We walked off the train and out onto the closest bridge, gazed up the Seine at the towers and construction cranes of Notre Dame, we raised our American flag over the waters, and sang the National Anthem…”Let the evangelization begin!”
Passing through chic neighborhoods, we came to the ancient Roman Arena that is a park today, tucked away among the apartment buildings. For the Games, it is one of many official "Fan Zones," with a big screen, tents, lawn chairs, and concession stands (photo below). We set our packs down and curious eyes welcomed us and made room on the ground for the rag-tag Americans…and conversations began!
The Games set the tone for an openness to encounter, even as we went out and about to watch the Triathlons (notice the cyclists in the top photo!) or to visit a church. The Stars and Stripes, my religious habit, the pure smiles of our young 7-man team drew so many greetings and questions. We proclaimed Jesus’ victory, the reason for our hope! We met so many with our witness, and at the end of this post, we will share about the life-changing encounter we had with the young woman from Taiwan.
Our 7-man team USA was Joy, Haley, André, Luc, Easton, Isabelle, and yours truly, Fr. Anthony. Each evening, a few Parisian friends joined us as well. A couple times-a-day, we set up the speaker in plazas shadowed by monuments, classical facades, and Olympic banners, and we shined the Lord’s joy with Israeli dances. Israelis, Lebanese, and so many others joined for a couple dances, and so many more took videos. Each time we seemed to wind down our dances as we got wrapped up answering the questions of our curious visitors.
The Church of Paris put on a special veneration of the Crown of Thorns, and we joined the line and each kissed this relic which St. King Louis IX brought back during the Crusades. This gave us a time of prayer together with others reaching out during these days with the love of the Gospel.
We had our own sacred space to welcome tourists and faithful. We were entrusted St. Germain-des-Prés, one of the most beautiful, historic, and visited churches of Paris. St. Germain was Paris’ original monastery and the seat of learning that led to the Sorbonne. It was the first burial place for its bishops, where Descartes also found a resting place.
We welcomed the flow of visitors through the doors as the silence and recently restored beauty struck them with wonder. On their way out, we offered them our Olympics evangelization flyer. Pray like a Champion! This is the catch phrase on the flyer that includes testimonies about faith and prayer. Check out the flyer!
A variety of nationalities joined us for Adoration and Mass. Vitale came twice, following the personal connection he made with Isabelle, our young missionary from Michigan. Vitale is from Kharkhiv, in eastern Ukraine, a city that was conquered and destroyer, then retaken by the Ukrainians. After a few years in France, he is preparing to return, and his distress and inner struggle was clear in his eyes during adoration and Mass.
Our most touching encounter was with Elvrie, from Taiwan. She connected with our intern, Joy, and came several times to pray, to Mass, and to speak out her heart and questions. This was her first experience of the Christian faith, and after her first Mass, she said she felt somehow “cleansed from head to toe.” She was eager to learn the Sign of the Cross, then show us the texts of the Mass about mercy and forgiveness. She really wanted to know what it means to forgive. Joy spent hours listening to her and helping her find a path of consolation, Jesus Christ. She studied in France for five weeks, and was heading back home as we write this. She texted Joy just now to say that she was praying on the plane!
Pray for these seeds we've planted!
The mission of the Church is fulfilled by that activity which makes her, by the love of the Holy Spirit, fully present to all men or nations, in order that, by the example of her life and by her preaching, she may lead them to the faith, the freedom and the peace of Christ.
Vatitcan II, Ad Gentes
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