Signs

Signs Around Town

Since the Supreme Court decision on Dobbs, I’ve observed protestors on our Tyler public streets and parks half a dozen times, carrying threatening and blasphemous signs. My heart sinks; our mostly Christian, friendly little city, where you see “WE LOVE LIFE” lawn signs all around town, occupied by raging, shouting  women, glorying in their ability to offend.

The website http://www.wewontgoback.com posts the details of pro-abortion protests all over the country and includes downloadable poster designs, though the most disturbing signs I saw in Tyler were homemade ones, more horrific than these from the website. 

Signs have the power to rouse people, for good or ill.

Prayer on the Square

We hold signs, too, when we pray on the town square. Back on January 12, 2022, long before the abortion protests, a group of Catholic prayer warriors began meeting on Wednesday evenings in our city square to pray the rosary. We were acting in solidarity with Catholics in Austria, who had begun to pray for help against the tyrannical measures of their government, under the name “Austria Prays.” We held signs and flags, intended to help wake passersby up to the dangers bearing down on good people all over the world.

The Canadian Truckers’ Convoy was in full swing at that point, and we were eager to support them. They were perhaps the first globally-visible Freedom Fighters, though their efforts ended in apparent defeat. I say “apparent” because the government crackdown on peaceful protestors alerted us to the dangers of central banking when you hold opinions that differ from the government’s official narrative. Prime Minister Trudeau so casually ordered the bank accounts of truckers frozen, that the whole world saw how easy it would be for governments to manipulate a central banking system. For that forewarning alone, the whole Canadian truckers’ movement was worthwhile.

One of the founding couples of our Prayer on the Square arrived from Canada last year, and Martin proudly held the beautiful Maple Leaf flag in the early days, alongside the Stars and Stripes.

Life in little Tyler, Texas was pretty sedate all winter and spring, but we could see the global community rising up against the lies and over-reach of governments. We hoped that Americans would be energized by the Canadian patriots, to fight for freedom here, but Tyler was not feeling the pinch yet. 

When the American People’s Convoy launched on February 23 from California to Washington DC, we were super-enthused. We wished, rather than believed, that it would light a spark in the American people, but it was still not time. Enough people have to be alarmed and personally affected by tyranny before there will be a mass outcry.

So we keep praying, every Wednesday at 5:30, rain or shine. We’ve been meeting for seven months now, and we actually rather enjoy it. There is joy in praying the rosary together, we love the honks from passing cars, and we enjoy our fellowship over dinner afterwards. Since we pray on public sidewalks, we are not required to have a permit, but we’ve had one nevertheless, every week we’ve been out there. It puts us on solid ground with law enforcement, and alerts them to our presence. 

Once a month, we visit the nearby police station with pizza, cookies and other treats, to demonstrate our appreciation, and cultivate a relationship with police. They have our backs, as we saw when the abortion protestors marched in front of the Cathedral. We want them to know that we have theirs. 

Some of our signs could be considered “political,” but at this point, politics are over: there is only good and evil. Is it political to urge Americans to pay very close attention to their freedoms (including freedom to worship) as governments globally crack down? Is it political to point out the dangerous experimental shot that was forced on the world without ever receiving approval (and which still does not have approval,) but which has killed and disabled hundreds of thousands of victims?

Soon we will have a sign of solidarity with farmers worldwide, who are being put out of the food production business, thus setting up a worldwide famine. If Christians don’t stand up for such things, who will? It’s not politics; it’s solidarity.

In the Netherlands, farmers block a major highway with their tractors during a national protest. 

Frankly, I’m not sure God cares about what we call “politics”, but I think He cares a great deal about innocent people who are poisoned, killed or otherwise preyed upon by the arrogant and powerful. 

He has shown the strength of His arm; He has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly.

God cares very much about the welfare of His little ones. Once we know what is being done to God’s people, we have to speak up.

Signs elicit responses. They plant seeds. They let people know they’re not alone in seeing that something very wrong is going on, and that there are people who care about it. The media attempts to maintain the fiction that everyone believes the approved narrative, thus gaslighting the population, but with every car that passes us and our signs, we challenge that notion. And when Tyler finally does feel the pinch that the global chessmasters have already set in motion, signs will let people know that we are a community ready to stand up for them.

Join us and our signs and flags on the Tyler town square (Ferguson and Broadway), rain or shine, any Wednesday at 5:30 pm, to pray the Rosary for protection over our community, our country and our Church.  

We Want Your Story!

The East Texas Catholic community welcomes you and would love to know the story of how you landed in the Diocese of Tyler. We believe sharing your story will inspire others and will give God glory by sharing how He is working in your life.

We would also like to use your story to produce a book to give to Bishop Strickland to fill his heart with hope for the future of the Church. This book of stories will also serve as a historical document for the Diocese of Tyler.

In addition to your story, we have a professional photographer, Mark Tanner, who is available to capture our beautiful faces for the book.

To organize your thoughts, the outline below may help. You don’t have to follow the order or the exact prompts. Please feel free to be as detailed as you would like.  Include dates and experiences before, during and after your arrival in Texas. 

A rough draft is all we need.  We want to make this easy for you.  After all, you have had a lot going on! Your submission will be edited, with your permission, to have some unity in format. If you would like to share but want to remain anonymous, just let us know.  We won’t print anything without your permission.

Submit your story to Celeste Spitz in digital format. This can be done by email, on a thumb drive, or through the website TruthForSouls.com.  We will provide you with a copy of the final draft for your review.  Again, rough drafts are all we need!

Thank you so much for participating in this collection.  May God bless you and your families and enrich your faith through our beautiful Catholic community here in East Texas. 

Contact us with any questions or to submit your story below:

Rebecca Cali, MD

Publisher

Celeste V. Spitz

Editor


Outline

  1. Begin with a short paragraph about you and your family.
  • Where are you from?
  • What was your home like? 
  • Were you and your family member working, retired, students, etc.    

2. What was the situation in your community and parish during the time you first had thoughts about relocating?

  • What factors impacted your decision? 
  • Were restrictions or regulations of the state a factor?       
  • What was your previous parish life like and were you active in the parish?

3. Describe the point at which you made a definite decision to move.

  • Was there a specific incident that was the tipping point?
  • Was it a result of prayer- perhaps a novena to St Joseph? Special devotions?
  • Did you hear about or do research about other places to live besides Tyler?

4. How did Tyler or East Texas enter as a possible relocation place?

  • Did you know about the Bishop here?
  • Did you have friends or family in the area?
  • Employment opportunities?

 5. The moving process. 

  • What was your experience selling your home and finding a new home.
  • Did you quit a job (how was that?).  Did you have to find a new job?
  • How did you get your belongings to Texas?
  • What was the experience when you actually left your former home?

6. Settling in Texas.  Describe the process of assimilating into your new community and parish.

  • Did you and your family members feel welcome right away or did it take time?
  • Do you find daily life very different than where you came from?
  • Have you gotten involved in the parish?  Do you see yourself in a specific role?

7. Looking Back.  

  • As you look back, do you see how God worked in your life to guide and direct you to this point?
  • Did you have any experiences during this process that you would consider miracles?
  • Has it turned out to meet your expectations, your hopes?  Or has the experience been just different than what you expected. 
  • Has this experienced increased your faith?
  • Anything else you would like to add?