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S i d e b a r
HOW PHIL SEVILLA MADE FRIENDS BY GIVING TRUTH
By PHIL SEVILLA
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This Rock
Volume 4, Number 11
 November 1993 
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WE went through thousands of booklets within
minutes at busy sites like Mile High Stadium. Many youth groups were
forewarned about the anti-Catholic groups, so they were leery of receiving
literature. I saw kids take literature from Fundamentalists and either
return the items or tear them up in the Fundamentalists' faces. I've
never seen such zeal and loyalty to the faith as I saw in our Catholic
youth.
On the steet I found out that Catholic Answers is well
known. Most priests who were leading their youth groups through the
crowds would stop and thank and bless us for being out there, and
they directed their kids to receive copies. One large group of French
kids surrounded me and grabbed as many copies as they could get their
hands on, as though they were receiving manna from heaven. It was
a moving and emotional experience.
Early Sunday morning, while on my way to Cherry Creek
Park for the papal Mass, I encountered a Protestant pamphleteer who,
with his wife, was giving literature to the pilgrims as they entered
the park. I was cranky from lack of sleep and was irritated to see
them there at 7:00 A.M. on this special day.
Standing next to him, I warned the people not to take
his literature. He asked why I objected, and we talked for an hour
about salvation, baptism, confession, purgatory, and the Church founded
by Christ. He didn't hand out literature during this time; instead
he heard Catholic truth. We exchanged names and addresses, promising
to correspond, and we parted as friends.
A seminarian passing by saw my Catholic Answers name
badge and gave me a broad smile and a thumbs up sign. I introduced
my new friends to him, and he took over as I returned to my group.
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