For Catholic Evangelization team in Boise, Idaho - SPSE

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We needed more evangelists! So, thank you for your prayers for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization effort last week, on the last day of the city’s annual Christmas tree festival.

Only one evangelist was available that day, so I was able to reach or be visible to only a fraction of the steady flow of people in “our park”. Still, I gave away 20-25 Rosaries and its accompanying booklet.

One trio of women stopped in response to the image of Jesus on my sign. They were delighted to see a Jewish-looking Jesus. This led to a positive conversation about art history and perhaps why the blond and blue-eyed images had gained such popularity in Europe. The women seemed to understand and begin to feel less offended. This led to a further conversation with one of the women as she accepted a free Rosary for herself. She told me she had been raised in the Catholic school system of 60-70 years ago, but had never been taught the Rosary. So I took the opportunity to do so. She then seemed willing to begin practicing the devotion. Please pray for her?

One girl, about 10 years old, lingered by the table after her father had firmly answered “no” to my offer of free Rosaries for himself and his two daughters. The girl requested a Rosary. Not willing to encourage disobedience, I said that of course she could have one – if her father gave permission. She was unwilling to ask him, though, saying “he is against all religion.” Please pray for that family, especially the girl who sensed something positive in the Rosary?

Another “unsuccessful” interview was with a woman (and her husband) who had lost faith after the quick succession of deaths of 3 people very close to them. I made the mistake of answering her request for “proof of God” with evidence, instead of addressing her loss of the feeling of certainty that many people mistake for faith, which instead is a positive act of the will. sigh (However, later that week, I happened to be in similar conversations on two further occasions. In each of those cases, by the end of the conversation, the woman involved expressed a real desire to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation within the week.) Please pray for all of these people? Jesus longs for their return even more than we do.

Please pray for us again today? We plan to head downtown again in about an hour from now (but remember that God is outside of time, in case you get this message later than that). Please pray that the weather cooperates so lots of people will be outside. Please pray that God sends lots of them to us with their hearts and eyes open to perceive their need for Jesus Christ and the Church that He founded for them. Please also pray that God grants the evangelist(s) the words, the wisdom, and the manner needed to reach each of these priceless souls for Christ. Please pray that much fruit for His Kingdom will come of today’s effort.

Thank you so much! In turn, may God greatly bless you and yours!​

“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).
 
Children respond well, thanks to your prayers for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization effort. Two evangelists were available last week.

Although it was raining steadily, we found a dry spot under an awning along the “restaurant row” section of the park. Foot traffic was lighter than usual, of course, because of the weather, but still we gave away 10-15 Rosaries. (And that means that we spoke to 100-150 people.)

One man saw the Rosaries and responded with a wistful “Awww” when I offered him one. But he declined the offer. Could it be that he’s an inactive Catholic whom God is calling back to Himself? Please pray for him?

Later on, a woman and her friend each accepted a Rosary. While I briefly described the devotion to one of the women, my fellow evangelist Mark engaged the other in conversation. It turns out that she was celebrating that she has reached three years of sobriety. Praise be to God! Please send up a prayer for both of these women?

I gave a Rosary to a lone child passing by. Shortly after that, a family with two small boys came along. The parents said a quick and solid “no thank you” to the offer of a free Rosary, but one of the boys lagged behind and came over to our table anyway. Since his parents were watching and didn’t forbid it, I let him choose a Rosary for himself and then gave him a copy of the accompanying brochure for his folks. I’m not sure if his parents were pleased about it all, but they remained polite.

Another child, accompanied by his mother, was playing the virtual battle game on his cell phone. However, he interrupted his progress long enough to choose a Rosary for himself. His mother declined our offer. Please pray for that family?

Please pray for us again today? After a few days of wintry weather (snow, rain, and fog) the sun is out today and skies are blue. So, I’m expecting a good amount of foot traffic. But we need prayers to actually reach anyone for Christ. So, would you please pray that God sends lots of people to us who have their eyes and hearts open to perceive their need for Jesus Christ and the Church that He founded? Please also pray that He grants the evangelist(s) the words, the wisdom, and the manner needed to reach each of these priceless souls for Him? And please pray that much fruit for His Kingdom comes of the day’s efforts.

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

“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).
 
“Someone must be praying! Wow!” And God did hear your prayer last week, and gave what felt like a marvelously fruitful session to Boise’s Catholic street evangelization effort. Thank you so much!

Two evangelists were available. In the early minutes of our session, after we had given away our 3rd or 4th map of area parishes, I exclaimed “somebody’s praying for us!” Our maps go only to people who express a sincere desire to connect/reconnect with the Catholic Church, and we typically give away perhaps 1-2 per month. But during our last session alone, we gave away 6 or 7 of them, inviting people to attend Mass that very evening!

One woman, a repeat visitor, is an inactive Catholic. She’s been sober now for 20-some years – and feels her support group meetings fulfill her obligation to worship God (as He chooses). Please pray for her?

One man gladly accepted a Rosary and its booklet. He used to live in Scandinavia and owns Bibles in Danish and Swedish. As he took his leave from us, he wished us Merry Christmas in Finnish.

Another man passed our table. When we offered him a Rosary, he said “no thank you”. Then a few feet further on, he turned back and exclaimed, “Thank you!” It turns out he was grateful we didn’t chase him down and force our Faith on him. Of course not, though it breaks our heart when people refuse our offer to take a serious look at the Catholic Church. Yet, Jesus let people walk away from him. And since He will never violate the free will He gave us, we try not to either. Besides, one of the first steps in conversion is the development of trust. How can you trust someone who is forcing himself on you? Anyway, please pray for this man?

A group of three men in the 20s stopped by our table. They each accepted a Rosary, and one of them expressed an interest in getting connected with the Catholic Church, so evangelist Mark set him up with a map of area parishes and their Mass schedule. Please pray for this man and all those who accepted maps from us that day?

Besides the 6-7 maps, we gave away a total of 18-20 Rosaries and its accompanying booklet.

Please pray for us again today? We plan to head downtown in about an hour. Please pray that God will send lots of people to us who have their eyes and hearts open to perceive their need for Jesus Christ and the Church that He founded. Please also pray that the evangelist(s) will be granted the words, the wisdom, and the manner needed to reach each of these priceless souls for Christ. Please pray that much fruit for His Kingdom will come of our efforts today?

Thank you so much! As always, we depend on your prayers! May God bless you!​

“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).
 
Venturing out again today, so thank you for all of your prayers for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization effort. After a two-week, unplanned break (due mostly to illnesses), we are planning to hit the streets again today. Boise is still in the middle of an unusually long (for us) spate of severe weather and repeated snow storms. So your continued prayers for the evangelization effort would be greatly appreciated! Here are some highlights from our previous outing.

I almost chickened out before I even set our table up, but then “coincidentally” my fellow evangelist, Mark, showed up earlier than usual. His being there gave me the courage to stick it out that day. And God seemed to be protecting both of us from getting too cold (which I especially noticed when “closing time” arrived). So thank you again for your prayers for us. We need all the help from upstairs that we can get!

On that day, it was already comparatively much colder than it had been. But the sun was out and temperatures were slighter warmer, so there was some foot traffic past our table. Though not much.

One mother-son duo stopped to chat briefly with us. They didn’t attend any church regularly, so we invited them to check out the Catholic Church.

One group of three non-Catholic Christian women, perhaps in their early 20s, each eagerly accepted a Rosary for themselves and the brochure to explain it.

One 20-something man expressed a desire to get reconnected with the Catholic Church and accepted a map of area parishes, a Miraculous Medal, and a Rosary.

One man accepted evangelist Mark’s offer to have us pray with him. Besides spiritual blessings, he asked for protection for people out in the cold. Would you, too, please send up a prayer for him and for those people he had in mind?

In total, we gave away perhaps 6-7 Rosaries, 1 Miraculous Medal, and 2 maps.

And a special thank you to Larry, Michael, Dianne, and Noelle, each of whom recently sent assurance of their continued prayers for this apostolate. Of course, I trust that each of you is holding us up in prayer. Still, receiving the occasional feedback is SO encouraging to this weak and very human would-be disciple.

And please pray for us again today? Please pray that our efforts bear fruit for God’s Kingdom, that He will send people to us with their eyes and hearts open to perceive their need for Jesus Christ, and that He will grant us evangelists the words, the wisdom, and the manner needed to reach each of these irreplaceable souls for Him.

Thank you, again, so much! May God warmly bless each of you!​

“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).
 
Jesus loves rebels – and the obedient, too, of course. So thank you for your prayers for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization effort. Our last outing, two weeks ago, seemed unusually fruitful.

Boise had been experiencing record amounts of snowfall and temperatures well below freezing for several weeks. Then the air warmed up and rain began to fall steadily, leaving a treacherous layer of very slippery ice on all walkways. Still, trickles of mostly under-30 people were out, defying the weather travel advisories. Many of them seemed to be heading to or from the wedding show that was being held in the convention center of “our park.”

And interest in the Catholic Church and in things religious seemed high with this crowd. Our acceptance rate was nearly 50%, up from our typical 10%. In all, I gave away perhaps 12-15 Rosaries, less one booklet, and about 6-7 maps of area parishes, 3 copies of the pocket-sized Gospel of St. Luke, and 1 copy of the Good News/kerygma pamphlet. Here are some of the encounters.

One woman said she was Catholic but had been “too busy” to go to Mass lately. But, she said, she’d been thinking “just last night” about returning. I encouraged her to do so. Both she and the woman with her accepted Rosaries.

One father-daughter pair made me think of St. Thérèse and her father. The little girl was carrying a bouquet of flowers, so I asked if they were for her mom. No, her father said, they had gotten them at the Bridal Fair that was going on in the convention center. Each of them accepted a Rosary and its accompanying booklet.

One woman, of a group of two who gladly accepted my offer of a free Rosary, showed me her St. Jude medal. She told me that someone had gotten it for her in Rome, but she wasn’t Catholic. She and her friend accepted maps of area parishes and an invitation to attend services at a Catholic church soon.

Please pray for us again today? The team plans to head downtown in just a couple of hours from now. Please pray that God sends people to us with their eyes and hearts open to perceiving their need for a Savior and for the Church that He founded. Please pray also that He grant the evangelists the words, the wisdom, and the manner needed to reach each irreplaceable soul for Jesus Christ.

Thank you so much! May God grant you and yours great blessings!​

“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).
 
Recognizably Catholic, our very presence provokes thought about the truly important things, if even for a moment. So, thank you for your continuing prayer support for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization effort.

God blessed our last session in several ways. Although few people were outside, due to continuing cold weather, we ended up giving away 12-15 Rosaries (with booklet), 1 Good News/kerygma pamphlet, and 2 Miraculous Medals. But God also confirmed our presence and effort in two more ways. First, the outside sound system of one restaurant suddenly went silent and remained so for the rest of our session; this was a relief because that particular business had gotten into the habit of broadcasting blatantly anti-Christian music. Glory be to God, triumphant in His Church! The other confirmation we received for our effort was the break in weather that God again granted us, most noticeably when “closing time” arrived and my fellow evangelist remarked it was suddenly much colder.

Meanwhile, here are a couple of stories from our encounters. A Catholic home-schooled family — mother, father, 4 children — stopped at our table. Several of the children accepted Rosaries, and two of them also accepted a Miraculous Medal. I encouraged them to pray the Rosary as a family regularly. The parents seemed embarrassed by the suggestion because they haven’t yet made that happen. They at least said the children who accepted Rosaries would pray it that night for us. Please send up a prayer or two for that family?

The last man who stopped to accept a Rosary defined himself as simply “spiritual.” He had been raised Christian, currently believed there was some kind of deity, but seemed reluctant to join any particular Church. Besides the Rosary and its booklet, he also accepted a copy of the Good News/kerygma pamphlet. Near the end of the conversation, without thinking, I suddenly said, “Know this: You’re not alone on the journey!” The man’s face absolutely lit up with a smile and he seemed to relax. So, I hope that means he experienced a touch of joy and peace, and that therefore it was the Holy Spirit Who inspired that counter-intuitive remark. Please pray for the man?

And please pray for us again today? We plan to head downtown in just over an hour from now. Please pray that God sends people to us with their hearts ready to perceive their need for a Savior and the Church that He founded. Please also pray that He grant the evangelist(s) the words, the wisdom, and the manner needed to reach each of these irreplaceable souls for Jesus Christ.

Thank you so much! In turn, may God grant you and yours abundant blessings!​

“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).
 
“Former” Catholics still attracted to things Catholic, thanks to your continued prayers for Boise’s ongoing Catholic street evangelization effort. Two evangelists were available last week.

Boise’s weather had finally remained dry for several days in a row, so lots of people were outside and in a good mood. There was also a remodeling show going on in the convention center in our park, which brought people past our table.

Veteran evangelist Val was available that day, and she and I had the privilege of talking with many “former” or inactive Catholics, encouraging them to return to the practice of their Faith. Response was positive!

Two real estate agents, she an inactive Catholic, stopped to talk. She had begun to attend a Returning Catholics class at her parish some years ago, but had gotten discouraged when she was told that the class wasn’t the place for her questions. Val connected with her by letting her know that she was a realtor, too. Val gave the woman a copy of the “Common Objections” pamphlet, which the woman enthusiastically received.

One woman, early in the session, turned down my offer of a free Rosary, saying she was “not interested in Catholic Truth” (in reference to our sign). Please pray for her?

One family who belong to a non-Catholic Christian denomination – 3 teens and their dad – stopped when the girls responded with interest in receiving a Rosary. The dad tried to tell them, “You don’t want a Rosary.” Val and I explained to him that the Rosary is a series of meditations about Jesus Christ. The father then relented.

Two different men, evidently down-and-out, stopped during the session when each happened to pass by. The first man gladly accepted a Rosary. The second man, shy because of crooked teeth, was attracted to our Rosary brochure with the picture of Our Lady of Fatima on it. (He, significantly, pronounced it “fah-TEE-mah”.) He also accepted a Miraculous Medal, a copy of our Good News/kerygma pamphlet, but not a Rosary.

Altogether, Val and I gave away 20-25 Rosaries & booklets, 2 Miraculous Medals, about 6 maps of area parishes, 2 copies of our Common Objections brochure, and 1 Good News/kerygma pamphlet.

Please pray for our effort again today? Although it’s “Super Bowl Sunday” in the US and we don’t expect to see much foot traffic, the team is still planning to head downtown – in less than an hour from now. Please ask God to send people to us with their hearts and eyes open to perceive their need for Jesus Christ and the Church that He founded. Please also ask Him to grant His evangelist(s) the words, the wisdom, the power, and the manner needed to reach each of these infinitely valuable souls for Christ.

Thank you so much for your prayers! They make a hugely positive difference. May God, in turn, bless you and yours!​

“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).
 
“Trial by fire” hits first-time evangelists – or seems to, for those whom God seriously calls to our Boise apostolate. So, thank you again for your prayers for the Catholic street evangelization effort here. The following encounters may not strike you as especially trying, but I know that if I had been on the receiving end during my first time out, I would personally have felt perhaps too discouraged to continue. Now I’ve seen God allow it to happen to three different evangelists on the Boise team – and each of the three has turned out to be *especially *effective at Catholic street evangelization! Praise be to God!

Last week, we welcomed our newest evangelist, Noelle. A veteran abortion-clinic sidewalk counselor, she took right to our apostolate. When a return visitor, Germain, approached in answer to her offer of a free Rosary, she asked him if he’d like prayers for anything in particular. He seemed down and out, perhaps unable to hold down regular employment of any kind. His answer: world domination, within one year. Seemingly unfazed by this request, she asked him what he would do when he got it. He gave only a vague response. When he repeated that he wanted world domination, I asked if he was working with any particular group for it. “No, just myself,” he said. Noelle then let him know that Our Lady promised that her Immaculate Heart would triumph: if Germain were to unite his heart with hers, then he could achieve what he wanted. At that, his attention wandered to the Rosaries laid out on the table. “These look dangerous,” he said. Noelle responded by assuring him that it was an extremely powerful prayer. He accepted from us a “Jesus knocking at the door” bookmark and a map of area parishes. Then he also asked for a copy of our Returning Catholics packet, which features a picture of the Blessed Sacrament on its outermost pamphlet. Please pray for Germain?

Our evangelist Mark had a long conversation with a couple from Colombia. She accepted a Rosary because her grandmother was Catholic. She told us her parents had converted to a pseudo-Christian sect when she was eight years old and so she was raised in that set of beliefs. Her husband’s family had been persecuted in Colombia because they were Jewish, but he had also converted to the same sect as his wife. Both had been active in it for several decades when they suddenly discovered, “It wasn’t true!” So, although it was painful for them to do so, they left that religion. Now, unfortunately, she is reticent to believe that any religion has a solid handle on the Truth. She took a Rosary, though, and booklets for it in English and Spanish. Evangelist Mark also gave her a copy of the Good News/kerygma pamphlet and a Miraculous Medal. Please pray for them?

Two men dealing with same-sex attraction stopped by for a long chat. Each accepted a Rosary for himself. One of them accepted a copy of the Bible; the other gladly received our pamphlet that explains the Catholic view of homosexuality. He also accepted our map of area parishes that shows thumbnails of each church with a list of their Mass times. They were surprised to hear that the Catholic Church also warns heterosexual couples away from sex outside of marriage. Please pray for them? The news that they’d be expected to live chastely was difficult for them to hear.

Altogether, the three of us gave away maybe 15-20 Rosaries with its booklet, 2-3 Good News/kerygma tracts, a Homosexuality tract, a Returning Catholics pack, about 4 maps of area parishes, and a Catholic Bible. It felt like a productive session.

Please pray for us again today? We plan to head downtown in just a couple of hours from now. Please pray that God sends people to us with their hearts open to perceive their need for Jesus Christ and the Church that He founded. Please also pray that God will grant the evangelists the words, the wisdom, and the manner needed to reach each of these irreplaceable souls for Christ. Please pray that much fruit for His Kingdom will come from our efforts today?

Thank you, again, so much! Your prayers continue to make a hugely positive difference. May God also bless you and yours!​

“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).
 
Don’t believe the enemy! Only one evangelist was available, and I felt more and more discouraged and ineffective as last week’s session went on. But look below at just a few of the encounters Boise’s Catholic street evangelization team was granted! So, please, you be encouraged that God is hearing your prayers and making us effective (whether we “feel” it or not). Thank you so much!

A man doing random acts of helpfulness help me set up my table. He didn’t stick around long enough to receive a Rosary and he didn’t seem aware that Truth can be found in a religion that’s already established. Please pray for him?

A greater number of Catholics than usual seemed to stop and visit. When they couldn’t name their parish or the Mass they attend, I set them up with a map of area parishes that also lists Sunday Mass and Reconciliation times…

Two men stopped out of curiosity. One was a Catholic, and wanted a Rosary. They asked me what made me willing to be out there. “The Holy Spirit” was all I could come up with.

One man, “Daniel”, surprised me by asking if I was with St. Paul Street Evangelization. I asked him how he knew. He said he follows SPSE on Facebook and that his wife is in RCIA at a local parish. He declined a Rosary for her because “she’s still a bit skittish about Mary”. So I set him up with our “What About Mary?” and “Praying to the Saints” pamphlets, encouraging him to read them and then present the ideas to his wife. He did accept a Miraculous Medal for her. She was in the hockey arena, he said, preparing to begin a game. Please send up a prayer for her? Also, I asked Daniel if he’d be willing to join us evangelizing. He said he’d “pray about it”.

Two boys left their parents to come over and get their “free Rosary”. Each also accepted the Rosary brochure, and a Miraculous Medal. Then they each asked for a Bible “to read at school”. What each one selected for himself was a pocket-sized copy of The Gospel According to St. Luke.

One man, when told that the Rosary is a powerful prayer, asked me if I wanted to see “something else powerful”. Then he pulled out a copy of the ultrasound of his grandson in utero. The baby is due on March 27. The grandfather accepted a Rosary for his wife. Please pray for the family?

One man asked me if he could have a pamphlet. I asked, “Which one would you like?” “You choose,” he said. I gave him a copy of the one on the Mystery of Suffering. When he admitted he was a “former” Catholic, who currently attends a large non-Catholic but liturgical Christian church, I also gave him a copy of our “Reasons to Return” packet.

As that man was leaving, a woman came up. She accepted a free Rosary and a Miraculous Medal for herself. I explained what a powerful experience of peace accompanies the praying of the Rosary, but how it took me 3 months of daily practice before I began to experience that peace. I think she was encouraged.

For the first time (that I have noticed) a Catholic priest stopped to visit. He was giving me a quizzical look as he approached, but then I (surprise, surprise) recognized him and called him by name. I wanted to ask him to bless something for me, but all of our Rosaries and medals had already been blessed. So I thanked him for stopping by. It was only later that I realized that I could have asked him to bless me. Oh, well.

Altogether, I gave out maybe 10 Rosaries, 4 Miraculous Medals, 2 St Luke’s Gospel, maybe 4-5 maps, one “Suffering” pamphlet, one “Returning Catholic” pack, and one set of “What About Mary?” and “Praying to the Saints” pamphlets.

Please pray for us again today? We plan to head downtown in just a couple of hours from now. Despite the rainy weather, please pray that God sends people to us with their eyes and hearts open to perceive their need for a Savior and the Church that He founded. Please pray that He grants the evangelists the words, the wisdom, and the manner needed to reach each of these irreplaceable souls for Jesus Christ. Please pray that much fruit for His Kingdom comes from our efforts today. We can do nothing without Him.

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

“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).
 
Atheist to agnostic in 2 minutes, thanks to your prayers last week for the effectiveness of Boise’s Catholic street evangelization effort. And a personal thank you to Larry, Maria, Alice, and Janey for your encouraging messages. All of you prayer supporters are awesome, thank you again so much!

Last week, two evangelists were available. The sun shone for the first third of our session, then it rained for the middle third, and then the sun shone again for the last third. So evangelist Mark, who is new to the area, got to see for himself how Boiseans disappear when it rains, and only slowly begin to reappear when the sun comes out. Still, overall, our “numbers” were down. But, even one soul led closer to the Truth makes the whole outing worthwhile, right?

A man and his granddaughter (perhaps in her mid-teens) stopped in response to our offer of a free Rosary. He was formerly an altar boy, but hadn’t “yet” connected with a local parish, so I gave him a copy of our map of local parishes that lists Mass and Reconciliation times. He also accepted a copy of our “Returning Catholics” packet. Then he told us that when he was a boy at a Catholic school, he received a very harsh penance from a young priest there. Later on, he asked for a second copy of the map with its list of Mass and Reconciliation times. Please pray for him, that God grants him the grace to forgive, the grace to return to the Sacraments, and the grace to lead the rest of his family back to the Sacraments.

Meanwhile, his granddaughter began the visit by declaring that she was an atheist. She declared that what she believed in was Science. But we didn’t wilt at that (for we know well that honest science only confirms the existence of our Creator). Instead, I challenged her with a version of the question, “Have you ever thought about why is there anything at all?” So she told her grandfather that she didn’t want to talk about her faith life (or lack thereof) with “strangers”. Still, later in the visit, she declared to my fellow evangelist that she was an agnostic. (BIG change in less than two minutes, praise God!) Her grandfather accepted Rosaries for himself, and for her. Please pray for them both? Especially for the granddaughter to be granted the grace to discover the Savior Who loves her so much!

“Daniel,” who last time recognized us as an SPSE team, stopped by again, this time to introduce us to his wife, “Jennifer,” who is in RCIA. She was heading in for another hockey game, since her team is trying to make up some games that had been canceled earlier in the season, due to weather. Please send up another prayer for her?

One group of three women each accepted a Rosary and its brochure from us. Their positive response surprised us because we had each been privately thinking that they looked “unlikely” to be interested. But they were! Please pray for them?

For the last week or so, one man keeps walking laps past our table, as many as four times an hour. This week, he said, “No, thank you” to our offer of a free Rosary. The evangelist followed with, “God bless you.” He said again, “No, thank you.” Later on, as he passed yet again, the evangelist commented on the fact that he seemed to have been able to dodge the downpour of rain. He grinned. Please pray for him? He seems to have little peace inside his head.

Altogether, we gave away maybe 10 Rosaries and/or booklets, 2 Miraculous Medals, 2 maps of area parishes, and 1 Returning Catholics packet.

Please pray for us again today? We plan to head downtown in just a few hours from now. Please pray that God will send people to us with their eyes and hearts open to perceive their need for a Savior and the Church that He founded? Please pray that God grants the evangelists the words, the wisdom and the manner needed to reach each of these irreplaceable souls for Jesus Christ. And please pray that much fruit for His Kingdom will come from our efforts today?

Thank you so much! In turn, may God greatly bless each of you and all those for whom you pray!​

“Encourage each other daily, while it is still today” (Hebrews 3:13).
 
God bless our benefactors and prayer supporters! A special thank you to Val and her husband for donating Rosaries (including the ever-popular *black *ones) and the Rosary brochures! A shout-out, too, to Dianne for her on-going prayer support and enthusiasm.

Last week, one evangelist was available. The weather was very cold, gray, and windy, and so there was not much foot traffic at all. However, I still managed to give away 10-12 Rosaries and their booklet, and 3 maps of area parishes.

The man I think of as “the circling man” passed the table three times during the session. On the first round, he asked me if I was the girl who was out there last week. On the third round, I tried to simply greet him before offering a Rosary to the man who was coming up behind him. Circling Man, though, responded – fairly loudly. The man behind him reached out and took the Rosary I happened to have in my hand – in reparation, I think.

Two men chose Rosaries but I felt spiritually “slimed” afterward, until I remembered to pray a few “cutting-free” prayers. Please pray for them? And please pray for us evangelists, for protection?

The last woman to stop was jogging along behind a double closed-in stroller. Once she found out that the Rosaries were really free, she came over. Unzipping the stroller, she let the boy and the girl get out to choose their own Rosary, “like Mommy used to pray all the time.” Once all three had their Rosary, I set the mom up with a map of area parishes. She asked about children’s programs, and I assured her that every parish had a religious education program. She seemed interested. Please pray for that family as well?

And please pray for us again today? We plan to head downtown in about an hour from now. Please ask God to send people to us with their eyes and hearts open to perceive their need for their Savior and the Church that He founded. Please also beg God to grant us evangelists the words, the wisdom, and the manner needed to reach each infinitely valuable soul for Jesus Christ. Please pray that much fruit for His Kingdom will come of today’s effort?

Thank you so much! I rely on your intercession. May God, in turn, bless and protect you and yours!​

“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).
 
“No one taught me the Rosary” … until now, thanks to your ongoing prayer support for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization effort! Two evangelists were available during our last session, two weeks ago. Here are some highlights.

A woman was looking for “her brick” when I arrived. (The plaza where we set up has held a couple of fund-raisers over during the last 20 years in which people could purchase a brick paving stone and have it custom engraved. During the recent major expansion of the park, all of the previous bricks ended up in new positions.) Since the woman had a smart phone, I directed her to the online app that would help her locate it. Once she found it and had taken pictures, she came over to where I was finishing setting up our table. When I offered her a free Rosary, she accepted, although she said, “I’m not Catholic.” I explained that lots of non-Catholics pray the Rosary, that it is a series of meditations on events in the life of Christ, and encouraged her to pray it daily. “I’m 67 years old,” she said, “and know you’re supposed to pray it daily, but no one’s ever taught me how to do so before!” I assured her that I’d had even life-long Catholics stop by who’d also never been taught. She seemed encouraged to try. Pray for her? Why, after all, would a NON-Catholic even expect to be taught the Rosary, not to mention be urged to pray it daily?

One group of three people stopped. They each accepted a Rosary and its booklet. When asked if they had a Bible at home, one woman said, “Yes!” But the other woman asked for one. I handed a copy to the man, who also seemed to want one, and then gave the woman the choice of which Bible (or pocket-sized Gospel) she’d like. She said she could share the man’s copy. Please pray for them? It seemed like all three of them are having serious financial struggles.

One man stopped for a Rosary. And then I broke my rule about “only one Rosary per person” when he asked for two more, one for his son and one for his daughter. It was because he seemed sincerely Catholic (he and his wife have a wall Rosary above their bed, he said), and might possibly be willing to institute the custom of praying the Rosary together as a family. Don’t know. Pray for them?

Three young women were our last visitors. One was sporting a picture of her high school’s mascot on her sweatshirt. The three were already actively Catholic (both in a local parish and in their hometown). They each accepted a Rosary and a Miraculous Medal. Please pray for these women that they remain strong in their Faith?

Altogether, we gave away 12-15 Rosaries, 3 maps of local parishes, 3 Miraculous Medals, and 1 Bible.

Please pray for us again today? We plan to head downtown again in about an hour from now. Please pray that God sends people to us with their eyes and hearts open to see their need for Our Savior Jesus Christ and the Church that He founded. Please pray that God grants us evangelists, and the words, the wisdom, and the manner needed to effectively reach each of these priceless souls for Him. Please pray that much fruit for His Kingdom comes of our efforts today?

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

“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).
 
Divine Mercy Chaplet

O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in You!
O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in You!
O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in You!

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; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst 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.

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; He descended into hell; on the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
 
People responded, though the “rejection rate” was noticeably higher last week. So thank you for your ongoing prayers for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization effort! And an especial thank you for the words of encouragement received from Maria, Mary, and Katherine438 – they really help me keep my courage and enthusiasm up! Here are some highlights from last week.

The first woman who responded to our offer of a free Rosary seemed really “down,” so down she could barely speak. She accepted a Rosary and its booklet, though. And a copy of our pamphlet on the Mystery of Suffering and Evil. After hearing just a few comments on how meaning could be found even in suffering, her mood seemed just a bit brighter. Please pray for her?

“David” stopped by for quite a long visit. He said he was Catholic and named his parish, but said he hadn’t been in a while. When offered a copy of the map with Mass times, he declined because he said he “was still receiving their newsletter.” I set him up with, not only a Rosary and brochure, but a copy of our pamphlet on the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Please pray for him?

One couple came over out of curiosity, once they heard that the Rosary was about Jesus. They each accepted one.

Two men with housing challenges stopped when one of them responded to the offer of a Rosary. That man’s complaints about being treated rudely by a police officer stopped when I validated his innate awareness of justice. Currently an inactive Catholic, he accepted not only a Rosary, but a copy of the map of area parishes, and a copy of our pamphlet on Confession. Please pray for him?

Three college students were our final visitors. All three are on fire for the Faith. Declining the need for any more Rosaries, two of them did accept our brochure on it once I pointed out how it shows where each Mystery is in the Bible and how that knowledge helps calm down non-Catholic Christians and opens their hearts to seriously consider praying the Rosary. Evangelist Mark tried to recruit them to join us, but each declined for the moment due to lack of free time.

Although it was sprinkling a few drops of rain when we set up, the weather dried back up while we were in session. Altogether, we two evangelists gave away 8-10 Rosaries, 2 Confession brochures, 1 Suffering brochure, and 2 maps of area parishes. Once we had everything packed up, though, it began pouring down rain. Thank you, God, for another break in the weather!

Please pray for us again today? As far as I know, only one evangelist is available. I plan to head downtown in about an hour from now. Please pray that God sends people to us with their eyes and hearts open to perceive their need for a Savior and the Church that He founded. Please pray that God grants the evangelist(s) the words, the wisdom, and the manner needed to reach each infinitely valuable soul for Jesus Christ – and that much fruit for His Kingdom will come of today’s effort.

[Would you please also send up a prayer for the folks at Catholic Answers? Thisforum page is down again this morning and that’s why this post is backdated. Perhaps you could also backdate your prayers for us, since God is outside of time?]

Thank you again! May God, in turn, greatly bless you and yours!.​

“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).
 
Better than money? Yes, thanks to your prayers for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization effort, we can offer knowledge of eternal Truth and salvation! Here are some highlights from our session last week.

There was a “flower and garden” show going on in the convention center today. What with their beefy guard patrolling the center of the business park, I didn’t feel free to set up there, so I put our table in front of a vacant business across from the parking garage elevator entrance – until, that is, rain drove me under cover (and took away our foot traffic).

“Joe” and “Glen” offered money in exchange for the Rosaries, but I don’t accept money on the street (and, so far, no one has taken me up on my offer of accepting it if they catch me after Mass at the parish church). Glen did accept a Rosary for himself. Joe, however, spotted the Blessed Trinity medal that I’ve put out for several weeks now. Until Joe, no one seemed able to see it, so maybe it was waiting for him. Please pray for these two? My guess is that they are currently far from the Lord.

Many (8? 12?) teens screeched by on skateboards. Eventually, one stopped long enough to get his free Rosary, and his companion accepted one, as well. After that, (in response to their witness?) every one on the skateboarders made a stop at my table.

One Catholic couple called out that they had at least 35 Rosaries at home. Then the man quipped, “I’ll bring you some.” Oh, if only he would!

Several different people accepted a Rosary “for their grandmother,” and one for his sister. May God bring every member of those families back into active practice of the Faith!!!

A musician was playing secular music, loudly, a few doors down from me. After I prayed for peace and that his music wouldn’t lead anybody astray, he broke into “Halleluiah”. Shortly before the rain came, I offered him sympathy after he had (somewhat unsuccessfully) chased down the dollar bills that the wind blew out of his guitar case. After he ended his session, he accepted a Rosary and brochure. Please pray for him? He seems to believe only in a syncretic amalgamation of “spiritual masters”.

Altogether, I gave away 15+ Rosaries and 2 maps of area parishes.

Please pray for us again today? We plan to head downtown again in just over an hour from now. Please ask God to send people to us with their eyes and hearts open to perceive their need for Our Savior and the Church that He founded. Please ask God to grant us effectiveness in reaching each of these irreplaceable souls for Jesus Christ and that much fruit for His Kingdom with be borne of our efforts today.

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

“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).
 
Not many takers of our free Rosaries and info last week, so please continue your prayers for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization effort? Without God, we accomplish nothing.

The semi-annual convention of a non-Christian Bible sect was occurring in the hockey arena near us. Although, in the past, several attendees had approached us to argue, they all politely avoided contact this time. One positive note: before, the women had mostly dressed in long, solemn, black dresses. This time, a normal variety of color was apparent. So, perhaps God is lightening their hearts. Please pray for them? Only a miracle will let them see past their indoctrination to behold the marvel of the Incarnation of the Son of God and His saving power!

Our first visitor was a Catholic man who asked about churches within walking distance. He was in town on business, but it was unusual for him to be here on a weekend. So, and especially since it was Lent, he wanted to be able to attend Mass. He gladly accepted directions to the nearest parish – and a copy of our map that shows all Boise parishes and lists the Mass and Reconciliation times for each.

Since the weather was a little sunnier than it has been, several people were wearing Hawaiian-style shirts. One of them stopped to visit. He said he’d gotten a Rosary from us before, but it broke the first time he tried to use it. He was afraid that it meant that God didn’t approve of the Rosary. I reassured him that the Rosary was a good thing. I also apologized that his first Rosary had broken and explained that some of our Rosary makers were elderly and so some of their knots simply didn’t stay tied. He agreed to try again. I then told him how praying the Rosary daily leads to a deep experience of peace. He asked me how long I’d been praying it daily. He found it encouraging that I had started doing that only a couple of years ago. “Oh! So you don’t have to have been doing it ever since you were a kid?” No, once you get past the short learning curve, it’s really quite easy. As an example of its effectiveness, I told him how, at home the night before, the loud party next door had quieted down and the shrill laughter had changed to normal during the 20 minutes I prayed the Rosary for my neighbors.

The friendly police officer biked past and greeted the two of us. I hadn’t seen him for months, but I was glad to see him again because I think of him as our guardian angel.

Please pray for us again today? As far as I know, only one evangelist will be available. But it’s Palm Sunday, so please pray that God will send people to us with their eyes and hearts open to perceive their need for Jesus Christ and the Church that He founded. Please ask Him to grant us the manner, the words, and the wisdom needed to reach each of these priceless souls for Him. Please pray that much fruit for His Kingdom will come from today’s efforts?

Thank you so much! I rely on your prayers! In turn, I pray that God greatly blesses you and yours!​

“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).
 
Easter Sunday, two evangelists are available.

Last week was a no-go. One evangelist was available. I had called a friend for prayer and moral support. Then she called back just as I arrived downtown, saying she “received in prayer” that I should not go out that day. So, when the electronic lock on the trunk of my van also wouldn’t release (it’s been touchy, that way), I threw in the towel. Then, as I arrived home, a man on a bicycle passed – giving me a thumbs-down, instead of returning my greeting. sigh Regret now, giving into the fear.

Please pray for us again today? We’re planning to meet downtown in just a few hours from now. May God send people to us with their eyes and hearts open to perceive their need for Our Savior. May He grant each of us the words, the wisdom, and the manner needed to reach each of these irreplaceable souls for Jesus Christ. May He grant that much fruit for His Kingdom comes of today’s effort.

Thank you so much! In turn, may the Risen Lord greatly bless you and yours!​

He has risen, as he said (Matt 28:6)!
 
“Jesus in disguise” is often in the homeless. Thank you again for your prayers for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization effort.

Last week was Easter Sunday. Two evangelists were available, but construction made travel through “our park” difficult again. So foot traffic was light. A recurring theme among our visitors, though, was the heartbreak of homelessness.

One man, who was there with his family, stopped to tell a story. He works with the homeless in Los Angeles. Our Rosaries reminded him of one woman he worked with. He had given her their little packet of $10 worth of bus tokens and such, and she had given him a Rosary. He stopped to visit her a few days later and she was so ill that he called 911. She was taken to the hospital, where she died two days later. That happened only last week, and the man teared up as he talked about it. Please pray for them?

Our last visitor was a man who stopped and talked for a long time. I’ll call him “David”, though he says that’s not his name. My fellow evangelist said afterward that he was “Jesus in disguise”. Not a lot of rationality came out of the man’s mouth, and understanding him was further hampered by his heavily accented, broken English. He did mention a stay in a mental hospital. Please pray for him? As far as I could tell, he’s not yet a believer.

And please pray for us again today, Divine Mercy Sunday? As far as I know, only one evangelist is available. But I plan to set up downtown in just a couple of hours from now. Please pray that God sends people to us with their eyes and hearts open to perceive their need for Jesus Christ and the Church that He founded? Please pray that God will grant us the words, the wisdom, and the manner needed to reach each of these irreplaceable souls for Christ. Please pray that much fruit for His Kingdom will come of our efforts today?

Thank you so much! In turn, may God greatly bless you and yours!​

He has risen, as he said (Matt 28:6)!
 
Is “any attention” better than none? Thank you so much for your prayers for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization effort last week. Here are some highlights.

One evangelist was available last week, Divine Mercy Sunday. The weather had turned beautiful and the new fountain was being tested in the center of the park where we set up. Its dramatic sequence of changes attracted lots of attention, even from behind its construction fence. So lots of people came into the center of the park, and therefore I was able to give away lots of Rosaries in a short time.

One man stopped by as I was setting up the table. He asked for a Rosary. When I also offered him its accompanying booklet, he declined — patting his (non-Catholic) Bible. Don’t know what that was about, but please pray for him? Perhaps Mother Mary is drawing him “home”.

Shortly after that, a woman stopped by who had grown up in a town south of here where there were only two religions – Catholic, and a pseudo-Christian sect. Her family belonged to neither, and so she ended up feeling rejected by both. I encouraged her to give the Catholic Church another look. She accepted the Rosary, its booklet, and my explanation of the devotion. Please pray for her?

The apostolate received perhaps a hint of heckling from a patron of the restaurant whose patio opens into the park. First, I heard “Rosary” in what seemed like a mocking tone. Then later, as I was leaving (slightly early, to attend the Divine Mercy service at my parish), the same voice asked, “Leaving already?” There was an edge to the voice, as if its owner were overindulging in intoxicating beverages. And, of course, perhaps neither remark was actually directed at me. Still, if they were, I’m thinking that any attention is better than none, and Our Lord prefers hot or cold over lukewarm indifference. Please pray for the folks involved?

And please pray for us today? I have been experiencing some “interference”, so I’m thinking (as St. Jean Vianney used to say), “Big fish today!” But of course that would take divine assistance, which we need anyway in order to accomplish anything. So, would you please pray that God keeps my team safe, that He send people to us with their eyes are hearts open to perceive their need of Our Savior and the Church that He founded, and that He grant the evangelists the words, the wisdom, and the manner needed to reach each of these souls for Jesus Christ. May much fruit for His Kingdom come from our efforts today.

Thank you so much! I rely on your pray support. In turn, may God greatly bless you and yours!​

“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).
 
“Ay-yi-yi!” I thought. But God is hearing you! So thank you so much for your prayers last week for Boise’s Catholic street evangelization effort. It turned out to be a amazingly positive session.

Although I was the only evangelist available that day, the police officer whom I have come to regard as my “guardian angel” rode by early on, while I was still setting out the Rosaries. This time, he greeted me first – out loud. I felt both encouraged and “protected.”

The previous week, a man had his daughter accept a Rosary. Her mother, he explained, had been forced to attend the Catholic Church and that became her excuse for turning her back on the Faith. I tried to let the two of them know that it only showed that her mother had never understood what it was that she was walking away from. It occurred to me later that a better approach may have been to get the girl and her father to begin to think about just why Mass attendance was seen as so very important by those parents. Please pray for that whole family?

“Clay” and “Camille” cheerfully approached when they spotted my “Catholic Truth” sign. They described themselves as “generic Christians.” but had recently discovered one of our local Catholic parishes and had been attending Mass there. Besides Rosaries, I gave Clay my last pocket-sized copy of the Catechism. I also let them know that RCIA classes would be forming again in the Fall. They seemed to look forward to joining them. Please pray that they make it all the way “home”?

“Alexis” and two friends stopped by. They belong to the local university’s Newman Center. Alexis’ friends each accepted a Rosary. Then they spotted the Miraculous Medals and asked about them. I told them its story and they each ended up accepting one.

A family of six responded. Each of them (except the dad) took a Rosary. Once one of them spotted the Miraculous Medals and asked about them, they each wanted one of those, too. Since they are not currently connected with any faith community, the mom also accepted a copy of our map of area parishes.

A young woman came up to me alone – signaling to someone in the distance to wait for her. Her question was about the Catholic view of homosexuality. Specifically, “Does the Catholic Church hate homosexuals?”" And, “If I have sex with a woman, will I go to hell?” She accepted a copy of our Homosexuality and Sexual Purity pamphlets. Please pray for her?

A man stopped to accept the free Rosary I offered. He admitted he wasn’t Christian, but looked ready to bolt when I opened my mouth to proclaim Christ to him. So, instead, I gave him a copy of our Good News pamphlet as a less threatening entry point for him. But he also willingly accepted a Bible. I suggested he start with the Gospel of Mark, because it is short, easy to read, and it’s theme is, “Who is this Jesus Christ?” Please pray for him?

The last couple to stop accepted Rosaries. (She was a former Catholic, according to the man, and struck me as bitter about it.) They, too, asked about the Miraculous Medals. I gave them each one and told them the story of how it got its name. The man then asked if he could ask me a funny question: “Would it be okay to use it for gambling?” (Ay-yi-yi, I thought.) I asked if he meant using it as a good-luck charm. Yes. I thought of admonishing him about that being disrespectful, but another thought came to mind: “Take it!” So I said that, and explained about the kinds of graces he could expect: the grace to know when to stop, the grace to keep his perspective, the grace to be responsible, and the grace to remain a good steward of his funds. I suspect that gambling is a real problem for him (and, hence, his family) but that he couldn’t hear that yet. Please pray for them, especially that Our Lady helps him?

In what felt like an amazingly fruitful session, I gave away maybe 20-25 Rosaries, 7-8 Miraculous Medals (that is, every one I had on the table), 1 Bible, the only copy of the *Catechism *I had with me, and probably 3 maps of area parishes. Thank you so much for your prayers!

Please pray for us again today? We plan to head downtown in just about an hour from now. The weather is cool and overcast, so please pray that God will send people to us. And that their eyes and hearts are open to see their need for Our Savior and the Church that He founded. Please also pray that God grants us the words, the wisdom, and the manner to reach each of these people for Him.

Thank you again so much! I rely on your prayer support. In turn, may God greatly bless you and yours!​

“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).
 
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