evil entity.
Peace In Christ
Photos from the SUCCESSFUL Walk for Life 2014 in SF!
September 5, 2019
Once again, I walked for life, along with my 13-lb companion, Buddy, a mini-dachshund / chihuahua mix.
We were amongst probably 50,000 prolifers, (if not more) who peacefully, prayerfully gathered at 11:00 am for a rally and Info Fair at San Francisco’s Civic Center Plaza. (Click to enlarge photos)
The march began at 1:30 pm, which ended at Justin Herman Plaza (at The Embarcadero). The walk took an hour, and people of ALL ages, ALL faiths, 
and ALL shapes and sizes joined together to be a powerful witness to the sanctity of life.
The Info Faire, again, was interesting. From a film production company in Hollywood which represents movies about life issues, to Catholic apostolates, evangelization organizations, Divine Mercy, Knights of Columbus, etc., had a presence.
There was also an African prolife banner, as well as many Lutherans for Life, and Orthodox for Life marchers.
There were only a handful of opponents, who shouted vulgar and obnoxious (and mean-spiritual) words and phrases. At one point, I heard some opponents shouting, “Women are not incubators”.
At one point during the march, I walked past a couple who were standing on the sidewalk along Market Street, watching the march. The woman looked at me and said, in a soft, pleasant voice (almost a whisper) ..”Thank You”.
I smiled and nodded, and asked, “Where are you from”? She replied, “Wisconsin”. It was a poignant moment, and a powerful one; that people from so far away, clearly in San Francisco as tourists, were able to “participate” in our support for babies.
The miniscule opposition was a bit like having a fly at a picnic table …expected, but didn’t ruin the event!
While ashamed that my country allows abortion-on-demand, since 1973, I am very proud of the people of faith who travel far to be in San Francisco to support God’s most precious, innocent of all …the unborn.
I pray that God hears the cries from prolifers to bring an end to the horror that is abortion. And I know that God cannot be mocked. He is the author of life. It may take a while, but the day will come, when God brings an end to abortion, and those responsible who have not repented, will know the power of a just God, and the love he has, for the more than 56 million of his babies which have been sinfully taken away from us.
Enjoy the photos! …perhaps you can join in the Walk for Life West Coast on January 24, 2015!
God Bless You
Matt Barba
Why Consider Being a Street Evangelist in San Francisco?
September 5, 2019
There’s a misconception about “evangelization”, in large part due to a few Christians who have, in modern times, not portrayed evangelization in a positive light.
We all have seen protesters on TV, where Christians are shouting vulgarities and delivering a message of love, in an obnoxious manner. The “in-your-face” style of evangelization is NOT the prudent way to share the faith.
Evangelization is as old as The Church itself. It’s something Jesus himself asked of His followers. Not only priests, bishops, and deacons are called to evangelize, but the flock 
(the laity) is also commanded to proclaim The Gospel.
Indeed, The Church exists to evangelize!
Sharing your Catholic faith is rewarding, in various ways. It saves souls, it helps to diffuse evil and hatred, it clarifies misconceptions about Catholicism, it answers questions for the confused and feeds the spiritual hunger in a dark, sinful world.
A huge plus, is the spiritual reward that street evangelists experience as a result of sharing their faith. Being a street evangelist is not a paid vocation; it’s an apostolate of Catholics who are on fire with the Word of God, and want to share the Truth with others.
Sharing the beauty and richness of the Catholic Church with complete strangers, is spiritually exciting, emotionally satisfying, and even physically beneficial because we are comprised of both body and soul, and what’s good for the soul, is good for the body!
Evangelizing in San Francisco has tremendous potential to help bring light into a dark world. It’s well known that San Francisco is a city filled with all types of hedonism, and is the epicenter of liberalism, secularism, humanism, paganism, and atheism. San Francisco is no stranger to sin and alternative lifestyles, and has a large percentage of single, lost souls who are seeking the truth and love in all the wrong places.
Sharing the Catholic truth amongst a population heavily involved in (and influenced by) the New Age movement, bars, sex clubs, witchcraft, paganism, and other occult practices, can pay huge dividends!
If you are here visiting this site because you are curious, or feel called to become involved, please get in touch!
We are always seeking evangelists who are faithful to the Catholic Church, and are willing (and able) to devote some time to sharing the Truth in a loving, caring, non-confrontational way. We pray before hitting the street, we ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and ask God to work through us in planting the seeds that may one day bear fruit.
Please consider offering free rosaries, prayer cards, medals, CD’s, and leaflets on the streets of San Francisco, with fellow Catholics in a loving, caring apostolate.
God Bless You
-Matt Barba (SF Chapter Coordinator)
Watch EWTN's "Life On The Rock" ...with St. Paul Street Evangelization!
September 5, 2019
In case you missed it, you can watch our National Director, Steve Dawson, along with two others from St. Paul Street Evangelization (SPSE), discussing the founding and growth of SPSE into an international apostolate.
Listen to Steve discuss his call to evangelization, and explain what SPSE is doing, how it works, and who we are.
If you feel compelled to get involved, please get in touch ...we need not only evangelists, but prayer warriors, and donors. God Bless You!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhxoKus-CyY