Steve Dawson - Catholic Street Evangelization: Stories of Conversion and Witness

CATHOLIC STREET EVANGELIZATION

Stories of Conversion and Witness

Edited by Steve Dawson

IGNATIUS PRESS SAN FRANCISCO

Cover photograph iStockphoto / Lawrence Sawyer

Cover design by Roxanne Mei Lum

St. Paul Street Evangelization logo
by the Alice Paul Group

2016 by Ignatius Press, San Francisco
All rights reserved
ISBN 978-1-58617-988-5 (PB)
ISBN 978-1-68149-696-2 (EB)
Library of Congress Control Number 2014949939
Printed in the United States of America

Editors Dedication

To the Sacred Heart of Jesus;
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Star of the New Evangelization;
my wife, Maria; my children, Maximilian and Maris;
and all the evangelists of St. Paul Street Evangelization

Rescue
Steve Dawson

Birth of a Movement
Steve Dawson

Prodding Each other Toward Heaven
Adam Janke

The Valley of the Shadow
Edwin Uzi Mendez

Gods Second Choice
Lucy Stamm

Oh Beauty, Ever Ancient, Ever New
Ed Graveline

The Flint Mission Project
Adam Janke

A Catholic Notch in the Bible Belt
Paul Mathers

Bloom Where Youre Planted
Karl Strunk

Serving Others by Helping Them to Serve
Father Michael Mayer

Were All Heralds
Steve Dawson

The Bible talks a lot about feet. Do a biblical search and you will find the words feet or foot mentioned over 380 timesthe washing of feet is found at least seventeen times. The most well-known instance, of course, is Jesus washing the feet of His disciples.

It is not surprising that foot washing was so ubiquitous in biblical times. Travel was mainly by foot on dusty paths or muddy trails where camels, donkeys, and other animals made a mess everywhere. People either went barefoot or wore simple sandals that offered little protection from the grime of the ground. Feet were considered filthy; they were in constant contact with the earth and a symbol of mans contamination by contact with the sinful world.

In the Middle East today, feet are still considered dirty. One Sunday while sitting at Mass in Bethlehem, I innocently crossed my legs. Suddenly, a man seated near me jumped up and whacked my leg, knocking my foot to the floor. That was my lesson that it is considered rude to expose the bottom of ones feet in a church in the Middle East.

In such a culture it would be hard to imagine anyone saying that feet are beautiful. But that is exactly what the Prophet Isaiah says: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good tidings (Is 52:7). The herald runs along the mountain ridges, proclaiming his message to all who will listen. His feet carry him along, and the recipients thank God for his beautiful feet, the feet that spread the good news.

Saint Paul applied Isaiahs beautiful feet to preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. To the Romans he wrote, For, every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. But how are men to call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? And how can men preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news! (Rom 10:13-15).

And such good news! It is news of a loving Gods real existence, salvation from sin in a world gone mad, the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. It is marvelous news, but it doesnt reach anyones ears until a messenger with beautiful feet shouts it from the mountaintopsand the town squares of cities everywhere.

But who is called to deliver this good news? The priest, pastor, or religious? The trained orator, public speaker, or radio host? Yes, all of them, but also everyone who has been baptized in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. By virtue of our baptism we have all been appointed evangelistspeople with feet and tongues to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to a very needy world.

The Church has told us from the beginning that were all called to share the message of Jesus Christ. The Catechism says, Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist are sacraments of Christian initiation. They ground the common vocation of all Christs disciples, a vocation to holiness and to the mission of evangelizing the world ( CCC 1533). It is our mission, our individual responsibility, and we will be held accountable on the Last Day for how well we fulfilled Gods requirements.

But wait a minute. We are Catholics, not Bible-thumping Evangelical Protestants. We dont do evangelizing and sharing our faith with other people, right?

Whenever I tell my conversion story, my dad holds a prominent place. In 1953 he reached a crisis in his life and cried out to God, I dont know if you even exist, but if you do, please reveal yourself to meI am desperate! At work the next morning his prayer was answered. A man approached my dad out of the blue saying, Charlie Ray, you need Jesus Christ in your life. My dad was shocked the answer had come so soon. What beautiful wordsthe man told him of Gods love, salvation, and eternal life. And my dad believed.

I always ask my audience, Do you think it was a Catholic who spoke to my dad about Jesus? I always get the same responseheads shaking, a few chuckles, and many who say no. Isnt that a shame? It is our gospel. The Bible is a Catholic book. We as Catholics have a history of taking the gospel of Christ to the farthest reaches of the world, but in recent times we have become silent. The common response is, My faith is private; my religion is personal. It is not something we talk about!

Our whole family is glad the Baptist gentleman approached my dad that morning in 1953 because it has transformed us. The man believed it was his responsibility to tell people the saving message of Jesus Christ. This message, truncated though it was as presented by a Baptist, had a profound impact. Now the second, third, and fourth generations have taken it a step further and discovered the fullness of the Christian faith in the heart of the Catholic Church.

Evangelization is the art of sharing what is important to us. If we win a million dollars, do we keep it to ourselves? If we find a miracle cure for a disease, do we fail to share it with family and friends? Why, then, when we discover and believe in the eternal and loving God who has opened the door to eternal life and bliss forever, do we not share that news with others?

St. Paul Street Evangelization is again putting into practice what Christians in past centuries did with joy and vigor. Had early Christians not brought the gospel to new lands and peoples, we would all be pagans today, lost in our sins, without God and without hope in the world. Someone was called, someone was sent, someone had beautiful feet to bring the news of salvation and eternal life to us. Someone broke loose from his comfort zone and did the right thing.

Steve Dawson and his team of modern-day apostles have undertaken the momentous task of teaching Catholics to step up and live out their calling. They are again taking Jesus Christ to the pagansthose on the streets of America and the world. Many people are being re-evangelized. Many Catholics are being trained and encouraged, and are going out as a new army of preachers. But the preaching is not in your face; rather, it is a beautiful message shared on the streets with a smile, an encouraging word, a Rosary, and a bold expression of love and gentleness as the truth is proclaimed.

Thanks to Steve Dawson and all those who work with him; all the bishops, priests, deacons, and religious who support and join them; and all the lay people from every walk of lifeall awakening to the excitement, joy, and thrill of living out their call as evangelists. How beautiful are the feet and the words of those who bring good news!