Serving the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Orlando THE CHARISMATIC NEWS SUMMER 2017 Vol. 2 Issue 2, August 2017 Be holy, because I am holy. 1 Peter 1:16 You can be holy because the Lord helps us; it is He who helps us. Pope Francis Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Peace be with you. It's another hot summer day in July. I have a question for you. Are you on fire for our Lord? Do you need a recharge or a Holy Spirit reboot? Come to our conference in Orlando on September 22 through the 24 th, 2017.The theme this year is Be holy because I am holy, 1Peter1:16. I don't know what it is about Catholics, but we always seem to wait or procrastinate. Register now! Please. The speakers are internationally well-known and truly reflect Jesus. They include, Father Bill Halbing, Deacon Harold Burke- Sivers, Caroline Gambale Dirkes, and Valli Leone. Father Bill will also be giving a talk to our Hispanic brothers and sisters and Caroline Gambale Dirkes will be speaking to the young adults. This year we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Charismatic Renewal. Continued in column 3 Don t think holiness is for you? The saints can help, Pope Francis says. Pope Francis at the general audience in St. Peter's Square on March 15, 2017. Credit: Daniel Ibanez/CNA. By Hannah Brockhaus Vatican City, Jun 21, 2017 / 05:27 am (CNA/EWTN News).- On Wednesday, Pope Francis said the saints show us that despite what we might think, holiness is possible for everyone, and we should call on them for help in living out our vocations. Some of us may be tempted to question if it is really possible to be holy in everyday life, the Pope said, but yes, you can, he encouraged, and it doesn t mean you have to pray all day long. No, no. It means you have to do your duty all day long, he said June 21. Pray, go to work, watch over the children. But everything must be done with a heart open to God, in a way that the work, even in illness, and in suffering, also in difficulty, is open to God. And so you can become saints. You can! he continued. May the Lord give us the hope of being holy! But we can. We do not think it's a difficult thing, that it's easier to be scoundrels than saints! Continued on Page 2, Column 2 Come join us and you'll never be the same again. People always say, you have an awesome conference. So, let's bring more souls back to Jesus by bringing friends and family to the conference. You can register online on the website; www.orlandocharismatic.net and you will have access to registering for the conference and the hotel. The conference is going to be held at the Caribe Royale Hotel in Orlando Florida. All the rooms are suites and are quite comfortable. The rate per night based on double occupancy is $129.00. It's a beautiful hotel and a wonderful venue for our conference. I hope to see you all there. Sincerely, Your brother in Christ, Vincent Maldonado Administrator of Operations. Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Orlando
And God Said No I asked God to take away my pride. And God said "No". He said it was not for Him to take away, but for me to give up. I asked God to make my handicapped child whole. And God said "No". He said her spirit was whole, her body was only temporary. I asked God to grant me patience. And God said "No". He said patience is a by-product of tribulations. It isn't granted, it is earned. I asked God to give me happiness. And God said "No". He said He gives me blessings, happiness is up to me. I asked God to spare me pain. And God said "No". He said suffering draws me apart from worldly cares and brings me closer to Him. I asked God to make my spirit grow. And God said "No". He said I must grow on my own. But He will prune me to make me fruitful. I asked for all things that I might enjoy life. And God said "No". He said He will give me life, that I may enjoy all things. I ask God to help me love others, as much as he loves me. And God said "Ah, finally you have the idea!" Copyright Claudia Minden Weisz (the mother of a Rett Syndrome child) Holiness No. It is possible to be holy because the Lord helps us; it is He who helps us. In his catechesis at the weekly general audience in St. Peter s Square, Pope Francis spoke about the hope brought by the Communion of Saints and how we call on them as a Church in the liturgy and in our lives to help us become saints ourselves. For example, we call on them in the liturgy for the Sacrament of Matrimony, he said, especially for the grace to fulfill marital duties. And this invocation is a source of trust for the two young people who start off on the 'journey' of marital life, he pointed out. Those who really love have the desire and courage to say forever, forever, but they know that they need the grace of God and the help of the saints. To be able to live the marriage forever. Not like some say as long as love lasts. No: forever! Otherwise, it's better not to marry you. Either forever or nothing. He explained how we also call on the saints in the Mass of Ordination. Candidates for the priesthood lie on the floor, their faces against the ground while the assembly, led by the bishop, invoke the intercession of the saints. A man would be crushed under the weight of the mission entrusted to him in the priesthood, the Pope said, but feeling that all heaven is behind him, that the grace of God will not fail because Jesus remains faithful, then he can go serene and refreshed. We are not alone. Because we have the example of the saints, we have hope that it is possible to live a holy life, he said. Christianity cultivates an ingrained trust: it does not believe that negative and disgusting forces can prevail. The last word on man's history is not hatred, it is not death, it is not war. The existence of the saints tells us first of all that the Christian life is not an unreachable ideal, he said. Continued in column 3 Thus, we are comforted knowing that we are not alone, he said, and knowing that the Church is made of innumerable brothers, often anonymous, who have preceded us and who, through the action of the Holy Spirit, are involved in the affairs of those who still live here. We call on the saints in the Mass, the Pope reminded, but we must also have the courage to call on them ourselves in difficult moments, thinking of all those who have gone through trials before us, yet have persevered in sanctity. God never abandons us, often helping us through human hands and hearts, and through the saints, who are hidden but still in our midst, he said. This is difficult to understand and also to imagine, but the saints are always present in our life. When anyone invokes the saints, they are near to us, he emphasized. We must remember, though we are weak, the mystery of grace that is present in the lives of Christians is powerful. We are dust that aspires to heaven. We are faithful to this earth, which Jesus loved at every moment of his life, but we know and want to hope for the transfiguration of the world, in its final fulfillment where there will finally be no more tears, malice and suffering. Though we are faithful to the earth which God has placed us upon and which Jesus loved during his life, we must keep hoping for its transfiguration in the second coming of Christ, when there will finally be no more tears, malice and suffering. Our holiness is the great gift that each of us can make to the world, Francis went on. Let the Lord give us the grace of believing so deeply in Him that we may become Christ's image for this world. Our world needs saints, he concluded: without these men and women the world would have no hope. You can be holy because the Lord helps us; it is He who helps us. The end. 2
Forged In Fire No one can come to me unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me, and I will raise him on the last day. (John 6:44) Jesus tells us that His Spirit blows where it pleases, that like the wind, we cannot see it coming. Neither do we know where he might lead us when as submit our mind to his Word in prayer. He comes in the moment -when we are not dressed; when we are weak; when we least expect to hear His Voice I have been watching a series called Forged in Fire. It is about metalsmiths who form magnificent swords out of common discarded steel. They begin by selecting the combination of metals that will produce the qualities they desire; then heat them in a fire until molten and white; then it is cooled to a blood-red soft ingot, where its impurities have floated to the top forming a black crust; this then flakes off as it is hammered and drawn (stretched) into a shape resembling a sword. Many trips to the furnace are required before it takes on the desired form. Only then is the blood red sword immersed in a bath of oil, where the quenching process transforms its natural state into a super hard yet flexible material. But this is not the end. It is hammered again for straightness, then ground away at, until a perfect geometry is achieved which has a razor sharp edge to cut while still retaining a spine for the strength to survive a life of shocking blows. Only after many hard hours of labor does the metalsmith s arm raise up a gleaming work of art. And so it was with these images in mind, and reflecting on the morning s reading from John 6:46, that the Spirit blew through my life-jumbled thoughts and allowed me to perceive, to peak, to glimpse into his Purpose for suffering. As the raw metal is heated, hammered and drawn into a work of art, so must we be melted, beaten down and drawn by the Father. Like the steel, we did not ask to be brought into existence -we were chosen. And like the steel, we cannot delight in the hammer s blow. But unlike the steel, Continued in Column 2 we, with our gift of sentience, must choose to conform to the Divine Purpose which preceded our being, or, cling to our smallness. Either way, we will encounter suffering; but only in the former will our suffering bring us to Eternal Life - where our Creator can say, I will raise him on the last day like a gleaming Work of Art. [To suffer in God's way means changing for the better and leaves no regrets, but to suffer as the world knows suffering brings death. (2Cor 7:10)] Only Faith in the Master s tender love, will secure a future of Hope We know that by turning everything to their good God co-operates with all those who love him, with all those that he has called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28) These reflections of suffering brought me back to a moment, decades past, though still present It was a painful time of brokenness and loss. I had just given my life to God, and he, was pulling me out of a deep, dark hole. I was recovering from a life apart from God, and, from the death of my brother Stan. I had a chemistry exam the next morning and tears were keeping me from reading the words on the textbook. What was most tearing at my soul was the profound sadness my mother was enduring. Stan was the second son she had lost, and now it seemed she was lost to grief. I was angry. I could not come to grips with the injustice. Why must my mother suffer for being guilty of love? It was an overwhelming time. I felt stuck in the hurt. I felt unbearably alone. I turned away from my textbook and just stared at the Crucifix on my dresser. It was in this broken moment that the Mercy of God spoke. His Voice issued forth from the Cross. Twice in my life have I heard the Voice of God, both, in times of brokenness. In that darkness he said, I suffered for you. Continued in Column 3 At the time, I did not understand what those Words meant, but they awakened me to a knowing that I was not suffering alone. An Unspoken Truth was instilled into my spirit that the suffering I bore was also being borne by The One who has walked that Hill before me. Those Words did not carry theological meaning then, only Peace. The hurt was still there, but the weight and anger was lifted. Instead of feeling crushed by the suffering, I strangely felt like it was part of a larger purpose. These were not thoughts in my natural mind, but rather an experience in my soul. The thoughts would come much later. God does not make us suffer. Suffering is a condition of Life it is part of the Privilege of being called into Existence. All creation suffers. Mountains are eroded into sand and steel is suffered into swords; animals suffer; innocent children suffer; and we, with our capacity to sin, have an even greater capacity to suffer. The fundamental question of life is not, Why do we suffer? but, How can we suffer? Jesus, Creator of the Cosmos, who embraced the condition of his creatures, showed us how to suffer. Even more, he bore our suffering for us. On that Cross he took on the Suffering of Humanity past, present and to come. In assuming our suffering he was consumed into Death. And through his Resurrection, he, who joined himself to our Death, now joins us to his New Life. As we are joined to him, so too, our suffering is joined to his Cross in a way that is as sacrificial as it is healing. Through our Faith in the Resurrection, we now have the Grace, the Gift, to transcend our suffering not to escape it, but to deflect its Death into Life- so much so, that our suffering is Redeemed; Re-Purposed; Transformed; and we can now in truth proclaim the Privilege of participating (as a Mystery Revealed but not grasped) in the Salvific Cross of our Savior. Continued on Page 5. 3
STOP FASTING; feast on banquet of life. Article written and published in the Florida Catholic on our 2016 Catholic Charismatic Conference. Laura Dodson, Florida Catholic correspondent, ORLANDO With the powerful theme of Jesus knocking at the door, more than 600 participants at the Orlando Charismatic Conference Sept. 16-18 at the Buena Vista Palace Hotel and Spa in Orlando invited the Holy Spirit into their hearts. God is inviting us to His banquet of life, but an invitation requires a response, said Bishop Sam G. Jacobs, Bishop Emeritus Diocese Houma-Thibodaux in his opening presentation. The feast is ready and free. He bought it with his death and resurrection. He has given us the banquet free stop fasting. We must R.S.V.P. Bishop Jacobs defined the R.S.V.P. of the spiritual life: R is Repentance for sins; S is to Seek the Lord by Serving others; V represents the Virtuous life of holiness and P is to Praise God. We must invite him into our hearts and must want and invite others to do the same, he said. Come and receive so you can go and give - so you can receive and give more. The Word must come into our hearts and take root. Do you want to receive an out-pouring of the Spirit? Listen to the Word of God and act on it. Have communion with Jesus. Kim Rodriguez-Torres has been part of the charismatic renewal for more than 20 years and traveled from Coral Springs for this family reunion. Bishop Sam s message really touched me, Rodriguez-Torres said. We need to listen so we can respond to what God is asking of us. He showed us how to receive not only that personal relationship with Jesus but to go out and share it. Conference presenter Congregation of the Sisters of St. Felix Cantalice Sister Marilyn Minter selfdescribed as once a shy, timid woman proclaimed how she has acted upon the Word that transformed her. Continued in column 2 I ve been a sister for 40 years, but have never lived religious life as I do now, Sister Minter said. I had never lived my prayer. I left everything to go to Haiti. I m living with the poor now and being poor it s all about being in relationship, being present to one another. Leaving everything for Sister Minter meant leaving her position as associate director of youth and young adult ministries for the Archdiocese of Newark, coworkers who were also friends, a comfortable office, nice car and all the conveniences of life in America. The Lord is asking me to love these children who are so poor, Sister Minter explained. How often does Jesus come into our lives? Everyday! He just shows up he shows up with rice and beans when there is nothing to feed our children. Sister Minter returned to Haiti immediately following the conference and in an interview with the Florida Catholic the following day described the juxtaposition of the weekend, I cruised from Orlando s Disney World to the poverty of Port au Prince, but I brought back a container of diapers and pedialyte for the children. The Lord commissioned 72 and each was the living Word and proclaimed the Word of God. We too have the power of the Holy Spirit to become the person God created us to be. The seed is within us. Sister Minter also spoke to the Florida Catholic following Hurricane Matthew. Active in the charismatic renewal since 1988, Vince Maldonado, an administrator of the Orlando Charismatic Renewal Services has witnessed the tremendous growth in conference participation. We re warriors for Jesus and our goal is to bring more souls back to Jesus, Maldonado said, to either enkindle or re-enkindle the power of the Holy Spirit which we received at baptism and confirmation and to use the gifts of the Holy Spirit as it says in Ephesians 6:18, With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit. Continued in column 3 4 What better thing can we do? Judy Madia from Cape Coral said she is always touched by the conference praise and worship and described Adoration and the healing service as very powerful. We are always in the presence of the Lord, of course, Madia said, but seeing the Holy Spirit move so powerfully amongst others is the greatest blessing for sure. I came 100% with the gift of surrendering my will and myself. The 50th anniversary of the Charismatic Renewal in the United States will be celebrated in February 2017. A group of college students from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh had been on a weekend retreat in 1967 when the Holy Spirit exploded into their lives in a very dramatic way. The passion and transformation of that weekend spread throughout the country and the Diocese of Orlando offered its first conference in 1970. Bishop Jacobs has played a significant role in that renewal and in an interview with TFC shared, We must pray for a new Pentecost as we celebrate our 50th anniversary. Pray for a fresh anointing of the Spirit in a fresh new way. We can go through our prayers, but that s not going to change peoples lives. It s in the witness of their lives and what God has done that the new Pentecost is going to come. It s happening in different ways already it s just not recognized as the power of the Holy Spirit. For example with our young people the Steubenville conferences with 50,000 high school students attending! I think God is going to pour out His Spirit again and we are going to have a revival once people experience the love of the Father moving and are open to the Holy Spirit. Reflections from the Saints About Jesus Christ and the Church, I simply know they're just one thing, and we shouldn't complicate the matter. St. Joan of Arc pray for us.
Forged In Fire The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God. And if we are children we are heirs as well: heirs of God and coheirs with Christ, sharing his sufferings so as to share his glory. (Rom 8:16-17) Jesus, God Incarnate, suffered. So must we -but never alone or without purpose. That we, as creature, may not understand the Creator s Design should not surprise. That we, in the Pure Love of a Gentle Father, are called into an Existence which demands suffering is a Fearsome Revelation -made Glorious with the Gift of Faith. No one can come to me unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me, and I will raise him on the last day like a gleaming work of art. Richard Swiderski Richard is also on the Word Gifts Committee. Thoughts On God And Life CALENDAR Charismatic Mass Breath of God Prayer Group, St Mark the Evangelist, Summerfield, Fl will be celebrating a Charismatic Mass at 6:30 p.m. in the church. We will continue to have this Mass on the fourth Monday evening every month. Everyone welcomed. Please come and join us for Liturgy, song and Praise. ======================================================================================================================================================= An Evening of Healing Prayer When: The first Monday of each month at 6 p.m., in the Chapel. Where: St. Bernadette Hall at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Daytona Beach. All ministers in healing have been trained in the MacNutt s Christian Healing Ministry School of Healing Prayer. For more information contact: Gary Bowden: 386-673-1330 ======================================================================================================================================================= Details on Event information are published on the DOCCRC WEBSITE: www.orlandocharismatic.net The newsletter for the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Orlando is published quarterly. Charismatic Resources Available online The Charismatic media resources are now available online. Using the Diocese of Orlando Media Center host, you can reserve and checkout media from the diocese website (link below) and receive it at your parish office. Previously, media were available only at the DOCCRC quarterly meetings, so this will make them widely available to anyone in your prayer group, or even in your parish who wishes to borrow them. Information on the procedure is also found on the Media Center web page. On the diocese website under Ministries/ Offices, click on Media Center to navigate to that page. Use search to find the item you want, then click on the specific item. For example, search for Charismatic to get a listing, then click on a specific item to get the details. Use the Media Request Form to actually request it be sent to your parish. Link: www.orlandodiocese.org 5
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CATHOLIC CHARISMATIC RENEWAL OF ORLANDO P.O. BOX 215 WINDERMERE, FL 34786 Return Service Requested Non Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Orlando, Florida Permit No. 235 TO CONTACT US ADMINISTRATOR OF OPERATIONS Vince Maldonado Phone 407-610-1012 E-mail orlandoccrc@aol.com NEWSLETTER, DATABASE, WEBMASTER & MEMBER AT LARGE Philip Turgati E-mail newsletter@orlandocharismatic.net ADMINISTRATOR FOR PRAYER GROUP DEVELOPMENT Phone E-mail COMMISSION CHAIR Paul Avizinis E-mail pavizinis@gmail.com VICE CHAIRPERSON Deacon Bob Turbitt E-mail SECRETARY: Mary Agnew E-mail maryccrc@aol.com Address Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Orlando P.O. Box 215 Windermere, FL 34786-0215 WEBSITE www.orlandocharismatic.net 8