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NEWSLETTER Fall 2017

“This current of grace is for all the Church...not just for some...” , 50th Anniversary of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Pentecost Celebration, Rome 2017

by Br. Ken Apuzzo, BH hirty-eight years ago, as a very ner- ery Sunday of my life and had also attend- Commandments. On this retreat I wit- But when they began to share about their vous college freshmen, I attended ed Catholic school, not once had I ever nessed for the first time “normal” men my present and past struggles, many of which T a young men’s retreat that pro- had what I could call an encounter with age that spoke about God as if they actu- I also struggled with, I was baffled! If these foundly changed God! As far as I could tell, ally knew him. God was an men struggled with sin like I did then why my life. Though believing in God was a very “Each Brother in everyday part of their lives. did God speak to them and not to me? As I I had attended one-sided deal. You could our community has He spoke to them and they listened to their personal stories a consis- Mass just pray, yell or try to make a had experienced his love, tent turning point for these young men about ev- deal, but God was far away experienced this guidance and forgiveness in was a spiritual grace that they called being and silent. I simply thought current of grace.” a very tangible way. Continued On Back that God only interacted My first thought was and spoke to the Mother Teresa’s of the that these guys were really world and not to an average college guy “Holy Rollers” and who definitely had some interesting never did anything interpretations of the Ten wrong, and so God was close to them.

Rome Gathering. Above, Pope Francis greets pilgrims on Pentecost. (Right) Br. Ken Apuzzo and Br. Clinton Reed with Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, preacher to the Papal Household, at one of the sessions. God First God Alone

Sharing Our Vision

Blest to Be Best By Br. Ken Apuzzo, BH here is a great Chinese restaurant Tnear the University of Minnesota with an unpronounceable name. Behind CurrentBaptismCurrent in the Holy Spirit can be experienced in many different ways,ofof but it is always GracecharacterizedGrace by conversion to the personal the main counter is a series of awards lordship of Jesus. From this encounter flows a new awareness of Jesus’ presence in one’s life, power to strive for holiness, and the ac- tivity of spiritual gifts. Other fruits include freedom to worship God in song and expressive vocal praise, deeper appreciation of the going back almost ten years proclaiming Scriptures, and zeal to share the love of God with others. We asked several people associated with our ministries to reflect on their this Chinese restaurant as “The Best of own experience of the release of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Here’s what they had to say... Minneapolis”. It must be very helpful for their business and an encouragement to Graced With Gifts because of the work He started within me millions of gallons of water in the form of the owners. As we all know, it is nice to by Melanie Blaszczak, when I was baptized with the Holy Spirit— the Holy Spirit. I felt unable to move, yet Parish Youth Minister be noticed once in a while. a work that I am confident is still not done! I felt safe, secure, and strong. It was like I recently had a conversation with a The baptism of the Holy Spirit there was a T hink of a time when someone gave you significant leader of a Catholic Campus showed me that I truly am a power feeding a gift. You wanted nothing more than to ministry. This person travels extensively daughter of God who was put into me. Even rip open that box to see what you got with and is very familiar with what is happen- in my helpless the gift wrap flying everywhere around on this earth with a purpose to ing around the country with Catholic state, the Lord you. But how about if you just put that gift use my spiritual gifts to magnify college ministry. He offered the Brother- was so present off to the side and didn’t open it for years? my Father in heaven. hood an incredible compliment: he said, The box just stayed there collecting dust. in His Power “I wish the Brothers were serving at every Flooded With Power and His Love That is how my spiritual gifts felt by Joseph McBride, college campus in the country.” I tried that I couldn’t because they were not being Project Engineer to respond in what would appear to be bear it. During opened or used. To be honest, Powerful Preaching. Joseph shares a humble and professional manner, but that time, the until the baptism of the Holy Originally, I wanted the gospel message at a student retreat. inside my heart leaped for joy! Lord flipped my We are a new and still-small religious Spirit I didn’t know these gifts nothing to do with whatever entire life up on its head. I knew from that community that, as you know, has a existed. Once I was baptized this “Baptism in the Holy point on that my life would never be the particular passion and mission for college with the Holy Spirit my whole life Spirit” was. However, I same, and I couldn’t wait! students. We do not receive many na- was reinvigorated. The Bible was eventually came Going forward from that experience of tional or public accolades. We have been not just a book anymore and to a realiza- being baptized in the Holy Spirit, the Lord serving the Church’s mission on college the mass was certainly not just tion: was no longer some far-off and distant another hour wasted. I saw the if the fairy-tale character called ‘God’. He became beauty of God and His people. It gos- “We have been serving a very close, personal, and intimate King. was like a veil was lifted and for the first pel He became someone who I wanted to fol- the Church’s mission on time I saw life as a beautiful adventure was instead of dull story. I saw that I desired low, more than anything else, in a lifelong college campuses for over God more and more in my life. I wanted adventure. I can honestly say, since be- thirty years and have to spend time in prayer and go to mass. ing flooded by the Spirit, these have witnessed remarkable absolutely been the best years of my I was transformed and renewed from transformations...” within. life, and I fully expect the years to I began to see the Spirit of God come, for the rest of my life, to be campuses for 30 years and have witnessed move in my life like never before, and I even better. some remarkable transformations in the started to rely more on the gifts of the Filled With Joy lives of the students we serve. Spirit that I was given. One of those gifts by Stephen Beck, While we’re very proud of our Aerospace Engineer was wisdom. I needed to make tough life missionary fruitfulness, we must first choices after college and was eventually true, acknowledge our debt to the Holy Spirit. uring my first year of college my shown a life that I didn’t know existed. and if D We didn’t learn how to serve campus faith-life was mostly non-existent. I was Currently, I am a youth minister serving God was ministries overnight: the Holy Spirit has living the stereotypical “party scene,” but I the Church. As I continue living my life for real, then it been guiding us for decades in develop- was never happy. I was always searching for Christ I am always reminded that is absolutely the most important thing in ing approaches that actually help today’s something to fulfill me. I “live and move and have the universe to be filled with God’s pres- young people encounter Christ. We’ve Late in the year a friend invited me to a my being” within Him ence. Period. So I decided to give God had our share of setbacks and failures day-long retreat which, for some reason, I a shot, a real chance: I gave my small, along the way – but we’ve been faithful to agreed to attend. The focus of the retreat Graced and Gifted. hesitant ‘yes’ to God. That decision was the promptings of the Spirit, while hum- Spreading the fruits of was the Holy Spirit, specifically on the unequivocally the best decision I have bly acknowledging that God always has a the Holy Spirit she has charismatic renewal. We were told that at received, Melanie ever made in my entire life. better plan. the end of the night, we would have the ministers at a par- That night I encountered the raw And finally, I’d like to “pay forward” ish youth opportunity to be “baptized in the Holy power of the Lord and the sheer this compliment to all of you who are our group. Spirit,” and the talks throughout the day presence of the Holy Spirit like I friends, alumni, students, staff, families were meant to prepare us for that. and supporters. If you did not recognize could have never dreamed pos- Initially, I did not want to be there. the value of this mission, and lend your sible. I became overwhelmed But as the day went on, I started to notice support, then we simply could not do by the majesty of the Lord that a lot of the people on the retreat had it anywhere close to a “best of the best” in a very real and physical something that I didn’t have. These people level! The next time you see a “Best of….” way. I felt like I was standing were happy, content with their lives and sign out there, I pray that your heart beneath Niagara Falls, unable their identity, and they seemed to be full would rejoice in the part you have played to move, being pummeled by Continued On Back in our mission together. Current live the life I had been living. I had a new Clothed Holy Spirit. The Pope was highly encourag- Continued from Inside passion and purpose in life. I wanted to Continued from Front ing in regards to the Baptism in the Holy develop a relationship with Jesus, and to Spirit, calling it “a current of grace of the of joy. I didn’t know what it was “Baptized in the Holy Spirit.” A help others find their identity as I did. Spirit…” Furthermore he said, “This cur- that they had, but what- desire began to grow in my heart for this Soon after, I began rent of grace is for all the Church…not just ever it was, I wanted it! grace. planning and leading for some…” Remarkably, something that The evening came and As they say, “the rest is history.” On retreats similar to that was so new and often misunderstood 50 it was time for a prayer Sunday morning I knelt down and with which I had been on. The years ago has now been embraced by well meeting. It was explained the prayers and support of the men on Lord has given me the gift over 100 million Catholics in the world! that I would have a turn this retreat, I received this grace of “Bap- of understanding people, Each brother in our community has to be prayed with, and tism in the Holy Spirit.” I had a tangible and because of where I experienced this “current of grace” and has I could then tell every- experience of God our Father’s forgive- started off, I know the his own fascinating and wonderful story one in my group what I ness and intimate, personal love for me. draw of a worldly, secular of how it opened their hearts to Jesus and wanted prayers for—what This grace has never left me even after 38 life. As I continue to the Church in a new way. Based upon the gifts I would like from the years. ask for the Holy Spirit, I Church’s approval, and our own personal Holy Spirit. Those before This year we are celebrating the 50th receive the confidence life-changing experience, we brothers offer me were asking for gifts Anniversary of the receiv- and ability to share my a seminar on all of the campuses that help such as wisdom, or cour- ing this new grace of the Baptism in the faith with people in ways students receive this “current of grace.” age, or healing. These Holy Spirit. In June, I had the honor of they can relate to. I never We too have been eye witnesses to literally things were nice, but that Joyful Song. Stephen Beck joins representing our community at a gathering the Brothers for a time of expressive thought I would help oth- thousands of students being “clothed with wasn’t what I was search- in Rome of tens of thousands of Catholics praise and worship. ers come to know God’s power from on high” through this “current ing for. When it was my who have experienced the Baptism in the love and experience joy! of grace,” the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. turn to be prayed with, I asked for the only As Pope Francis teaches: This grace is thing I could think of: to feel and know for everyone and not for some super-holy God’s love. Almost immediately, I felt this Thank you for joining us... elite minority in the Church. Those who warmth flow through my limbs and into my in our mission of bringing the transforming love of Jesus to others, especially the receive this grace do not feel as though chest. I started crying—I had never felt such they are better or holier than anyone. They love in my heart before. I was happy, I was young. Know that we pray for you and your intentions in our daily community have been the recipient of a gift that they content, I was filled with joy. I knew at that prayer. Please continue to remember us in your prayers and support. could never deserve or earn! To all of our moment my search was over. Brotherhood of Hope friends, family and anyone reading this That was the defining point in my life P. O. Box 200057, Roxbury, MA 02120 newsletter. With all of my heart I urge you where I chose the Faith for my own. I had Our Telephone: (617) 652-7263 Electronic Giving Options On-Line · All Gifts Are Tax-Deductible to find a Baptism in the Holy Spirit seminar proof that God existed and he loved me. and attend it. You will not regret it! After that experience, I couldn’t continue to www.brotherhoodofhope.org