Dave Brooks provided the following report on the CRS Boston pilgrimage to celebrate the golden anniversary of Catholic Charismatic renewal.

As you know, the pope extended the invitation to join him for Pentecost 3 years ago, as the Great Jubilee was approaching.  So, of course, I said YES!!!  16 of us pilgrims left on Memorial Day, May 29, and returned on June 7.  There were 4 Anglos, and 12 Brazilians - Anglos were myself, Vin and Cheryl, and Jeannine Beaudoin.    Pacceli Braga led the tour. 

For me, the two key days were June 2 and 3.  On June 2 about 350,000 charismatics met at the Circus Maximus, where the chariot races used to occur, for a gathering, featuring, in English, a program put on by the International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services (ICCRS), featuring Michelle Moran and some of the participants of the Duquesne University experience, including Tom Mangan and Patti Mansfield.   Then we were treated to a video about the Renewal, and Mass followed. 

The next day was the highlight for me, when the pope appeared at the Pentecost Vigil prayer service at the Circus Maximus around 5:30 pm with half a million charismatics in attendance.  Just after he spoke, the half a million people spoke and sang in tongues, as the pope has his hands outstretched on the stage where he was standing, receiving what we had to to offer.  That whole day was like "Catholic Charismatic Woodstock!!!" That's why I went, to support the pope and to celebrate Pentcost with him and the other pilgrims.  

We will continue the celebration in July at Pittsburgh.  The Pentecost Mass in St. Peter's Square was anticlimactic for me.  The Mass lasted 2 and one-half hours, and we had to stand in the broiling sun, eventually seeking out shelter out of the sun.

So, that's it!  Good to be back home.  Also visited Assisi, Cascia, and San Giovanni Rotundo.  See you soon!  

Blessings,

David

Vin Ceaasuolo sent photos of the huge crowd gathered in Circus Maximus.

Diane and Earl Martin shared photos as they and another Boston area couple attended Pentecost in Rome and a Holy Land Pilgrimage with Father Sean Sheridan TOR, President of  Franciscan University of Steubenville

CLICK HERE FOR THE ENTIRE PHOTO ALBUEM.

Charismatic Catholics Praise God in Rome's Circus Maximus''

Michelle Moran, Head of ICCRS, Pope Francis, an Patty Mansfield lead praise at the Circus Maximus Pentecost Vigil

In the Fall of 2012 Charismatic Renewal Services of the Boston Archdiocese initiated a formal training program called The Holy Spirit Institute. Since then seven courses have been offered on Saturday mornings in the Fall or Spring.

The courses offered to date are:

• Keeping the Fire Growing In Leadership
• Keeping the Fire Growing in Prayer Meetings
• Baptized in the Spirit - the Call to Battl
• Promoting Gifts of the Spirit
• Living a Spirit-led Life in Today's Culture
• All Depends on Prayer
• Fire in the Church

People who had attended courses were asked to fill out an evaluation survey and attend a review meeting at the Pastoral Center on May 6, 2017. The results of the evaluation that were given to the people attending this review included a numerical scoring. All specific comments by people made on the survey were handed out for review.

The preponderance of ratings for all courses was Excellent. The review group offered many suggestions and examples of how courses had effected them personally or their prayer groups. Members of the HSIB team explained their motivations and hopes in the way that material had been presented.

In conclusion the team shared  some of their thinking on other ways the HSIB might approach future courses. Also they are pondering expanding the scope of course subjects beyond Charismatic topics, for example, how to support Church ministries, outreach, and evangelization.

CLICK HERE FOR PICURES OF THE REVIEW MEETING.

`You have lost the love you had at first" is the pleading urged upon Boston's Catholic charismatic people. Leaders from prayer groups in Norwood, Everett, Holliston, Boston, Roxbury, Chelmsford, Chestnut Hill,  and Malden gathered on March 4, 2017 to focus on how they can bring the renewed fire of faith and love of God to their prayer groups and to the wider Church.

The group gathered on a crisp March morning at Medway's Betania II retreat center. David Brooks hosted the day and CRS Boston director Janice Fillippi presented an overview of her outreach to Boaton's various ethnic and language prayer groups.

After gathering for fellowship over breakfast the group was led in sung praise by the Maranatha music ministry from Immaculate Conception parish in Everett. Romanus Ajaero from the Power of Prayer, Nigerian prayer group at St. Katherine Drexel parish in Boston gave the keynote talk.

He focused on the amazing conjunction of the jubilee years of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal's 50th anniversary , the Fatima apparitions 100th, and Protestant schism 500 years ago. He sited the Leviticus principle of giving everything back to God in a jubilee year. He challenged everyone to rekindle the passion for God they felt when they first were renewed in the Holy Spirit.

He explained the idea of Jubilee is to return ownership to its rightful owner. In our case, we are to give our hearts totally back to God and spread the good news of his salvation.

The group spent time in private and group reflection on this call.

Finally each person was prayed over, commissioning them to go forth and proclaim the Gospel to everyone. Father Michael McNamara presided at the closing Mass.

CLICK HERE FOR PICTURES OF THE DAY

Prophetic Word from English speaking retreat on March 4, 2017, at Betania II

Amos 8:11

“See, days are coming-oracle of the Lord GOD-when I will send a famine upon the land: Not a hunger for bread, or a thirst for water, but for hearing the word of the LORD.”

Too many have filled their minds, hearts and lives with thoughts, ideas and things of this world. IAM no longer the center of your lives. No longer do you seek ME in the quiet places. You have become deaf to MY word and thus seldom hear ME.  MY prophets speak MY word sparingly because you no longer listen. Other words are spoken to you telling you what you want to hear.  Your ears are itchy.

Hear ME now! Go to the place of silence and listen. Go to the place of silence and repent of your unfaithfulness.  Go to the place of silence and return to your first love.  I created you to be with ME forever.  I have a place in heaven for each of you to live forever in the light of MY face.  I do not want you to be lost.  Return to ME

Beloved, I speak to you with great love-I desire to speak to you of hope and encouragement, to affirm you in my love and bring to mind the vision I have placed into your heart.  I desire to remind you of my promises to you and of my faithfulness.  I called you and gathered you---filling you with my spirit, The power of my love, my fire in the midst of darkness and perversion. Beloved, where is the fire? Where is the light? Where is the love we first shared, the willingness to place my will above your wants? You are called to be fire, to burn for love of me.  Are you burning my people? Can those who live in darkness find their way to me by your light? You worry about the wrong things. Do not worry about your sin; I can forgive your sins and make mercy abound in your life.  You worry about your weakness, but my strength is perfected in your weakness.  You worry about your ability, but I seek your availability.

The Holy Spirit Institute is a ministry of Charismatic Renewal Services of the Archdiocese of Boston. In the Fall of 2016 it is sponsoring a three-session teaching series called Fire Within The Church.

One object of the Institute is to model good practices for people to bring back to their prayer groups. Accordingly, every session begins with a lively time of sung and spoken praise. This flows into a time of intercessory prayer where people pair up and pray for each-other's needs.

The October 22 morning presentation by Vin Cerasuolo focused on clarifying that Boston's Charismatic prayer groups are part of the whole church in a well organized support organization. This was presented to expand the vision of prayer groups beyond their weekly group gathering to be aware of the following resources.