Hardy people from the northern parts of the Boston Archdiocese had to brave snow-covered roads to attend the January 17, 2026 workshop about God’s Gift of Healing at Waltham’s Saint Jude school hall. This is a part of an on-going monthly series exploring and promoting the gifts of the Spirit offered by the evangelization commission of the Archdiocese, Charismatic Renewal Services (CRS Boston).

Diane Colgan welcomed each person and made sure they received a name-tag badge and a song sheet. Many came from far-flung prayer groups around the archdiocese. Yet, there was a warm sense of camaraderie as they greeted one another around the coffee table. 

MC Eileen Mugavero welcomed the group. And the music ministry of Bob Hartmann, Janice Filippi, and Chris Muise led the group in praise and worship.

The team next prayed over Romanus Ajero, asking the Holy Spirit to guide his talk and help each person to grow in knowledge and practice of God’s gift of healing. Romanus is the director of CRS Boston. 

Romanus ignited the conversational nature of his presentation by asking people their definition of healing. Restoring health and God’s loving actions were some of the responses. Romanus then added some dictionary definitions. But his talk immediately turned to many Bible-based examples of types of healing.

The first example seemed worldly: a reading about doctors being God’s normal ministers of healing. (Sirach 38:1-4). He then broadened the focus to Divine Healing. Physical healing, emotional  and psychological healing and spiritual healing are areas where human intercession and divine intervention merge. Our Church offers healing Sacraments and healing ministries. And the Church offers resources to discern cases needing spiritual deliverance. 

Many of those attending asked questions about different healing prayer situations. It was obvious that most of those attending were active servants who offer prayerful intercession for healing. People were urged to openly ask for prayer for the healings they need. Then, after prayer, step back and allow God to act. Sometimes it takes a while. Sometimes God has another, better plan for you.

To conclude the morning, Romanus commissioned four prayer teams to impart the gifts to recipients.

After a closing prayer and announcements, all were invited to next month's presentation on the third Saturday of February. One of the day’s twenty-five attendees commented that this gathering was a very powerful and a great extension to her weekly parish prayer meeting. 

 

Here are some photos from the day.
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Click on photo to enlarge)

On Sataurday, November 15, 2025, the Boston Archdiocese Charismatic Renewal Services Evangelization Team presented the second in a series of workshops Exploring and Promoting the Gifts of the Spirit. Members of prayer groups, parishes and other ecclisial ministries attend the program which focused on Praise and Worship.

Eileen Mugavero welcomed the group seated in an arc of tables in the Saint Jude, Waltham, school audirorium. Bob Harmann animated the gathering by leading a serices of praise songs. This set the tone for the day's teaching. 

Ginny Rossini started the program by reviewing last month's teaching which explored and identified many gifts of the Holy Spirit. Next Janice Filippi led the group in a Bible exercize highlighting the day's subject with many scriptures both in Psams and Revelation. What is the difference between Praise and Worship:

Praise = Human

Worship = Presence of God.

At the close of the teaching all practiced Praise and Worship. During praise the gift of prophetic words were spoken.

Read what happens in heaven: Revelation 8:1. It was stated that when we go to meet our savior we will be praising 24 /7, however Revelation 8:1 stated something happened differently. Read it and find out!

To conclude the gathering CRS Boston Director, Romanus Ajaero invited people who desired prayer to form a row of chairs. All those present interceded for their needs. 

The next teaching in this series will be on the morning of January 17. Always refer to web site crsboston for details and schedules of events. 

 

Here are some photos of the day.
Click on photos to enlarge.

 

 

 

 

New Charismatic Saint 

Saint_Elena_Guerra.png

Saint Elena Guerra

When did the Charismatic Renewal start? Some people quickly answer, “at the Duquesne Weekend in 1967.” Others, after thoughtful reflection, claim, “at Pentecost two thousand years ago!” One might suggest, “From the beginning of time when God breathed over the chaotic waters.” Or you might even think of times of great spiritual growth in faith such as the conversions of Saint Francis of Assisi or Saint Ignatius of Loyola.

The Church has just provided us a new benchmark for growth in the Spirit when it canonized Saint Elena Guerra on October 20, 2024. 

Elena Guerra grew up in 19th century Luca, Italy. Devotions, service, and piety guided her youth. She was motivated to found the Oblates of the Holy Spirit. This religious order educated Chinese and African girls. In 1885 she wrote Pope Leo XIII and asked him to rekindle in the faithful devotion to the Holy Spirit. Leo XIII responded with an apostolic letters and encyclicals calling the faithful to pray to the Holy Spirit. Encouraged, Guerra continued to communicate with Pope Leo from 1895 to 1903. 

In his encyclical Divinum illud manus (On the Holy Spirit) Leo addresses the indwelling and miraculous power of the Holy Ghost. The Spirit’s graces are gloriously abundant to the faithful. The encyclical is considered a precursor to the Holy Spirit movement in the twentieth century. 

Many connect the Pentecostal movement at the beginning of the twentieth century to the Pope’s calling on the power of the Holy Spirit. Open praise, worship and prophetic word gifts appeared in California and Kansas Pentecostal groups early in that century.  

Pope Leo advocated prayer to the Holy Spirit for our protection and help. The Holy Spirit is a font of light, strength, consolation, and holiness that can protect us from sin. The Pope’s writings established the novena to the Holy Spirit to be prayed before Pentecost. 

As Catholics, many of us call upon specific Saints for their specialty intercession. They are our intermediaries in Heaven who advocate for us. Now we can pray to Saint Elena Guerra to open us to the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Reported by Mike Marraffino, November 2024

Refereneces 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elena_Guerra

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divinum_illud_munus

 

 

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