For Catholic Evangelization team in Boise, Idaho - SPSE

  • Thread starter Thread starter Lou_C
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now
and at the hour of our death. Amen.
 
Thank you, chero23 and everyone, for all of your prayers for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization team. It’s been a long, but intensely prayerful, hiatus.

The series of prayer walks was finally completed last Tuesday. A brief excursion using the portable messenger bag system was taken on the riverside walking path the next day. Although no significant faith-seeking encounters occurred, the team has reconnected with a formerly very active evangelist, who had also been contacted by a possible new evangelist.

And now, today, the “team” is planning to resume our usual Sunday outings in the downtown park. Somewhere from one to three evangelists have indicated availability.

So, please pray for us? Please pray that God will send workers for the harvest. Please pray that God will send people to us with their hearts and eyes prepared to see their need for Jesus Christ and the Church that He founded. Please also pray that He grant us the words, the manner, and the wisdom to reach each of these souls for Christ.

Thank you so much! May God in return richly bless you and yours!
 
Thank you to those who prayed for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization team. The last time we hit the street was October 11. Your prayers have been much appreciated.

Two evangelists worked together during our previous outing. Altogether, we gave away perhaps 20 Rosaries with booklets on how to pray it. Our most significant encounter came early on. There were two street musicians already in the park when we set up (usual time, usual place). One of them, “Austin”, came over to visit us. He characterizes himself as a Christian but is currently without a faith community. When we found out what part of town he lived in, we pointed him to the nearest parish. But he said he had already stopped in there and hadn’t felt “comfortable.” So, since transportation also seems to be an issue for him, we suggested he visit the parish closest to where we were right then. He accepted several pamphlets from us, as well as a Rosary, and also asked us to pray for him – which we did. He is trying to finish high school, somewhat belatedly. Please keep Austin in your prayers?

Please pray for us again this week? The team is planning to head downtown again in just over an hour. So far, only one evangelist is known to be available. But people need to hear the Good News about Jesus Christ and the Church that He founded, so…

Please pray that God will send people to us with hearts prepared to accept the Word about His Son? Please also pray that He grant the evangelists the wisdom, the words, and the manner to effectively reach each of these infinitely valuable souls for Him? Please also beg the Master of the harvest that He send workers for the harvest?

Thank you again. And may God, in turn, bless you and yours!
“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).
 
Lord of the harvest, send workers into the harvest.

Our Father Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
 
I cannot thank you enough, Vic Taltrees UK, and everyone else who prayed for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization effort last week! God blessed us.

Where to start our report from last week? It may seem trivial to many, but Boiseans are very sensitive to inclement weather. They don’t go outside much anyway, so unpleasant weather is just enough to keep them indoors altogether. But last Sunday, we finally had a break from a nearly two-week string of gray, rainy days. The rain let up early enough that the park where the team usually sets up was pretty dry. So some were venturing outdoors again, although not many. But God knows what He’s doing – and the sudden break in the weather was a great blessing!

Another occurrence that helped our perhaps not-so-intrepid evangelist feel she was in the right place was when the police officer on the bicycle passed by. He not only greeted her with a huge grin, but added a hearty “Hi!”. Our evangelist felt like she had been welcomed back on duty.

Next, our solo evangelist changed her approach slightly – with interesting results. She still usually led with an offer of a “free Rosary” (we’re a culture of materialistic Westerners, after all). But, then followed the frequent “no, thank you” with “Hey, you know Jesus is REAL, right?” She never got the response she expected (an enthusiastic, “Abosutely! Amen! Praise God!”).

Some people (possibly non-Catholic Christians?) gave her the oddest look, as if she had suddenly sprouted a third head, but smiled politely and continued on their way. A second kind of response came from a couple of people (in different groups) who had breezily replied “No thanks, I’m fine” to the initial offer of a Rosary. When asked to consider the reality of Jesus Christ, each replied in exactly the same breezy tone of voice, “No thanks, I’m fine”, as they hurried on. Please pray for them?

A third kind of response also occurred on a couple of different occasions. In both of these cases, one person in the group was struck completely, jaw-flappingly speechless. As they struggled, obviously at a complete loss for words, I simply asked God to bless them. (In retrospect, I think a better response might have been: “He is. He loves you. And He makes Himself present in His Catholic Church.” I might try that this week – I feel God is still training me at this. And I know He is trustworthy and can make up for my glaring deficits.)

Meanwhile, would you please send up a prayer for these people, too? One was a member of a female duo of hockey players coming from the rink after a game. I don’t recall any detail about the other person who had the same reaction, but God does.

Another interesting response came from the father of a Catholic family. He stammered, “I think so. We go to parish.” I asked them, as I ask all Catholics, to pray for us evangelists. But would you also keep them in prayer? They may have just been stunned to see and hear the Catholic Faith on the streets. But they may also be in serious need of basic catechesis. The parish they named has very good programs available.

Foot traffic was actually mercifully slow this time, as our evangelist got her legs back under her and began practicing the new more directly Christ-centered approach. She checked her clock at about 5 minutes until “closing time” and made the commitment to stay clear through.

During that last minute, one more woman passed through the park. She responded to the invitation to receive a free Rosary and a wonderful conversation ensued. “Jodie” is a non-Catholic but who grew up with a lot of Catholic friends, who took her to Mass often. Her mother at one time almost became Catholic, but something prevented her from completing the journey. Jodie lives in town and, when the conversation progressed to the point of finding out which parish she lives within, it turns out to be the one parish where the team has “catchers” standing by. (Catchers are people who are willing to make personal contact with the people we send them, help them actually cross the threshhold into the church building, and get connected with other people in the parish and to the programs they need to come into/back to the Catholic Church.) THAT felt like a confirmation from God that we, the Boise team, are on the right track. Please, though, keep Jodie (and her mother, who also still lives in town) in your prayers?

Please send up a prayer for us again today? We plan to head downtown again in just a little while. This week, TWO evangelists have said they are available (all praise be to God Most High!!!). But, we can accomplish nothing without Him. So, again, please pray that He sends people to us with their hearts prepared to receive the Good News about Jesus Christ and the Church that He founded, that He will give us the wisdom, the words, and the manner to reach each of these souls, and that He will send enough workers for the harvest?

Thank you again. May God, in turn, abundantly bless you and yours!
“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).
 
Thank you for your prayers for Boise’s Catholic street evangelists last week!

Please continue to pray for our team itself? One of our evangelists is quite effective on-site and finds the ministry both energizing and fulfilling. However, this person reported last week that, starting about 4 days before one of our planned outings, waves of fear start rolling in – often derailing any plans to join us downtown. (They also reported that, whenever they have made it all the way out to where the team sets up, the fear has completely disappeared.) Please, pray for this team member? And perhaps the enemy has been using a similar tactic on the rest of our missing-in-action evangelists? Prayers, please?!?

Meanwhile, last week felt like a useful session. Two evangelists were available. (Praise be to God Most High!) Here are some highlights.

Early on, a father and his twenty-something son stopped by. The dad is a serious Catholic apologist, studying for a degree in theology, and has applied for the diocesan diaconate program. The son, “Hunter”, however, grew up mostly in Europe, has experimented with a variety of “spiritualities”, and now, unfortunately, considers himself an agnostic. After Hunter tried to convince one evangelist that he couldn’t possibly find 20 minutes a day for the Rosary, even multitasking while getting dressed and showering, she stepped back and simply lent prayer support so the on-going “discussion” between father, son, and other evangelist stayed amicable. Eventually, the duo headed off for lunch together before Hunter had to be at work. Please pray for “Hunter”? Some of those “spiritualities” he “explored” could have left dark hooks in his soul that are trying to drag him away from His Savior, Jesus Christ, and to convince him to squander his youth and health in service of the world instead of his rightful Lord. One evangelist committed, afterward, to offer up 20 minutes of her own busy day to resubmit herself to the Lordship of Jesus. (“Even if it doesn’t help Hunter,” she said, “it’s something I need to be doing anyway.”)

One woman stopped by who had been baptized Catholic when very young, but had never been catechized. She eventually married a man, himself a former Catholic, and they and their children were happy to be members of a mainstream non-Catholic Christian church. She accepted a Rosary and its brochure from us, so we pointed out how the meditations were all Scripturally based. We also spent a moment sharing with her both the vastness of the Catholic tradition and its surprising unity – the one evangelist pointing out the insider nickname of the woman’s denomination and how it testifies to their very lack of unified doctrine. She asked the woman to tuck that fact in the back of her mind in case she and her family, God forbid, found themselves in the painful position to have to go “church shopping.” The woman had the sweetest spirit about her! Please keep her and her family in your prayers? God knows their names.

Another woman, sporting bright blue hair, stopped by with her little girl (maybe 4 years old). They both accepted Rosaries, but the mother declared that she was pagan. One evangelist shared the Good News (kerygma) brochure with her, and the other gave her a copy of the Bible. She seemed happy to accept both. Please keep them in your prayers, too? After what she’s been delving into, there may be quite a spiritual battle on your hands to win their souls for Jesus Christ.

The saddest encounter of the day came early. A perhaps 12-year-old boy and his mother (grandmother?) passed by. They gave a polite “no, thank you” to the offer of a free Rosary. So the one evangelist followed up with, “You know Jesus is REAL, right?” The boy responded immediately, “No, He’s not!” The older woman didn’t seem to even notice the interaction. Yes, the “new atheism” has poisoned our society to that depth, where even children have been lied to and taught to turn their back on the only One Who can help them grow into true manhood. The evangelist only had time to call out, “Ooh, too bad! You’re missing out!” What an understatement! Please pray for him and for all the lost ones we’re trying to reach!

On a slightly happier note, one family group responded to our challenge of considering the actual reality of Jesus with, “Yes, He is!!!” Amen! God is good! (And we know the end of the Book: we win!)

Please pray for us again today? We plan to head downtown again in just a little while. So far, only one evangelist has indicated availability. So, please beg the Master of the Harvest again for more workers for us? Please also pray that He sends people to us with their hearts prepared to recognize their need for Jesus Christ and the Church that He founded. Please also ask Him to grant us the wisdom, the words, and the manner to effectively reach each of these infinitely valuable souls for Him?

Thank you so much! May God, in turn, abundantly bless you and yours!​

“… so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thes 1:12).
 
Thank you, everyone, for your prayers for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization team last week. We rely on you! This week, I’m trying to get the report to you earlier – while events are, perhaps, somewhat fresher in my memory.

One evangelist was available. Snow or light rain had been predicted, the first of the season. But God was merciful and the weather, though heavily overcast, remained dry and relatively pleasant. So, please send a thank you to God for this blessing and His encouragement that came through it.

We gave a map of area parishes, with Mass and Reconciliation times, to a man with a 4 or 5 yo daughter. She had selected a Rosary for herself and was impatient to leave. But the man said that he had been raised Catholic, and seemed to welcome the invitation to come back to the Church. He said he would teach his daughter how to pray her Rosary that night and then chose one for himself. He also eagerly accepted the map of area parishes. But the unruliness of the girl prevented us from p(name removed by moderator)ointing which parish was actually his. Please pray for both of them: that he returns to the practice of the Faith right away, and that he will be given the strength to become the head of the family in fact as well as name?

Two young women, sporting alternate lifestyle haircuts and piercings, each eagerly accepted a free Rosary. Although they also politely took the booklet explaining it, they treated them as mere fashion accessories and additional head decorations. Rather than scolding or correcting them, the evangelist turned their case over to our Blessed Mother. Please include them in your prayers?

At least three groups of people responded with an enthusiastic “Yes, we do!” to the evangelist’s question: “You do know that Jesus is REAL, right?” The evangelist learned to respond to that reaction with, “Praise God!”

One man, maybe late 20s, politely declined the initial offer of a Rosary but, in response to the follow-up question, declared that he was indeed a Christian and seriously trying to follow the lordship of Christ. Then the evangelist showed him how the Rosary is actually a meditation on events in the life of Christ, and that our brochure shows where each Mystery can be found in the Bible. He then not only accepted the booklet, but also chose a Rosary for himself and said he would try to pray it.

One middle-Eastern-looking woman, from a group of three people, stopped for a Rosary while her companions waited just beyond earshot. The evangelist couldn’t tell how much she actually knew about the Rosary or, indeed, Christianity. Still, she seemed receptive to having one and learning about it, so the evangelist let it go at that.

There were three not-so-positive responses to the “Jesus is REAL” question. One woman, traveling alone, responded with a sardonic and mouthed-but-inaudible “yeah.” Two different couples, one 30-somethings and the other 60-somethings, responded somewhat mockingly between themselves as they continued on.

Two women, who had been sitting at one of the picnic tables, finally got up and began to walk past (obviously trying to avoid contact). But the evangelist called out her offer of a free Rosary to them. After asking the evangelist to repeat what she said, the older of the two frowned and abruptly stalked toward the table. Although the evangelist found the behavior a bit startling, it turns out that the woman simply has difficulty seeing and couldn’t quite read our signs from afar.

The two had been thinking that we were there selling something for the city. When they finally figured out that we were Catholics and weren’t selling anything, they happily stayed to chat awhile. They were mother and daughter, temporarily homeless although the mother is working. They are hoping against hope to get into a place of their own by Wednesday, the daughter’s birthday. The evangelist suggested they ask St. Joseph for help. (Would you please join me in that prayer?)

The two are non-Catholic, but open to learning about the Church. It seems that the mom had only one objection: “It is so confusing what the Catholics do; I would never be able to learn all that.” She roughly pantomimed dipping a hand in Holy Water and crossing herself – at least close enough that the evangelist could recognize what she was trying to copy. So the evangelist stepped around the table to stand beside them and took a moment to teach them the Sign of the Cross. “Oh, that was easy!” the mom said.

Then, when the woman asked for a copy of every pamphlet on the table, the evangelist also gave her a Catechism. Before the conversation had ended, they had both also accepted Rosaries as well as a map showing the nearest Catholic church and Mass times. The mom sounded genuinely surprised that they’d find a welcome there, although the evangelist repeatedly assured her that’s how the Catholic Church is. Then the woman nodded. “That’s the way Jesus was, too,” she said. Please pray also that both of them find the courage to actually step into a church this week? And that they are each able to complete their journey home to the fullness of the Faith?

All praise and glory to God!

And please send up some more prayers for the team? We plan to go out again next Sunday afternoon, but we can accomplish nothing without God’s grace. So, please pray that He sends us more workers for the harvest? That He sends people to us with hearts open and prepared to see their need for Jesus Christ and the Church that He founded? That He will grant the words, the wisdom, and the manner to reach each precious soul for His Kingdom? There are so many lost – so, so many. Please beg His Mercy?

Thank you so much! May God, in turn, abundantly bless you and yours!​

“… so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thes 1:12).
 
A big thank you to everyone who prayed for Boise’s Catholic street evangelists this week!

God granted sunshine and beautiful fall weather. Though it was Sunday, construction was proceeding in earnest on both buildings that are encroaching onto the park. So things were noisy. Still, some people stopped to visit with the lone evangelist.

She ended up giving away 15-20 Rosaries, with accompanying booklet on how to pray it. She also gave away 2 maps of parishes in the city, with Mass and Reconciliation times. One went to a woman with two children. She said she would teach them how to pray the Rosary when they got home. When pressed, the woman admitted she also wanted to start going back to Mass. After accepting the map, she told the evangelist that she lived in a town about 20 miles away. But she still wanted the local map because she said she was often here in town.

The other map went to a woman who was accompanied by her young daughter. She said her husband was an inactive Catholic. Asked what part of town she lived in, she said that they sometimes went to a certain parish, but lived much closer to another. She had concerns about the orthodoxy of the nearer parish, because of things other people had told her. So the evangelist took some time to assure her that, although the style of the church is unusual for this area, it is in fact legitimate – and based on some older European traditions. At that, she seemed eager to go there. She also accepted a brochure on confession “for her husband.”

Other visits were shorter. One woman accepted a Rosary, but declined the map. Her story seemed to shift somewhat during the conversation, so it’s hard to know her real situation. She did say she was applying for a job with a major area employer, so please send up a prayer for her?

One man, a transplant from the East Coast, accepted a Rosary and brochure. He was evidently a non-Catholic Christian, who attended a church community somewhat regularly. He said he was looking for a woman (though, tellingly, not for “a wife”). He is having surprisingly poor luck. He said maybe he should pray more. Good idea.

Several young men, alone or in pairs, accepted Rosaries and seemed interested in learning how to pray them.

The evangelist allowed one known repeat visitor to have a Rosary, although he asked her for two. Then, sure enough, soon after that the main “Rosary merchant” showed up. (This man has asked for dozens of Rosaries in all, and apparently uses them to convince people to give him junk food.) To the man’s surprise, the evangelist told him, “No, the Rosary makers asked me to give only one Rosary to a person.” But she did give him a plain, black-and-white pamphlet on how to pray the Rosary and suggested he use his fingers to keep count.

Please pray for the team again this week? There is a major family holiday event happening next Sunday in the convention center of the park. So please pray that the team be allowed to set up near there? Please pray, too, that God will send people to the evangelists with their hearts and minds prepared to see their need for Jesus Christ and the Church that He founded? And that He will grant the evangelists the words, the wisdom, and the manner to best reach each of these souls for Him.

Would you please also continue to beg the Master of the Harvest to send more workers? The sole evangelist reports feeling discouraged and more than a little intimidated trying to do this work herself.

Thank you again. And may God, in turn, bless you and yours!​

“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).
 
Thank you, everybody, for your continued prayers. A lot suddenly seems to be happening, at last. This is a double report, so please bear with me.

Last week, our lone evangelist had the humbling experience of totally losing her nerve after only the first few minutes of the session, so it was very short. She ended up giving away only two Rosaries – to a father and his young daughter. He had evidently recently come into the Church, but said he had misplaced the Rosary he received at Confirmation, so was very glad to get another. Then the evangelist finished packing things up and headed home, feeling she had failed God in what He wanted from her.

But the first thing that happened when she got there was she received a message from her other regular team member. That evangelist had just had a opportunity to talk with our bishop about endorsing the apostolate. The bishop was very interested and asked her to call his office and set up an appointment with him. This would be very good news, if he backs us. It would open the doors so we can actively recruit new evangelists at all the parishes. Please pray for us, that God’s will is done in this?

Next, our failed evangelist received a phone call from another person who is very supportive of our team and has come out with us before. She said she was downtown there and looking for the team, but couldn’t find us. Oops.

Then the next day, our not-so-intrepid evangelist was attending a meeting of the Legion of Mary at her parish. Out of the blue, before the evangelist had said anything about the previous day’s “session”, two legionaries committed to coming out with the team the following Sunday (today).

Then, earlier today, the same evangelist attended an area-wide gathering of the Legion. During their gathering, she was suddenly given the floor and asked to talk about Catholic street evangelization. Afterwards, the priest who is the spiritual director for the Legion for the diocese, came up to the evangelist and offered to provide her team with a course on diffusing potentially violent situations – the same program recently used successfully by the 40 Days for Life folks when opposition got quite heated during their most recent campaign. He also gladly blessed some Rosaries the legionaries gave the evangelist. Then the leader of the Legion of Mary in a nearby town expressed interest in starting up a team there. Prayers on that, too, please?

Then the team headed to downtown Boise for some Catholic street evangelization. God greatly blessed us. Besides sending people to us, he also suddenly granted us sunshine and 50+ degree weather for the duration of the session. The legionaries were both “naturals” at the street evangelization. Foot traffic was fairly light, so we probably only gave away 10-15 Rosaries and brochures on how to pray it. One man also accepted a map to area churches, with Mass times. And two skateboarders also accepted the map along with a Rosary each and brochures. Other conversations were all civil, but didn’t feel as immediately fruitful. But, please, send up a prayer for everyone who encountered the team today?

We plan to head downtown again next Sunday afternoon. As of today, at least two evangelists indicate availability. So your prayers this week would be greatly appreciated. Please ask the Lord to send people to us with hearts open and ready to see their need for Our Savior? Please also ask God to grant the team members the words, the manner, and the wisdom to effectively reach each of these souls? Please, also continue to beg the Master of the harvest for workers? It’s looking hopeful, but we’re not there yet.

Thank you again so much! And, in return, may God bless you and yours in every way!​

Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain (Ps 127:1).
 
Hello, prayer warriors! Thank you again for your prayers for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization team.

Last week, the lone evangelist set up her materials under the construction overhang, since it was threatening to rain. But the rain didn’t happen in earnest and so lots of people were out and about.

The evangelist gave away about 20 Rosaries, usually accompanied by a booklet explaining how to pray it. The first to accept them were a mother and daughter who said they belonged to the large non-Christian sect here. People were especially polite during the session, but no in-depth conversations occurred. One man accepted a Rosary, but refused the booklet. Please pray for all the people who encountered us?

And please pray for the team again today? We plan to head out in a little over an hour. Please pray that God sends people to us with eyes and hearts open to see their need for Jesus Christ and the Church that He founded. Please pray also that He will grant the evangelists the right words and manner to reach each of these souls for Christ.

Please also continue to pray that the Master of the Harvest will send more workers. So far, only one evangelist seems to be available today. Another team member composed a letter to our bishop in the name of the team, asking for his endorsement of the apostolate. I have not heard if there has been a response yet, but the bishop’s support would make recruiting new team members more doable.

Thank you for all of your prayers! May God bless you and yours!​

“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).
 
Thank you for your prayers last week for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization efforts. God is good!

TWO evangelists were available for our session last week! And God again granted us a break in a string of rainy, dismal weather days. The sun shone cheerfully early in the day, and the weather remained dry throughout our evangelization session.

The usual number of people passed by our table. However, during the first two-thirds of our session, no one showed any interest in us. Although we are used to receiving about 90% “no thank you” responses, this 100% rejection rate was unusual. But the team persisted. And when the tide finally turned, things went back to typical.

Finally, a man stopped to receive a Rosary from us. He seemed a bit down on his luck. Earlier in the day, one evangelist had felt moved to bring along a grocery sackful of food items. She asked the man if he was, by any chance, hungry and would like some food. His eyes lit up! He not only accepted the food, but a Rosary and the brochure on how to pray it.

Our longest conversation of the day was with two men who were actually panhandling for gas money. Although we had no money to give them, we offered what we had: the Good News about Jesus Christ and the Church that He founded. They were very receptive and gladly accepted, not only Rosaries, but pamphlets about Church teachings. Notably, they each accepted a copy of a guide to the Sacrament of Reconciliation! One of the men also accepted a map of area parishes, with Mass times.

So thank you again for your prayers!

Please pray for us again this week? We plan to head downtown again within the next hour (but God is outside of time, so if you get this message later, please trust Him to “backdate” your prayers for us). Specifically, please ask God to send people to us with eyes and hearts open to their need for Jesus Christ and His Church. Please also ask Him to grant us the words, the manner, and the ability to reach each of these priceless souls for His Kingdom. And, please, continue to beg Him to send workers for the Harvest? St. Philomena, pray for us!

Thank you again for all of your prayers! May God bless you and yours!​

“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).
 
Thank you for your prayers again last week for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization effort. We need prayer.

Last week, one evangelist was available. Temperatures here were very cold (near single digit, Fahrenheit). Although a sporting event was happening at the ice arena in the park, and ticket offices were open, people were in a hurry to get out of the cold.

The evangelist ended up cutting the session short at about the half-way mark, and so ended up giving away only about 10 Rosaries and booklets.

Please pray for us again today? The team plans to head downtown again in a little more than an hour from now. One evangelist seems to be available. Please pray that God grants that much fruit will be borne of the effort. Please also pray that He sends more workers for the Harvest, or that He better equips the ones He has already called.

Thank you, and may God bless you and yours!​

“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).
 
Thank you for your prayers for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization team last week. God is good.

Although the thermometer registered nearly double what it did the previous week (though still well below freezing), significantly fewer people were out. So, the evangelist gave away a total of only about 10 Rosaries.

The first visitors were a Catholic mother and daughter, who were in the park when the evangelist arrived, and who helped her set up. The two work together and have coworkers who are decidedly anti-Catholic. The evangelist discussed strategies with the women for clearing up misunderstandings and building bridges. The conversation was mutually edifying.

Other Catholics also stopped by: a woman from Italy, who gladly accepted Rosaries for herself and her mother, and a devout Catholic couple who were actually shivering from the cold. Both visits were brief but encouraging.

One non-Catholic man stopped by and accepted a Rosary and its brochure. When asked if he were Catholic, he replied, “No. But I might want to be.” However, he didn’t accept any other literature from us, including the map of parishes. sigh

The last folks to visit were a non-Catholic Christian couple. They were curious about the Rosaries, but seemed a bit leery as well. The woman relaxed when she found out that the Rosary is for meditating on events in the life of Jesus Christ. Then the man, who was vision impaired, suddenly noticed the Crucifix on his Rosary. “It’s got a cross!” he said, implying that was a bad thing. “Of course they do, they’re Catholic”, the woman said. Then the evangelist jumped in and begin to remind them how important it was that Jesus did what He did for us on the Cross. They finished her sentence, smiled, and seemed perfectly content with their Rosaries.

Please pray for us again this week? We plan to head downtown again within the hour. As of this writing, only one evangelist seems to be available. Please pray that God sends people to us with hearts and eyes open to see their need for Jesus Christ and the Church that He founded. Please also pray that the evangelists are effective in word and deed, and that much fruit is gathered for the Kingdom.

Please also pray about the team’s presence at an upcoming Catholic men’s conference at the end of this month? We were invited to purchase a display spot, but asked to have men at the table. That could be a bit tricky. So please pray that God’s will is done in this? It should be clear to anyone who thinks about it, that street evangelization would be effective with men.

Thank you, and may God bless you and yours!​

“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).
 
Thank you so much for your prayers for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization team. Our session last week felt fruitful.

There was a bridal show going on in the park’s convention center, so there was a good amount of foot traffic. The first person who stopped by was a man out exercising his two dogs. He seemed completely unchurched. The only thing he accepted from us was our “Good News” pamphlet, with its presentation of the kerygma. As he walked away, he opened it up and began reading. Every once in a while, our evangelist caught sight of him again, and each time he was still concentrating on the pamphlet as he absent-mindedly threw the ball for his dogs. Please pray that the Holy Spirit moves his heart to accept the Good News about our Savior, Jesus Christ, and the Church that He founded?

Another person who stopped by was a man who had been raised in a non-Catholic Christian denomination. He had evidently drifted away from any practice of his faith and, now that he was in the military, was interested in reconnecting. He, too, accepted a copy of the kerygma pamphlet, as well as a copy of the Catechism. He also took a Rosary and its accompanying booklet. Please pray for him as well?

A Catholic father and three school-age daughters stopped by. They said they had plenty of Rosaries at home, and that the girl prayed it every Friday with her Catholic school class. The father did accept a copy of the Rosary brochure after the evangelist pointed out that it shows where each of the Mysteries can be found in Scripture.

Other people accepted Rosaries and brochures during the first half of the session, so that the evangelist gave away the usual 10 Rosaries during that time.

Then two homeless men came to the table, and ended up engaging in about a 45-minute conversation. Both men were clearly “under the influence”, so the conversation tended to be repetitive and circular – but ended quite hopefully.

It began by “Louis” saying that he was Catholic and had had the full 12 years of Catholic education. Then he said that the other man, “Rob”, had lost his backpack with his laptop in it. The evangelist, of course, suggested they ask the intercession of St. Anthony of Padua. This provoked dramatic reactions in both. Louis brightened up, pulled out his ID, and showed the evangelist that his middle name is Anthony. But Rob made a sour face. He declared that he no longer believed in God. His main objection, it seems, is not being able to reconcile the death of his son with the existence of a loving God. He also seemed to think that belief in God led to a belief in dualism, with that philosophy’s claim of the existence of an equally powerful force for evil. The evangelist countered with a discussion of the nature of evil (the absence of good, rather than a creature in its own right), the free will of the angels, and how they didn’t have to choose evil. Evil didn’t have to exist. This part of the conversation was repeated several times. The evangelist eventually remembered she had some blessed Miraculous Medals with her. Louis was especially thrilled to receive one. And Rob also, to the surprise of the evangelist, accepted one and treated it reverently. After that, when the conversation circled once again to Rob’s profession on unbelief, this time he added: “But I want to believe. I really do.” So, please pray for him?

The last visitor was a woman who made a beeline for the table as the evangelist was finishing packing things up. Asked if she would like a free Rosary, she said “Yes!” There were only a few green ones left on the table at that time, so the evangelist pulled out a bag which contained ones of various colors. “If you don’t want green, I have some other colors,” she told the woman. The woman chose a pink Rosary, accepted the accompanying brochure, and headed back the way she came. After about three steps, though, she stopped and came back. “Did I see a *black *Rosary in there? May I have that one instead?” Of course, but it was absolutely the last black Rosary the evangelist had. Why, oh why, is black the most popular color for people receiving Rosaries? And why is it the least popular color for people making them? Please pray again for all of our generous Rosary makers and for everyone else who supports this apostolate!

And please pray for the team again this week? We plan to head downtown again in just a few minutes, but acknowledge that we can accomplish nothing on our own. We need your prayers, and God’s mercy. Please pray for us that God will send people to us with hearts and minds prepared to receive the Good News about Jesus Christ and the Church that He founded. Please also pray that God will grant the evangelists the wisdom, the words, and the manner to reach each of these priceless souls for Him.

Please also pray that God will send more workers for the Harvest? Our team still has only one regularly available evangelist. And please also pray that God’s will is done about our having a presence at the upcoming Catholic men’s conference in less than two weeks. We had been invited to set up a table there, but haven’t been able to finalize plans because our emails remain unanswered. It’s getting close to the wire to be able to recruit folks to help “man” the table.

Thank you so much! In return, may God richly bless you and yours!​

By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit (John 15:8).
 
Thank you again so much for your prayers for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization effort last week! It felt like a fruitful session. Here are some highlights.

If you’ve been following us, you know that we ran out of black Rosaries the week before. (When we have them, we give away as many black Rosaries as all the other colors put together. I don’t know why, but that’s been the consistent pattern.) Then, on Saturday before the evening Mass, one of our generous Rosary-makers handed our evangelist a bag that contained 7 black Rosaries! Needless to say, they all found homes during our evangelization session on the street the next day. In fact, we were giving away so many Rosaries that our evangelist, at one point, reached into her bag to try to replenish the supply on the table – and there, on top, was a bag with 4 more black Rosaries! We gave two of those away, too. God is so good!!! (And we think He wants us to be doing what we’re doing out there. You think?)

We also gave away a Bible and a copy of the Catechism, to two different parties. The evangelist couldn’t recall the story behind the recipient of the Bible, but it evidently went to someone who was not Christian but definitely interested in learning about Jesus Christ (because those are the kinds of people to whom the team gives Bibles). The *Catechism *went to a young woman, also a nonbeliever. She had formed a positive impression about the Catholic Church because she was in theater and had recently played the part of a nun. In researching the role, she said, she learned a bit about the Church – and liked what she saw.

She, and the man with her, had stopped at the table while the evangelist was giving away Miraculous Medals to the mother-daughter pair who had visited with her a few weeks before. The mother and daughter said things were now more peaceful between them and their non-Catholic coworkers. (Praise be to God!) The new couple also accepted Miraculous Medals, listened to a short history about it, and that led to the fruitful discussion mentioned above. Thank you again for all your prayers!

In addition to the Bible, Catechism, and Miraculous Medals, the team gave away the usual about 20 Rosaries and booklets. A couple of people took booklets, but not a Rosary. And one, the other way around. Still, most accepted both.

One group of young people said they had received Rosaries from our team in the past. Asked if they had attempted to pray with them, they said no. So the evangelist encouraged them to actually try it.

The longest conversation of the session was with a man, who gave his name as “Terry”. Evidently having an on-going problem with substance abuse, he asked for prayer. His main wish is to be reunited with his children. He also seemed to have anger-management issues at the heart of the estrangement. So I ask you to join me in prayer that he be delivered from the causes behind that, too. Terry was very emotional and grateful for our presence. The team invited him to connect with his local Catholic parish.

Please pray for team again this week? We plan to head downtown again today in just an hour or two. So, please pray again for us: that God will send people to us with hearts prepared to receive the Good News about Jesus Christ and His Church, and eyes open to see their need for Him; that He will grant the evangelists the words, the wisdom, and the manner to reach each of these priceless souls for Christ; that much fruit for His Kingdom will come of our efforts today; and that He will send more workers for the Harvest.

Please also give praise and glory to God because we were able to land an exhibitor spot at the Catholic Men’s conference this coming Saturday, 1/30. About 600-800 men are expected. But now we need prayer support that our team can help make a positive impact on the attendees’ lives, that men will respond to the challenge of joining our apostolate or becoming the behind-the-scenes workers that we also need. May God’s will be done – and we know that He doesn’t want the sinner to die, but to turn to Him and live (cf. Ezek 33:11).

Thank you so much! In return, may God richly bless you and yours!​

By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit (John 15:8).
 
Thank you, everybody, for your prayers for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization team last week! It was a busy one, with our regular session on Sunday afternoon, and then manning our exhibit at the Catholic Men’s conference yesterday (Saturday). Here are some highlights of our encounters.

For the street evangelization session, one evangelist was available. On this particular day, four separate panhandlers approached our table, asking for money. This was an unusually large number of requests. The evangelist, trying to obey Jesus’ directions in Matthew 10:9, had no cash with her. It was only on the fourth occurrence that she remembered what she was supposed to be doing instead of just saying, “Sorry.” To the fourth man, she said, like Peter and John in Acts 3:6, “I don’t have any money, but I have something better.” Then she offered prayer for the man, who the previous week had given his name as “Terry” (though he didn’t automatically respond to that this week). He eagerly accepted the offer, evidently quite moved. Please keep Terry in your prayers? He seems to have many challenges, including PTSD, that are keeping him from honest labor.

If you have been following our team’s adventures, you may remember “Louis” and “Rob” from a week or so ago. When the evangelist greeted them, Louis showed that he still had the Rosary he had received from us the. Rob, though, showed no recollection of ever seeing us before. He was one of those who asked for money. Neither seemed visibly intoxicated today, but both clearly have multiple challenges keeping them from stepping up as productive members of our community. Please pray for both of these men, too?

We gave away about 20 Rosaries in all, and one map of area parishes with Mass and Reconciliation times.

The first annual Catholic Men’s Conference in the area was well attended. The organizers estimated that 900 men were there. The team’s presence was in hope of recruiting more evangelists, especially men, and more behind-the-scenes help. One delightful thing about the audience was that about 90% of the men, when asked if they would like a Rosary, patted a pocket and said they had theirs with them. Of the 10% who weren’t already “carrying”, about 20-30 accepted one from us. We gave away about 50 brochures on how to pray the Rosary, especially since it showed where in the Bible to find each Mystery – as a help in explaining the devotion to non-Catholic Christians. We also gave away about 30 Confession pamphlets, with its handy Examination of Conscience section.

The most dramatic encounter of the day was with two non-Catholic gate crashers. Not wearing name badges, they admitted that they had just come in to see what was happening. The evangelist suspects they stopped at her table half-inclined to pick a fight. One of the men declared his affiliation with a non-Catholic Christian denomination, although the other remained silent. To make a long story short, by the end of the conversation, both men had accepted a Rosary and a copy of the Catechism. They also accepted several brochures that covered frequently asked questions. The whole interaction was quiet and peaceful, praise be to God! Please keep these men, and all those those who attended, in your prayers?

Please pray for us again this week? The team is heading downtown again in just a few minutes. Please pray that God sends people to us with eyes and hearts and minds open to their need for Jesus Christ and His Church in their lives. Please pray that He also grants the evangelist(s) the words, the manner, and the wisdom to reach each of these priceless souls for Christ.

Thank you so much! In return, may God richly bless you and yours!​

By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit (John 15:8).
 
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Your prayers last week for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization effort are much appreciated! Here are some highlights from our session last week.

One evangelist was available to be there in person, although many of you prayer warriors were backing us up in prayer (otherwise, our efforts would have been in vain). We ended up giving away about 20 Rosaries, and accompanying booklets, as well as one map of area parishes that lists Mass and Reconciliation times.

One memorable encounter occurred early in the session. A panhandler stopped by to ask for money. The evangelist countered with an offer of “something better”, that is, knowledge of Jesus Christ and prayer for the healing of whatever is behind his housing and money woes. He politely declined and continued on his way. However, before the session ended, he returned. This time he did accept a Rosary but not its brochure. He also still didn’t accept on-the-spot prayer. Please do pray for him, though? That God will heal everything that is keeping him from honest and meaningful labor, that God will open his eyes to see that the healing is coming from Jesus Christ, and that God will open his heart to make room in his life for Jesus and the salvation that He brings.

And please pray for the evangelization team again today? In the United States, today is “Super Bowl Sunday”, which is practically a national holiday since so many people take time out to watch the ball game. Last year, even the restaurants in the park were closed. But some people still came by the team’s table – those with no home or family to go to. Each of these people is made in the image of the God Who loves them. So please pray that God will grant the evangelist(s) today the wisdom, the manner, and the right words to reach each of these priceless souls for Christ. May each encounter today result in lasting wholeness for the person and be the start of his or her journey toward the fulfillment of their vocation in Christ in the present age.

Would you please also continue to ask the Lord to send us more workers for the harvest?

Thank you again so much! In return, may God richly bless you and yours!​

By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit (John 15:8).
 
Thank you for praying for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization team last week. God continued to bless us.

It was “Super Bowl Sunday”, so foot traffic was much lighter than usual. But, as our session was starting, a man with an East-Coast accent and two black eyes volunteered to help the evangelist set up her table. Although not quite admitting that he was raised Catholic, he gladly accepted a Rosary afterward. Please pray for him? He seemed quite “down on his luck”.

One noticeable difference that day was that, although usually 90% of passersby decline the offer of a free Rosary, on this day the percentages were reversed. Ninety percent accepted our offer! May God bless them, and grant each of them the willingness to actually learn the prayer.

Even so, as the session was drawing to a close, since so few people were out and about, it seemed like we would fall short of our usual 20 Rosaries and booklets handed out. Then, at the last minute, a group of about 6-8 young adults came by. Dressed in coordinated, but not identical, black t-shirts with white designs, they lamented that they hadn’t discovered the evangelist’s table earlier. They had just finished a photo shoot, they said.

Their leader then began to speak passionately of the new movement he was trying to found to encourage young people to begin to develop their creative talents, instead of simply slaving away at whatever job they had so they could buy more stuff and spend their time passively consuming entertainment. The evangelist responded, “You’d make a good Catholic!”

The group reacted with surprise. Then the evangelist went on to explain the Church’s emphasis on the dignity of human beings, and how that fits in with the group’s goal. They seemed delighted. Although some had showed reluctance earlier, each person now accepted a Rosary (black or white, of course) and its accompanying booklet. Please pray for them?

And please send up some prayers for our team today? We plan to head downtown again in just a couple of hours. Please pray that God’s will is done: that He prepares people’s hearts to recognize their need for a Savior and for the Church that He founded, that He grant the evangelist(s) the words, the wisdom, and the manner they need to reach each of these priceless souls for Christ, and that much fruit for His Kingdom will come from our efforts today.

Please also pray that God sends us more workers for the Harvest?

Thank you again so much! In return, may God richly bless you and yours!​

By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit (John 15:8).
 
Hello, prayer warriors! Thank you again for your prayers for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization effort last week.

Our Blessed Lord worked another weather “miracle” for us during our outing last Sunday. As you may recall, Boiseans have no tolerance for unpleasant weather; whenever it rains, they just huddle indoors. So, last week, it was drizzling as we headed downtown at our regular hour. However, when we arrived, the rain stopped. The cobblestones of the plaza, though, were still wet so we set up under the construction overhang on the square’s north side. Foot traffic was typical, and the cobblestones dried. Then, as our session ended, the drizzle started up again (and the pedestrians disappeared). God is good!

We ended up giving away about 20 Rosaries and booklets, as usual. We also gave away 2 maps of local parishes with Mass and Reconciliation times listed. We could have given away a 3rd one, except our evangelist forgot to restock her supplies. These maps generally go only to people who express a genuine interest in coming back to (or beginning to learn about) the Catholic Church. Please pray for these three people to follow through on what they’ve begun?

And, please pray for us again today? We plan to head downtown again in just a little more than an hour from now. Please pray that God will send people to us with their hearts and eyes open to their need for Jesus Christ in their life, and for the Church that He founded; that God will grant the evangelist(s) the words, the wisdom, and the manner needed to reach each of these priceless souls for His Kingdom; and that much fruit will be borne as a result of our efforts today.

Please also pray for more workers for the Harvest to join us?

Thank you so much! May God, in return, continue to bless you and yours!​

By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit (John 15:8).
 
Thank you so much for your prayers for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization effort last week! Here are some highlights.

Two(!) evangelists were present – praise and glory be to God! He also granted us beautiful spring weather and so we had plenty of visitors, who were each in a good mood. We ended up giving away about 20 Rosaries, as well as several catechetical pamphlets, and at least one map of area parishes showing Mass and Reconciliation times.

Among our earliest visitors that day were a (Catholic) man and his (non-Catholic Christian) grandson. The man took a Rosary and the booklet on how to pray it, and then encouraged his grandson to do so as well.

Another pair of visitors were two students, a boy and a girl, each 13 or 14 years old. Each student accepted a Rosary and the accompanying booklet. The girl told the team that her mother is Catholic. Evidently, though, our visitor hasn’t been attending Mass regularly. But she eagerly accepted our map that shows Mass times for her local parish. Each student also accepted a copy of the Bible.

A group of five non-Catholic Christians, from a formerly Soviet country, approached us with questions. (One of the evangelists remembers their visiting us once before, about 2 years ago. Their English wasn’t as fluent, then.) During the conversation, the evangelists pointed out Martin Luther’s respect for Mary, and briefly explained why Catholics pray to Saints. Team members also answered questions about salvation and the need for Baptism. Two of the men accepted Rosaries, and their main spokesman accepted copies of our pamphlets on the other topics touched on.

Our last visitor, who engaged in a fairly lengthy conversation with us, was “Nicholas”. He currently attends services offered by a canonically irregular group. Nicholas gave us a detailed history of his decision to walk away from his former parish. He did accept a Rosary from us, to use as a Lenten devotion. Please pray for him to come back into full communion with Rome, and to the reception of valid and licit Sacraments?

And please pray for us again this week? A first-time evangelist is available today, and the team plans to head downtown in just a couple of hours. Please, please pray that God sends people to us with their eyes and hearts open to see their need for Jesus Christ and His Church, that He grant the evangelists the words, the manner, and the wisdom needed to reach each of these priceless souls for Him, and that much fruit for His Kingdom will come from our efforts today. We know full well that, without Him, we can accomplish nothing.

Please thank Him, too, that He has sent an additional evangelist to join our efforts, both last week and this. Please also pray that, if it is God’s will, the team is granted a display table at the upcoming Catholic youth conference next weekend?

Thank you so much! In return, may God grant you and yours many, many blessings!
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit (John 15:8).
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top