Encounter’s mission is to form missionary disciples who encounter Jesus Christ in the poor, particularly the homeless and the lonely. Our experience of God’s closeness in prayer and Christian fellowship prepares us to embrace the poor with merciful love. A life of prayer, fellowship, and ministry of presence form us into men and women of encounter.
We are a ministry of presence, which means that we aim primarily to address our neighbor's poverty of loneliness by offering the gift of relationship, no strings attached. Multiple days each week, missionaries walk the streets of Boston and befriend folks we meet along the way. We accompany our neighbors however we can — visiting them in the hospital, helping them prepare for winter, painting together in the Public Garden. Most of all, we listen. We listen and then carry our friends' stories in our hearts, trusting that God will do the deep work of healing and saving.
Prayer
In the words of Pope Saint Paul VI, "Only your personal and profound union with Christ will assure the fruitfulness of your apostolate, whatever it may be." Encounter strives to prioritize prayer – before, during, and after street ministry through practices like lectio divina, the Rosary, and spiritual retreats.
Fellowship
Receiving the heartaches of the homeless can be spiritually and emotionally taxing. Christian fellowship allows ministry to be sustainable. Communion with fellow believers refreshes our souls and enables us to "love until it hurts." We cultivate fellowship through our street teams, socials, and missionary houses.
