at Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship

Frs. Peter Coughlin & Raniero Cantalamessa
at Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship - Thursday August 20, 1998
Fr, Peter:
I was sitting here thinking about my first experience coming to Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship. lt was in
August of 1994 (4 years ago next week), and I remember the electricity, the joy, the expectation that was part
of the first building where we were able to gather. And I remember waiting in the line-up to get in.
The reason that I had gone was that I had been asked to do the ministry night with the Companions of the
Cross, which is a new oornmunity of priests and seminarians in Oftawa, and I was asked to do it "Vineyard
sty4e - like they do in Toronto." So, I thought l'd better go and find out what they do. And I did. I was here one
Wednesday and the follouling Tuesday I led the ministry night on the Companions of the Cross retreat.
I had asked two seminarians to assist me that night with ministry. When we were coming in, one of the
seminarians sald to the newly ordained priest, "nothing ever happens to me" and he said, "nor l.'
in. These two seminarians were standing one on either side. We had about 40 minutes of
praise and worship music and they both hit the carpet, one on e?ther side. They were both down for two hours.
One went through great inner healing; the other had an experience of the shekinah glory of God. ln fact, he
was on his face so long he had rug marks. lt took him an hour to turn over.
Anyuray, they came
For all tfie priests and seminarians, as soon as we began ministry they were all on the ffoor, whether or not
they had errer been before. I know one qf the mottos was 'more on the ffoor in '94" and I've experienced a lot
of the'more" in nry ministry as I travelto many different place-s and sometimes speak aboutwhat God is doing.
And I lmow frrrrt whafs happening here ls paft ol the move of God. lt's the action of the Spirit, and there
may be things we don't understand because werything is unique with so many different individuals who come
and gather and take part. For me, l've certainly leamed that God has "more' for all of us. lf we want the
"rnore" we're going to get it, but we have to be attentive to the Lord.
Ard so, as we allor Jesus to reign in our hearts, as we albw the Spirit to indwell us, as we seek the bbssing
of the Father, we just delight in the unloren that God has. And, if you think you've seen it all, you haven't seen
anything yet, because there's a whob lot more to God and I believe that that's true for the whole worH.
I'ye also found in my ministry there has been that omore" that has happened. I can remember at one point
having a sense of a prophetic word being given to me that my ministry was going to be increased and I've seen
that happening and allof this is certainly part of it and I thank God for lt.
We have a major crusade at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton this weekend and you're certainly all invited; if you
want you're all welcome to come. Our main speaker for that weekend is going to be Fr. Raniero
Cantalamessa. He is the preacher to the papal household. Now, that means he preaches on the Fridays in
Lent and Advent to the Pope, Cardinals, Superiors of religious congregations and communities, and to allwho
assemble. lt's a great honour for a person to have this job, to be the one who preaches charismatic renewal,
life in the Spirit, to the Pope and to allthe people in the Vatican.
And, if I may be so bold, I heard Fr. Cantalamessa speak last weekend in Sachville, New Brunswick and he
said, that at one time when he was preaching the Holy Father noticed one of the cardinals take a peak at his
watcfu I guess Fr. Cantalamessa must have been going on a little longer than expected and the Pope
afterwards took the cardinal aside and said, lrfren a man of God is speaking you do not look at your watch."
I rrculd lke to give greetings from the Charismatic Renerrvral, from the Catholic Church, from allthe things l'm
involved with across the country and just say that we ask God's blessing upon all of you and I'd like to invite Fr.
Cantalarnessa to give greetings - he's here from ltaly.
John Arnott:
God bless you, Fr. Cantalamessa; it's so rronderfulto have you here.
Fr. Cantalameoea:
I am Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, a Catholic Franciscan priest. I
used to be
a professor at the
University of Milan, teaching the history of ancient Christianity.
One day while I was praying in my room, I received a rather simple interior image of Jesus passing in
front of me. And I remember it was exactly the same Jesus as when He came back from the Jordan
and was beginning preaching the kingdom of God. Passing in ftont of me, Jesus said, "if you want to
help Me in proclaiming the kingdom of God, leave everything and follow Me." I understood that He
meant for me to leave my teaching position; I was even head of a department at this university.
"Leave everything and become an itinerant preacher of the Gospel." And by the grace of God, not by
my merit, I said, "Yes, Lord." I left my teaching position and started preaching the kingdom of God.
You already know where I had to start, right in the middle of the Vatican.
Fr. Peter already told you why I am here. This is my first visit to Canada and I was very interested in
knowing something about
this work of God here at
Toronto Airport Christian
Fellowship. Many frlends
who came here before me
sent me materials, books like
The Fathels Blessing by
John Arnott, so I was very
interested in coming, but I
must tell you I didn't come as
a Catholic observer; ho, I
came with a great desire to
Father's
receive
Dlessing.
the
I want to share with you my deepest longing and desire which the Holy Spirit placed in my heart these
last few months, to love the Father with the same love that Jesus has for the Father and to love Jesus
with the same love that the Father has for Jesus. Amen.
John Arnott:
Let's stretch out our hands and bless this man, shall we. He told me there are 80 million Catholic
Charismatir:s in the world - 80 million! He has a major influence on these people. Lefs stretch our
hands torards him aM bless him:
Father, thank you for the spirit of this man, who obviously is so humble and so in love with You. We
bless his ministry and as he's asked for the Father's blessing, Father God, in the name of Jesus, let
Your mercy be abundant on Him. Lord, there are one billion Catholics in the world and I would ask
You to fill the whole bunc*r of them with the power of the Holy Spirit. The world needs to be set on
ftre fior You, Lord Jesus, with a fresh revelation of Your glory and Your majesty. And I pray, O Holy
Spirit, You'll do what You love to do - call the world to worship at His feet, to love Him with an everlasting love. Bless this precious man, I pray, in Jesus' name. Thanks, thanks for Your mercy.
Alleluia. Amen