Detroit, MI

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This report comes from team leader Mark with the Eastern Market SPSE team in Detroit, MI:

Four evangelists—Arianna, Bob, Joe, and I—evangelized at the Detroit Riverwalk on a sunny Saturday morning. We set up an improvised table around a raised planter, under a group of shade trees, and near one of the entrances. There was a 5k run that ended shortly before we started, so we talked to a few of the runners who were still there.

The longest and most influential conversation was with a young man named John. Joe and I approached him, and Joe immediately offered to pray for John. John seemed apprehensive and distracted throughout much of the conversation and frequently changed the subject. Nevertheless, it was clear that John wanted to talk to us. We prayed out loud with him, talked to him for a few minutes, then moved on to another person. John shadowed us for the next hour and followed up with us several times. Each time he asked us different questions, often unrelated to the previous conversation.

He wasn’t raised religious, but John went to a Catholic high school, so he was exposed to Catholic liturgy and Catholic culture. Joe invited him to nearby St. Aloysius Church and talked about their young adult community and events. John has gotten into “manosphere” mentality and has adopted a very worldly, chauvinistic view of romantic relationships. We talked about authentic masculine spirituality, servant leadership, and the meaning of life.

In the end, after several interactions and dozens of questions, it seemed like John wasn’t convinced at all. However, there was obviously a deep curiosity and desire for truth. Pray that John will follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit, that he will convert and put his faith in God and the Church.

Praised be Jesus Christ!