From the inception of the Adoration Chapel in our parish and without interruption for nearly five years until a few days before his death, this gentleman came every Saturday morning. Initially, he came for two hours each week - from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. Eventually, another person lent a helping hand by coming in a half-hour early each Saturday morning. That hour and a half was not enough for Mike - he added another hour each week when he joined his wife in the Chapel each Monday evening.

He learned to pray the Rosary there. Oh, how he enjoyed praying the Rosary before the Blessed Sacrament!

Nothing kept him away - not snow, not ice, not radiation treatment, not chemotherapy, not even a terminal illness. Just weeks before his death, he came in at 3 a.m. in obvious discomfort. He was coughing and had some difficulty breathing. But how devoutly he tried to genuflect and bow his head before his beloved Lord. After a while, he settled in his chair, pulled out his favorite little Dominican meditation booklet and began to pray the Rosary. 

He knew that others were willing to cover his hour and a half for him. But he did not want to "inconvenience anyone." Despite the cancer that was raging through his weakened body, "there was no reason for him to give up his hour yet," he said, "except that he was getting a little lazy." His fellow Adorers reminded him of all the prayers being offered for him during this difficult time and of their desire to be helpful to him and to his family. He appreciated everyone's prayers and concerns and simply told us that he did not want to get angry with God. He never did.

"It was okay for you to leave," he said to the person he was relieving. "No need to stay. I'll be fine." Mike was at peace - one with his heavenly Father and blessed Mother. We should have all thanked him then for teaching us how to live and how to die - with absolute trust and faith in a God Who always knew what was best for him. 

My friend spent his last hour before the Blessed Sacrament with his wife five days before he passed away. He died at home surrounded by his loving family and on the feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary! How great is our God!

This simple and humble man would have been the first one to admit that there was nothing of any value that he ever did on his own. Anything of value that he did (and he did much of eternal value) was only by and through the grace of God. How abundantly willing He is to provide that grace to those who love Him!

God does not promise those who love him a life here free of trials and tribulations. Time before Him in the Blessed Sacrament is no guarantee of a struggle-free life. But He does promise sufficient graces to carry our daily crosses and, most importantly, eternity with Him for those who love Him.

Mike loved to visit Him. You will too! Our Lord is waiting for you! Please do not disappoint Him - so many who claim to be His followers have and continue to do so. 

Schweitzer, Father Ignatius John. Godhead Here in Hiding Whom I Do Adore: Lay Dominicans Reflect on Eucharistic Adoration. The Lay Fraternity of St. Dominic, Inc, 2023. Pg. 6-8

My body has withered.
My bones are brittle.
My muscles are gone.
My strength has subsided, my stamina has vanished.
I was once mighty, then I became nothing.
By my own hand, the wrinkles form, the frailty transcends, and the rot sets in.
But you O Lord have called me.
You have brought me back to life.
You make me stand.
You give me strength to my body, density to my bones, and life to my spirit.
Your Bread fed my bones and my muscles.
I am faster now.
My new strength surpasses the former.
Over obstacles I hurdle - the distance I jump is great.
Those behind me struggle to keep up, they cannot trail me for long.
But you O Lord, far ahead of me, The One I cannot pass. 

​Schweitzer, Father Ignatius John. Godhead Here in Hiding Whom I Do Adore: Lay Dominicans Reflect on Eucharistic Adoration. The Lay Fraternity of St. Dominic, Inc, 2023. Pg. 100-101

The demon said it would be a blizzard on that day and it did.
Wash away my sins - even those of my children.
Lay your hands upon me and I shall take the name of Paul, for You converted me along the road of destruction, off to death was where I was headed!
My ways and my pride have been cut down with sharp devices and brought low, as You thought it good, O Lord, so that I may serve You as You see fit.
Make me worthy, and I shall bend the knee and open my mouth.
Your flesh into my flesh.
Your blood into my blood.
Flashes of light, everything explained and said, without even a word uttered.
Take up my residence under my roof and dine with me, so that I be in You, and You be in me.
Lord, please help me.
Do not allow me to be tricked by the wicked.
Protect my ears from the gospel of death, the belief in the unbelief, and the pseudo-cult of the worm. 
Give me faith, truth, and hope. Bring me a shield of Your light that shall deflect the words of rot and decay. 

Schweitzer, Father Ignatius John. Godhead Here in Hiding Whom I Do Adore: Lay Dominicans Reflect on Eucharistic Adoration. The Lay Fraternity of St. Dominic, Inc, 2023. Pg. 103

After recently reading the familiar Gospel story about Lazarus and the rich man, I saw the following internet headline: “Pastor who does not believe in hell fired!”  God’s timing is impeccable, isn’t it?
​
My immediate thought after reading this headline was: “and this pastor was caught off guard by his dismissal?”  The sad reality is that it is not just this specific minister, but so many other Christians, including many Catholics (even some of their priests), who have abandoned the fundamental truth that there are eternal consequences to a life lived in unrepentant and unconfessed sin (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, Sections 1033-1041). 

“Our God is far too merciful,” these dissidents argue, “than to banish anyone to an eternity in hell.” What Scripture and what Catechism do they read?

How have we arrived at this state of confusion on such a crucial article of faith? When was the last time you heard a sermon on sin, death, hell, and the last judgment?  Chances are not too recently. Been encouraged to go to confession regularly? How many funerals have you attended where the decedent’s arrival in heaven has been happily and definitely announced?  - far too many, probably.

The only way you can subscribe to a theory of universal salvation is to assume that  God, His Church and the many individuals He has used over the centuries to teach and guide us never really meant what He or they said. You would have to conclude, for example, that the story of Lazarus and the poor man (Luke 16:19-31), the description of the Last Judgment (Matthew 26:31-46), and the Catechism references set forth above were never intended to be taken seriously. Maybe that is why verses 41-46 of Chapter 25 in Matthew are so often excluded when that Gospel is proclaimed in our Churches.

Of course, St. Augustine didn’t really mean it when he said: “God made you without yourself; God redeemed you without yourself; but God will not save you without yourself.”

I am equally as certain that St. Bernard was faking it when with tears he said that “there was hardly one ship out of ten lost on the sea, but on the ocean of life there is hardly one soul saved out of ten.”

What was Ven. Louis Granada, O.P. thinking when he opined that “Men have eyes as keen as those of an eagle in discerning the things of this world, but they are as blind as beetles to the things of eternity?”

Finally, I suspect that the late Father Winfrid Herbst, S.D.S. must have been hitting “the sauce” before he was foolish enough to write the following: “I am sure many lost souls in hell right now would cry out to preachers and writers if they could: Oh, why did you not tell us more about the horrors of hell? Why did you not strike such fear into our hearts by your realistic description of hell that we would have made greater efforts to avoid it?...Why did you spare our feelings in a matter of such eternal moment? Oh, why did you not make hell a thousand times hotter than you did, then perhaps we would not be here today? ”

Where is the zeal for the salvation of souls?

God made us to be with Him eternally. He gives us all the graces we will need to join Him there. We can believe what He teaches, respond to His graces, humble ourselves by confessing and seeking forgiveness for our sins and enjoy eternity in His Presence, or we can reject what He teaches and offers us here on earth and discover to our eternal regret that God never lies. The choice seems so obvious, doesn’t it?

St. Thomas Aquinas reminds us that no one “is in hell who did not have, time after time, the chance of taking heaven in his grasp”.  Father Leo Rudloff, O.S.B. reinforces the Angelic Doctor, when he stresses “that hell is not a blind destiny into which the sinner plunges unawares, but is his self-chosen and fully deserved portion.”

We are entitled to the truth. Our priests and bishops must not hesitate to teach that truth, no matter how uncomfortable it may make them or us.

Oh, how our priests and bishops need our prayerful support and encouragement!

https://harvestingthefruitsofcontemplation.blogspot.com/2011/03/to-hell-with-you.html

​I am blessed to be a Lay Dominican. However, the ideas expressed on this blog are my own and do not represent the endorsement of or position of the Order of Preachers as a whole. I am neither responsible for, nor endorse content (e.g. banner ads, pop-up ads, etc.) that may be linked to this blog.

So, you as a born Levitical Jew who was an atheist was converted by the Lord Himself, but why did you start going to the synagogues to worship and not the Church?
​
All I knew at the time of my conversion was that the Lord was real. What seemed good at the moment, was to stick with what I knew. Did I realize it was Christ Himself who converted me at the moment? No, I just knew G-d (whoever that was) did it. Now, I was raised as a Jew and actually went to Hebrew school for a time as a young child, although nothing from it stuck with me. So, I went to synagogue as an adult after my conversion in order to follow the spiritual path of my ancestors, the Jews. Even during this time, I considered inquiring into Yeshivas in order to receive rabbinical training and study. I even listened to speeches from the Rabbis in New York City and elsewhere in my discernment process as I continued studying the bible on my own time and leisure. Somewhat committed to this but still discerning, I even did Torah study and Jewish prayer from the Siddur with my ultra orthodox uncle over the telephone during this time. However, the Lord who is the G-d of EVERYONE had other plans for me, and by His mighty and Divine wisdom, showed this to me in a dream one night:


I walked into a Yeshiva and was inquiring about G-d. I wanted to know more about Him. I saw Yeshiva students studying Torah in an open area in the center of the building with a backdrop of a library of many vast books. When I met with the headmaster, I went into his office to speak with him about this endeavor. He told me many things I cannot recall at the time. Seeing that I was interested, he opened up the door of his office to invite me to observe some of his students deep in Torah study in the open area I first came across. When I went up to the door and looked out into the study hall, I witnessed his students floating in the air and making sounds of ecstasy and words that I could not understand. At that moment, I thought to myself that these people must know G-d, seeing as how they are in ecstasy and floating in the air by some other power. When I came to this conclusion, I was going to make my decision in favor of this path, but when I turned around suddenly, I noticed the headmaster pulling twin ropes with both of his arms behind my back on some type of a pulley system which fed upwards to where the wall and ceiling met. When I looked back out into the study hall, I could now see the Yeshiva students still uplifted in the air, but with visible ropes around their waistlines suspending them in the air, even though they did not realize it.

Then I woke up.

So, from there, I knew there was something wrong. What was wrong? Simple, only this piece of scripture comes to mind:

1 John 2:23

No one who denies the Son has the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.

I accepted the Son of the Father by faith while down upon my knees in prayer a time after my conversion. I believe it was Him who converted me, even though I did not recognize it at first because of my hardened heart. Even as an atheist coming to the truth of G-d, there are still many pitfalls and snares; lineage and spiritual pride, ignorance (lack of study), and of course the acceptance of false teachers with no authority who try to lead you astray down wrong paths. Before I entered the Apostolic Church, I was very much against it because of what I heard other people say about it. I was also against Mother Mary. Furthermore, I didn’t believe Jesus was also G-d at that time, but simply just His Son (not of the same divine substance). I even attempted to smash my wife’s marian statues and accused her of being an idol worshipper. 

Even after the Lord has shown and done so much for me to lead me to the truth, I was still resistant and falling into errors and traps laid by others. If it was not for his divine grace, I would have remained in these recent convert errors for a very long time or maybe forever; but He was gracious with me and pushed me to study, almost like I had an itch all over my back that needed to be scratched out constantly. 

Through much study and prayer by way of the Holy Spirit, all fingers pointed to the Roman Catholic Church which is the fullness of worship through its apostolic succession and Seat of Peter. This truth became undeniable. For when you follow the Levitical Priesthood and its successors through Christ who called Apostles, who called Bishops, and who called Priests by laying on of the hands, you shall find the authority. Now, where there is authority there is power! The gold standard of worship; for I will not settle for silver, bronze, or copper and neither should you!

Summa contemplation:
https://syracuselaydominicans.org/summastudy

Street Evangelization Watertown, New York
https://streetevangelization.com/team-page/...

Street Evangelization Syracuse, New York
https://streetevangelization.com/team-page/...

I am blessed to be a Third Order Lay Dominican. However, the ideas expressed in this post are my own and do not represent the endorsement of or position of the Order of Preachers as a whole.

​Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Jeremiah, the Weeping Prophet (circa 1508), Michelangelo, detail from the Sistine Chapel

This evangelization event was our first for the Syracuse, New York St. Paul Street Evangelization team. The event took place in Hanover Square in downtown Syracuse. Please welcome our new evangelists:


-Dave (Lay Carmelite from the Watertown SPSE team).
-Jeramyah (Discerning a Dominican vocation).
-Allison (Discerning a Dominican vocation).


Dave is a lifelong Catholic who is very educated in the faith and strong in his convictions. He teaches the faith in a way that is understandable, non-threatening, and friendly. He is a great asset to both teams.


Jeramyah has a deep passion for the salvation of souls and the Catholic faith. He is a recent convert like me, and has a very unique story. From being raised a muslim, running with gangs and dangerous crowds (such as the occult), the Lord converted him and put His Holy Spirit upon him to take the gospel to the streets for the preaching of truth, even in places most do not wish to go. He has been doing this for some time before joining our team and is not afraid to proclaim the truth of the faith to hostile crowds, often at the sacrifice to his own safety.


Allison also has a deep passion for the salvation of souls through sound teaching of the faith and doctrine. She is very caring and humble and willing to put herself out there in the streets for the edification of strangers who may someday come to the Lord.


We are blessed to have these evangelists called to help others as it took some time standing up this team. We also had some roadblocks with city permitting, insurance needs, and finding a suitable site for such a ministry with adequate foot traffic that is not intrusive to local businesses. This downtown setting worked perfectly as a meeting place for those in the public to share ideas, such as the concrete steps that also provide seating around the park, stone tables and chairs setup with chess tables and many restaurants in the area with foot traffic for sidewalks.


We will be planning more outings at this location in the future to build up rapport in the area.


Anyone driving through Syracuse at any point will notice a homeless population. Our team planned for this by providing necessities to those we may encounter in need such as providing food and drink while also making available a community resource list for food pantries, shelters, parish information in the Syracuse area, and crisis hotlines. Furthermore, my wife Leanna, who will be entering the Lay Franciscan Order on 23 June 2024, made twelve loaves of homemade bread (what a great number) for our team to pass out to those in need. At the end of the day, all the bread was gone. What a very Franciscan thing of her to do!


Now, I am very dedicated to the Church’s Liturgy of the Hours Morning and Evening prayers along with the office of readings from the Saints. Many times I have found what I needed in them depending on the situation I may be in at the moment, along with teachings, experiences, writings, and similar situations that collided with the design in my own faith life. On this day, 22 June 24, it was the feast day of three important Saints: Bishop Paulinus of Nola, Bishop John Fisher (Martyr), and Thomas More (Martyr). After reading one of Bishop Paulinus’ letters from the proper of saints, I found some similarities to this day that weighed upon my heart:


-Paulinus talked about his cousin coming from Carthage to deliver a letter. Our street evangelist today Dave was coming from Carthage, New York to meet up with me for the drive down to Syracuse.


-Paulinus talks about how not long ago he was “led out of darkness and the shadow of death, and only recently began to breathe in the air of life,” as in the case with myself and Jeramyah (who explained to me how the Catholic faith changed him and given him a new lease on life).


-Paulinus mentioned “only recently have I put my hand to the plough and taken up the cross of Christ,” so it was for us on this day putting ourselves out there for Lord Jesus Christ officially in a major city to preach the gospel.


-Finally, Paulinus mentioned in his letter “loaves of bread being a token of unity symbolizing the substance of the Holy Trinity,” along with our alms of bread to the needy to compliment our evangelization mission.


I encourage all of you to make the Liturgy of the Hours part of your prayer life in conjunction with any action you take in matters of the faith because the unity of the world wide prayer of the One Holy and Apostolic Church has much power. This is just what I personally needed to get the day started.


Unfortunately, bad weather was scheduled for the entire Upstate New York area. Along the way from Watertown to Syracuse, we came across torrential rains, but we pushed through it anyway, for Dave and I concluded that the Lord died for our sins upon the cross, so it is no matter to us that we become soaking wet out in the square today. We were also praying the rosary from our respective vehicles during the trip. Fortunately, to our delight, once we got to Hanover Square, the sun came out and it stopped raining just in time.


Evangelization Encounter:


EE#1.) As Dave and I were setting up in the square, a Bosnian lady by the name of Cynthia (I could only make out the first part of her long name) came up to greet us and ask us about our table. We handed her a rosary and information on the faith, along with a miraculous medal, books I wrote on Christian apologetics, and some food and water. She was very kind and accepted all of this, while also telling us some things about her own country. She then walked to the top of the steps in the square with the stuff we gave her. Then, she decided to sit down on a bench in the grassy area under a tree behind us with her back facing us where she resided to feed the pigeons that flocked to her feet.


Dave and I continued setting up our table with street evangelization items we would be passing out when she returned to us at the backside of our table crouching at the top of the concrete steps which towered over us. She handed us back the Rosary and miraculous medals we gave her, as she tore them to pieces. She then demanded that we sell the “jewelry” we gave her. We couldn’t do this because they are blessed objects. She then held up the crucifix from the Rosary that she tore off, and began to instruct us saying, “this is not the correct crucifix.” She then proceeded to turn it upside down and boldly proclaimed, “this is the correct crucifix, you give me the wrong one!”


Me and Dave stared at her for a moment in disbelief. Once I snapped out of it, I plainly told her in a stern voice that Christ Jesus was crucified upright, and that the upside down crucifix is a false satanic mockery of the Christian faith. Furthermore, the Apostle Peter chose to be crucified upside down so he could “run to Heaven” upon death and in that he felt that he was not worthy to die in the same manner Christ did. Cynthia began to challenge me in this, but I interrupted her and asked her about generational curses and occult activity in her family. She told me in an aggressive voice/tone that her mother practiced witchcraft. From there I pulled out holy water and began sprinkling it. From there, she began to cuss and swear at me and Dave. We reminded her that we would pray for her.


Throughout the day, she would leave and come back to observe us. One of our evangelists attempted to talk to her without knowing what happened earlier. When I tried to shut down the conversation, she would respond with the waving up of her middle finger and profane language.


Please pray for Cynthia’s conversion and for her spiritual protection.


EE#2.) Chris Jr. approached our table. He is an older gentleman and decided not to wear a shirt today because of the heat. As he was flexing and showing us his “guns,” he told us a little bit about his situation being homeless and how he is going through a rough patch taking care of his family members, teaching them faith, and not being able to afford some necessities. Luckily, he managed to be held up in a city “tiny housing” program until he gets back on his feet again. He also mentioned his service in the military. After we gave him some food, water, and sacramentals from our table, he thanked us and began praising the Lord out loud. Me and Dave reminded him that God was with him and will never leave him and how Christ was also poor and the first Christian prisoner.


Before Chris went on his way, he mentioned that he was going to tell his friends about us, because this is exactly what he needed. He also told us that he was grieving the recent loss of his father, Chris Senior. Me and Dave prayed with Chris for the Lord to help him in his current housing situation, for him to remain strong in faith and to protect him on the streets, and for the Lord to to comfort his deceased father and to let him shine in the perpetual light of the Lord forever, and for God to bring comfort and peace to him and his family. Chris began crying after this. I reminded Chris that his father isn’t truly dead, for even though the body dies, the spirit still lives, and he will see his dad again, although he does right by mourning.


Please pray for Chris, his family members in the faith, and for the soul of his father.


EE#3.) Christine and her young son came up to our table. After some discussion, she informed us that she works for the Diocese of Syracuse. We gave her son a miraculous medal that he specifically wanted to wear around his neck. He also wanted many sacramental items, but his mother wouldn’t let him take it all. However, we did try to encourage him, that if he was going to use it, he should try to evangelize his school buddies. Christine was very nice to us and expressed interest in Saint Paul Street Evangelization. We gave her an information pamphlet on the organization. Later on in the day, she came back offering us a donation and we directed her to the organization’s website www.streetevangelization.com.


Please pray for Christine’s important work in the Diocese of Syracuse and for her son to be strong in the faith.


EE#4.) A group of young adults approached our table. Jeramyah had a long fruitful discussion with them about the faith, and they were very motivated to learn more about salvation and the Catholic Church. They accepted various pamphlets on the faith from the Catholic perspective, including the topic “sexual purity,” along with rosaries and miraculous medals. We also prayed together as a group to foster fellowship. They seemed hungry for God and the hope of something higher, probably something they have not received in their own lives from older adults they were surrounded by growing up.


Please for these young adults to grow in the faith and draw closer to Lord Jesus Christ.


EE#5.) Anthony approached our table (he is featured in this photo). He is battling throat cancer, and was very grateful to receive information on the faith, sacramentals, and food items. Jeramyah led us in prayer over him with holy water for his healing and spiritual growth. He also accepted a Saint Anthony medal.


Please pray for the Lord to heal his cancer.


EE#6.) Two young ladies were walking along the sidewalk, and Jeramyah approached them with sacramentals and food. He had a long discussion with them about the faith and invited them back to our table where they had a discussion with the group about finding God in their lives. Jeramyah led us in prayer with them for God to become more active in their lives and for the healing of one of the lady’s grandmother who is dying. She was very hurt about this but enjoyed the prayer. At the end, both ladies allowed me to do the sign of the cross in holy water over their foreheads.


Please pray for these women to have the Lord become more active in their lives and for the healing of their grandmother.


EE#7.) An older lady approached our table. She declared that she was from the Saint Paul Episcopalian Church in Syracuse and asked us, “who are you?” We explained that we are a Catholic Evangelization organization. In confusion, she must have thought we were representing her church in some way. Once we cleared that part up, in response, the woman said, “we are pretty much the same then, we just don’t have a Pope and have less rules.”


Before I could respond to this, I had to answer a phone call, so Allison, Dave, and Jeramyah stepped in to talk about the Catholic faith with her. Nancy, our Syracuse Lay Dominican formations director pulled up to Hanover Square in her car to check up on us to see how we were doing. While on the phone with her, I directed her to a parking spot. To our delight, she got out and joined us for a little while in the square. Allison and Jeramyah know her because she is doing their Lay Dominican formation. She also recently completed mine and is a very good teacher.


When I returned to the table, before the lady from Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church was about to leave, I asked her if she wanted any information on the Catholic faith. She was not interested. I then proceeded to ask, “Can I give you one good reason why I became Catholic?” She agreed and I briefly explained my conversion and what led me to the Church. She was not impressed, and in response she said, “I believe in women Priests and homosexuality, and that I should love everybody, so I can never become Catholic,” as she began walking away.


I thanked her for her time and told her I would pray for her and asked her to pray for me.


Please pray for this woman to be drawn into the fullness of worship and to someday accept the hard teachings and truths of the Christian faith.


Now, Allison, Jeramyah, and Dave talked to many people; homeless, those in distress, young people coming from the polish festival just across the street, families, and people coming from the LGBTQIA pride parade that was a few miles away from our location. Some of those we greeted responded with, “Happy Pride!” However, most of the people we encountered were very friendly, some were indifferent, and others seemed a bit cautious or defensive. Even one gentleman turned out to be high on drugs, and began chewing on a cross we gave him. When we realized someone was intoxicated or dealing with an altered state of mind, we did not engage them for our safety and theirs.


I concluded this event with a story about how I received my two prayer cards I always keep on me (photos featured in this posting) and by saying the prayers on them as a group, in thanksgiving to the Lord for giving us the opportunity to serve His people:


The story began about a year ago, around this time of year after I was brought into the Lay Dominican Order. The Lord was stirring me at night often, and I was trying to figure out the best way to go about preaching on the streets in the city of Syracuse, because I heard from someone in the faith around the time of my conversion that demons were all about this city. Now, I knew evil spirits hated the Rosary, and how I knew about this was through my experiences with my own mother - who cried out in pain to the prayer of the Rosary - so I knew like Saint Dominic I needed to preach the rosary to others, but I did not know how to do this or in what format I should do this. For one, I was thinking about walking up and down the streets shouting out all the mysteries, or coming up with some different format to proclaim the mysteries (which is also the gospel message). Keep in mind, this was all before I discovered St. Paul Street Evangelization through some very holy people who were active in it and from some who knew of it. Anyways, what I was thinking about doing was very different, and probably wouldn’t have turned out well for me (and others), so, being the good Lay Dominican formation director Nancy is, we were driving around Syracuse during this time talking about how to go about this.


That is when she told me to stop the car we were driving in at random (we happened to be on Salinas Street right down the street from Hanover Square) and for me to get out of the car and start preaching out loud up and down the street to see whether or not it was for me. So, I followed her orders; however, not exactly. Once I got out of the car I began walking down the street (between Epicuse Food Market and Parthenon Books by the Landmark Theatre). But for some reason, I didn’t understand what she wanted me to do fully. So I started walking down the street until I came across a homeless man stopped in the middle of the sidewalk in my path who began staring at me. I approached him and gave him money with the Apostle Paul prayer card (it's the name I took at my baptism because of my conversion). We prayed the “Our Father” together. He did not say a word to me, but looked at me intently and then walked away. So, I kept walking up Salinas Street. Moments later, a younger gentleman approached me and asked, “Do you have any money?” So, I gave him some money, along with the other prayer card of Saint Patrick (this is the name I took when I entered the Lay Dominican Order because of a dream I had about Saint Patrick’s purgatory around the time of my conversion) I had in my pocket. After I gave him this, the man asked, “what’s your name?” I replied, “Scott.” Then the man paused for a second in silence, like he was expecting me to say something else, then I corrected myself and added, “Paul-Patrick.”


I also told him if he was ever feeling down or in any trouble to look at the prayer on the card. He nodded and walked off. As I did my loop around the block, I was walking along the stores observing the neon lights in front of the windows. Suddenly, I decided to glance back over my shoulder. The man whom I had given the Saint Patrick prayer card to was across the street walking along with me with his hands in his pockets observing me. I did not think anything of it and went about my business. When I returned to the driver's seat of my car where Nancy was, she asked me “why didn’t you do what I asked?” That is when I remembered what she told me to do. I explained to her how I got distracted and gave up my Paul and Patrick cards. I was also kind of saddened by this because I always had those prayer cards on me and didn’t know how I would get them again because they aren’t easy to find. Being the kind person Nancy is, she ordered me to drive over to the Catholic Gift shop in Syracuse and that she would get me new ones. While we were discussing this, the man whom I gave the Saint Paul prayer card to came back across the street in front of us with a hot coffee in his hand and began acting crazy, even though I knew he wasn’t crazy. He was pulling trash out of a garbage can and tossing it at some driver who was sitting in his car on his phone trying to ignore him. The man with my Paul card and the hot coffee was definitely acting, for he was definitely of a sound mind.


So, we drove to the Catholic gift shop in Syracuse. Nancy bought me new Paul and Patrick cards and they looked much different from the original ones I had. They also had more applicable prayers to what I intended to do, while also having Saint Patrick’s famous breastplate prayer.


Later that night, after we parted ways, alone in prayer, I realized something and began to giggle in disbelief as I was staring at these prayer cards. The exact two men I saw on the street near Hanover Square looked just like the two men standing in the new Paul and Patrick cards Nancy got for me at the Catholic Gift shop in Syracuse. And here are those prayers on them:


Novena to St. Paul


O St. Paul, great Apostle of the Gentiles, intercede for us to God. You are God’s special vessel of election. Through your intercession we hope to receive from Him this special grace (here make your request.)


O St. Paul, glorious disciple of Christ, with great zeal you spent yourself to proclaim the Truth of the Gospel to a pagan world. Move hearts to conversion as you were so powerfully moved so that they will spread light instead of darkness.


May we never contribute to or be part of any communication that is contrary to our Faith. May we seek, instead, to promote, read, hear and view only those materials whose beneficial contents will bring greater glory to God, the exaltation of His Church or the salvation of souls. Amen.


St Patrick’s Breastplate


Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.


Please pray for these souls and their deceased loved ones we encountered today. Thank you!
​
Summa contemplation:
https://syracuselaydominicans.org/summastudy

Street Evangelization Watertown, New York
https://streetevangelization.com/team-page/?team-chapter=watertown

Street Evangelization Syracuse, New York
https://streetevangelization.com/team-page/?team-chapter=syracuse

I am blessed to be a Third Order Lay Dominican. However, the ideas expressed in this post are my own and do not represent the endorsement of or position of the Order of Preachers as a whole.

​Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This event (8 April 2024) was unique in a number of ways: first, it was the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord (when the angel Gabriel came to Mother Mary to give her the message that she would have a Son - Jesus) for The Church - a special year in which this solemnity does not fall on this date, but usually occurs in March, but since Holy Week was celebrated during its feast day of 25 March (nine months before Christmas which is the birth of Christ), The Annunciation was celebrated on this day. Second, on the same day a Solar Eclipse occurred, where the sun (Son) aligned with the moon (His Mother), three days after a 4.8 magnitude earthquake rocked the north east of the United States (including New York). Luckily for us in Watertown New York, we were in the path of full totality where everything went dark for over three minutes. Because of this significant event, up to 10,000 people from across the country traveled  to this area in order  to witness the event. Great opportunity to evangelize!

We have a new dedicated member of the team, Dave, and he joined me on this evangelization outing. We both went to Thompson Park to set up our table in the midst of a large crowd where we stayed outside in this event for up to seven hours. Yes, my bald head got sunburned!

We brought plenty of Saint Paul Street Evangelization informational tracts, miraculous medals, Catholic literature, prayer cards, scapulars, and blessed rosaries. Furthermore, we provided free turkey and cheese sandwiches along with water, string cheese, and chips for anyone who may have been in need. It is also important to note that at this event, we came across a number of satanists who clearly displayed their symbol (via clothing/tattoos); however, they did not approach our table, even though they probably saw our material and observed what we were doing. There was also a station elsewhere in the park where you could pay for a tarot card/psychic reading along with a shop selling occult material.
 
Now, I say that it is good we were there, because enemies of the faith are out evangelizing souls for their cause everyday, so it is good that we shall do it all the more!

Please enjoy these pictures taken from the event, along with the solar eclipse taken from my personal cellphone which shows the image of a Cross!

(Pictures - Dave is in the camouflage jacket. I (Scott) am in the black hoodie that says Saint Paul Street Evangelization.)

Evangelization Encounters-  

EE#1.) Erin and Allison are a homeless couple. They approached our table with much enthusiasm. Me and Dave introduced ourselves and began to learn more about their situation. They explained to us how they were kicked out of the homeless shelter because of excessive coughing/spitting into a cup because they became sick due to the communal nature of the living arrangements there. They told us how they helped out and were hard workers, but were met with stern rules that did not make much sense which ultimately led to their current situation now. Erin also explained to us how they go attend some of the local protestant churches around our area, but have trouble going back because they see how some Christians act “righteous” in their assembly, then once they leave they begin acting crude with foul language. 

Me and Dave explained to them that the Lord’s creatures fall short in what we do all the time, and to not turn on Christ because of Judas. Our focus is on Him, and we are a work in progress, because He is the example we must follow. We also gave this couple community resources for shelter and food pantry, along with information on the nearest Catholic Churches in our area while encouraging them to check out the Holy Mass which is offered everyday. Before they departed, we gave them some food and water, information pamphlets on the Catholic faith and the sacraments, rosaries, instructions on how to pray the rosary, and miraculous medals. Please pray for Allison and Erin to find meaningful employment, adequate shelter, and to be drawn closer to the Lord’s Church in truth. 

EE#2.) Lane approached our table. He was interested in some of the information we were providing on the Church and the sacramental items we were passing out for free. He explained to us how he subscribes to the Messianic Jewish belief in Christ Jesus. He told us some deep personal experiences in his life that were hurtful for him, such as being abused by his family, let down by church members of other faiths such as the baptist movement and the seventh day adventists, who would not give him a ride to their congregation/assembly on the days they would meet when he needed a ride. During his faith journey, as Lane put it, he “put God to the test,” by asking Him in prayer to show him a sign that God is real. During this time in his life, there were enemies accusing him of wrongdoing. At the time, he was not sure how to handle it. So, what Lane did was pull out a bible, picked a random page, and without looking placed his finger on a random verse. What Lane described was exactly what he needed, as he put it, and according to him, his faith grew from there by this one single act. 

Me and Dave explained to Lane that this was not exactly “putting the Lord to the test,” because He always wants us to seek Him in prayer and talk to Him, just like a Father would want to talk to His son and see how His son is doing. In the same way, a Father would also like to give His son what he wants (within reason), and to help him with his problems. We then proceeded to elaborate on scripture that what the Pharisee did was put the Lord to the test, when they witnessed miracles He performed right in front of them, but still publicly challenged Him because of their little faith and yearning for power and control. 

We also explained to Lane that we should not let the hate, malice, and hardness of heart of those who are far from Christ (at the moment) ruin our own relationship with Christ so as to lead us to sin and burn us up with vengeance and anger. Forgiveness is just as much for us than it is for them, and frees our spirit in a way that can draw closer to our end goal (Heaven). Lane also mentioned to us that evil spirits bother him. After some questioning, he told us that he was in line to be baptized in a protestant church, as the pastor was baptizing up to 60 or  70 people, while he was last in line. Right before the pastor came to baptize him, he pulled something in his bicep and the pastor refrained from baptizing Lane. Myself and Dave proceeded to explain to Lane how the Church views baptism, as being baptized into the Holy Trinity as Christ proclaimed, and that it was like a minor exorcism and relieves him from original sin while offering spiritual protection.

Lane told us he would consider getting baptized and asked that we pray over him by laying on of the hands. Me and Dave prayed out loud with him for a stable mind, stable emotions, to be baptized, to have Christ bring him into a closer union with him, and for the wicked spirits in his presence to depart never to return, in the name of Christ Jesus! Lane was very satisfied with this and told us he felt much better afterwards and would be looking into the Catholic Church. You can see his picture that was taken with Dave (Lane is in the pink shirt). 

EE#3.) A man by the name of Roger approached our table and was asking questions about the book of Tobit and what our views on it were. He also had some questions about the nephilim in Genesis 6, and whether or not we believed that giants existed. He also wanted to talk to us about the apocrypha such as the book of Enoch and other texts that are not widely used in the Church. Roger is also a Lutheran and believes that the Pope shows signs of the antichrist. After some discussion about scripture, we explained to Roger how the Church doesn’t talk much about these matters because it prefers to keep the focus on Christ and the things that are helpful for building them up. Although we accept these things in the literal sense, we try not to focus on it alot because it can lead people astray or frighten them. These kinds of discussions are more appropriate in more advanced bible studies with sound teaching and foundations of faith rooted in Church sacraments. 

Furthermore, I began to ask Roger why he became a Lutheran. Roger told me that he was born into it. From there, I explained to Roger who I was through personal testimony and what I was born into; I told him that I was born a Jew and was an atheist my entire life until the Lord converted me Himself in the year 2020. Once this happened, I too was probably a protestant at that point because I did not know which Church to goto. After much study, reasoning, and praying, the Holy Spirit brought me to the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church - the Church of the Apostles and the gold standard of worship through the sacraments. To really emphasize this point, I mentioned the old testament regarding King Jeroboam, the King of Northern Israel. I explained to him what the sins of jeroboam were, in that King Jeroboam did not want his people conducting pilgrimages to Jerusalem for worship in the temple where the Levitical Priesthood (ordained by the Lord at the time) offered sacrifice in the temple because of fear of losing power. So, as an abomination to the Lord, he created his own priestly class, thus commissioning false ministers and turning from the legitimacy of the Levitical Priesthood, as this was known as “the sins of jeroboam.” From there, I emphasized the last book of the old testament, Malachi, in which the Lord cursed the false minister’s blessing, and reminded Roger about how only the Levites could hold the ark with their own hands, and anyone else who did this would die - thus reminding him that just not anybody can make themselves a Priest, because the Lord alone does this. 

Going even further, I led into apostolic succession into the new testament, where John the Baptist, who was from the Levitical Priesthood of Zechariah, baptized our Lord in the river Jordan in water, thus transferring the Priesthood to Him ceremonially. This same Christ Jesus called Apostles, who in turn called Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, and this laying on of the hands has transferred through apostolic succession for 2,000 years today, where the sacrifice of the mas is offered in every country in the world everyday for two millennium. Roger did not like this and countered that “any priest in Israel was anointed with oil.” Me and Dave countered that this new covenant was with water, as the Lord told us plainly. We also handed Roger a pamphlet on “bible alone” and points on Sola Scriptura from a Catholic perspective.   
After some more discussion, Roger began to explain his Lutheran faith and precepts. I then responded  by asking Roger “when was Martin Luther born?” After some thought, Roger seemed caught off guard, so we concluded together that it was about 500 years ago. I then pointed out to him that the church is 2,000 years old, and is why I went to them and not Luther, in my own experience, because I wanted what was directly given by Christ and the apostles. I also explained to him how I understand why some left the Church because of corruption and misdeeds, but the sins of men and people who fall short should not intervene in our supernatural relationship with Christ through the Church he established. Roger got a little frightened and wished me and Dave a good day and took off. We promised that we would pray for him, and we also ask you that you pray for his conversion as well, because I definitely feel that he is almost there in the fullness of truth and worship!

EE#4.) Bill and his wife Sherri, along with Sherri’s son Damien approached our table and was asking questions about the faith. We provided them rosaries, instructions on the rosary, and information on the church. Sherri explained to us how her whole family has passed away. When they passed away, their Catholic items were taken away with them and she never got them back. She was very pleased to receive items that she grew up with in her own family while she was holding back tears. Her husband Bill wore a cross around his neck and he was dressed like a biker and had many tattoos. He looked very strong and tough. He told me how he was in Desert Storm (we thanked him for his service), had three heart attacks, and other surgeries. You never would have thought these serious medical conditions happened to him because he looked healthier than an ox! We had a good discussion with them and realized that Bill’s faith was very deep. He was also a Marine Scout Sniper. I too was also a Sniper in the Army, so we had something in common that helped him be more open to exploring what was on the table. 

Their son Damien who is 26 was telling us some things about himself and his family, and how his biological father passed away from lung failure in his bed while Damien was in the house and had to discover his father. Damien explained to me that his father’s ashes were in the car at the event and that he normally takes them wherever he goes. Please pray for this family and the soul of Damien’s father!

EE#5.) Kathy and her husband with her children came up to our table and was asking us questions about the faith. Kathy went to Catholic religious training as a child but was never fully received into the Church. Her husband is an ex-mormon who became Presbyterian, but is now considering the Catholic faith. We gave them rosaries, information on the Catholic Church, and had a discussion about the Arian heresy which mormonism subscribes to, in that they believe Christ is not from the same substance of God, but is more like a high level manager, and that the basic understanding and belief of a Christian is the Holy Trinity. Kathy’s husband affirmed that in the mormon church, they do not even claim to be Christian now, and their tactics for getting new members were very forceful and abusive. He could not take anymore of it and had to leave. 

Kathy also described how she reads and studies the bible, but still has mental blocks into what she is trying to understand, and that she has trouble committing to anything because it is so overwhelming to her. I explained to her some key points about the faith and emphasized the importance of prayer in asking the Lord to help us understand His word. I also asked her if whether or not she believes the Lord puts people in her life for a purpose, to which she agreed. I also explained to her that there are people who can help her understand scripture, and what she would be getting herself into when she professes the Church and the faith, so there is no confusion, and is why if she went to a Catholic Church and wanted to enter it, should would need to do RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) which goes all the way back to the early Church period. She would have time to discern and study of the scriptures in a no pressure format where she can opt out anytime, and it wouldn’t be like a cult that would come to her door with pitchforks. 

She was more open to this concept and wanted more information. I told her and her family about the local Catholic Churches in our area, but she insisted she go to whichever Church I was attending. When I told her the Church that I was attending, she told me how she lives right down the street from there and got into a story of how she met her husband in that area. Before Kathy and her family left to enjoy the festivities (live concert, bouncy house, and food vendors), I wrote up some contact information for her to Church, their website, and contact numbers.

Please pray for this family to enter the Church and to partake in the fulness of worship! 

EE#6.) A Russian Orthodox lady who spoke broken english came up to our table and looked at some of our prayer cards and images of Christ on them. After offering her some information tracts on the Catholic faith, she asked me “why do they portray Christ as a white man, and why not as a darkened arab?” Plainly, I reinforced the concept to this woman that “I do not care what Christ Jesus looks like, whether He was black, white, pink, green, or blue, I would still follow Him, and so should you!” I also explained to the woman that there are many human divisions in the world and none of it is helpful. The woman agreed and then walked away.

Me and Dave concluded this was a trap; a way to get us to stroke a division that someone may overhear at the table which may cause them to stumble. Surely, it is quite obvious what Christ was in His human nature, but this is not the focus, for He is for everyone, and resides in the hearts of those who love Him and follow Him, regardless of their race, color, or physical characteristics! Please pray for this woman to focus on the things that truly matter, such as her salvation, and not mere appearances!

EE#7.) Scott and his wife, who are Jewish, came up to our table and wanted some Catholic information to give to some of their friends. They explained to me how they did acknowledge Christ, but would not elaborate much further. I talked to them a bit about the Levitical Priesthood and Christ being for us Jews as well and who I was. They were very kind and respectful, but seemed to have been in a rush. Please pray for these descendants of Israel to come to the fullness of worship in Christ!

EE#8.) Maureen who is from Scranton Pennsylvania took the drive up her with her husband, who is a Lutheran, to witness the solar eclipse. She is Catholic, and told us about her faith journey, as she had a Marian medal and crucifix around her neck. I explained to her not to give up hope on the conversion of her husband, because when I was an atheist, I attacked and persecuted my wife’s faith, and I mocked the priests and accused them all of being pedophiles, while also opposing the infant baptism of my son. My wife still prayed for me and the Lord did not forget about me and converted me, and I told her not give up hope and to keep praying. When I told her this she looked like she wanted to cry. She came up and gave me a hug. She then explained to me and Dave how the Holy Spirit came upon her once and taught her two complex songs on the Holy Light of Purity and Love. She sang these two songs for us at the table for a few minutes before the eclipse started, and it was beautiful and indescribable. Before Maureen walked up to our table, we were talking about family division and satan splitting up families, and one of the lyrics in the song she sang to us mentioned this. When she got done, she explained to us how she is retired now and wanted to get working for the Lord in a new way. Me and Dave explained to her how God has the best employee benefits package in comparison to other companies on the market. She chuckled at this. We also gave her a book on spiritual warfare because she expressed interest in this. Please pray for Maureen, a very holy woman, and for the conversion of her husband!

The Solar Eclipse appears and everything gets very cold and dark. Clouds are in the way but we can see it with our eyes safely and did not need any glasses. I took a few pictures of it and attached it in this posting. Please notice the cross coming out of the last image I took, even though I did not notice it when I was there!

EE#9.) A family with children came by the table during the eclipse but we did not notice them while we were observing. They were interested in many rosaries and informational tracts on the Church, and the angel coins and religious key chains that were provided in a bowl. Me and Dave gave their children water, chips, string cheese, and turkey sandwiches. They were very grateful and considering the faith, especially after witnessing the celestial event. The mother of the children along with her husband there explained to me that these type of things get people thinking spiritually, that there is a deeper purpose and that she is considering giving her family a Church that can hold onto. Me and Dave agreed this was a good idea. Please pray for this family to stick together and be one in Christ Jesus!

EE#10.) Gretchen and her family member approached our table and explained to us how she was received into the Church recently on Easter vigil. Me and Dave explained our testimony to her and our stories of why we came into the faith. Gretchen’s family member mentioned how she was a convert to the Catholic faith many decades ago, and slowly but surely her family members were trickling in as time went by, but there are some who are still holding out. Gretchen also explained to us a story about someone she knew who practiced wicca who influenced her life, as she too also practiced before converting, and this person converted to the Catholic faith before she died. Me and Dave thanked God for this because this soul has a chance after renouncing divination, and we could tell this was a very personal story for Gretchen. Gretchen and her family member agreed to a picture with Dave before they left. Please pray for Gretchen, her family’s conversion, and her friend’s soul who passed away!

EE#11.) Sean, who is a security guard for the Solar Eclipse event at Thompson Park in Watertown, approached our table when we were breaking down and about to leave. He explained to us how he only shows up to Easter vigil once a year for appearances sake, but has not really attended mass for the right reasons in about five years. He wanted some information on the Latin mass. Dave was a great resource in this as he gave Sean locations, times, and Priest information who conduct such services. We also asked Sean why he considered genuinely returning to the faith. He told us because of the evil and wrong that is increasing in the world. We explained to him that when evil increases, grace shall increase all the more, and that the more sinners sin, the more of a right we have to His mercy, because if we were sinless, then we would not need Christ, but this isn’t so. Me and Dave also preached the rosary to him while giving him a rosary and instructions on how to pray it. We also emphasized that it starts with prayer, which is a conversion of the heart, and replacing worldly things and thoughts that lead us to sin on the mysteries of Christ so we can replace our thoughts and mind with His so we have a mind like Christ and in this way we will draw our hearts closer to Him. The fruit of this is monthly masses turning into weekly masses (as it should be normally), and weekly masses turning into daily masses because your heart longs to be in the Lord’s presence, not for reasons to be seen by other men, but for reasons of love for the Lord alone. Sean was happy with this and said he would consider it. We also gave Sean informational tracts on reasons to return to the Catholic Church. Please pray for Sean to return to the Church fully in both body, spirit, and heart!

EE#12.)  As me and Dave were breaking down, Laura from the the cricket wireless station came up to us. She wanted information on the Catholic Church. We gave her pamphlets explaining the faith and sacramentals. She told us she was not Catholic, while also seeming to be in a hurry, but that she would consider the faith. Please pray for Laura’s conversion! 

Throughout the rest of the day, we had many other encounters with people, especially children and mothers who came out for rosaries, information on the Church, and for some free food that we were providing. Dave did an excellent job in meeting the needs of these people and pointing them towards Christ and the Church. We also found out that many of them traveled from New Jersey and Maryland, and that dedicated doordashers will even drive up large hills on bicycles to give people their orders in major events (hopefully they got a good tip). Please, pray for all of these people we encountered and for their safe travels. Many people are hurt out there and confused, and there are many different influences in the world leading them down the wrong path, as me and Dave witnessed families with children shopping for occult items. Please also pray for them that they will find the Lord as well. 
​
Thank you!
​
Summa contemplation:
https://syracuselaydominicans.org/summastudy

Street Evangelization Watertown, New York
https://streetevangelization.com/team-page/?team-chapter=watertown

Street Evangelization Syracuse, New York
https://streetevangelization.com/team-page/?team-chapter=syracuse

I am blessed to be a Third Order Lay Dominican. However, the ideas expressed in this post are my own and do not represent the endorsement of or position of the Order of Preachers as a whole.

​Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

By Mrs. Mary Kay Welgoss, OP

A New York Minute

My son (let’s call him Tim) lives and works in New York City, and our family (my husband, daughter, son-in-law, and Tim’s girlfriend) visited him recently to celebrate his birthday. We enjoyed a nice dinner out, and went to a comedy club that friends at Tim’s office recommended. Tim knows the city well, so he deftly navigated us on and off the subway; as we emerged from the station onto the street above, he told us to move quickly to our destination, because we were not in the safest part of town. I never feel really safe in New York, so I didn’t think too much about his comment. I moved along the crowded street as quickly as I could, trying to keep up with our group. Suddenly, a man rode by on one of those electric bikes. It was impossible not to notice him, because he was screaming at the top of his lungs the most vulgar string of expletives I have ever heard. From what I could gather, he was upset that a car had cut him off, and he was truly enraged by this. He started pounding on the windows of all the cars that were waiting in line at the next signal. He was screaming threats and outlining in detail acts of violence he wanted to perpetrate on whomever had offended him. His behavior was so outsized for the situation that it was truly startling. I couldn’t help but stare over at him in disbelief. I immediately thought that he acted like someone possessed by a demon. I had been reflecting on scripture passages earlier that week about how Jesus and the apostles had cured many people oppressed by demons, so the idea of demonic possession was, no doubt, in the back of my mind. But even if one prefers a more secular explanation of his actions–perhaps they were drug induced, or perhaps he suffered from some form of mental illness–it was still so over the top that it seemed to defy commonplace explanations. What was most strange about the incident though, was what happened next. At the moment I thought to myself, “This man acts like someone possessed by a demon,” he immediately stopped his ranting and turned his attention toward me. Now it was a dark night, and he was at least 4o-50 yards away. Surely, my looking at him would not even be noticed in the tirade of his anger and the bustle of the crowd. But it was. He looked directly at me, and he said in a level and menacing tone, “You mind your own business, lady, or the same thing will happen to you.” Strangely, as scary as this situation sounds, an inexplicable sense of calm came over me. The miraculous medal I always wear grew warm against my chest, and I distinctly heard the voice of the Blessed Mother say to me, “Do not be afraid of him. He can’t hurt you. I am protecting you.” The traffic light changed, and the man rode away, still screaming and yelling down the street. But I felt a great sense of peace. It all happened in a “New York minute”–full of bustle and distraction. But to me it seemed like the exchange happened in a vacuum–as if nothing else was going on around us for those few moments. Equally strange was the fact that my entire family later told me they all heard this man’s threatening voice in a clear and focused way that stood out amid the bustle and noise of the street. It had frightened them, even though they hadn’t realized at the time that he was speaking to me.

This is a dramatic story, and it testifies to the increasing tensions at work in our modern world. I share it in the hope that it encourages others to stay close to our Divine Lord, Jesus Christ, and to our Blessed Mother. Believe in the truth of the Gospel. Go to Mass, and pray daily, especially the Rosary. In doing so, we can rest in the peace of Christ that surpasses all understanding, because we have nothing to fear.

I too, was a wicked unbelieving man who persecuted the people of God. Born a Levitical Jew from my mother’s side (last name Cohen), and a southern Baptist with Irish descent on my father’s side (last name Lowry) and grew up an atheist my entire life - I never believed. I did whatever I wanted to do; drunken parties, fights, orgies, mocked people less fortunate than myself, marked my skin with tattoos of snakes, skulls, and bullets. I manipulated others; I loved firefights and explosions, pursued vanity and possessions, hated my fellow neighbor, lied, and I was disrespectful to my parents. I even killed people. When I persecuted the church, it was more personal because I did it to my own spouse.

I mocked my wife for her faith. I also insulted the Priests and accused them all of pedophilia and wrongdoing, even going as far as to oppose the infant baptism of my youngest son. I had no intention of changing my ways, or exposing and confessing my secrets to those around me whom I harmed. Until the dead of the night in the year 2020 at the age of 35, in the same year the star of Bethlehem re-appeared for the third time on 21 December 2020 since Christ’s birth, the spirit of the Lord came for me and converted me. I was at my desk by myself doing some work on a computer and suddenly goosebumps came across my arms, back, neck and shoulders and I began trembling. I never felt anything like it before. I began weeping violently and broke down crying. Almost as if something wrapped a mantle around me, something I never felt before - it was undeniable. From then on, I knew God existed, because I literally felt Him there with me. I did not see Him or hear His voice, but I knew He was there. I honor the truth and I was wrong my entire life. In that exact instance, I realized this. Although I was born seven days from my expected due date of 17 March 1985 in the flesh and sin, I was reborn in Baptism in the spirit the night before Easter in the year of our Lord 2022.

Did He make me change? No. He showed me the Spirit of Grace which is the truth and His mercy. Since I value the truth, I accepted it. I was wrong and He was right. I died that night and was reborn as a new man. Now I live for the Lord. I took the name of Paul in baptism and confirmation because of my conversion. No man converted me; the Lord did. I went to sleep the night prior and woke up the same person with no intention of changing, nor did I have any viable reason to change. I was accountable to no one, and I believed in nothing. Then, when confronted with the truth, I had to change. Why? Because I value the truth. The truth has intrinsic value and is above all of us. It is objective and incorruptible. It is my hope for the entire world that everyone comes to the truth before the day of fire, so everyone is saved. If the Lord can change me, the worst of sinners, He can change all of you as well!

I wrote a letter to God listing everything I had ever done wrong. I repented and asked for forgiveness. This is a start, but more is required. From then on, I had to tell my wife all the things I had been hiding from her regardless of how vile it was; regardless of how much it was going to hurt. I was ready to lose my house and my life for the Lord because He is the Truth, and the Truth will set me free. I must confess to you, the reader, and the entire world to honor Him, for His Namesake.

Once I did this thing and confessed my lies and sins to both God and mankind, despite what may come of me, an amazing thing happened. The yoke of the devil fell off upon my neck. From then on, he could no longer jerk me by the chain and force me to go wherever he wanted me to go and do. I was truly free like what the Lord had said from His gospel.

Now with that said, I knew I had to be baptized. Where do I go? There are thousands, if not millions of denominations out there. Simple, after reading all of scripture and studying it thoroughly, the answer became very clear to me. I must present myself to the steps of the Apostles Church, the One that has been given authority by Christ himself - the Roman Catholic Church. I followed the footsteps of the Apostles and the Levitical Priesthood, to which my ancestors are from and to which the Priesthood passed on from John the Baptist (also a Levite whose father administered sacrifice in the temple) when he baptized our Lord Jesus Christ in the river Jordan. Coming to this truth after much prayer, I realized where the fullness of worship resided, the very Church I persecuted throughout my adult years - the one from the beginning. Now, I practice the sacraments daily and am in truth. In fact, the tabernacle in Rome, and wherever the word of God is proclaimed and His body rests upon the altar is where the temple is, for it replaced the one in Judea.

One cannot be in truth if he or she does not do what the Lord commands us to do. In summary, the Lord said, "you have no life in you unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood of the new covenant."

The sacraments are there to save us and keep us awake and ready; presentable for the Lord when He returns until all is accomplished. The sacraments of His Church will carry you, strengthen you, and sustain you from a lifetime of sinful influences and demonic temptations until it is your time to return to your true Father in Heaven. Do not be tricked by the slick comments of the world and self-ambitious preachers who want to teach you all kinds of wrong things. The Lord told us plainly what to do. So, let’s do it, and our joy will be complete.

Summa contemplation:
https://syracuselaydominicans.org/summastudy

Street Evangelization Watertown, New York
https://streetevangelization.com/team-page/...

Street Evangelization Syracuse, New York
https://streetevangelization.com/team-page/...

I am blessed to be a Third Order Lay Dominican. However, the ideas expressed in this post are my own and do not represent the endorsement of or position of the Order of Preachers as a whole.

​Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.