It was a beautiful evening in Somerville for our latest movie night with Ingrid, Albert and me as evangelists at our table, with Mary Ellen as our prayer warrior. Our encounters started off on the slow side, but things quickly picked up. A few notable highlights:

We spoke to a young couple, the man was baptized in the Catholic Church, but did not receive any of his other sacraments. His girlfriend grew up in the Catholic Church and was confirmed, but currently is not attending mass. She said that up until this very last Sunday, she was working Sundays, and sometimes up to 6 days in a row. But now, just as she stopped to us, she realized that she is free on Sundays, and free to attend mass. She kept on thanking us for being out on Main Street and speaking with her. Her boyfriend looked interested, and so we told her that it’s now up to her to start introducing him to the Catholic faith and they both laughed good-naturedly. They each took a rosary and she also took the “Confession” pamphlet.

We spoke to a mom and dad out with their two daughters. They both strongly identified as Catholic, but also did not go to mass. They were eager to take rosaries and also a miraculous medal. The mom then asked me about Sunday school for her daughters, and we spoke about religious education at our parish. I gave her a bulletin with contact information and encouraged her to contact the DRE. We brought up Confession, and spoke about the importance of the grace of the sacrament. She looked a little sheepish, like she knew she ought to go to confession, but that it was challenging. They also thanked us profusely as they left.

We spoke at length to a man who had a “Jesus is calling” t-shirt, with the buttons “Accept” and “Decline”, like the face of an iPhone. He waited respectfully to talk to us as we were speaking  with others. And then said he was thrilled that we were out there evangelizing. In talking to him, it turns out that he was raised Catholic, was an altar server and grew up surrounded by priests in his Brooklyn neighborhood. He said that the Catholic church was an immense force for Christianity and the spreading of the Gospel message. He then told us that he is now a non-denominational Protestant pastor and minister. Albert spoke with him for a long time. He didn’t agree with priests and confession and basically what the Catholic Church represented to him. He said he was involved in all types of sin and never knew he was saved until he became a Protestant. We lightly quipped to him “Well, that was a problem with you, not the Catholic Church.” At one point, another person came up to both Albert and him and Albert prayed with both of them. The pastor was completely moved by the “ACTS” prayer that Albert prayed with them and for them, and then he had us take a picture of him holding a rosary in front of our table. It was a lively and good natured conversation.

Two women stopped by and each took rosaries. In speaking with them both, they were both former Catholics who for the last twenty years have attended a Protestant church. We listened to them as they told us their faith journey and basically told them that we were out on the street to share the Good News of Jesus and His church. Both of the woman took a “Why be Catholic” brochure along with the “How to Pray the Rosary” brochure. And after speaking with them briefly, one of the women reached over and took a “Eucharist” brochure on her own and said that her coworker has been “bugging” her to return to the Catholic Church. The other woman then asked us “Why Catholics put Mary above Jesus”, and she asked as if she sincerely wanted to know. The first woman then asked us “Why do you pray to saints instead of just praying directly to Jesus”, also very sincerely and non-argumentatively. We spoke briefly about intercessory prayer and about Mary, how she as a creature is not above the creator, but the reasons why she holds such a high place in the Communion of Saints. They both nodded and listened and said “That makes sense. Thank you.” We felt that they were honestly searching for answers and hope that the Lord continues to lead them back to Him, along with everyone else with whom we spoke. Christ is king, now and forever.