Ecclesia May 2021 The Newsletter of the Catholic Diocese of Pembroke The call to spiritual renewal “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that “All the suffering will have been useless if we do not build together a more just, more by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” equitable, more Christian society, not in name, but in reality, a reality that leads us to –(Romans 12:2) a Christian behavior.” In this spirit, we embark as a Diocese to rediscover and renew our common mission n May 2020, at a vigil organized by the Catholic Charismatic Renewal International of proclaiming the Gospel through the spiritual and pastoral renewal of our clergy, the Service (CHARIS), Pope Francis shared a message about where the Church needs I religious and lay faithful, and our parishes, including families and youth, young adults, to be in light of the global pandemic. He spoke of the need to build “a more just, more seniors and the elderly. equitable, more Christian society” that will bring the “pandemic of poverty” to an end. Baptism in the Holy Spirit; Christian Unity; service of the poor Bishop Guy Desrochers sisters, without forgetting to commit myself to serve the poorest in my community.” hese three dimensions, as you can now imagine, Twill affect all Church movements, all religious I conclude my reflection by inviting us all to contemplate communities, ecclesial associations or organizations. Mary, Mother of Jesus and our Mother, as a model of a They are all called to work in this direction, according woman baptized in the Holy Spirit. In her, the spirit of to the Holy Father’s desire. In stages, of course! The recollection was intense; very intense. She knew how to first stage is a lucid look at our contemporary reality in recollect herself in God even in her ordinary activities. order to better discern and then plan our pastoral and And her great joy was undoubtedly to be able to spend evangelizing interventions (See, Judge, Act)! her solitary moments in silent contemplation, but never to the detriment of charity, which I imagine often led her And given that we are now embarking on a great (as it happens to all of us) to leave her solitude in order to evangelization project in our Diocese of Pembroke, why not show kindness or patience to anyone who approached her. initiate it by integrating these three realities from the very Let us not doubt that “she who is full of grace” always held beginning? Are we all going to have to conform and become love of neighbor as the highest priority of her spiritual “charismatics” according to the right or wrong interpretations life, to the point of leaving her most beautiful meditations we make of the term, in order to fulfill the Holy Father’s without hesitation when an opportunity for charity desires? My answer to this question is yes and no. presented itself. “Leaving God for God”, said a great “Yes”, because we need to be better trained in the ways of spiritual woman, following the example of Mother Teresa welcoming the coming of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives. of Calcutta, who always saw God in her neighbor. May We do this by cultivating charity, fidelity, purity, prayer Mary become our model when it comes to listening to and humility. These virtues must form a whole, otherwise and welcoming the Holy Spirit in our daily lives. May she the Spirit will be absent from our most beautiful grant us, through her powerful intercession, to persevere apostolates or projects. These ways of inviting the coming and remain faithful to the end. Those are the signs that of the Spirit into our hearts will allow us to welcome the dwell in the heart, mind and soul of the person who is Image of stained-glass window portraying the Holy Spirit. various gifts that the Spirit will want to communicate to truly “baptized in the Holy Spirit.” http://stpetersbasilica.info/Altars/Cathedra/Cathedra.htm us in order to build his Church; to evangelize better; to enter more into communion with our Christian brothers and sisters of various Christian denominations; and In this issue: finally, to reach the most needy of our brothers and sisters (on the material and/or spiritual levels) and to assist the Pope Francis creates a new Sisters of St. Joseph Celebrate 100 years in most needy in a concrete way. ecclesial entity called CHARIS the Diocese of Pembroke But I also say “no,” because it is not a question of desiring Message from the Bishop Memoriam: Father Robert Pelton only to “receive or possess” so-called “charismatic” gifts, Parish Profile: St. Michael, Douglas Memoriam: Father Brady McNamara or of seeking to conform by servile obedience to the Holy Father’s desire, for example, by learning to repeat prayer 65th Anniversary: Father Joseph Legree Two charismatic prayer groups in the Diocese formulas mechanically or intellectually, or by reciting 40th Anniversary: Father David May of Pembroke acts of faith learned by heart, or by performing actions Reconciliation and Peace without true interiority. The important thing is not to Anxiety is not a Choice say: “I am charismatic because I have this or that gift,” but How You Live Your Life Is Priests, parishioners and parishes rather to say: “I am baptized in the Holy Spirit, because I during pandemic time New catechesis resource addresses maintain a daily loving relationship with Jesus through Getting to know the new RCCDSB Director of my moments of prayer and solitude, and because I try to 21st Century issues Education live the virtues of charity, fidelity, purity and humility. All Saint profile: Saint Matthias of these dispositions allow me to welcome the gifts that 100th anniversary of Most Holy Name of Jesus the Spirit will communicate to me in order to fulfill my Catechists’ Day: November 7, 2020 Pope Francis proclaims Year of St. Joseph mission as a Christian; that is why I also desire to establish New members in our faith ecumenical relationships with my Christian brothers and Survey for the Diocesan newsletter Ecclesia www.pembrokediocese.com Ecclesia: Newsletter of the Diocese of Pembroke May 2021 Pope Francis creates a new ecclesial entity called CHARIS CCRS, FCCCA, CHARIS, does that mean anything to you? Probably not! And yet, it is Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap, Preacher of the Pontifical Household, is the first Iworth being well informed about it, because a new entity created by Pope Francis has Ecclesiastical Assistant according to the Holy Father’s desire. seen the light of day a few years ago and proposes to vivify and stimulate in depth the The Pope strongly desired that the Holy See create CHARIS so that the Charismatic spiritual and evangelizing dimension of the whole Catholic Church. Have I succeeded Renewal and the whole Church may know that the Charismatic Renewal fully belongs in capturing your attention? to the universal Church. On June 8, 2019, Pope Francis delivered a speech to many representatives of the One of the essential aspects that the Holy Father wanted to highlight is undoubtedly Charismatic Renewal gathered in Rome from June 6 to 8. Referring to the idea that the importance of communion, that is, unity in diversity. CHARIS is at the service of Pope Saint Paul VI had shared with the participants of the III International Congress all the charismatic realities of the world, and none of them has priority over the others. of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in 1975, he told them that the Charismatic Renewal In no country can any community, group, organization or movement claim to lead the is “an opportunity for the Church.” Catholic Charismatic Renewal. Indeed, Saint Paul VI had affirmed in 1975 that “the Church and the world need more VN – CHARIS is a new service. Can you explain what is new about it? than ever before that the wonder of Pentecost be continued in history (…) Nothing is more necessary in such an increasingly secularized world than the witness of that Jean-Luc Moens – (…) The Statutes of CHARIS emphasize three dimensions: the ‘spiritual renewal’ which we see the Holy Spirit stirring up today in the most diverse diffusion of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, Christian unity, and service of the poor. regions and environments.”(Address of Pope Paul VI to the participants in the Third These dimensions are at the service of evangelization, in which the Holy Father calls International Congress of Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Friday, May 19, 1975). the Renewal to participate and to which he is committed. At the meeting held in Rome on June 8, 2019, Pope Francis also thanked ICCRS The diffusion of baptism in the Spirit may not seem like a new fact. This is what the (International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services) and the Catholic Fraternity for Charismatic Renewal has been doing since its birth. What is really new today is that having “paved the way” and for having “allowed CHARIS (…) to be a reality today. ” But the Pope himself asks that the baptism in the Holy Spirit be known throughout the what is the purpose of this new entity called CHARIS, and why does the Holy Father Church. He has done so on several occasions in a very clear manner. It is a new step Francis consider it essential for the vitality of the Catholic Church? The following are for the Charismatic Renewal, a challenge that must be taken up in the service of the excerpts from an interview conducted by Vatican News with Fr.