Little Rock, AR

This story comes to us from station leader Christian with our Christ the King parish team in Arkansas: 

Last weekend, two special events overlapped: St. Joseph’s bazaar on Friday and Saturday evenings, and the River Market farmers market on Saturday morning. Both overflowed with opportunities for evangelization. Our team engaged with people from all walks of life…many curious about our beautiful faith, and many seeking prayers. One memorable encounter at St. Joseph’s was with Mr. S., who was raised Baptist and had questions about Confession. He asked, “Why do I have to go to a priest when I can go straight to Jesus?” I assured him that Jesus is the only one who can forgive sins. We explained that, in Reconciliation, God forgives our sins through the priest. We shared John 20 with him and the formula of absolution. We provided him with information about confession and prayed with him.

Another encounter was with Mr. E., an elderly man of faith. He spent a while sharing his life story, including past struggles with drugs, alcohol, women, and self-harm. The only true happiness he’s ever known is in finding Jesus, and his life since then has been a blessing. Mr. E. praised Jesus for intervening in his life and expressed gratitude for every heartbeat and breath. We prayed for him and his family and spoke at length about the beauty of our faith.

We also met Mrs. K., a former Catholic who’s celebrating 15 years sober from drugs and alcohol. She was uncertain about returning to the Church, but the Holy Spirit led her to our table. Mrs. K. shared her story of youthful rebellion and a strained relationship with her mom, who died unexpectedly as they were reconciling. This loss left her angry with God and distant from the Church for years. We listened compassionately, discussed God’s path for her, and prayed for her, asking the Holy Spirit to guide her. We provided information about local Mass times and warmly invited her to return any time.

Austin summed it up: “It’s like we were back 2026 years ago! Just talking to people and discovering who they are and where they’re coming from allows us to love them and be invited in. It doesn’t get more real than that. I know that Christ was delighted.”