About a year ago, Sister Carol encountered Taylor on the streets and, moved with
compassion, quietly “adopted” him through the outreach of the Sanctuary Missionaries.
Since then, she has accompanied him with consistent care providing basic support,
encouragement, and gentle invitations to rediscover hope.
In their many conversations, Sister Carol often spoke to Taylor about God’s love and the
healing that comes from trust in Him. She encouraged him, whenever he felt ready, to
step into a nearby church and pray. Yet Taylor would often respond with quiet honesty:
he felt he had a conflict with God.
Then, during the cold winter months, Taylor disappeared from his usual spot. His
absence weighed heavily on Sister Carol’s heart. Each day, she prayed fervently,
entrusting him to the care of the Mother of God asking that he be kept safe wherever
he was, and that whatever struggle he carried in his heart might be healed.
That prayer was answered in an unexpected and beautiful way.
On the 2026 eve of Valentine’s Day, while walking and praying the rosary, Sister Carol saw
Taylor again. Calling out to him from a distance, she watched as he ran toward
her almost as though he, too, had been searching for her. They arranged to meet at
their familiar place in front of a small food store where she would usually bring him
supplies.
This time, Sister Carol brought him a simple Valentine’s rose. But she was the one who
received the greater gift.
To her surprise, Taylor was wearing a rosary and a scapular around his neck. When she
gently asked if he had made peace with God, Taylor responded not with words, but with
a radiant smile and a quiet nod. They stood together, sharing that moment of grace,
even pausing to take Valentine’s photos that captured a story of hope restored.
This encounter is a living testimony: no heart is beyond reach. Through prayer,
patience, and love, reconciliation is always possible. The Mother of Mercy continues to
intercede for all her children if only we turn to her with trust in the midst of our
struggles.