CFNA FORUM. The Catholic Fraternity. From the NA English Language Member of the Executive Bob Carmody

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1 CFNA FORUM A Publication of Nor American English Communities of e Volume 1 Number 1 Caolic Fraternity of Charismatic Covenant Communities and Fellowships January 2011 Member Communities Community of God s Delight Dallas, Texas Deleite de Dios Dallas, Texas Glory to God Topeka, Kansas Alleluia Augusta, Georgia City of e Lord Tempe, Arizona People of God Nanticoke, Pennsylvania Mt Zion Montrose Michigan Community of God s Love Steubenville, Ohio Moer of God Gaiersburg, Maryland New Creation Virginia Beach, Virginia Editor s Note In is first edition of e CFNA FORUM we are introducing e member communities. It is good for broers and sisters to know a bit of e history of e oer member communities and us appreciate e movement of e Holy Spirit over e years. Future issues will not be as lengy. Errors will be corrected in a future issue. cfnaforum@aol.com The Caolic Fraternity The Caolic Fraternity of Charismatic Covenant Communities and Fellowships wi e patronage of e Pontifical Council for e Laity celebrated e 20 anniversary of its founding at e International Meeting in Assisi, October-November The Fraternity is recognized by e Caolic Church as a Pontifical Association of Christ s Faiful and has recently opened offices in e Vatican. From e NA English Language Member of e Executive Bob Carmody The biennial Caolic Fraternity Conference was held from October 28 to October 31, 2010, in Assisi, Italy. The conference was truly an international gaering of Charismatic Caolics wi more an 500 people from over 70 covenant communities in attendance including representatives from groups in Nor and Sou America, Europe, e Philippines, Australia, India, China, Indonesia, and Africa. To accommodate e diversity of nationalities, e sessions offered simultaneous translation into any of five different languages. Despite e challenges of different languages and cultures, e entire conference was marked wi a great spirit of unity and joy. Mass each day was concelebrated wi numerous bishops and priests. Stanislaw Cardinal Rylko, e current President of e Pontifical Council for e Laity, was e main celebrant on e first day, and spoke about e call to spread e Baptism of e Holy Spirit. Paul Cardinal Cordes, who was instrumental in e initial establishment of e Fraternity, was e main celebrant and homilist at anoer Mass, and urged us to remain faiful to e charisms at we have received. In recognition of e 20 anniversary of e founding of e Fraternity, Shayne Bennett and David Peterman Sr. honored Brian Smi and Bobbie Cavnar, respectively, as two of e primary founders of e Fraternity. The Caolic Fraternity is divided worldwide into various geographical regions, each wi its own representative on e Executive of e Fraternity Council. Bob Carmody was elected as e representative for e Nor American English-speaking region, replacing Dennis McBride from e Alleluia Community in Augusta, Georgia, who had reached e term limit of his Executive membership. Dennis served faifully in at role for many years. Please pray for me in is new position, at God may richly bless my service to e communities in is region. The meeting in May 2012 in Bari Italy is an Executive meeting followed by a Council Meeting. The April 8-10, 2011 meeting in Phoenix is a Nor American English speaking planning meeting. In October 2011 a conference for e NA Region will be held in Brownsville Texas. CFNA Forum + Volume 1 Number 1 + January Page 1

2 City of e Lord is a Caolic Charismatic Community, wi members in four branches located in Phoenix, Arizona; Los Angeles, San Diego, and Monterey Bay, California. Our branches were founded in e early 1970 s and began working togeer planning conferences for e western region of e Charismatic Renewal. As relationships developed, in February 1984 e Phoenix and Los Angeles branches merged to become City of e Lord, wi San Diego joining in 1986 and Monterey Bay in Therefore, our Founders are from all branches: Jim and Carol Jones, Ed and Carolyn LeBeau from Phoenix; David and Diane Podegracz, Dan and Marion Sauer from Los Angeles; Jerry and Claire Harvey from San Diego; and Dennis and Susie Kehoe, Dennis and Jean Powell from Monterey Bay. The community is made up of about 275 adults and 190 children. The whole community is governed by a Council, and each branch by a Principal Branch Coordinator and men and women Branch Leaders elected by e Covenant members. The Council is headed by Overall Coordinator Bob Carmody, and includes each Principal Branch Coordinator: Jim Hyde, Phoenix; Chris Hoffman, Los Angeles; George Johnston, San Diego; and Vern Packer, Monterey Bay. The Council includes a Founder, Dennis Kehoe, and two Advisors: Jim Jones and Geoff Shell. All leaders serve a four year term and can be reelected. Our Founding Charism is Receptivity and Commitment to e Person and culture of e Holy Spirit, particularly in Covenant Love. Our mission is to: Serve Jesus Christ by serving mankind Strengen family life Train and develop leaders for e Church Expand and export our way of life We are one of twelve communities invited to found e Caolic Fraternity in We view participation in e Fraternity as a call and responsibility to serve e Church wi e gifts given by e Holy Spirit. City of e Lord has established various outreaches. The two current works of e community include operation of Living Water Retreat Center, and e Caolic Family Life Program. We also sponsor annual men's and women's, children s and teen retreats, Life in e Spirit Seminars, evangelization retreats, and children s summer camp. Let us remember in our prayers, e broers and sisters in e communities in Australia and Brazil who are suffering as a result of flooding and mud slides. Alleluia Community Alleluia Community in Augusta, Georgia was founded on Feb. 11, 1973 by 12 adults. Seven of ese members are still alive and residing in Alleluia (including Bill and Laurette Beatty who just returned to Alleluia after 33 years of serving e Lord elsewhere). Shortly after e community was founded, e leadership went on retreat to pray about wheer to be an all Caolic community or an ecumenical community. The Lord spoke a clear word about our being ecumenical. There are approximately 450 adults and 250 children in e community. Most of e children attend e Alleluia Community School (which is celebrating its 30 anniversary is year). We have an elder form of government and have 6 active elders currently wi Dennis McBride as an in-active elder due to heal reasons. The oers are: Bob Garrett (current overall coordinator), Kevin Murrell (a Founder), Bob Visintainer, Bob Nestor, Larry Stenger and Dan Almeter. Our primary charism has always been to be a people. By at we mean to recognize our call from God to be a group of disciples who give and receive God s unconditional love on a day-to-day basis. Our Caolic bishop recently told us at our charism is being a people of prayer. We also see ecumenism as a prophetic charism e Lord has given us we live to build unity in e body of Christ among ourselves and wherever possible. Spiritual warfare is also a part of our charism. We don t have one major ministry, but focus on raising e next generation of young men and women who are prepared to face e current culture by living e gospel in a radical way. We also seem to have great success in helping to raise shepherds in e church in at we have about 10 Alleluia grads currently in seminary formation. We established e Caolic Fellowship of Alleluia Community wi our local bishop in 1992 and entered e Caolic Fraternity in 1994 wi e Bishop s blessing and encouragement. We have a branch in Sou Louisiana and a new community in Macon, Ga., at we are mentoring. We are looking forward to our 38 birday celebration as a community is February as about 20 underway members will be making a life commitment after years of discernment and living e life of our community. Congratulations on your 38! CFNA Forum + Volume 1 Number 1 + January Page 2

3 Community of God s Delight The Christian Community of God s Delight (cf. Is 62:4) was established in March of 1973 by a communal discernment of e leadership group at met weekly in Bobbie Cavnar s home. This core group supported e large open prayer meetings, which grew from humble beginnings in These leaders heard a clear call from e Lord to become a covenant community following e pattern of e Word of God Community in Ann Arbor. Our Community en grew from an original group of around 50 adults to over 400 families wi ministries and outreach to ousands. The Community has had an international impact on e Caolic Charismatic Renewal and e Church s evangelical efforts rough large conference speaking engagements and its extensive Television Ministry. As many members committed to serve e Church in parish ministry and raised eir families, e size of e Community stabilized and many members began to become less active in regular Community activities. The passing of leadership from generation to generation also led to challenges at reduced participation of some members. The Community now has around 150 active families wi at least at many more participating on special occasions and continuing to support e Community. The Community has always been led by a body of Coordinators wi an Overall Coordinator as e servant of e servants by facilitating eir function and unity. David Peterman (Jr.) is e current Overall Coordinator supported by 14 oer Coordinators who are responsible for various pastoral or ministry areas of service. From e beginning e Community has had a special charism of praise and worship at witnessed e call of Jesus to come and see in e hearts of all who responded. The life lived out as a Caolic charismatic covenant community is still e primary evangelical message, supplemented by teachings and pastoral sharing at its public gaerings. The Community was a founding member of e Caolic Fraternity in 1990 and serves e aims of e Fraternity rough its hosting of events and service to its leadership. Mt. Zion Community In 1979, e Diocese established a parish in Montrose, Michigan. The pastor wanted a prayer group formed and asked Gordon and Mara Krupp to be e leaders. The first prayer meeting took place on February 13, Mt. Zion was constituted as a Pastoral Center under Canon 516, paragraph 2 on July 31, Membership in e Caolic Fraternity took place on November 30, In 2009, we requested permission from our Bishop to change our name to Mt. Zion Caolic Community. Mt. Zion has an Apostolate for Caolic Family Life. Our ree-fold vision/mission is to live our Baptismal call. As priest: we are called to be intercessors. As family: family is e domestic church, we believe at daily personal prayer, family prayer, and dinner togeer along wi attending Mass and Praise and Worship are essential. As prophet: we are called to evangelize. As king, we desire to be hospitable and to serve as Jesus served. Every two years we elect a leadership team rough a discernment process. The team consists of married couples, a chaplain, and, depending on discernment, oer eligible members. Nick and Theresa Vandercar, in eir ird term of service, are e current coordinators of Mt. Zion. As founders of e community, Gordon and Mara Krupp serve as consultants. You to You Caolic Evangelization (YtY), an outreach of Mt. Zion, is comprised of high school students and young adults. Through talks, personal testimonies, small group discussions, skits, prayer and music, e members of YtY proclaim e message of Jesus, using Scripture and e Caolic Catechism, and provide young people wi e opportunity to respond. YtY is trained and supported by Mt. Zion. Our first outreach began in December of It has been a blessing to have you from different communities join us at different times in is ministry. Glory to God Covenant Community Glory to God Covenant Community, Topeka, Kansas, began as a Charismatic Prayer Group in As time went on and relationships grew, a decision to become a Covenant Community was made on April 3, The Community was a founding member of IBOC (International Broerhood of Communities) in Members of Glory to God worked for e formation of e Caolic Fraternity of Charismatic Covenant Communities and Fellowships, and Glory to God Community is a Charter Member. Glory to God is also a member of e Nor American Alliance of Covenant Communities. Glory to God is modeled on e family wi leadership by couples: an overall coordinating couple and couples who lead small family groups. The Community meets on e first Sunday of each mon and holds prayer CFNA Forum + Volume 1 Number 1 + January Page 3

4 st rd meetings are on e 1, 3 and 5 Thursday of each mon. Masses wi Prayers for Healing are sponsored quarterly. A Life in e Spirit Seminar is offered at least once each year. Community Moderators are Allan & Vickie Holaus and small group coordinators are Ned and Patricia Talbott, Vickie and Allan Holaus, and John & Betty Henderson. The Community meets at Most Pure Heart of Mary Caolic Church where e Holy Spirit first fell in e United States in 1901, e beginning of e modern Pentecostal Movement. This location gives a special connection to e Charismatic Renewal. Glory to God is a small Community of about 60 active members. Members are encouraged to be active in eir parishes and to support bo e Community and e Parish. Members serve eir respective churches in all e ministries of a parish from sacristans to prison ministry where we provide Communion Services and RCIA instruction. We have a sister community in Kenya and support Seminary students in Kenya. One of our Community members, Fr. Maurice Muringiri, is working in 17 parishes in Kenya wi numerous small communities. Our goal is to build community and raise up orodox priests. We have six in e seminary being supported by Glory to God wi tuition, spending money, and numerous teaching materials. Glory to God Community is also doing mission work in Manila, Philippines and Belize, Central America. Glory to God Community strives to serve e Caolic Church by prayer, evangelization and education in e Caolic fai. We desire to respond to e call of e Pope John Paul II put out into e deep. In e past our main evangelization efforts have been rough open prayer meetings at Most Pure Heart. About five years ago Allan & Vickie Holaus became very active in eir parish in Men s Group, Caolic Scripture Studies, and Theology of e Body and distributing teaching CDs from various sources. This has proven to be very fruitful in evangelization of fellow Caolics to a deeper walk wi Jesus. On July 11, 2010, 49 people were prayed over for renewal of eir Confirmation. Glory to God is also taking John Paul II s Theology of e Body to our local parishes and trying to implement e many directives at John Paul II and now Benedict XVI have given to us in e Caolic Fraternity. Community of God s Love The Community of God s Love, originally e Servants of God s Love, was founded on August 15, 1977, as a Caolic Covenant Community. The Community flowed most directly from e Thursday night prayer meeting and e Caolic Charismatic Renewal Movement at was being experienced at Franciscan University of Steubenville in e 1970 s. Forty members of e prayer group were led by e Holy Spirit to form a charismatic covenant community and, in doing so, became part of a growing phenomenon across e country and around e world in which people touched by e Renewal grace, joined eir lives and resources as did e early Christians in Acts 2: For many years e community experienced great grow and participated in many forms of outreach wiin e church and especially in e work of Franciscan University. In e early 1990 s our community went rough a difficult period of trial which resulted in a large decline of membership and a division in our body. Two separate bodies, Servants of Christ e King and e Friends of Francis emerged, and for e most part, had no interaction wi one anoer. This was a time of deep hurt and pain. But God, in His great mercy, sovereignly called us back togeer so at He could be glorified by healing us and restoring us back to unity. After much prayer and dialogue we were reunited as one people and officially became e Community of God s Love; our name being a visible sign of e power God s Love wiin a people. Today, more an 30 years after our founding, e Community is a witness in e Steubenville area to God s faifulness and love. We are a Private Association of e Faiful which links us directly wi e Diocese and e Universal Church. We officially joined e Caolic Fraternity in We currently have an elected leadership council of five Community members; each serving ree year terms. One member is elected from wiin e council to serve as e Chair of e council. e present chair is Shawn Scott wi Linda Lawrence, Mary Kay Lacke, Edward Kovach and Andy Hrezo completing e Council. We have a priest, Fr. Michael Scanlan, TOR, one of e founding members, as our Spiritual Advisor and we are under e patronage of Our Lady, Help of Christians. We presently have 71 households consisting of 118 adult members and 81 yous. We commit ourselves: to participate actively in e mission of e Church, to strengen family life and to promote e Church s ongoing renewal. Specifically, we organize local Healing Masses, Life in e Spirit Seminars, Hearts of Fire You Group, Annual Community Camp and participate in many of e outreaches in our local parishes. CFNA Forum + Volume 1 Number 1 + January Page 4

5 People of God Community The People of God Community was formed in e summer of 1984 rough e agreement of eight families. The actual name of e community was officially adopted in 1986 after prayer and discernment. The Scripture 1 Peter 2:9 was e culminating indication at we were Once no people, but now God s People, proclaiming His marvelous light. The founder of e community is Martin Hudak. Marty visited several covenant communities roughout e United States during a sabbatical from his teaching duties at King s College in In e early 1990 s e community began to search out affiliation wi an international organization wi a strong Caolic Identity. That search finally ended wi our acceptance as full members of e Caolic Fraternity of Charismatic Covenant Communities and Fellowships in Our community is presently comprised of eight couples, ree widows and ten children under 18. Dual moderators Walt Babetski and Jim Gialanella lead e community wi e support of e community council (ree additional members). Throughout e years our charism has been expressed in hospitality, family life, music and evangelism. We have had a strong you ministry for several years, ministered to married couples rough Marriage in e Holy Spirit Week Ends and Couples for Christ, and strongly supported our family life rough common Recreation Weeks togeer for over 25 years. We have coordinated several Life in e Spirit Seminars and now find ourselves in a key collaborative role wi our Diocesan Office of e Caolic Charismatic Renewal. That role provides support for Diocesan Core Teams who give Life in e Spirit Seminars in various parishes. We also provide e leadership for a diocesan charismatic music ministry used at various outreaches and e Scranton Caolic Charismatic Conference every August. Moer of God Community Moer of God Community arose out of e transforming grace of e Holy Spirit intervening in e lives of Edi Difato and Judi Tydings in e mid 1960s. Weekly prayer meetings began in In 1971, members made a commitment to e Lord Jesus Christ and to each oer, and in 1972 e first households of single members were established. The Community became a member of e Caolic Fraternity in December Our founding charism is to treasure and ponder God s word until tru is revealed, and en to proclaim at tru wi its life-giving grace. The name Moer of God signifies at e Community, receiving and treasuring e Word of God as Mary did, is called to imitate her fai and obedience to God. As we yield ourselves to God, Christ is formed in us and we become vessels rough which Christ is brought for into e world. Moer of God Community is a private association of Christ's faiful established in e Archdiocese of Washington since Current membership of Moer of God Community is 85 Covenanted Adults, including 30 married couples. We have an affiliated membership of approximately 40 people have signed affiliate agreements in recent years. There is an elected Community Council wi six members (elected by Covenant members), including e CFN A Forum + Coordinator who is selected rough e majority vote of e Council members entitled to vote. Council and Coordinator terms are four years wi a maximum of two consecutive terms. Coordinator terms run in addition to council terms served. Any leader (or member) can be non-caolic except e Coordinator who must be a member in good standing of e Caolic Church. A Caolic priest, legitimately exercising ministry wiin e Archdiocese of Washington and preferably a member of e Community, serves as Spiritual Advisor for e Community. Currently at is Fr. Francis Martin. Current Leaders are Hall Miller (Chair), Kevin Hainswor, Tom Singer, Mark Gargulinski, Betsey Swan and Lynn Coern. The Moer of God School is a primary outreach of e Moer of God Community. Oers include young adult outreach in Downtown Washington in partnership wi e TOR s, formation and evangelization programs and so on. We believe at God sovereignly moved to raise up e community as a gift to each of us who has been impacted by e charism and, in some way, as a gift to e whole Church. In His love he has chastised us for our sin so at we might be a more effective witness and bear even greater fruit. In being welcomed into e Caolic Fraternity we can see at fruitfulness as part of e vine of e Fraternity attached to e Magisterium. V olum e 1 N um ber 1 + January Page 5

6 New Creation Community New Creation Community was founded in 1977 when two Virginia prayer groups responded to e prophecy received at e 1976 gaering in Rome calling prayer groups to form community. In e early 1980 s many members moved to Virginia Beach purchasing or renting townhouses in e Jamestown/Stoneybrook development and en in 1982 we purchased an unfinished church in Chesapeake as our renewal center. New Creation Community, a Diocesan recognized Private Association of e Christian Faiful of Pontifical Right, is made up of 23 covenant members, 20 committed members and 25 children. We also have affiliated groups, such as our Spiritual Direction Academy, Theophostic Ministry and young Adult Group at we support rough supervised ministry. Our leadership is comprised of a Moderator, Deacon Darrell Wentwor, who is also our Spiritual Director; an Assistant Moderator for Formation, Mr. Dirk West; an Assistant Moderator for Community Life, Mrs. Geriann Wentwor; an Assistant Moderator for Outreach, Mrs. Mary Ann West; an Assistant Moderator for Prayer Meeting, Mrs. Anne Hamrick and an Assistant Moderator for Physical Plant, Mr. Tony Arcangelo. Following e guidance of Cardinal (en Bishop) Paul Josef Cordes, in his book Call to Holiness, Reflections on e Caolic Charismatic Renewal, our community focuses its efforts on evangelization and ecumenism. Deacon Wentwor has been assigned by e Bishop of Richmond as his Liaison For Charismatic Renewal, wi New Creation Community as his specific assignment. In e Bishop s eyes, New Creation serves e action of Charismatic Renewal for e diocese by planting and supporting e leadership of prayer groups and charismatic communities in e diocese. Similarly, e Bishop has named Deacon Darrell, and us New Creation Community, as his liaison to Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians. In at effort we have developed relationships wi Christians of oer Traditions in support of developing a visible unity and promoting e Baptism of e Holy Spirit among all of e Baptized. Comunidad Católica Hispana Deleite de Dios Deleite de Dios is primarily a Spanish-speaking Caolic Charismatic Covenant Community in Dallas, Texas made up of committed broers and sisters who help one anoer live e Christian life style and be witnesses as disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our history is unique in at we made our covenant in 1983 as members of e Christian Community of God s Delight, one of e founding members of e Caolic Fraternity. In 2006, we became autonomous as a full Covenant community. We had prayed and discerned for several years how we should respond to e Church and its call and challenge for e evangelization and formation of e rapidly growing Spanish population in our metropolitan area. Alough our outreach is primarily to e Spanish-Speaking people many of our members are bilingual especially e second and ird generation. Our community maintains a fraternal relationship wi e Community of God s Delight and as a result of is we have experienced many blessings in working togeer. We are very grateful for all of our English broer and sisters and as an extended family we are part of eir history as ey are part of ours. Bo leaders maintain an ongoing communion and work togeer as needed. Our community is made-up of 120 adults, you and children. Our current leadership is an Executive Council made-up of six couples wi Jesus Muñoz e overall coordinator. Our founders are Jesus M. Muñoz and Lucina Munoz togeer wi oer leaders at are currently part of e Executive Council. Our community s charism is evangelization and formation rough Leaders Congresses, General Conferences and Music. Our Music Ministry has hosted several concerts and workshops, ey are now in e process of recording eir second Praise and worship CD. We had e blessing and privilege of receiving our decree from our local bishop in January 2007 and we were accepted as a full member of e Caolic Fraternity on November 1, We collaborate wi e Charismatic Renewal and oer ecclesial movements to serve e church when ere is e opportunity to do so. We also give support to e local prayer groups as e needs arise. Friday nights we have our general community gaering for praise and worship, hearing God s Word and sharing testimonies. The children and you have eir own class teachings on is day. Every oer Wednesday we meet in small share groups in people s homes and share e Sunday scripture, which reinforces God s word at Sunday Mass. Afterwards, e host family prepares a meal or snack to share wi e oer families. We have meetings for formation, leadership and life in e Spirit classes, and our yearly retreats for men and women. As a Community we have Blessed Sacrament Adoration once a mon. We pray at wi e grace of God we may always seek to do His will. CFNA Forum + Volume 1 Number 1 + January Page 6