CHARIS l REDEMPTIVE SUFFERING l DELIVERANCE AND HEALING l GRACE Summer 2018 PENTECOSTPublication of the National Service Committee of the Catholic TodayCharismatic Renewal Shutterstock.com New life in Christ Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit Chairman’s Editor’s Corner Desk . by Ron Riggins by Sr. Mary Anne Spirit more to the Church. These Schaenzer, SSND foundational priorities support the four strategic priorities of evangelization, strengthening the Renewal, enhancing writes “To be he last 12 months have been unity and empowering young adults, Mary Healy (pp 4-5) baptized in the Holy Spirit is to receive a an exciting period for the NSC as we work to extend the grace of life-changing personal revelation of the as we have entered the new baptism in the Holy Spirit. T risen Lord Jesus, who is truly alive and season following our inspiring Jubilee who heals and sets people free today Celebrations. We have completed some The Holy Spirit was clearly at work as just as he did in his earthly ministry.” Dave reorganization to align the interests we intensively worked on our strategic VanVickle (p 3) writes of the mystery of of the NSC Council with the Service plan over the past year, as our strategic suffering in his family and of persevering Committee, added some dynamic priorities closely “dovetail” with the in prayer and the desire for healing. Mark members to both entities, spent the objectives of the CHARIS initiative Nehrbas (p 11) writes of his experience of past year formulating our newly- announced earlier this year. redemptive suffering and healing. adopted strategic plan and began Jesus went about healing and teaching. collaborating with other entities in the US We look forward to this new move of Dave Nodar (p 6) writes of his call to in response to the CHARIS Initiative. the Holy Spirit, working in unity with evangelization and how he carries that other entities proclaiming baptism in out. He ends by writing, “Be open to the We are excited about our comprehen- the Holy Spirit. We look forward to new things the Lord is doing! He wants sive strategic plan which features your input and collaborating with you to use you.” Fausto Franco (p 15) two foundational priorities and four in this new season as the Renewal is challenges us to “…be bearers of light in strategic priorities, and each of these recognized by the Church in a new way the darkness…”. priorities has multiple strategies. with a clear commission from the Holy Pope Francis (p 10) challenges us to The foundational priorities focus on Father to earnestly work in unity to holiness. (You are encouraged to pick making the NSC more effective in this build the Church. up the entire document, Gaudete et new season and more fully utilizing Exsultate.) “May you come to realize media to reach a broader audience It is a time of commission! It is a time of what that word is, the message of Jesus as we execute our overall vision and unity! It is a time of empowerment! It is that God wants to speak to the world by mission to bring baptism in the Holy a time of grace! Come, Holy Spirit! t your life.” Casey Sprehe (p 12) encourages connectedness among generations in sharing the reality of baptism in the Holy PENTECOSTToday Spirit. Volume 43 Number 3 For Your Information More about CHARIS (pp 12-13), an The mission of Pentecost Today is to serve acronym for Catholic Charismatic Renewal Executive Director and be a voice for the National Service International Service. Walter Matthews Committee’s mission “to foster the dynamic Editorial Board grace of baptism in the Holy Spirit.” We do We remember some pioneers in the Jimmy Archer this by publishing articles that instruct and Renewal (p 9), those who have gone Tom Mangan give practical wisdom, with a particular before us: Jim Byrne and Fr. Tom Forrest. Editor emphasis on strengthening leaders and Sr. Ana Chiara (p 8) also shares the Sr. Mary Anne Schaenzer, SSND leader formation, in a visually appealing and religious community experience of the Production Manager inviting format. Sharon Fox death of the foundress of the Disciples A limited amount of advertising space is of the Lord Jesus Christ, a Franciscan available. For information, contact Sharon © 2018 National Service Committee Charismatic Religious Community of Fox at [email protected]. of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Advertisements for events not sponsored by Diocesan Rite. of the United States, Inc. Not to be the National Service Committee do not imply reproduced without permission. As we walk the journey, may we carry the endorsement by the NSC/Chariscenter USA. message, “Jesus is alive!” t 2 PENTECOSTToday Summer 2018 www.nsc-chariscenter.org YOU SHALL BE MY WITNESSES by Dave VanVickle s a charismatic evangelist I know how important signs and wonders Acan be for someone who does not believe in Jesus. I have witnessed many healings and miracles over the years and I still pray regularly for signs and wonders An Opportunity of Grace to draw someone to God. Truthfully, in my own life, it has been the unanswered We are a family who firmly believe in life. I was praying in Louisa’s room and prayers that have brought me closer to miracles. We have been to hundreds of I remember the Lord just clearly saying, Jesus, those things left unhealed that healing services and we pray over our “Why are you so worried? You are in show me the depth of his love. children every day, so in faith we began the center of the palm of my hand.” WiuffFreeImages.com/Anders to pray for a miracle while our daughter I knew I had to stop the worrying and In 2016 we already had two children was still in the womb. We asked others to surrender the fear to the Lord. The with serious medical conditions. My pray and at one point it seemed like the whole situation, even in the darkest son Max has cerebral palsy and while whole world was praying for a healing times, seemed dripping with grace, but that’s not life threatening, it seriously in utero for our daughter, but it did not I just could not feel it at all. God’s affects our life and we have watched come and when our daughter was born, presence was there, but it felt like he was him struggle with pain and muscle tone she was rushed into surgery and it was keeping me at an arm’s length. for seven years. Our daughter, Josie, has determined that she would have no use an extremely rare genetic condition that of her legs at all. During this time one of the principles caused a stroke at age one and puts her from Fr. Jacques Phillipe’s books that saved at high risk for another stroke. When we The Spirit was leading us into the desert my soul and changed my perspective of found out we were having another baby, once again. It was the most difficult this entire situation was the idea of asking like with all the others, we were thrilled time in our life, but God was there in what rather than why. In the midst of for another gift from God. Then at the Louisa’s hospital room and I heard him suffering it is only natural to ask God 18-week ultrasound the doctor found speaking clearly each day. We were why, but there is grace in suspending the something troubling and subsequent surrounded almost constantly by our question of why and asking God what ultrasounds revealed that our new priest friends. We had Christmas Mass instead. What am I to do in this situation? daughter, Louisa, would have Spina in the hospital waiting room with Fr. How can I love you best? It expresses an Bifida which was caused by a genetic Dave Pivonka, and like the Nativity incredible trust in God to not ask why. It disorder affecting her bone structure. story, God was clearly coming into the also turns a situation of despair into an We were devastated. To witness another mess of our lives even though we were opportunity of grace. This was the key child struggle while her brothers, sisters, devastated, worried about our future and for me. I was now seeing the Holy Spirit cousins and friends run and play freely even at times angry that he allowed this move and could feel God’s incredible was an unbearable thought. Even the to happen. providence and love even in the midst of doctors had a hard time dealing with the desert. t it. I remember one doctor awkwardly Worrying about my wife and kids searching for the right words to say became a daily obsession. I was missing Dave VanVickle is a when confronted with a family with work, I was already getting behind on member of the NSC three completely unrelated, but very medical bills, our kids were staying with and the Director of serious medical conditions; he said it my in-laws for an extended period of Evangelization for a would be mathematically impossible, time and I remember thinking that I am parish in Pittsburgh. “like winning power ball twice in a row!” worried about every single thing in my www.nsc-chariscenter.org Summer 2018 PENTECOSTToday 3 BORN TO BE A CURRENT OF GRACE Healing and Deliverance by Mary Healy few decades ago, if you had asked Healing ministries began to arise Pioneers like Fr. Rufus Pereira and someone whether healing and as certain individuals, such as Fr.