Tales off the street
September 17, 2019
December 31st we set up our table at the pancake breakfast in the hallway outside the dining room. When the weather is nice, we set up a table on sidewalks. But due to the cold, we were graciously allowed inside. We stayed about and hour and a half. Everything on the table was free to be given away—rosaries, metals, holy cards and pamphlets—to anyone who wanted them. As usual, we tried to enter into friendly conversation about faith and witness to persons. The homeless have been very appreciative of the New Testaments because they fit in a pocket. We are grateful to all our benefactors.
There was a woman who approached with her 12-year old daughter. The girl pointed to a crucifix on the table and asked, “Who is that?” I said, “That is Jesus Christ. Do you know who Jesus is?” Fortunately, she knew who Jesus was but had never seen Christ crucified. In her mother’s church they don’t use crucifixes because, “Christ does not live on the cross but lives in the hearts of men.” Of course I’ve heard that line many times.
I said to the mom, “Yes, we agree Christ was crucified once for our sins and he does live in the hearts of Christians everywhere. But I can’t think of any other symbol that reminds me more how much God loved us, and I never want to forget the sacrifice He gave to set me free. Don’t you think?”
The mom agreed with me. Then the little girl asked her mother if she could have the crucifix. The mother said, “This is not a toy. What would we do with it?”
I jumped in and answered, “Like a lot of other Catholics, I have one over the doorpost or on the wall next to each door of my house. It’s just like the Hebrews in Egypt did who spread the blood of the Passover lamb over the doors of their homes to protect them from the destroyer. (Exodus 12:22-23) Every time I leave the house this crucifix reminds me that the blood of Christ saves my whole family.”
She said, “I want that for my house, too. I will take this and put it on my wall next to the door. Thank you.”
Praised be to our Lord Jesus Christ who can use a simple crucifix and a few simple words to strengthen someone’s faith and dispel misunderstandings between Christians. It’s so simple to just share a little of your faith with someone. There is nothing more important than bringing people to Christ. What can you do this week to evangelize?
Joan Caldwell
Jesus is Lord. Spread the word.
Spread the seeds of love around
September 17, 2019
Evangelization is not coming up to a person and asking, “Have you been saved? Do you accept Jesus as your savior?” It is more of planting seeds to people who seem lost, unhappy or having something missing in their life. That something is the joy of Jesus Christ.
We have gone to many places and have left rosaries and talked to people. It may take awhile for this seed to mature but we give them a name of someone or a place they can go for further help.
One gentleman was given a rosary with the method on how to pray it and was invited to come back. We saw him a month later and he said he wore that rosary every day. When he didn’t wear it, he felt like he was missing something. That was a seed. Last week he came and said he had lost it and could he get another one? Fifteen minutes later, another gentleman came up and wanted to know if he could get one too. He said he was new in town and was looking for a church.
It may be the next year, the next week, or the next person, but seeds are growing. Can you help spread seeds of God’s love around?
–Allison Hinde
“I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth. Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth.”–1st Corinthians 3:6-7.
God’s love for us
September 17, 2019
“God so loved the world that He gave His only Son.” God still loves the world, and today He continues to give Jesus to the world through you and me…Each of us, in his own way, must be the Father’s love and compassion toward the world.
-Mother Teresa
The JW’s are coming!
September 17, 2019
Last Sunday the Jehovah’s Witnesses had a big rally at the Hulman Center and they must have gotten all riled up because I’ve seen them out twice this week. First was Tuesday in front of the student union center at ISU campus where Friar Mario and I were doing street evangelization. I left Mario at the table while I went over to ask the two ladies some questions about baptism and why they think Jesus Christ is actually St. Michael the Archangel (Yes, they do believe that).
The second occasion was Wednesday morning while I was taking my walk around the neighborhood. Three women got out of a car, one with a Bible and 2 younger women with tablets in their arms. So I caught up with them and started asking them questions, building on the answers I had gotten on Tuesday. I started with why they believe their translation of the Bible is correct when it differs from every other Bible ever printed in 2000 years. The older lady got pretty frustrated with my questions and rebuttal to her answers and finally stormed off in a huff, the other two trailing along with apologetic shrugs. I hollered after them “Know the truth and the truth shall set you free”.
I found they were woefully uninformed about things outside their religion. Then again, most people are (including many Catholics). If you have the occasion to talk with the JW’s, make sure you can express your arguments orally, because they believe if they read anything religious not their own they risk their salvation. They may even refuse to touch it. JW’s are also the ones who believe that to receive a blood transfusion will also cost them their salvation. They would rather die than receive blood and many have.
People who know, say that it’s most helpful to first address the basis of their authority: the governing body that authorizes their unique biblical translation and their publication, the Watchtower, Jehovah’s voice. Also, they believe one truth cannot contradict another and a false prophet is one whose predictions don’t come true. So you can ask them to check their old publication which have flip-flopped over the years predicting Jesus’ second coming and the battle of Armageddon in 1874 and again in 1914 and in 1975.
Here are some other dogma specific to the JW’s:
• There is no separate soul. When your body dies you cease to exist.
• Resurrection is not a raising soul and body to new life so much as re-creating that life anew.
• There is no Hell. Just non-existence. To think otherwise makes Jehovah a monster.
• When you are re-created (the JW’s, not us) you will not be in heaven with Jesus—that is reserved for the 144,000 (Rev. 7, and 14:3-4)who already have their reservations confirmed (Which, if taken literally, are male Israelite virgin converts). The rest are the multitude (Rev.7:9) that will be here on Earth playing with the lions and the lambs.
• Jesus is savior and lord, but not God. He was crucified on a stake, not a cross, and of course when he died he ceased to exist, but when Jehovah God recreated him it was as Michael the archangel and so it was not a bodily resurrection because angels have no bodies.
• Oh yeah, they changed the prologue of John chapter 1 to read, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was a God.” So evidently angels are gods (I need to find another JW and ask about that.)
• The Holy Spirit is not a person, just a force like the wind. When I asked her how it is that Acts chapter 5 refers to the Holy Spirit as a person, as does Jesus in John 14 using the pronoun “he”—“He will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” I think that’s when she decided to cut and run.
If you think about it, you can find scripture to refute each of these claims. For example, numerous times the resurrected Jesus eats food with the disciples. He says, “touch my wounds”, and in John chapter 2 after he cleanses the Temple he says “destroy this temple and in 3 days I will rebuild it…But he was speaking about the temple of his body.” Clearly there was a bodily resurrection.
So don’t be afraid of the JW’s. Every one I have met is a very nice person, and, as misguided as they are, they really believe what they teach. When they evangelize, they do it out of love, as do we. So when you meet a JW, gently plant some seeds of truth and pray that the Holy Spirit will lead them to all truth. I emphasize being gentle because if they leave the JW’s they will be shunned like the Amish. They have a lot to lose, but a lot to gain.
Joan
First Friday
September 17, 2019
It was the first Friday in October when the stores and restaurants stay open late downtown. The weather had abruptly changed from the warm summer days to which we’d become accustomed into a crisp “Why didn’t I bring a jacket?” evening.
Carol Etling and I set up our table between the band and J Gumbo’s restaurant. We had to change our normal layout because the wind would whisk away anything not nailed down.
It turned out to be a good location and there was moderate to heavy foot traffic. We stayed about an hour from 6 to 7pm and in that time we only gave away about 5 rosaries, but we had at least 3 encounters of substance and 2 women we prayed with.
One that touched my heart was a woman with same-sex attraction. She had tattoos and at first I thought she was a man from the way she dressed. She had a lot of self-loathing for that part of herself, yet she feels a tugging toward God. I told her that is normal because we are created for intimacy with God and we can never be totally happy without that relationship. What she feels is her response to God who never stops calling her. I told her she is a beloved child of God created in God’s image. She can’t help what she feels—but that’s not a sin. We all have crosses to bear. What’s important are her actions. I told her she is not an animal without self-control and God could help her. I gave her a pamphlet about the Church’s position on homosexuality, one “10 things we want you to know about Catholics” pamphlet, and one of the knotted rosaries I had made with another pamphlet on how to pray it. I told her about Mary, Undoer of Knots, and how she can help us untie the knots and tangles of sins and confusion that keep us from being free and to see God clearly. I told her that while I make each rosary I am praying for the person who will use it. When we finished praying, she showed me the rosary and said, “See, I was holding it tight in my hand.” I also showed her how to find St. Joseph’s and told her she can come in any day and spend time with Jesus there because it is a holy place and many people find peace within. We hugged and she went on her way.
Praised be to our Lord Jesus Christ who loves us sinners with a love beyond our understanding and never ever stops calling us. What a joy to take our faith into the streets and what a privilege it is to talk with the people there.
Joan
Jesus is Lord. Spread the word.
Not Old Yeller
September 17, 2019
Just got back from ISU campus with Friar Mario and I feel so happy. It was a great outing. We also got another thank-you, contrasting our presence to that of Joe, aka Joe Yeller or Old Yeller. He yells at students passing by, calling the young women sluts and hollering that they’re going to Hell.
We talked with two very interesting students with lots of question this morning: one was a lovely young woman who struggles with same-sex attraction who wanted to know if we worship saints and asked about our stance on homosexuality. The second was a young man who says he is an atheist (we never accept a label for a person) and was raised up in a strict fundamentalist family (which explains his knowledge of scripture and could explain his attitude toward it). He likes that we do not pit faith against science. Please pray for both these young people. We pray the Holy Spirit will fan into flame their curiosity and that they will come back with more questions.
God is good.
Joan
ACTS
September 17, 2019
You are listening to a coworker and she tells you that her son is failing his classes at school. She is at the end of her rope and doesn’t know what to do. He keeps getting into trouble. She is venting to you. This is a perfect opportunity to offer to pray with her. Sure, she might say no, but she will probably say yes even if she is not a disciple. Just offering to pray with someone is hard, now that you overcame that part; you need to pray for them. Hopefully you pray enough throughout the day that praying for someone else won’t be so hard. There is a formula we can use, though, to help us pray spontaneously when the situation calls for it.
What could you pray if you have to pray spontaneously with a person? Just remember A.C.T.S.! Do not be afraid to pray with others. They will not ask you to pray with them, but you should ask as often as you can if you can pray with them.
• Adoration – As a matter of justice we should worship and recognize God for who He is – Our loving creator and savior. Adoration is a good way to start any prayer. You can open prayer with others by saying “Almighty God and Father, we praise your holy name.” Pray prayers of adoration and praise to God.
• Contrition – We can pray for forgiveness for our sins against God and against others. When you pray with others ask God to forgive OUR trespasses. Pray the Our Father with them.
• Thanksgiving – We can thank God for the good things he has given us and done for us in our life.
• Supplication – We can ask God to provide for our needs.
When praying for others recall ACTS in your own mind. Start by making the sign of the cross and adoring God. “Almighty God and Father we love you and adore your holy name.” Then think in your mind “okay, contrition” and offer a prayer out loud asking for the forgiveness of our sins. “We are sorry for the ways that we have failed you. In Jesus Christ, forgive us our sins against you and against our neighbor.” Thank God for all of the good things in the person’s life, and then implore God to bless the person and fulfill their true needs that they have asked prayer for. “Jesus we ask you to bless and help this mom’s son as he is struggling with school. Give him the courage to talk to his parents about what is bothering him and his parents the openness to listen and respond in love. We pray this in Jesus’ name and implore the intercession of all the saints and angels. Amen.”
-excerpt from SPSE basic evangelization training module
Somebody’s knocking at your door
September 17, 2019
A pastor from a nearby Baptist Church knocked on my door this morning, with his adorable little boy, passing out religious tracts.
“We want to give you this invitation to our church, and on the back it has gospel and all the information on how you can be saved”, he said, stretching out his hand.
I said, “That’s very kind of you. But I am a Catholic Christian and proud to be part of the one true church founded by Christ 2000 years ago with the promise of the Holy Spirit that protects the church from teaching error. So there’s really no reason to take a card. Thank you very much and God bless you.
He tried one more time. “We have enough for everybody on this street so please take one”.
Thank you, anyway, for caring enough about me enough to come by. Have a good day.” And I closed the door. I said to myself, “Well, that was better than how you handled the Jehovah’s Witnesses who knocked on the door a few weeks ago.” Then almost immediately I thought, “I could’ve done better. What if I’d taken it one step further?
“Thank you for preaching the gospel as you know it. I will gladly take your card if you will take this card “10 Things We Want You To Know About the Catholic Church”. And if you ever have any questions I will be happy to talk with you further.”
When the JW people came by, they cited some examples of crime in the city and how awful things are today (I didn’t ask if they were Trump supporters), and we want to give you this magazine. I said, “The Watchtower? No, thank you.” And that was that. I closed the door and I thought, “What’s wrong with me? I’m supposed to be evangelizing. Why didn’t I say something? I’ll have to do better next time.”
So yeah, I did do better this time. Now I have some pamphlets and a rosary ready on the bookcase near the front door. Next time I’ll try to get the missionary to accept a rosary.
Joan
Hell yes or Hell no
September 17, 2019
Steve Dawson, founder and president of St. Paul Street Evangelization, came to Terre Haute to join our team for some evangelizing Monday afternoon September 19th. You can see him in the middle of the picture, between Kevin and another young man. We were very happy that he made the trip from Bloomington just to be with us.
It was fascinating to watch Steve evangelize. He never missed an opportunity to greet someone passing by. He never just said, “hello”, but always, “hello, would you like a miraculous metal?” He had a knack for establishing trust and for engaging people, and if you ask him how he does it, his reply is, “Practice.” It is certainly true he has done this over thousands of times during the past 4 years since he founded SPSE.
He can give the gospel in a few seconds: God created us to be in relationship with God. We’ve broken that relationship through sin. Jesus Christ, who is God, became man to restore that relationship and allow us the opportunity to go to heaven. We need to respond to that. We need to repent of our sins and turn our live over to Jesus and follow him. We need to be his disciples. And he gave us a church to guide us and to give us grace on our journey.
Another thing he is really good about is calling people to action. Let me explain. Say he’s talking to a college student who hasn’t been to Mass or confession for a long time. He will say to them, “Can I give you one good reason why I go to Mass every week?” (Or “why I became Catholic” or “why I go to confession every month?) Then, when he has finished telling them why Mass is important or why the Catholic Church is the one true Church founded by Christ, etc. he finishes with, “Now that you know, you have a decision to make. What are you going to do about it?” He calls for action. Personally, I’m more a teacher than a salesperson. I tend to explain things and assume that, now they know, any reasonable person will naturally see the truth and decide on their own to take the correct action. And that simply is not true much of the time. Inertia keeps us in the same trajectory unless invited or nudged in a different direction. That was very challenging for me.
He did give me one piece of advice that I’ve spent a lot of time pondering since that day. I’m going to share it with you now because I want to start a conversation about this and I really want to hear what you have to say.
He said, “Don’t be afraid to talk about Hell with people.”
He said that reminding people of the eternal consequences of sin is often the only thing that will get the attention of many people. We can talk of the higher motivations to people who already love God. But 9 out of 10 people will blow it off. They need to hear that if we die in mortal sin, we go to Hell. He said we must be very careful not to accuse anybody, and we speak in generalities like, “What do you think will happen if we die in a state of mortal sin?” But because we love them, we have to speak the truth.
Like I said, I’ve been thinking about this a lot. And I am still a little afraid of talking to people about Hell. I know that blowing off Mass is a mortal sin, but the idea of telling someone that blowing off Mass a mortal sin makes me uncomfortable—even if it’s done with charity.
On the other hand, we all know a lot of people these days don’t even believe in Hell. People don’t want to go to confession.
It can even be argued we have an obligation to warn people. God said in Ezekiel 33:8 “When I say to the wicked, “You wicked, you must die, “ and you do not speak up to warn the wicked about their way, they shall die in their sins, but I will hold you responsible for their blood. If, however, you warn the wicked to turn from their ways, but they do not, then they shall die in their sins, but you shall save your life.”
I don’t want to discount what Steve says. He has had these conversations with thousands of people over the past 4 years of SPSE. If he says 9 out of 10 people respond better to fear of damnation than to the love of Christ, he is probably right. I just don’t know if I’m ready to do it. I don’t know if I can do it. It seems confrontational. Maybe it’s not. It doesn’t feel charitable. But maybe it is more charitable than enabling people to continue ignoring the coming judgment. We are our brother’s keeper. Right?
I spoke to Friar Mario who says he has never used fear of hell to evangelize. He says most people are already so bound in their feelings of unworthiness and self-hatred that they find it hard to believe that God could love them. What they really need to hear about is God’s mercy. That, I believe, is most certainly true.
Dear reader, tell me what you think. What is the right path? Is there a right path? Let’s talk.
Joan
Thank you
September 17, 2019
Last Tuesday was a slow day at ISU campus. Friar Mario and Joan had hardly talked to anyone in 2 hours. We were just thinking about bagging up the supplies and leaving when a young man approached and said, “I just want to thank you for your presence here. There are other people on campus who yell at people as they go by and they really give Jesus Christ a bad name. I can’t stop but I wanted you to know.”
That just made our day. After all that time of people walking swiftly by ignoring us, I was starting to wonder if we hadn’t wasted our time. Then God sends this student like an angel with a word of encouragement. God is so good.
Holy Spirit time
September 17, 2019
“The Holy Spirit forms thoughts and suggests words in the hearts of the just. Those who have the Holy Spirit produce nothing bad; all the fruits of the Holy Spirit are good.”
-Saint John Vianney
Do you ever have that moment when reflecting on a past interaction with a person when all of a sudden, you think of something profound you wish you would have thought and said? This happens to me constantly, usually hours or days after the fact… I then regret the missed opportunity that I could not communicate because it could have been so helpful! I usually get very frustrated when this happens, however after speaking with a fellow member of our Street Evangelization team, some words of wisdom were impressed upon me.
Something I did not consider was that perhaps great words that do not come to mind in a particular situation is simply because the Holy Spirit did not think it was the right thing or time to be said. This was a very humbling realization and especially impactful to me as I become involved with the St. Paul Street Evangelization ministry at SJUP. At times I struggle because I desire to proclaim the Good News and the One True Church all at once so that people understand immediately. However I should also consider the personal and spiritual lives of every individual I interact with and where they are at on their faith journey so that I can meet and walk with them, rather than overwhelm or push them away. Perhaps a lack of thought or words while evangelizing on the street could be because that individual is not yet ready to take that step in their faith journey.
Although I believe it is extremely important to never cease reflecting and praying on these situations in order to grow and better prepare for future interactions, I know that I need to trust in God’s Divine Providence and rely more on the Holy Spirit to guide and counsel me. I am beginning to see that the more I do street evangelization, the more I will rely on the discernment of the Holy Spirit to pour grace into my heart. As a result, the right words will come as I need them! So instead of demanding perfection from myself when speaking with others and regretting all the things I should have said, I will pray to the Holy Spirit and have trust in God so that I can better evangelize with love of God in my heart, kind words, stewardship, and living by example.
Brenna Wuerzburger
Terrified
September 17, 2019
Prior to witnessing about the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ at the Samaritan food pantry, I was quite honestly terrified at the prospect of sharing my faith. At 53, I decided that is was about time that I participate in the great commission, according to the command of the Lord. Though in retrospect, it was a challenge, it was also far easier than I had anticipated. With the assistance of my fellow parishioners, as well as the witnessing tools (rosaries and pamphlets), it was easy to establish a rapport with those who had came seeking assistance from St. Joseph’s. In addition, the majority of those we spoke to seemed hungry for information about the Catholic faith. Likewise, those who did not wish to talk to us were generally polite about their choice.
Having participated twice in witnessing at the Samaritan pantry, each time with successful results, I found people to be less receptive at locations that were not in proximity to the parish. After witnessing at the block party, along with Elizabeth Davis, there were less people that wanted to discuss the Catholic faith with us, though we encountered vastly more people than we did at our station in front of the parish. In retrospect, I have thought about this fact, and believe the high temperature on the day of the block party may have been a deciding factor to those who may have otherwise chosen to talk to us. I have also considered the possibility that many people may have been reluctant to be seen by others inquiring about possible interest in our faith. As a teenager, I recall being embarrassed what my peers would think about me if I were to express interest in Christianity. Though many in our parish would cringe at the prospect of someone suggesting they were embarrassed to be associated with the Lord Jesus, it is way more common than many would believe, especially amongst the younger generation. I am anxious to share my faith more in the future and believe that the majority in the parish would find sharing their faith to be as rewarding as I myself have.
Kevin Marchant
First day of school
September 17, 2019
It was getting close to noon and I was already catching whiffs of food coming from the direction of the ISU student center when Sam Bunch came sauntering up to Friar Mario, cupping a white bag in one hand that smelled delicious.
“Have a chicken tender,” he said.
“No, no, no thank you, ”Friar Mario waved him off.
Sam pushed the bag in his direction. “You’re a mendicant order, you have to take it.” Laughing, he took a tender and bit into it. I, on the other hand, not being in a mendicant order, was free to refuse, but it’s hard to turn down free food when your tummy is rumbling and I gave in after only a token resistance.
This was our first mission outing on ISU campus. It was the first day of classes for fall semester and one couldn’t ask for more perfect weather. Friar Mario and I set up outside the career center at a bench under the trees. Mario went over to talk with the Baptists who had their own table set up and walk around for a while. I minded the table and worked on making hand-knotted rosaries. Many young people walked by wearing ear buds and staring at their smartphones at the same time (How do they keep from running into each other?), or passing swiftly, eyes straight ahead or even up like, “If I don’t look that way maybe they won’t see me.” But to those who made eye contact, I called out, “Beautiful day, isn’t it? We’ve got free stuff here.” Several stopped. I had some say, “I gotta get to class. Will you be here in an hour? I’ll be back.” And, in fact, they did come back.
Friar Mario is such a natural with the kids, asking them questions about their major or where they’re from, introducing himself as campus minister and inviting them to upcoming campus ministry functions, like Mass on the Grass, and the Holy Spirit Mass.
I really enjoyed talking with those who stopped. We had a lot of good encounters with some very interesting people. One freshman in particular we invited to Maximize Your Faith night also took a Mass on the Grass/Holy Spirit Mass flyer. She was picking out a rosary and, of course, I asked her if she was Catholic. She wasn’t, but she had graduated from a Catholic high school because her dad wanted her to have a quality education. I asked her, “Have you ever thought about becoming Catholic?” She shrugged, so I followed up with, “Can I tell you one good reason why I became Catholic when I was in college?”
“Yes,” she said.
So I told her a bit of my story, how I felt challenged to find out about this Catholic faith just to know the truth, and started meeting with a priest at Ball State campus ministry. I found so many things that never made sense from my protestant perspective just fell into place from a Catholic view. But what really clinched it was when I found out that Jesus personally founded the Catholic Church while on earth and promised that the Holy Spirit would protect it from teaching error. And that church is still with us today. That was a shock. I had never thought about that. I realized if Jesus founded only one church, then why wouldn’t I want to part of the one true church founded by Christ? And that’s how I became Catholic at age 18.
“Doesn’t it make more sense that God wanted 1 church rather than 33,000 different Christian churches that all teach different things?”
“Right,” she nodded. So I asked her what is she going to do about it now that she knows? She waved her flyer and said, “I’m gonna check this out.” So we told her how to find St. Joe’s and also invited her to also check out the 7:00 Mass Sundays.
Then there were the 3 freshmen girls picking out rosaries who said they were not only Catholic, but were surprised to learn half the girls on their dorm floor were also Catholic. So we quick like a bunny gave them extra flyers and told them to pass them around.
We’re going to try to go back to ISU campus every week we can. Note to self: from now on, pick a site not next to a trash receptacle to avoid bee encounters.
Joan
Jesus is Lord. Spread the word.
God had other plans
September 17, 2019
Every morning a part of my prayers is to ask the Lord to give me a joyful heart that in all things I may see his hand at work and give myself over to what he wants of me that day. When I got out of bed yesterday I was really thinking that his will for me was to hang around the house in my pajamas until I got ready to go to church to set up for 5:15 Mass. Guess I misread that one. About 9:00 Joan called and said she was coming by to drop off something and I was glad because I had the St. Francis medals and explanation/prayer card and a couple of St. Jude medals and prayer to give her. During our conversation, she said she would not be out evangelizing in front of the parish building at 1:00 because no one was available to be there with her. Before I realized what I was doing I heard myself saying that I would sit with her. After she left I said out loud, “What did you just do?” Well, guess God’s will for me was a little different than what I had expected.I was so glad that I had that experience. I hadn’t been to any meetings/training so I just had to go with how I usually talk with people. Almost immediately a man came over to me with a big smile and I was so glad to see him. His name is Ronnie. A couple of months ago he was sitting in church before 5:15 Mass. At that time he was very tired and discouraged. A few days later, he was back again and could hardly walk because he had blisters on his feet. He would have to walk across the river bridge to his apt. in WTH. Both times Rob Murray drove him home. About two weeks later he came into church on a Thursday about 7:00 with a big smile. He had been moved to an apartment in Terre Haute. That was the last time I had seen him but I pray for him each day. It was so good to see him yesterday and know that he is managing fairly well.It was interesting to see and talk with so many people varying from kids who would be starting to school this morning to some folks that were elderly. There were several who I continued to think about last night and included in my prayers. One was a parishioner who no longer is able to come to church because of numerous serious health problems. He appeared to recognize me but my old brain couldn’t recall having seen him. I was so glad we had two of the St. Jude medals because he wanted one and also gladly accepted a prayer card I had in my purse that reads, “Lord, walk with me through my illness. Take my hand in yours and calm my fears. Impart your strength through your loving presence. Amen.
I’ll just mention one more person who especially caught my attention. We both talked with him. He was an older man who said he lived a couple of blocks from St. Joseph He lived by himself, had lost his wife a few years earlier and didn’t particularly enjoy talking with people. However, it was his attitude toward God that lingered with me. He didn’t exactly say he didn’t believe in God or that he was angry. He was more or less indifferent. He obviously didn’t want to hear anything about God but was willing to talk with us. I would be interested in how he arrived at this place. I have added him to my prayer list. Maybe I will encounter him again sometime.
Before I fell asleep last night, thoughts and sights from my “Monday Experience” kept filling my mind. I was remembering a young man Joan was talking with for five or ten minutes, giving him some materials but also asking some questions that I couldn’t really follow because I was engaged with a little girl who would be entering 2nd grade the next day. That’s the level I function on best. ? I wish I had been able to tune in on her conversation because she really knows how to get people on topic quickly. The neat thing is that if he might desire some more information we might see him again next month if not before. I also recalled an older woman who walked by me as she was leaving. I spoke to her and got a weak hi in return. She looked angry but I later thought it was more an expression of a feeling that everything was falling apart around her. I was almost overwhelmed by the amount of food being carried out of our food pantry and how through the hard work of so many volunteers, St. Joseph Samaritan Project is able to help those in need. The people standing in line would have so many stories they could share of the hardships in their lives. They all need our prayers that God will give each of them what He knows they need and keeps them safe from harm and gives them his peace.
Guess that is all I have to share right now.
Carol Kulow
Just do it
September 17, 2019
Our team has started setting up outside the Samaritan Food Pantry when people are lining up before the doors open. We get quite a few people coming over to talk, asking for rosaries or miraculous metals, or seeking prayer. Last week Friar Mark and I (Joan) set up under the trees along the sidewalk outside the parish office. It was hot and humid and Friar Mark decided to bring along his water cannon. Parishioners reading this may remember getting ambushed on their way into Mass prior summers. Well, he’s at it again. ? Every time someone walked by, Friar would ask, “Are you hot?” and if they said ‘yes’, he’d get ’em. The kids loved it, as did some adults. As they were leaving with their groceries, one little boy said, “I’m still hot…and so’s my mother!” The heat was quite supportable (evidently even with a habit on, though I was in shorts and sleeve-less top) and it was a wonderful time.
It’s been 5 times now that I have been out and it is interesting how I feel like, when I am evangelizing others, I’m also evangelizing myself. I don’t really know how to explain it. But I know there isn’t anything that lifts my spirit more than doing street evangelization. When we set up we pray for God’s help and for all the people God wants to send us that day. When we pack up and leave, we always say a prayer of thanksgiving. And I just feel so happy and at peace the rest of the day. Everyone should try evangelizing, and street evangelizing is just the easiest kind of evangelizing there is. Just share your faith with a stranger (Hi, I’m a Catholic), offer a rosary to the person next to you on a plane. It’s not that hard. Just do it. It gets easier with practice. In the back of church there are pamphlets “10 Things We Want You to Know About Catholics.” Think about taking one, put it in your pocket, and then when you go to the store, offer it to the cashier or slip it in the aisle. Occasionally I will slip one in the greeting card section under “Thinking of you”. When you do your morning prayers, ask God to send someone today who you can be Christ for, and see what happens. It’s great. Just do it.
What is truth?
September 17, 2019
That’s what the man said as he plopped down onto my chair beside the table and pointed to the sign that read “Catholic Truth”.
“So tell me, what is truth?”
I’m staring at him across the table thinking, “Okay, Pontius Pilate, that’s a big question. Where do I begin?”
“You don’t know!” he crowed.
“Wellll, the biggest truth is that God loves you.” It’s so true, so fundamental and important. Yet I could see it rang hollow in his ears.
He said, “i take care of my wife all the time trying to get medicine for her. I want to know that is truth?”
I’m thinking “What is he really asking?” when he slaps the table, jumps up and walks away with a dismissive wave over to a group of men standing. “That bitch doesn’t know what’s truth!”, he says, pointing my way.
Clearly I blew it. I was awake all that night going over and over what happened, haunted by my inadequacy. I was totally unprepared for the question. But when you sit on the sidewalk with a big sign reading: “Catholic Truth”, it is inevitable someone will ask.
Over the next few days I mulled over what I could have said. Do you ever do that? Miss an opportunity to say something meaningful and then berate yourself for days over the all the clever comebacks and convincing arguments you should have used instead of standing there looking like an idiot? Or is it just me?
What should I have said? Answer with a question? Hmmm. “What truth do you mean?” (Then he points to the sign. Right. Duh)
Why didn’t I just hand him Father Larry Richard’s CD entitled “Truth” that was sitting there on the table? Never occurred to me.
Maybe I could have told him there are a lot of people who are true, like himself taking care of his wife and all. Jesus is true.
Maybe I should have kept on talking; not give him a chance to speak while I wowed him with the gospel message. Like, “God loves you so much he sent his only begotten son that whoever believes him Him what not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). I know this is true because I know Jesus. I spend time with Him and I know Him. I trust what Jesus says because Jesus is God and God can’t lie, right?” Hey that’s good. Why didn’t I think of that?!
The truth is I need to practice telling the gospel message out loud in a mirror, or to my cats so I can hear myself. I also need to practice saying my witness in 3 minutes or less–What Jesus has done for me and what a difference He makes in my life.
This is my resolution. Learn from this mistake and practice to be better prepared next time.
God knows how incompetent I am. I think I’m in good company, though. The Bible is full of incompetent people and God can write straight with a crooked pencil like me. We learn by doing. As a priest friend once told me,
“If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing poorly.” So I will keep on stumbling along, striving to do better, trusting that God is pleased that I am trying to please Him, and knowing that “God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8.
I love movies about Jesus, but
September 17, 2019
When my son was little he got picked on by bullies in the neighborhood, so the whole family signed up for self-defense classes. Then it got so when we’d watch action movies, we started noticing things. Like, “That’s not how you would do that. It’s totally unrealistic.” And it always drives me crazy to see a woman in labor on the screen yelling her head off when she’s supposed to be pushing. I mean, come one. Have any of these actresses ever had kids?
Well, now that I’m focused on learning how to share the good news of salvation on the streets, I’m noticing things I never noticed before at the movies and it drives me crazy. For instance, I just got done watching an old 1956 classic film, THE ROBE, on Netflix. It stars Richard Burton as Roman Tribute Marcellus Gallio who is tormented by his guilty conscience after crucifying Jesus Christ. He won Jesus’ robe playing dice, but when he draped it over his shoulders he went crazy and started acting like Lady Macbeth, washing his hands, and saying to everyone, “Were you there?” Then he decides the robe is bewitched and sets off to destroy it, and runs into some disciples, including St. Peter.
I loved this film when I was a kid, and it’s still well done albeit hokey by modern standards. But I never noticed before, in the entire film nobody once said that Jesus rose from the dead. The central part of the gospel, and nobody says it. Not once. There was a little ditty sung by the lame woman about the empty tomb. But no resurrection. Christianity was portrayed as a philosophy of love and generosity. When Jesus is referred to as a dead wonder-worker, I was the only one saying, “He’s not dead, he’s alive! Just say it. He has defeated death!” in my living room. St. Paul in 1st Corinthians chapter 15 says, “If Christ is not raised from the dead then your faith is in vain…If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all..But Christ has been raised from the dead…(and) he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet, and the last enemy is death.”
Even when Peter healed Demetrius, who had been tortured to the point of death, Peter said, “Demetrius, wake up”, not like when he healed the crippled beggar at the Beautiful Gate in Acts chapter 3 and he said, “In the name of Jesus the Nazarene, rise and walk.” The old woman in the film “War Room” said, “Remember to say, In the name of Jesus. People always forget the name of Jesus”. Why couldn’t he have said, “Demetrius, in Jesus’ name, wake up.”? When the physician asked how he was healed, they all looked dumb like, “Gosh, I don’t know how to explain it.” The doctor concludes sorcery is afoot, and nobody contradicts him. And let’s face it. If Jesus had healed Demetrius, they wouldn’t have needed to carry him to a carriage to sneak him out of town. He would have jumped up and raced them to it. Because our God is awesome.
Then when Marcellus was defending himself before Caligula, he missed (or Hollywood made sure he missed) a perfect opportunity to preach the gospel. And he still never mentioned the resurrection. Jesus was a king not of this world and Marcellus was in his army. He did say Jesus was son of God. But let’s face it. That wouldn’t have impressed Caligula. All the Caesars were considered divine. The Romans had all kinds of gods running around. So what? Marcellus said the robe was going to change the world; and I’m thinking, “The Robe is going to change the world?! Jesus is going to change the world, you fool, not a robe. Jesus! Caesar isn’t lord–Jesus is Lord!!” But he didn’t listen. He’s going to his death over some nice guy who was executed. Please! He had a perfect opportunity to do some evangelization (and his last opportunity) and he flubbed it. Or Hollywood flubbed it. Of course we know why they did it that way. A nice tame Jesus is much easier to sell than a divine Jesus who says “pick up your cross and follow me”. But it did win two Oscars. And it’s two hours of entertainment you can forget afterward without pricking your conscience.
There have been some good films lately that make one think. “War Room” was well made and gave me some needed reminders about prayer. “God isn’t Dead” was inspiring, too, although when the boy addresses the problem of evil in his defense of God, there were way more convincing arguments he could have used than what he did. But still good film. My favorite spiritual movie this year has to be “Risen”. Now there is a film what puts it in your face. “Jesus is risen. Now make a choice. What are you gonna do about it?”
Joan
Jesus is Lord. Spread the word.
First time takin’ it to the streets
September 17, 2019
So we made our first mission at the Banks of the Wabash festival the last Friday in May. We set up right outside the bingo tent between the food vendors trucks and the playground which turned out to be a pretty good location. We prayed first, then set up the table. At first people walked by quickly, averting their eyes like they were afraid we’d pounce on them. Then we looked west and a big wall of black clouds was coming across the river. So I suggested we pray a rosary decade together and we did. And as we prayed the weirdest thing happened. The clouds parted and a patch of sunlight shone right on us. Wow. After that we had better luck. Elaine gave rosaries to a young ladiy and she said, “Did you know the rosary is an ancient form of prayer?” “No. That’s cool!” She replied. One man I asked if he would like a free rosary. He said, “Sure”. I asked him if he was Catholic. He said, “No, I’m a baptist minister, but my wife is Catholic.” We gave out a lot of “10 things we want you to know about Catholics” pamphlets with the “How to pray the rosary” pamphlets. At the end of an hour we ran out of rosaries. We didn’t get to talk long with any one person, but it was a good start. We left rejoicing. It was such a high to be out there talking with the people. God is good. Can’t wait to go out again.
Joan.
Jesus is Lord. Spread the word.