A New Rosary Evangelization
J has been involved in a threefold ministry of reaching out to help, bringing God into everyday conversation and introducing "persons to the gospel rosary."
His real name is James Wallace, but everyone in the streets and veterans hospital call him J.
Veteran Marcia Nagles,outpatient at Menlo Park Veterans Hospital, says ”J make you feel like part of the family.” She was sitting in a hospital corner in 1990 when he said 'You don’t look like your doing well, do you want to talk?'”
Marcia said, “He shopped, picked things up, walked me home, got me to daily mass and rosary. He made me a better Catholic and I’m a convert."
J says "Marcia and many like her are my family, now.
Nagles connected with me because when she converted to Catholicism in 1964 her family kicked her out. J own family booted him out in 1985 “because of military Post Traumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD] and an antsy personality.”
The lay ministry began with family in 1982 when his grandmother lay dying in Alaska. He said “No other family member was willing to take the dying woman home to Iowa. It was not easy to go because Grandma didn’t like me because of my Hippie appearance.”
She said “I knew you would be the one to come for me. But, after that I saw only the love in her eyes for me. She had always wanted a priest in the family, so I promised her to enter the seminary.”
In 1984, after two years of study at the Mt. St. Claire Seminary and University in Diwitt, Iowa, J was told he wouldn’t make it. He recalls “They told me I wouldn”t make it because I was too much of an adventurer. I would go out racing cars and horseback riding. I was just too antsy.”
They suggested he get involved in a rosary ministry.
“The ministry is waiting for the God given moment when I realize I have to talk to this person. Starting a conversation about anything for about half an hour -then bringing in God. Finally, giving them a rosary with explanation and instructions,” J says,
“But most of all my heart goes out to the women on buses with children and their hopeless looks. When I politely approach they're scared to death, but once I take off the sunglasses they look in my eyes and see hope.”
Many times these women are broke, so J gives them ten dollars to buy pampers along with the rosary. The most rewarding part of his work is the bus ministry. Since 1984 starting in Iowa the bus ministry has followed him wherever he goes.
His bus ministry on the Santa Clara County Transit takes him all over the California Silicon Valley usually stopping at his center of gravity the Menlo Park Veterans Hospital.
He was a Coast Guard sailor from 1977 to 1980 stationed in Morro Bay, California on a 95-Foot Coast Guard Rescue Cutter. From 1980 to 1982 he was at Westport, Washington on the Search and Rescue Station where he retired. His July 1982, DD 214 discharge papers say he was “ permanently retired by reason of physical disability.”
James remembered ”I returned fire with an M-16 at narcotics boats when under attack. But, my most nervous moment in the West Coast waters was when I and a petty officer boarded a drug boat. The petty officer was attacked and mauled by a black Labrador Retriever. I had to kill the dog.”
During his term of duty, he says “34 lives were saved from ship fires and sinkings.” J said ” Three times I was thought to be dead, once with a broken back and hip which forced me to retire. I’m like the trout that’s too small; God keeps throwing me back. That’s why I have the ponytail so He can pull me back.”
In 1982,the broken back and hip ended his Coast Guard career. James recalled ”The transition to civilian life was hard because of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and my antsy personality. There were flashbacks from past rescue and law enforcement episodes. Nor did it help that I refused to take pain medication for the constant back pain.”
In 1985, on Thanksgiving Day J was booted out by his family. J said, “There was the alcohol and my problems, but I just don’t know the answer to why they did it. I asked them. They just said they didn’t want to see me anymore.“ That’s when he started saying the hour and half gospel meditation rosary, praying especially for his family.
He knew he needed help, but had never known where to turn. After, he started the gospel rosary everything fell into place. He found the Bay Area veterans hospitals, which from 1986 to 1994 helped him overcome PTSD and a drinking problem. In his times of despair the rosary helped show him Gods love.
He prays two complete rosaries everyday.In the morning, he focus is on the gospel words of the Our Father and Hail Mary in the manner of the Jesus prayer.
For the second rosary, he uses an old method - the scriptural and gospel meditation rosary book. Sometimes staying as long as five minutes- in meditation-on one bead. He, also, prays for specific persons on the beads.
There are 20 to 30 persons who receive prayer everyday starting with his family. About 20 people are continuously included while he adds and drops others every nine days.
Today, James considers his gospel rosary ministry and prayers a small way of helping in the new evangelization. J said, “Pope John Paul II believed the rosary is one of the most powerful instruments for developing faith. It is the instrument that could spread the faith to all people.“
“J” tries to give specialized rosaries to fit each person so if anyone wants to help him in his ministry sends unique rosaries to:J. Wallace1260 W. Washington Ave #5Sunnyvale, Ca. 94086
J has been involved in a threefold ministry of reaching out to help, bringing God into everyday conversation and introducing "persons to the gospel rosary."
His real name is James Wallace, but everyone in the streets and veterans hospital call him J.
Veteran Marcia Nagles,outpatient at Menlo Park Veterans Hospital, says ”J make you feel like part of the family.” She was sitting in a hospital corner in 1990 when he said 'You don’t look like your doing well, do you want to talk?'”
Marcia said, “He shopped, picked things up, walked me home, got me to daily mass and rosary. He made me a better Catholic and I’m a convert."
J says "Marcia and many like her are my family, now.
Nagles connected with me because when she converted to Catholicism in 1964 her family kicked her out. J own family booted him out in 1985 “because of military Post Traumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD] and an antsy personality.”
The lay ministry began with family in 1982 when his grandmother lay dying in Alaska. He said “No other family member was willing to take the dying woman home to Iowa. It was not easy to go because Grandma didn’t like me because of my Hippie appearance.”
She said “I knew you would be the one to come for me. But, after that I saw only the love in her eyes for me. She had always wanted a priest in the family, so I promised her to enter the seminary.”
In 1984, after two years of study at the Mt. St. Claire Seminary and University in Diwitt, Iowa, J was told he wouldn’t make it. He recalls “They told me I wouldn”t make it because I was too much of an adventurer. I would go out racing cars and horseback riding. I was just too antsy.”
They suggested he get involved in a rosary ministry.
“The ministry is waiting for the God given moment when I realize I have to talk to this person. Starting a conversation about anything for about half an hour -then bringing in God. Finally, giving them a rosary with explanation and instructions,” J says,
“But most of all my heart goes out to the women on buses with children and their hopeless looks. When I politely approach they're scared to death, but once I take off the sunglasses they look in my eyes and see hope.”
Many times these women are broke, so J gives them ten dollars to buy pampers along with the rosary. The most rewarding part of his work is the bus ministry. Since 1984 starting in Iowa the bus ministry has followed him wherever he goes.
His bus ministry on the Santa Clara County Transit takes him all over the California Silicon Valley usually stopping at his center of gravity the Menlo Park Veterans Hospital.
He was a Coast Guard sailor from 1977 to 1980 stationed in Morro Bay, California on a 95-Foot Coast Guard Rescue Cutter. From 1980 to 1982 he was at Westport, Washington on the Search and Rescue Station where he retired. His July 1982, DD 214 discharge papers say he was “ permanently retired by reason of physical disability.”
James remembered ”I returned fire with an M-16 at narcotics boats when under attack. But, my most nervous moment in the West Coast waters was when I and a petty officer boarded a drug boat. The petty officer was attacked and mauled by a black Labrador Retriever. I had to kill the dog.”
During his term of duty, he says “34 lives were saved from ship fires and sinkings.” J said ” Three times I was thought to be dead, once with a broken back and hip which forced me to retire. I’m like the trout that’s too small; God keeps throwing me back. That’s why I have the ponytail so He can pull me back.”
In 1982,the broken back and hip ended his Coast Guard career. James recalled ”The transition to civilian life was hard because of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and my antsy personality. There were flashbacks from past rescue and law enforcement episodes. Nor did it help that I refused to take pain medication for the constant back pain.”
In 1985, on Thanksgiving Day J was booted out by his family. J said, “There was the alcohol and my problems, but I just don’t know the answer to why they did it. I asked them. They just said they didn’t want to see me anymore.“ That’s when he started saying the hour and half gospel meditation rosary, praying especially for his family.
He knew he needed help, but had never known where to turn. After, he started the gospel rosary everything fell into place. He found the Bay Area veterans hospitals, which from 1986 to 1994 helped him overcome PTSD and a drinking problem. In his times of despair the rosary helped show him Gods love.
He prays two complete rosaries everyday.In the morning, he focus is on the gospel words of the Our Father and Hail Mary in the manner of the Jesus prayer.
For the second rosary, he uses an old method - the scriptural and gospel meditation rosary book. Sometimes staying as long as five minutes- in meditation-on one bead. He, also, prays for specific persons on the beads.
There are 20 to 30 persons who receive prayer everyday starting with his family. About 20 people are continuously included while he adds and drops others every nine days.
Today, James considers his gospel rosary ministry and prayers a small way of helping in the new evangelization. J said, “Pope John Paul II believed the rosary is one of the most powerful instruments for developing faith. It is the instrument that could spread the faith to all people.“
“J” tries to give specialized rosaries to fit each person so if anyone wants to help him in his ministry sends unique rosaries to:J. Wallace1260 W. Washington Ave #5Sunnyvale, Ca. 94086
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