June 2011 Newsletter - Catholic Charismatic Center
Transcription
June 2011 Newsletter - Catholic Charismatic Center
Volume 2 Issue 6 May 15, 2011 Volume 2 Issue 6 June 01, 2011 Paul VI Audience Hall 2011 Week of Prayer for Chrisan Unity “The path that leads to the visible unity of all Chrisans lies in prayer, because, fundamentally, it is not we who “build” unity but God who “builds” it, it comes from him, from the Trinitarian Mystery, from the unity of the Father with the Son in the dialogue of love, which is the Holy Spirit; and our ecumenical commitment must be open to divine acon, it must become a daily invocaon for God's help. The Church is his and not ours” BENEDICT XVI Week of Prayer for Chrisan Unity, Wednesday, 19 January 2011 Dear Brothers and Sisters, The choice of the theme of this year's Week of Prayer for Christian Unity the invitation, that is, to a common witness of the Risen Christ in accordance with the mandate he entrusted to his disciples is linked to the memory of the 100th anniversary of the Edinburgh Missionary Conference, in Scotland, widely considered a crucial event in the birth of the modern ecumenical movement. Indeed, how can non-believers accept the Gospel proclamation if Christians even if they all call on the same Christ are divided among themselves? Moreover, as we know, the same Teacher, at the end of the Last Supper, had prayed to the Father for his disciples: "That they may all be one... so that the world may believe" (Jn 17: 21). The communion and unity of Christ's disciples is therefore a particularly important condition to enhance the credibility and efficacy of their witness. May the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, grant that her Son's desire may be fulfilled as soon as possible: "That they may all be one... so that the world may believe" (Jn 17: 21). © Copyright 2010 -- Libreria Editrice Vaticana courtesy of Vatican Information Service BENEDICT XVI Week of Prayer for Chrisan Unity January 2010 Prayer for Christian Unity…ONE.. body- spirit-hope ..... 1 Break Down the Dividing Walls ..................................... 1 Comment by Ann Martinez ............................................ 2 Inner Healing Witness .................................................... 2 Adult Life long Faith Formation ..................................... 3 DIG Disciples in Growth ............................................... 4 Youth Life Long Faith Formation ................................... 5 Hispanic Community Events ..................................... 6 & 7 Mary, Ignatius, and Prayer.............................................. 8 Pentecost Prayer Power… Upper Room Experience ....... 9 Fr. Bob Bedard’s Prophecy.............................................. 10 Break Down the Dividing Walls ...................................... 11 Vicariates & Deaneries …The Prayer of Mary................. 12 Break Down the Dividing Walls A few weeks ago a friend of mind sent me a copy of the prophecy that Father Bob Bedard CC gave in 1978 and was published in the Companions of the Cross Newsle!er in 1987. As I read it through a few $mes I was struck by the fact that I never knew of its existence and also by the fact it seemed that it was a clear mandate and commission for the Companions of the Cross t o break down the dividing walls that exist within the Chris$an community at large and the need for unity in our common mission . I urge everyone to prayerfully read the en$re prophecy of Father Bob and couple this with the reading of chapter 17 of the gospel of St. John and “Ut Unum Sint”, encyclical on unity by Pope John Paul ll. (Cont. Page. 10,11 ) Rev. John Grayson-Anglican priest , Charles Bugge– Catholic layman Fr. Ed Wade CC and Bishop Richard Franklin– Church of God . Visit Fr. Ed Wade’s website at :www.comeholyspirit-tkc.com “One body, and one spirit as you were also called to the one hope of your call; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and father of all who is over all and through all in all” Ephesians 4:4-6 In a world where Christian values are shunned, the Lord always provides by rising up communities to carry on His mission. Such is the birth of a new young adult ministry called ONE. ONE was formed when a group of young adults wanted to share their values and struggles with other faithful. This new ministry forming at the Catholic Charismatic Center will not be limited to only those young adults at the Center, but across the Archdiocese. Our Lord is at the heart of this ministry, and He is guiding us where He wants this ministry to go. Those of us already involved in the ministry are working hard at fine-tuning and preparing for the future of the ministry. The vision of ONE is best summed up by our mission statement: "A community united in Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit through prayer for the enrichment of faith and service to others." Continued on Page 3 PAGE 2 Pentecost– Come Holy Spirit! The Easter Season begins and ends with an emphasis on the Holy Spirit. On Easter Sunday we are told that Jesus “breathed on them and said to them ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained” (John 20:22-23). After 40 days of resurrection appearances, before Jesus ascends to heaven, he tells his followers that “I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49); “wait for the ‘promise of the Father…in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4-5); “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit come upon you, and you will be my witnesses…to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8);… “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them parted tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them: And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak.” (Acts 2:2-4) “All devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some of the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers” (Acts 1:14). In the [Pentecost] novena, [a] nine day [prayer for] the disciples [to] pray between the Ascension and Pentecost,...let us intercede with Pope John XXIII who prayed for a “New Pentecost” for the Church. Let each of us, and our prayer groups, participate actively in the Pentecost [novena for the coming of the Holy Spirit]. (for the Burning Bush Pentecost Novena see Pentecost 2011 www.discoverthecenter.com Come Holy Spirit! Fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love! © www.nsc-chariscenter.org Comments: As we pray and call for the coming of the Holy Spirit, let us be mindful of the mighty work He will do in us and through us when we give God permission. Jesus says, “The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.” (John 14:10) Therefore, I say, “it is His Holy Spirit dwelling in me who is doing God’s work!” Jesus says, “Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me,” (John 14:11) I say" Jesus and His Holy Spirit whom I believe is in me, is leading me to the Father !” Jesus says, “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these,” (John 14:12) I say, “I believe Jesus, by the power of His Holy Spirit, is doing a great work in those who believe, and will accomplish even greater works through His Church. We are His Church. As we celebrate this Pentecost Sunday which some often call “the birthday of the Church” may we be reminded of the precious gift we have already received; the power to call forth the Holy Spirit to be in us; to move in us; and direct us to the will of the Father. Amen. June 01, 2011 Inner Healing Witness The little boy watched his Mommy drive away, he felt really, really bad. He couldn’t even describe those feelings at the time… Fast forward 40 years, that little boy is now 47 years old, his heart pounds as he begins a prayer session. That familiar ‘bad feeling’ is triggered by a song he heard earlier in the day. As he allows that feeling to surface once again, for some reason that memory of Mommy leaving comes to mind, but, now as an adult, he is able to identify those feelings; abandonment, loneliness, fear, rejection, lack of self worth, and something else hidden a bit deeper, which he can’t quite own up to just yet. As the prayer moves along, the Lord is faithful and meets him just where he is and as the light of Christ shines upon his heart, bringing him truth, he is able to realize the thing that is keeping him from receiving ‘the peace that passes all understanding’: unforgiveness… As he realizes this confesses, acknowledges, and finally releases it to the Lord he receives freedom, made possible by his own willingness to surrender, to allow the Lord to move in his heart, to die to himself that the Lord may live in him. (from a pre-recorded teaching prayer session, not a private prayer session) I remember the first prayer of surrender I prayed it went something like this; “Dear God I’ve made a mess of my life, please take it over if you can do any better” IF YOU CAN DO ANY BETTER!? I now realize it was the hopelessness that accompanied my sin that caused me to pray this way. My life was filled with disappointment, because I trusted in the things of the world. Later, the power of the Holy Spirit brought me a long way to my new life in Christ, but there were still many unresolved feelings to deal with. So I too needed inner healing prayer. Yet is that an easy thing to do especially when our wounds can cause us to set up many walls and barriers to protect ourselves. Those same barriers, which are a natural God given defense, also work to keep Him out! Several years ago a Christian therapist by the name of Dr. Ed Smith ‘accidentally’ came upon a way of healing which he later named Theophostic Prayer (TPM). In frustration he called out to the Lord and received an answer, just as he was considering leaving his life’s work. TPM works by petitioning the Lord to send the grace to the person in need to go to the places of pain and invite Jesus healing. At the Catholic Charismatic Center we are blessed to add this wonderful tool to our Catholic traditions of prayer. I experienced Jesus through the Holy Spirit in receiving TPM for my own needs and now as a prayer minister I experience His goodness as He ministers to others, but the key is surrender, and forgiveness. It’s never too late for anyone of God’s children to receive His saving grace we just need to ask, and allow Him to rain it down upon us. It wasn’t too late for me…and it isn’t too late for you. Submitted By: Margaret Colunga To find out more about Theophostic Prayer Ministry go to www.theophostic.com ; or to make an appointment for prayer contact the CCC office at 713- 236- 9977 from Tuesday – Friday, 9am – 4 pm and ask for Margaret Colunga PAGE 3 June 01, 2011 Life Long Adult Faith Formation We are a family made up of brothers and sisters in Christ who come together in unity to praise and worship our Lord at Mass, to support one another through prayer, and to serve the church and community. Once a month we gather together at someone’s home for an evening of praise and worship. Through music and sharing of testimonies, we are able to minister to each other. There are also times of fun and fellowship within the group such as eating together after mass, having a picnic, or even going to a concert. We recognize the importance of having a ministry that young adults may join and through which they can stay connected to the Catholic Church. "We are not only able to grow in relationship with our Lord, but with one another. Through the act of learning about each other, we are also able to learn about ourselves as well as support one another. In times of need, a Christian community “YouwillreceivepowerwhentheHolySpiritcomesuponyou.” Acts1:8 PENTECOSTFIFRETREAT JUNE4&5 Saturday,June4,9:00a.m.toSunday,June5endswith MassatNoon.$90.00perpersonincludesovernight accommodations&3meals.CallCRC(281)337-1312 orvisitCRCwebsiteat: www.retreatcentercrc.org _____________________________________________________________________ FIFRETREAT JUNE25&26 Saturday8am-5:pmandSunday8:30am–5:00 CallforInfo.281-236-9977Ext17 _______________________________________________________________________ St. Anthony of Padua The Woodlands, TX 77382 Phone (281) 419-8700 FIFRETREAT JULY30&31 Back by popular demand...... St. Anthony Adult Faith Formation Committee and the Catholic Charismatic Center are teaming up again to offer this inspirational retreat. FIFRetreatsarepresentedbytheEvangelizationTeam fromtheCatholicCharismaticCenter. Registration Forms Online: @ provides the fellowship and encouragement to carry on the faith as well as strengthen one another to carry on the good fight. ONE body, ONE spirit, ONE GOD." www.discoverthecenter.com “Journey with us on a Great Adventure” Adventures in Psalms 10 Week Bible Study Tuesday Evening Class Starts 7 pm May 31st. - July 26th. Tuesday Morning Class Starts August 23rd. - October 25th. If you want to find out more about our new ministry and /or would like to join ONE please contact (One Ministry On Fire) Email us at: oneministryonfire@gmail.com Photos By : Alison Weber Time: 10:00 am - Noon Mass Lunch: 12:30pm - 1:30pm Q & A, Room: 111A Next to the Chapel Registration Forms Online: @ www.discoverthecenter.com PAGE 4 June 01, 2011 D.I.G. DISCIPLES IN GROWTH Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12 Disciples In Growth (D.I.G.) Youth Ministry at the Catholic Charisma$c Center, strives to help teens, ages 13 through 18, grow in their Catholic faith by not just introducing bible lessons and prayer but also by invi$ng guest speakers to talk to teens about our beliefs and what we stand for. Most recently, Houston Coali$on For Life came in to talk to our youth group about their beau$ful cause. This year, the D.I.G. Leaders have dedicated themselves to encourage teen par$cipa$on in our church community. Pope John Paul II stressed that the youth are not the future of our church, they are the present! We invite the teens to take a stand and begin to lead our community now. This is why educa$ng them in their faith is crucial: So they may begin to understand, encourage, evangelize, and minister to others. Also, in order that they may see how everyday life can relate to the bible. DISCIPLES IN GROWTH We also had one of our first youth retreats in which they learned about God’s crazy love for them. A group of 71 teens par$cipated in this much an$cipated retreat and received many blessings. ABer the retreat, one teen said she was ready for another one. She stated we needed to keep them going because she did not want the "feeling" to die out. We will con$nue to keep them updated and involved in other Catholic events around the Houston area and beyond. We strive to create a Chris$an, prayerful environment with a posi$ve and fun atmosphere in which the teens can learn about God's perfect plan, meet new teens, fellowship and build each other up. CRC RETREAT CENTER May 1, 2011 Retreat * Quotes: * “Thank You very much I truly believe I got new grandkids out of this. ” * “A miracle was done on my baby girl someone who didn't want to be there and was glad that she did go afterwards. ” * “ I want to thank each and every one of you for the awesome job you guys do. My daughter feels different. ” * “My Grandson said, “ he learned to forgive…” (and he helped out in the mass, wow) * “…. He learned that he was going to be a leader because he had a vision" * “Thank you soooo much for the retreat ! It was an amazing experience for me. ” TESTIMONY + “Since the retreat I feel like a completely different person now that I’ve gotten closer to God. I have learned how to pray and have made the effort to try to teach my younger sister how to pray. I would love to help whenever you need it.” * Thank you! My teen is still in tears! “ She says she can’t stop crying. ” * “ Thank you Lord for the entire team, but especially for your being there and filling them all with your Holy Spirit!!! ” * “ Thanks for everything! My husband asked me why the kids seem so different. My response, “they were touched by the Holy Spirit.”. * “ It was all God in control there but I want to Thank you because you were there too, love you for all you do God bless.” D.I.G. has an open door policy, meaning, every teen is welcome whether they only come once in a while or every week. They are always encouraged to invite friends. We meet on Wednesday's in the Upper Room of the CCC from 7-9 p.m. PAGE 5 June 01, 2011 CCE/RCIA LIFE LONG FAITH FORMATION MARIA CRUZ –Director of Religious Education CCE/RCIA EDUCATION IN THE FAITH BY THE PARENTS SHOULD BEGIN IN THE CHILD'S EARLIEST YEARS. “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18:21). WE INVITE YOUR CHILDREN TO JOIN FORMATION FAMILY AND YOUR THE CENTER’S FAITH (CCE) PROGRAM REGISTRATION WE BEGIN EVERY SUNDAY AFTER MASS IN AUGUST The Seven Sacraments The Seven Sacraments are ceremonies that point to what is sacred, significant and important to all Christian Catholics. They are special occasions for experiencing God’s saving Grace. If you and your family learn more about the sacraments, you can celebrate them more fully. To learn more about the individual sacraments. Please register your child, but also commit yourself to the parent teachings and to the Center. BAPTISM FIRST EUCHARIST RECONCILAITION CONFIRMATION MARRIAGE • • • Parent guidelines for enrolling their children in our CCE program. Parents MUST attend “Faith in the Fire Retreat” refer to page 3 Parents MUST attend Orientation (held every other 3rd Wednesday of the month May 18th. July 20th. Sept. 21st.) Original birth certificates and/or Baptismal certificates must be brought to registration. PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE : https://sites.google.com/site/ccerciacenter/home If you do not have access to a personal computer please call the Center @ 713-226-9977 and leave a message for Maria Cruz. PAGE 6 June 01, 2011 Eventos de la Comunidad Hispana Actividades de la Semana ♦ Martes: Ensayo de Ministerio de Música 7 - 9 p. m. - Santuario Principal Martes y Jueves: “Nuevo Amanecer”, Apoyo para adictos 7 - 9 p.m. - Cuarto 106 ♦ Martes y Viernes: Sesiones de Al– Anon ♦ Miércoles: Rosario, Asamblea y Eucaristía de 9:30 a. m . - 1:00 p. m. - Santuario Principal ♦ Miércoles y Viernes (1ro de mes): Exposición del Santísimo ♦ Miércoles (1ro del mes) y Viernes (2do del mes): Bendición de Sacramentales e imágenes ♦ Miércoles: Grupo de Jóvenes Adultos “Agua Viva” de 7 - p m ♦ Jueves: Crecimiento o Formación de 7 - 9 p. m . - Cuarto 205 F1 ♦ Viernes: Rosario, Asamblea y Eucaristía de 6:30 - 9:30 p. m. - Santuario Principal Viernes: Asamblea para Niños de 6 a 11 años de 7– 9:30 p. m. - Cuarto 108/ Capilla Viernes: Asamblea para Adolecentes de 12 a 17 años de 7– 8 p. m. - Cuarto 210 (2do piso) ♦ ♦ ♦ 10 a. m. –12 p.m. - Cuarto 106 CURSO DE EVANGELIZACION O NTR CUE N E N ER U S? TEN IO S D E R E CON VITADO DIOS! ¿QUI AS IN O DE ¡EST REGAL L E CIB IR A RE EL CENTRO CATOLICO CARISMATICO Invita a todos los GRUPOS DE ORACIÓN de la Arquidiócesis a la ASAMBLEA CARISMÁTICA MENSUAL CURSO CADA PRIMER FIN DE SEMANA DE CADA MES JUNIO – Evangelización para NIÑOS (simultáneo con adultos) JULIO - solo para JOVENES-Adultos AGOSTO CADA PRIMER SABADO DE CADA MES SALON 205 (SEGUNDO PISO) MAYO, JUNIO, JULIO,Y AGOSTO HORARIO SABADO DE 8:00 A. M. A 6:00 P. M. DOMINGO DE 8:00 A. M. A 4:00 P. M. 7:00 P. M. A 9:30 P. M. ¡ JUNTOS ALABEMOS Y ADOREMOS AL REY DE REYES! ES IMPORTANTE QUE PARTICIPES EN LOS 2 DIAS PAGE 7 June 01, 2011 Eventos de la Comunidad Hispana CURSO DE FORMACION CURSO JUAN JUNIO Martes a Domingo SALON 210 (SEGUNDO PISO) PRE– REQUISISTO: CURSO DE EVANGELIZACION TRAER BIBLIA Y CUADERNO NO TENEMOS CUIDADO DE NIÑOS CONCIERTO HNA. GLENDA 1ER ENCUENTRO DE SERVIDORES “ DEL ¡En JULI SERVIVIDOR” O! C O N EL P. M A A Y O RIO ONT M CURSO DE FORMACION CURSO ISAIAS ENCUENTRO CON LA PALABRA DE DIOS JULIO 17 DE JULIO 1ER ENCUENTRO REGIONAL DE LA RENOVACION JULIO SABADO DE 8:00 A. M. A 6:00 P. M. DOMINGO DE 8:00 A. M. A 4:00 P. M. SALON 205 (SEGUNDO PISO) PRE– REQUISISTO: CURSO DE EVANGELIZACION TRAER BIBLIA Y CUADERNO NO TENEMOS CUIDADO DE NIÑOS PAGE 8 June 01, 2011 Mary, Ignatius, and Prayer Although St. Ignatius of Loyola lived under the Christian upbringing of hired Nannies Magdalena and Marie after his mother died at a young age, he chose an immoral life filled with loose women and wine until age 30. Nevertheless, the influences of his nannies and their devotion to the Blessed Mother were implanted deeply in his soul. He maintained a limited devotion to Mary by writing prayers to her before engaging in military skirmishes. It was these small and self-centered acts of faith that would prove beneficial to Ignatius, even during the years he was mostly devoted to finding love in all the wrong places. Eventually, it would lead him to Christ all the days of his life. Around age 30 his life took a sudden turn when he was injured and hospitalized for a lengthy period. During this time he had few distractions and limited resources to capture his attention, and so he turned to reading as his sole pass time - the Life of Christ and the Lives of the Saints. It was during this time of forced solitude and loneliness that Ignatius began to examine his life and turned to Christ. Being an all-or-nothing type of individual, he forsook his playboy life of the past for a life even more fiercely devoted to serving Christ and bringing others to Him. He gave himself over to the Holy Spirit with full abandon and the Spiritual Exercises emerged from his own experiences with God as he began to take notes on his daily prayer life. It was at Montserrat while kneeling in all-night prayer before Our Lady’s statue that he asked her that famous question, “Would you take me as your son and raise me as you raised Jesus?” As he experienced God’s love and the love of the Blessed Mother, he came to love the Holy Trinity wholeheartedly and took extreme measures seeking to fulfill the will of God in his own life. Ignatius was given a keen sense of spiritual awareness of the working of God in his life as he allowed himself to be open to Christ and receive His consolation for all his past sins. From these abilities and insights he was convicted to share what he received with others. Ignatius was a brilliant thinker who had fallen in love with God and His Beloved Mother. And again, he went to extremes to express his enthusiasm. As hard as he played at life before his conversion, he now worked even harder to allow the Blessed Mother to school him in obedience, humility, and submission to the will of God. As I have learned of Ignatius’ devotion to Mary and the circumstances of his conversion, I am able to identify with him. For it was during my own isolation and suffering with my mother in her dying that the Holy Spirit worked wonders in my soul and brought me to a deeper relationship with Him. I can see some of Ignatius’ “dark night” of suffering and relate it to my own. As a teenager I walked to Mass before dawn many mornings with my mother. And although I grew up praying the Rosary on my knees before bed every night, I allowed devotion to the Blessed Mother to fall away after getting married. After Vatican II I found Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and had no reason to renew my devotion to Mary until my own beloved mother was so ill. It was during the eight years she lived with us and the two and one-half years caring for her that my love for Mary was renewed. Mother and I prayed the rosary together often, and I prayed alone in the middle of many sleepless nights and lonely days while keeping vigil over her. As St. Ignatius repeatedly went to Mary to school and direct him, I, too, was drawn to her for the same reason after my mother moved to Heaven. In the years that Mother has been with the Lord I have also been drawn to Mary in a most marvelous way. As I would pray and sit before the Blessed Sacrament during weekly Holy Hours, I began to be aware that Jesus wanted me to know His Mother. At first I resisted because I already had the best earthly mother a person could possibly have and did not want another one. However, over time, I paid attention to His calling and eventually learned Mary’s true role in the life of the Church as God had planned, as well as in my own life. I can now relate to St. Ignatius’ relationship with Mary. What marvelous and joyous blessings I have received as I turn to The Mother of God to train me and school me. Whereas Ignatius saw Mary as his own Mother, companion, friend, pilgrim, spiritual spouse, mediator and exemplar, I have also asked her to be my teacher and guide, and the Mother who can inspire me, direct me, and watch over me now in this earthly life. Perhaps one of the best –known statements written about St. Ignatius is the following – “Ignatius dreamed of a lady who was for him the doorway of the graces he would receive throughout his life. He asked Mary to grant his greatest desire, ‘to deign to place him with her Son.’” I, too, have asked Mary to take me as her daughter, and raise me in God’s will. By observing the Blessed Mother’s guidance and teaching and allowing St. Ignatius to help me pay attention to God’s presence and His movement in my soul, I am learning that prayer is mostly listening. As I learn to listen more I begin to understand what it means to ponder as Mary did. She is teaching me to pause before responding – to wait patiently and think before speaking – to pay attention to my thoughts and feelings and express them more appropriately and lovingly – and to practice more silence and less speaking. As I learn to pay attention to God more, St. Ignatius is helping me to notice and reflect on what God is saying and doing within my soul – to reflect and savor my experiences with Him. It is, indeed, most beneficial to pay attention to Mary – Daughter of the Father, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, and Mother of the Son – and to learn from St. Ignatius how to pay attention to all of them. By Linda Robison is a wife, mother, teacher, and Educational Autism Specialist. She is completing a Master’s in Christian Spirituality and Spiritual Direction from Creighton University this summer PAGE 9 Pentecost Prayer Power! Planet Earth is trembling under the power of cataclysmic storms buffeting it with earthquakes, tornadoes, tsunamis and volcanoes. There's a whole lot of shaking going on and the whole world knows it. The physical world is on its metaphorical head bringing to mind another time when the spiritual world rocked on its axis. Pentecost! Are we heading for another? Our Lady told Fr. Gobbi (Marian Movement of Priests), back in the Holy Year of 1988, that we are now living in the time of the Second Pentecost. Interesting: 23 years and few know of it because few follow her. What did she mean? I don't really know but I surmise that, from that time, everything pointed to the age of the Holy Spirit, and every prayer offered from that time has had the ultimate goal of purification. I believe when we have suffered enough and been cleansed enough God will say, 'it is enough' and we will have the great outpouring that we have long awaited: the Second Pentecost. It's purpose will be to produce a holy people, a glorified people, to usher in the new reign of Christ, to usher in his Kingdom, the New Heaven and the New Earth. It could change our entire prayer life if we realized that every prayer, for no matter what cause, had also the effect of preparing us interiorly for the new era. That every prayer, regardless of its known purpose, is also, without our knowledge, inspiring, cleansing, healing and restoring us for the dawning of the new day. How about that in God's economy! No wonder we should pray Come, Holy Spirit! The Bible says to use all forms of prayer. All forms. All means all, with no form any better than any other, I dare say, for it is the intention that is the important factor. Yet, we find fault with how we pray. Let's not do that any more. Let us not look down or up at some others' prayer but look only to God for his perfect will through our imperfect prayer. What ways can we pray? I am sure you can think of many more than I but we intercede, and we petition, we pray rosaries and novenas, we pray the Stations of the Cross, we meditate and contemplate, we adore, we pray in tongues, we pray through scripture, we pray to Saints, we pray from the mind, we pray from the heart, we pray in the spirit, we pray through songs of praise and thanksgiving, we dance, we worship, and we do it all with joy, love and gratitude, through pain and sorrow, suffering and despair and it all goes on the altar of Our Lord, a sweet fragrance to our Father. That is our offering. But, do we do it with undivided hearts and minds and with one single focus? I don't think we do but I believe they did in the Upper Room! Just suppose what might happen if we brought all forms of prayer to the Upper Room and the days leading up to it, and offered all of it, all the time, every day, to the glory of the Holy Spirit. How great would that be? If we make the Second Pentecost our aim and purpose, single-mindedly, in unity, in expectation and in love, through the prayer of our hearts, how could the Holy Spirit not be deeply moved? He would be in the forefront of our lives in every way, and not just on 'that' day, but every day, on going, until he comes again. He is rocking the world anew, don't you see it? We're getting close. Come, Holy Spirit, and renew the face of the earth! BY: Elizabeth Pringle, www.comeholyspirit-tkc.com Spring 2011 June 01, 2011 Upper Room Experience What were they doing in that place? Have you ever thought about it? What was going on in that room for nine long days? It is a mystery, of course, we will never know, but let us surmise. They were told to gather in one room. They did. They were told to wait. They did, so they were obedient. Most significantly, Mary was there despite being in deep mourning. They loved and respected her, but more than that, they knew she knew what they did not. She had 30 years with her Son of which they knew nothing. They were in awe of her. She was the glue that held them together. She was sensitive to human needs and understood the importance of hospitality like no other. She would have made sure that the women cooked up a storm, poured the wine, got out the tambourines and made music, song and dance. They were men and they were Jews: they needed to regroup and reconnect after the horror of recent days. They needed to get their spirit right. They prayed, of course. When we think of prayer we think of devotions, don't we? When I think of Jews and prayer, I think of worship. True worship is woven into the very essence of who we are, in all that we think, say or do. It is in our dance, our song, our petition, our intercession, our weeping, our grieving, our adoration, our seeking, our praise, our work, our eating, our drinking, our very lives are our worship. That kind of prayer over nine days would surely have reached the ears of heaven. Have you heard of the Prayer of Agreement where everyone present is of one mind, one heart and focused on one petition? Unlike us, they knew nothing about the Paraclete. Because we do, we are waylaid by all kinds of needs and petitions. We seek the Spirit's gifts; we hunger after signs and wonders, visions and prophecies. We seek mysticism for its own sake. They wanted none of these things. They wanted the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, for his own sake, to take over where Jesus had left off. There was a terrible void since their Lord, and friend, had gone. It had to have been agony to be without him. They were forced to come to terms with what had been and now had to seek what was to come. They yearned for the Holy Spirit with every fiber of their being. There was not a divided heart or mind in that place I envisage a room seething with vibrant desire and full of life pulsating with expectation, hands reaching up as though to grab the very air and not letting go until they catch it. You might say I am fanciful but that's my idea of Pentecost! What was it again? Oh, yes. Obedience. Trust. Mary. Loving community and fellowship. Prayer. Worship. Unified hearts and minds. Desire. I believe these were the elements that ignited the fire of divine love that enflamed each of them and invoked the power of the Holy Spirit to such a degree that the fruit was instant! Peter the Rock exploded out of that room converted 3000 legalistic religious Jews from every nation with the authority of his conviction that Jesus is the Son of God, that he lives, and lives forever! Their Messiah, Yeshua, had come. Signs and wonders poured forth and the deal was sealed. Not only was the Church of Jesus Christ born but her purpose was clear. She exists to evangelize! The mission and message of Peter, then and now, and, therefore, that of the Church is to tell the whole world that Jesus lives and calls us to repentance before it is too late! Jesus Christ is Lord! Come, Holy Spirit! BY: Elizabeth Pringle, New Day New Way Spring 2011 PAGE 10 June 01, 2011 Fr. Bob Bedard’s Prophecy 1st Companion of the Cross Newsle8er 1987 Like a good householder, we hope to bring from our "storeroom both the new and the old" (Mt 13: 52 ) • What follows is a word Fr. Bob Bedard CC received in prayer on Wednesday, (from the Lord) September 20, 1978: Teach them what it is to be a Eucharis$c people, to be united and healed around the table of my Son. Teach them what I have taught you about community, sharing life, about celibacy, about poverty. Teach them about the role of Peter. My Son, Jesus, asked him three $mes about his love and told him: Feed my lambs , Feed my li!le sheep, Feed my sheep. Show them how Peter's ministry con$nues today. I am going to bring it all together and I have a word for you now, my ancient people. Teach them of the union you have with those who have gone before, of Mary, the chosen mother of my Son. Do not be afraid to call her Queen of Heaven, for so I have made her and so she is. I want you to get ready. I want you to get ready for what I am going to do. As I put my people together, I want you to bring with you what I have done with you over twenty centuries. What I have taught you is for all. Teach them what I have spoken to you down through the ages through Benedict, and Augus$ne, and Jerome, and Basil, and Catherine, and Thomas, and Theresa, and John, and Gregory, and Francis, and Dominic, and Igna$us. Show them that my people, all my people, stand on the shoulders of giants, giants that I myself have raised up. You can learn from one another, my people. My ancient people, you can learn from the others. You can l earn from the Evangelicals and the famous worldwide ministries the importance of calling people to faith, how essen$al it is to make a personal faith decision, to accept Jesus, my Son, as Savior and Lord, for so he is. You can learn from the Pentecostals how to be open to all the giBs of my Holy Spirit, how to have great expectancy of me, of how I will intervene in your lives. You can learn from the Anglicans how to be a body submi!ed to authority and yet comfortable with allowing all believers to have part in coming to decisions and in choosing leaders. Teach them how I speak to my people, that only in the body of my Son can my word be discerned and authen$cally and surely known. Come together, my people. Be together. Pray together. Work together. But come in fullness, with all that I have given you. Find out who you are, my people. Search out your roots. But be guided by your shepherds for each step along the way. For I have chosen them well, with great care, and have invested them with wisdom and sensi$vity and have given them and will con$nue to give them a prophe$c word for you. Do not pass them by. For you will risk in doing so the further fracturing of the Body of my Son. You can learn from the Bapsts how vital it is for adults to make a real profession of faith. It is broken and wounded now. You need to weep for that. You need to experience the pain of your divisions. I did not divide the Body. But I will bring good out of the division. I am doing it now. I will con$nue to do it. I will perform a mighty work of healing in the Body of my Son on earth. I will forge a oneness the world will not be able to ignore. I will make of the Church that light on the mountain top, that light to all the world. You can learn from the Presbyterians the riches that lie in lay ministry, what it means to be a royal priesthood. But to do this I need you. You are a part of my plan. Find out who you are and bring that with you as you walk and work with me in this faith adventure. You can learn from the Orthodox in the profound beauty of their worship YoucanlearnfromtheLutheranshowsalvationismy freegift,thatyoudon'tearnit. Andyoucanlearnfromtheseandfrommanyothers, much,muchmore.FortheyaremypeopletooandIhave notbeenidleintheirmidst. But, my people of the ages. my ancient people , my Catholic people, know too that these others need to learn from you. I have been with you over the centuries. Don't back out on me now. Don't water down what I have done with you. Share your riches. Fr. Ed Wade CC. making his lifeme commitment http://companionscross.org/news/1998/FallIssue1998.pdf “Fr. Bob Bedard has played a significant role in the life of the church in O!awa and far beyond. These memoirs are a testament to his profound openness to the Holy Spirit. It is inspiring to see what the Lord Jesus can accomplish in the life of someone who is wholeheartedly surrendered to him. It’s important – even for priests – to ‘give God permission’!” – Most Reverend Terrence Prendergast, SJ, Archbishop of O!awa PAGE 11 June 01, 2011 Break Down the Dividing Walls Fr. Ed Wade CC Response to prophecy of Father Bob Bedard A few weeks ago a friend of mind sent me a copy of the prophecy that Father Bob Bedard gave in 1978 and was published in the Companions of the Cross Newsle!er in 1987. This prophecy came to my a!en$on at a significant $me in my life. I saw it as a confirma$on of the work that I have been doing the last year here in North Carolina in bringing the Chris$an communi$es together to seek restora$on and reconcilia$on. I personally see and am experiencing the giBs and talents that we all bring to the table to further the proclama$on of the gospel in the world today. How do we expect the world to believe that Chris$anity has any value or much to say when the Body of Christ cannot agree on so many issues and is so fractured? Chris$an values are being a!acked from outside the church by secular ideologies, media and from the entertainment industry as well as from within the church itself. Yes, even by both clergy and laity alike who seek to destroy or reinvent the church according to their own image and design. This has led a group of Chris$an pastors, laity and myself to plan a conference on Unity, July 23, 2011 in Morehead City, NC. We have set aside special sessions for men, women and youth and have also invited Keith Duncan, na$onally known musician and his band from the Throne Zone that leads worship services throughout the USA. A group of us have been invited to become connected with the North Carolina Apostolic Prophe$c Ministry which is organizing a network of Chris$an leaders throughout the state who will work together to build fellowship, unity and also develop the fivefold ministry of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher as seen in Ephesians 4:11-13. NCAP statewide gathering will be held September 16-17, 2011. Leslie Overby, Fr. Ed Wade CC, and Janet Spriggs vision team leaders UTWH We are developing a website on the internet for this gathering, www.un$ltheworldhears.org We are also visi$ng local church communi$es to have praise and worship sessions and to proclaim the unity message. The crowds have been large and very enthusias$c and they want more. All are seeking unity and revival and we believe that if we are faithful in our desire to seek unity then the Lord will provide the fire of the Holy Spirit to bring it to frui$on. We are also aware there will be many in the various Chris$an communi$es who do not want this to come about either through ignorance or fear. Another problem is the many forces that have infiltrated the church who are hos$le to Chris$anity itself, to say nothing of the known external groups that would like to see us eradicated. Lydia Bugge ,Pastor Vera Murray Apostle Willie Murray God’s City of Refuge Pentecostal Church The key to establishing unity must begin by learning how to love and trust one another. The first wall that needs to be broken down is the one that lies within our own hearts which separates us from God, each other and ourselves. Much healing and repentance is needed in this ministry to the heart. We are fully aware that there are many points of theological and doctrinal differences that divide us and that they need to be addressed; however, we also believe that we have many core principles in which we are in total agreement and that these link us together. People are hungry and looking for God, truth, love and acceptance. As we seek to build and restore the body of Jesus Christ then we can expect to see revival and our prayers answered. How can the Father possibly ignore our pleas as when we are crying out for His help? We live in hope and the promise of Jesus Christ to send the Holy Spirit. We are already seeing the Holy Spirit move throughout North Carolina for those seeking unity. Call it what you will but this is a grass roots movement and I don’t believe this can be stopped. The prophet Joshua stormed the walls of Jericho and the walls came tumbling down. The Jewish people had Abba behind them, strong leadership, vision, purpose, courage, tenacity and praise and worship We need to restore the divided church and truly become the bride of Jesus Christ. We can do it as the Holy Spirit is wai$ng for our “yes” to help rebuild the church. Fr. Ed Wade, CC JOHN PAUL II “Ut Unum Sint” Commitment to Ecumenism St. Peters on 25 May 1995 http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_25051995_ut-unum-sint_en.html 4 Corners Liaison DISCOVER YOUR CHARISMS & TALENTS Visit us online @ VISIT OR CALL OUR BOOKSTORE 713-236-9977 Ext. 20 ORDER BOOKS & CD”S FOR YOUR PRAYER GROUPS 713-236-9977 Ext. 16 DISCOVER YOUR CHARISMS & TALENTS Visit us online @ www.discoverthecenter.com Catholic Charismatic Center 1949 Cullen Blvd. Houston, Texas 77023 713-236-9977 fax 713-236-0073 POSTAGE DUE Return Service Requested To receive this newsletter and get on our mailing list please contact Pat Allison at (713) 236-9977 Ext 16 or pallison@cccgh.com Please send your preferred mailing address or email address Mission Statement : The Catholic Charismatic Center is dedicated to bringing all people to the full life of Jesus Christ and His Church through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit