Word of Life Catholic Charismatic Renewal Center

April 2015

“Go into the world and tell the Good News to all creation.” Mark 16:15

THE CHARISM OF INVITATION By Sister Magdalena Casas Nava, DLJC -

What is the charism of Invitation? Kingdom of God? Are its effects beginning of the ministry of the We will begin with a simple beyond human ingenuity? great Apostle to the Gentiles. definition: the charism of Invitation Sometimes we would not know We can find in the other is a gift or anointing of the Holy these until we have acted upon the stories of invitations directed Spirit to request from others their inspiration. Let us further towards the building up of the presence or participation in comment on these criteria for Kingdom, and which effects are building up the Kingdom of God. discernment. long-lasting. Andrew invited his As with any charism, its For an invitation to be directed brother Simon to meet Jesus (Jn. effectiveness goes beyond human towards the building up of the 1:41-42.) Simon eventually ingenuity. Another trait of this Kingdom of God it must be focused became the first of an unbroken charism is its eminent personal on growth in charity, the increase line of popes. Philip sought character. It usually appeals to the of the holiness of the Church, Nathaniel and told him “We have individual person for a particular and/or a change in the world found the Messiah… come and mission. A man or woman may towards a more evangelical society. see” (Jn. 1:45-46). Both eventually have a natural ability for being In other words, the invitation must shed their blood for Christ. But the welcoming, inviting, or persuasive; be connected to evangelization by origin and greatest example of the but an anointing of the Holy Spirit making Christ more present to the charism of Invitation is the Lord is manifested when a person is person, helping the person grow in himself who let the first disciples inspired by the Lord to invite his or her evangelistic effective- “find him,” and told them “come another person for a particular eness, or helping the person better and see” (Jn. 1:39). purpose in the Kingdom of God. live out the Gospel values in his Being effective evangelists is not How do we know if the everyday life. a matter of technique, but rather of inspiration comes from the Lord, or Saul, after his conversion from genuine union with Christ. It is from a merely human sympathy, or being a persecutor of the church, only after “abiding with Him” that from the devil? There is need for had great difficulty convincing Christ’s disciples go out and invite discernment here. We in the fellow believers of his authenticity. others to “come and see,” then the Renewal tend to attribute to the It was not until Barnabas, Lord may touch and change them Lord any inspiration or idea that presumably inspired by the Holy also. It is, in the end, Christ crosses our minds, and many times Spirit, went to Tarsus to find him himself who invites, now through it could be true, but the and bring him to Antioch, where his disciples. discernment or the origin of any both taught the community for a Excerpted from Pentecost Today, inspiration is not completed until year. (See Acts 11:25-26.) The January-March 2012, Vol. 37, further examination. Is it directed invitation of Barnabas was the No.1. Used with permission towards the building up of the

Centering in Renewal history “Summer school brought in By Jack Heintzel The worldwide Charismatic priests, nuns, and lay people Renewal now includes an from all over the world. And so 2015 events estimated 700 million people we held meetings; The Word of Life Center wants around the world, of which an crowds attended and hundreds to make you aware of these estimated 160 million are were baptized in the Holy coming events: Catholics. The Renewal has its Spirit. They took the Holy • Women’s Retreat– April 10th origins in the events of January Spirit back to their home to 12th at Riverside Inn, CS. 1, 1901. On that day a young countries. It was a wild and • Prayer Brunch – Aug. 22nd at girl began wonderful summer. There were St. Joseph / BOL Community. after the prayer and invocation no Life in the Spirit Seminars • Day of Renewal – Oct. 17th at of the Holy Spirit by a lay (they hadn’t been written yet). St. Joseph / BOL Community. evangelist of Methodist We just laid hands on everyone extraction. This took place in and prayed right away and Prayer and fasting Topeka, ; from there the amazing things happened. The Executive Committee movement grew and gradually Given our youth and continues to encourage all spread to the established inexperience, it is all the more supporters to pray and fast churches in the Protestant and evident that it was God’s work, regularly for the needs of the Orthodox traditions, and lastly not ours.” Center. We have set to the Roman Catholic Church. Wednesday of each week as a In the late 1960s many hippies recommended day to pray and Although customs and termin- were having their “Summer of fast. There are many needs to ology were grafted onto the Love” in San Francisco, and the be met, and we need God’s help Catholic Charismatic Renewal Beatles were being sought out to do so. from these Pentecostal sources, by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, to the Catholic Church had its own attract through them the youth Prison ministry part to play in the January 1, of the West to Hinduism and the • SCI Cambridge Springs: 1901 beginning. On that New Age. At the same time, Life in the Spirit on April 18th morning, in Rome, before the Holy Spirit was at work, with follow-up on May 23rd . young Agnes Ozman started treating His own young people • SCI Albion: speaking in tongues in Topeka, to a wild summer of rejoicing Life in the Spirit Days on Pope Leo XIII ushered in the and Charismatic Renewal at May 2nd and Nov. 14th plus new century by solemnly Catholic Notre Dame. continuing bi-weekly prayer invoking the Holy Spirit over meetings. all of Christendom. The Holy Spirit came full circle when the Charismatic Renewal The Renewal was eventually landed back in the Catholic Healing Mass sparked in the Catholic Church Church in Rome in 1970, led by The Son of God prayer group in 1967, not by any intervention lay and religious Catholics. invites everyone to a healing st of the pope or clergy, but at the Ed. note: since 1970 our popes Mass on Tuesday, April 21 at level of the laity at a students’ have encouraged the Renewal 6:30 PM. It will be held in Holy th retreat at Pittsburgh’s Duquesne and brought it into the main- Rosary church, E. 28 St. and University in February of that stream of the Church. East Avenue. Doors will open year. From there the flame ------early for your convenience. Fr. went almost simultaneously to Excerpted, with modifications, David Poulson will preside. Notre Dame University. from an article “The Charis- Music will be provided by the Dorothy Ranaghan, writer and matic Renewal and the Catholic St. Joseph / Bread of Life music witness of the beginnings, Church” by Alessandra Nucci ministry. For more information describes what happened: in Catholic World Report, May call Patty (823-3968) or Gerry 18, 2013. (452-2499)

2 Joy or happiness By Agnes Helsley Raising the standard The month of February with its I think of Joni Eareckson Tada, a In 21 Unbreakable Laws of Life extremely cold temperatures quadriplegic for fifty years. She provided me time to spend is a shining example of a joy- In A Book of Saints, Anne wrapped in an afghan with a good filled Christian. I have heard it Gordon tells the story of Father book. This book had been on my said that when God wants to use Maximillian Kolbe, who was a book shelf for several years but I someone, it may be necessary to prisoner at Auschwitz in August had never read it cover to cover, break that person and then use 1941. A prisoner escaped from 459 pages, a worthy project for him or her for His glory. He the camp, and in reprisal, the cold winter evenings. allows the pain for a purpose, just Nazis ordered that ten prisoners The book is a compilation of as the shame and the pain of His had to die by starvation. “virtues” – actually the nine fruits Son’s death on the Cross was Father Kolbe offered to take the of the Spirit. Space does not necessary for the purpose of our place of one of the condemned permit an overall discussion. But redemption. Take us, Lord, once men. The Nazis kept Kolbe in the “joy” won my greater attention by more to Calvary, that we may find starvation bunker for two weeks the fact that happiness comes joy in your sacrifice. Keep us and then put him to death by from good happenings, but joy centered in the joy of our lethal injection on August 14, lies within despite what happens salvation. 1941. to us. A great number of people ______Thirty years later, a survivor of expect happiness should be result Auschwitz described the effect of of being a Christian and expect to Kolbe’s action: “It was an be protected from unpleasant On seeking forgiveness enormous shock to the whole happenings. A false premise [Having cheated on an exam camp. We became aware that indeed! during seminary, this author was someone among us in the spiritual Christians are taught to use the able to “live with himself” only so dark night of the soul was raising limitations of life and make long, and then (1) confessed to the standard of love on high. something out of it. The God and (2) went to the professor Someone unknown, like everyone following quote, dripping with and confessed and made else, tortured and bereft of name satire, is included here to sharpen arrangements to make things and social standing, went to a our recognition of an extremely right. He records his feeling after horrible death for the sake of bad attitude toward life’s this:] someone not even related to him. difficulties. “You may hear it I felt deeply cleansed. Pure. Therefore it is not true, we cried, said of me that I am cross-grained Holy. I wanted to laugh and cry at that humanity is cast down and and disagreeable. Don’t believe the same time. I wanted to run trampled in the mud, overcome by it. Only let me have my own way and jump and dance. The burden oppressors, and overwhelmed by exactly in everything with all was lifted. The chains were hopelessness. Thousands of about me precisely as I wish, and broken. I was free! … prisoners were convinced the true a sunnier or pleasanter creature If we don’t ask for forgiveness world continued to exist and that does not exist.” We all know that when we wrong someone, we lose our torturers would not be able to this is not the picture of life as we our moral authority, the debris of destroy it. know it. sin begins to accumulate in our “To say that Father Kolbe died Remembering that whatever hearts, choking our conscience, for us or for that person’s family happens in our lives has to be and we lose our reputation as a is too great a simplification. His allowed by the God who loves us, person of integrity. Others know death was the salvation of and who has written our name on when we sin against them, and if thousands . . . We were stunned the palm of His hand, gives us the we don’t make it right, it hurts our by his act, which became for us a grace to accept what happens and reputation as well as God’s. mighty explosion of light in the allow it to be a source of blessing. --Max Anders dark camp.”

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--Bill Norman, Quoted in Leadership, Spring 1995

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Healing Mass Our Lady of Peace Memorials

2401 W. 38th St. 7:30PM In memory of Requested by Wednesday March 4, 2015

Msgr. John T. Carter Jack & Jean Heintzel Contemporary Mass “ “ “ T. A. Walkiewicz St. Joseph Church “ “ “ Carol Mando Bread of Life Community Larry Snell Lil Herbstritt 11:00AM every Sunday Tony Drozeski T. A. Walkiewicz Children's Liturgy of the Word

Perpetual Adoration

Bread of Life Chapel

St. Joseph Community Center

Chaplet of Mercy God has a work to do with us Every day at 3:00pm in Bread of Life Chapel That will not be done without us. St. Joseph Novena St. Joseph Church Bread of Life Community --St. Augustine Every Wednesday 7:00PM

All Scripture quotes in this newsletter are from the New International Version unless noted otherwise

PRAYER GROUPS

† Sunday † Thursday: Shalom in Jesus Prayer Group River of Life PG 2nd & 4th Monday evenings Wildfire Prayer Meeting In home 6:30PM 2nd Thursday of month 4:30PM Rick Kenawell (814) 375-0328 7:00PM St. Bridget Ch., Rm. 4, Meadville, PA 5031 W. Ridge Rd.. DuBois, PA S.S.J. Living Center April 5,12,19,26 Amy Mosbacher (814) 724-6104 April 13,27 Sr. Gerry Olon 836-4165 April 9 Acts II Community † Tuesday: St. Julia Church 6:30 PM St. Joseph Church Bread of Life th Son of God Prayer Group West 8 & Powell Ave. Prayer Meeting 7:00PM Jack Heintzel 838-1325 Holy Rosary Church th 2701 East Ave. 7:00PM 139 W. 24 St. – Upstairs in Center April 5,12,19,26 Regi Connelly (814) 866-0505 Pat Montefiori 823-3968 April 7,14,21,28 April 2,9,16,23,30 † Monday: Disciples of the Holy Spirit St. Boniface PG St. Mary's Church Annex 6:00PM Chosen Prayer Group 7615 Wattsburg Rd. 7:00PM 139 Church St., St. Marys, PA St. Theresa Church, John Griebel 825-3588 Mary Ellen Frank (814) 781-3904 Shinglehouse, PA 10AM - 12Noon April 2,9,16,23,30 April 6,13,20,27 Mary Kuhn (814) 697-7519 April 7,14,21,28 Leopold Center † Friday: th 1017 West 8 St. † Wednesday: Light of the World Community Mary Lou Peterson 866-5678 St. Mark’s Prayer Group In Home Prayer Meeting – Call for St. Mark Church 7:00PM Chaplet of Divine Mercy and Rosary Location 7:30PM At 3:00PM (before Mass) Religious Education Center Bob Zimmer 868-5344 April 6,13,20,27 Emporium, PA April 3,10,17,24 (Except major holidays) April 1,8,15,22,29 4 Standing with God By Jack Heintzel

“Stand firm then…” Eph. 6:14 gained. By the resurrection of can do nothing.” (Jn. 15:5) Let’s Jesus from the dead, God has continue to sit, walk and stand In his book Sit, Walk, Stand, proclaimed His Son as Victor with God, always committing Chinese evangelist Watchman over the whole realm of darkness. ourselves to the goal of glorifying Nee puts forth a process that The ground that Christ won He Him in all things. should apply to all disciples of has given to us. We do not need ______Jesus Christ. We should start by to fight to obtain it. We only spending time with God (sitting), have to hold it. The victory is In the garden then being active in carrying out ours. We do not fight for victory; His commands (walking), and we fight from victory. Satan has In 1912, as Charles Austin then learning to continually been defeated once and for all. Miles grabbed his Bible, it opened oppose Satan’s attacks (standing). Nee emphasizes that only those to John 20. Reading the account We must be always ready to stand who first sit can stand. Our walk of Mary Magdalene outside the with God against the devil’s – and warfare – both derive their garden tomb where Jesus’ body schemes. We need to understand strength from our position in had been laid, Miles felt spiritual warfare. But we can’t sitting with Christ. If we are not powerfully that he was there. hope to be victorious in the battle sitting before God we cannot Inspired, he quickly wrote the against Satan unless we first learn hope to stand before the enemy. poem “In the Garden” and later to rest in Christ and in what He If we hold our position we will composed the music. has already done. Then, in the see the devil utterly routed. He This hymn might seem power of the Holy Spirit, we cannot overcome the power of sentimental and trite, if follow Him in a practical, holy God. It is all a matter of our faith understood to refer to just any life here on earth. in Him. Ephesians 6 is concerned garden, But the song takes on To stand against the wiles of the with more than the personal side profound meaning when devil we must learn to put on the of our warfare. It has to do also recognized as Mary’s personal armor of God, as St. Paul explains with the work of God entrusted to encounter with the living Lord. in his letter to the Ephesians us – spreading the Gospel. This (chapter 6:10f). Watchman Nee requires prayer and trust in God. And he walks with me, and he writes that to stand against really We are to act and pray in the talks with me, means to “hold your ground.” He name of Jesus – the name which And he tells me I am his own, goes on to say that “this is not a is above all names. In this name And the joy we share as we command to invade a foreign we will stand powerfully against tarry there, territory. Warfare, in modern the Satanic forces and bring them None other has ever known! parlance, would imply a into subjection. ______command to ‘march.’ Armies Any work that is going to be march into other countries to effective in God’s plan must be Because of Easter occupy and to subdue. God has conceived by Him. We must not told us to this. We are not to depend on spiritual power, not in “The joyful news that [Christ] is march but to stand. The word our natural power. We need to risen does not change the ‘stand’ implies that the ground learn that if God does not move contemporary world. Still before disputed by the enemy is really then we dare not move. In our us lie work, discipline, sacrifice. His [God’s], and therefore ours. walking and standing we should But the fact of Easter gives us the We need not struggle to gain a not be moving ahead of God. spiritual power to do the work, foothold on it.” And we must always depend accept the discipline and make the We war against Satan only to continuously on the power of God sacrifice.” maintain and consolidate the alone. Jesus says this in --Henry Knox Sherrill victory which Jesus has already Scripture: “Apart from Me you 5

Signs and wonders By Kathy Wilcox

There have been many shared the odd things she close relationship with Christ we legitimate apparitions of the witnessed we started researching will not be easily misled. We Blessed Mother, and miraculous the speaker. On her website, the must also pray for others in our healings have occurred connected speaker admits that she own faith, and in other Christian to the saints over the years since “channels” angels. As a trained faiths, that they will not be Jesus established our Church. We “Shaman” healer she channels misled. May they find a true are visual people with active transcendental energies and spirits relationship with Jesus Christ. imaginations, so of course we like into the person she lays hands on. ______to read and retell these stories. The group was recruiting people We can also easily be drawn into to join the church and teach others Truth and goodness will looking for signs and wonders. It to practice the “Shaman” version prevail is critical that we use our own of healing prayer. So while this discernment, and trust the church SAYS it is Christian, it Any newspaper or newscast investigations of the Church obviously is not. It is really a contains enough bad news to authorities, to determine the cult. The Bible warns us that in wreck any Christian’s hope for authenticity of signs and wonders the last days, there would be false mankind. Wars, murders, and miracles. Why be careful? prophets who practice signs and brutality, crimes and other What harm can be done by wonders to deceive believers. inhumane acts we witness daily believing that God is working in This story certainly fits that can make us feel hopeless and these situations? prediction, and unfortunately the wilted. We need to remember that Internet is loaded with false Yet despite the great horror in Satan can mimic what God is teachings and false prophets this world, we must not despair. doing and that the reason he was lurking there, waiting for the Our Lord said: “The Son of Man cast out of heaven was because he opportunity to connect with those will send his angels, and they will wanted to be like God. This is who are seeking God. collect out of his kingdom all especially true in the case of signs St. Paul warned us in 2 causes of sin and all evildoers … and wonders. He loves to draw Corinthians 11:13-14, saying Then the righteous will shine like attention to himself, and draw “For such men are false apostles, the sun in the kingdom of their people away from God. deceitful workmen, masquerading Father” (Matthew 13:41,43, Consider this: an acquaintance as apostles of Christ. And no NRSV.) God will always have of mine lives in Kansas City, MO wonder, for Satan himself the last word, His truth and and she was invited to go to a masquerades as an angel of goodness will prevail. meeting where a person was light.” And St. Paul again James Russell Lowell wrote: receiving messages from the warned in 1 Timothy 4:1: “Now Angel Gabriel. At the end of the the Spirit clearly says that in the Though the cause of evil session, there would be prayer for later times some will abandon the prosper, healing. A member of Unity faith and follow deceiving spirits Yet ‘tis truth alone is strong; Christian Church (which we now and things taught by demons.” Though her portion be the know has its home office in We can’t be too careful! We scaffold, Missouri) invited her. My friend must stay grounded in our faith. And upon the throne be wrong; had never heard of Unity, but was We must trust the teachings of the Yet that scaffold sways the told that they welcome all faiths church, our leadership, and the future, and respect the teachings of all Bible. We should understand And behind the dim unknown, faiths, and it WAS Christian, so how to determine whether another Standeth God within the she felt comfortable going. It was “denomination” is Christ-centered shadow after the session that she e-mailed or a cult, and we must pray and Keeping watch above his own. me. She felt uneasy, and once she act accordingly! When we have a 6

Scripture Psalm are my treasured possession. (Ex. Prophecy corner (A letter from God) 19) I desire to establish you with all I call you to stand firm. Know My child: my heart and soul. (Jer. 32) And My voice. Learn to recognize My You may not know me, but I I want to show you great and Voice. I will speak in My time, know everything about you. I marvelous things. (Jer. 33) If My way. Know that prayer and know when you sit down and you seek me with all your heart, fasting bring us closer. I am the when you rise up. I am familiar you will find me. (Dt. 4) Lord your God. Let My Light with all your ways. (Ps. 139) Delight in me and I will give shine through you. Be open to Even the very hairs on your you the desires of your heart. (Ps. Me, to My Gifts, to My will. I head are numbered. (Mt. 10) 37) I am able to do more for you do not want you to be remorseful; For you were made in my image. than you could possibly imagine. dance with joy. Take my good (Gen. 1) In me you live and move (Eph. 3) I am the One who news to others. Think of the and have your being. (Acts 17) comforts you in all your troubles. great love I have for you and For you are my offspring. (Acts (2 Cor. 1) them. 17) I knew you even before you When you are brokenhearted, I (Disciples of the Holy Spirit were conceived. (Jer. 1) I chose am close to you. (Ps. 34) As a prayer group, St. Marys, PA) you when I planned creation. shepherd carries a lamb, I have ______(Eph. 1) carried you close to my heart. You were not a mistake, for all (Is.40) I am your Father, and I your days are written in my book. love you even as I have loved my The look of love (Ps. 139) I determined the exact Son, Jesus. (Jn. 17) Nothing times of your birth and where you will ever separate you from my “What does love would live. (Acts 17) love. (Rom. 8) look like? It has You were fearfully and Source unknown the hands to help wonderfully made. (Ps. 139) I ______others. It has the knit you together in your mother’s feet to hasten to the poor and womb (Ps. 139) and brought you A reason to celebrate needy. It has eyes to see misery forth on the day you were born. and want. It has the ears to hear (Ps. 71) In rural Nebraska in the early the sighs and sorrows of It is my desire to lavish my love 20th century, three of the four humankind. That is what love on you (1 Jn. 3) simply because Koontz children died of looks like.” you are my child and I am your diphtheria in one week. On the - St. Augustine of Hippo father. (1 Jn. 3) I offer you more following Easter morning, the than your earthly father ever parents and surviving child “God loves you, but even more, could. (Mt. 7) attended church. Because Mr. God longs for you. God misses Every good gift that you receive Koontz was Sunday school you when you don’t come close. comes from my hand. (Jas. 1) I superintendent, he read aloud the God thirsts for you. God loves am your provider and I meet all Easter message. Although many you always even when you don’t your needs. (Mt. 6) people wept, he and his wife feel worthy.” My plan for your future has stayed calm. - St. Teresa of Calcutta always been filled with hope. Later, a boy walking home said, ______(Jer. 29) Because I love you with “The Koontzes must really an everlasting love. (Jer. 31) believe the Easter story.” My thoughts toward you are His father answered, “All countless as the sands on the Christians do.” seashore. (Ps. 139) The boy replied, “Not the way I rejoice over you with singing. they do! (Zeph. 3) I will never stop doing good for you. (Jer. 32). For you 7

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The purpose of this newsletter is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to provide teaching, news and calendar of events, which help to foster Catholic charismatic renewal throughout the diocese of Erie. Editor: Jack Heintzel Writers: Liz Geary, Kathy Wilcox, Agnes Helsley, Amy Mosbacher Typist: Carol Mando

Volume XXIX Issue No. 4 APRIL 2015