Stanford graduate begins society to support unordained Catholic evangelists
By Josh Tng
VANCOUVER
Tricia Bolle thought she was heading to Asia for a six-month stint of work and language studies.
Instead, she wound up without a job, unable to complete her studies, and with several months remaining until her return flight home.
Today Bolle is a lay missionary, founder of the St. Francis Xavier Lay Missionary Society, and is able to laugh about her 2004 experience in Asia. “A job offer I had – to pay for my time there – fell through; my language tutor got too busy and she quit on me. I got myself stuck for two months.”
Bolle was sharing her journey from student to lay missionary with an attentive audience at the Mission Ablaze Charismatic Prayer meeting Jan. 3 at St. Mary’s Church, Vancouver.
Bolle described how, having just graduated from Stanford University, she found herself in a foreign land and asking, “What am I supposed to do with my time here?”
The answer came when she decided to try out a newly opened restaurant where she would be presented with an opportunity to share the Gospel, changing her life and vocation.
She sat down to say grace before her meal and, “A minute later, some stranger comes up to me and taps me on the shoulder,” Bolle said.
“‘Hey,’ he said, ‘I noticed you were here by yourself; would you be interested in joining me and my friends at our table?’”
As she sat down with the group, one man motioned toward her crucifix. “Are you a Christian?” he asked.
“The promptings of the Spirit were too great,” Bolle said. “I responded the only way I knew I could: ‘Yes, I am.’”
Apprehensive about having declared her faith in the largely non-Christian country, Bolle was “floored” by the man’s response.
“He said, ‘That’s wonderful, because some of us here tonight are interested in learning more about Christianity. We were hoping you could share your faith with us.’”
She spoke with the group well into the night, sharing all she could about her Catholic faith. “It was such a blessing,” said Bolle.
She began frequenting the local university. There she would read the Bible, drawing and befriending many curious students.
Wherever she went those wanting to learn more about Christ approached her. “People on the subway, people on the bus, people in the coffee shops, they were just interested in learning more,” she said. “I saw this incredible hunger, this incredible thirst to know more about Jesus Christ from a people who were spiritually starved.”
After returning home to California, Bolle began to discern her life’s calling. Despite the disapproval of her peers, she decided to return to Asia with the purpose of evangelizing.
In 2012, she founded the St. Francis Xavier Lay Missionary Society. “I was suddenly receiving an outpouring of encouragement and support from priests, religious, lay leaders, bishops, major superiors of Religious Orders like the Dominicans and the Missionaries of Charity, and seminary rectors throughout Asia and within the U.S.,” she said. “This came together to give me clarity about my vision and purpose.”
Bolle’s missionary work is more essential now than ever, says Mildred Moy, head of St. Mary’s street ministry and coordinator of the event. “Asia has lots of people who are not exposed to Christianity … What Tricia is doing is very important for our Church today.”
The St. Francis Xavier Lay Missionary Society sends qualified Catholic lay men and women to serve as missionaries for several months in Asia.
Moy said, “I’m hoping (Bolle’s) testimony on how she responded to God’s call, giving up everything to become a lay foreign missionary, will encourage young people to take courage and not be afraid (to take risks), trust in the Lord, and plunge themselves into what the Lord has put in their hearts.”
To learn more about the society, visit www.laymissionary.org or contact Bolle at tricia@laymissionary.org.
