News and Noticeboard

News Roundup March/April 2002

Launch of CAFE

CAFE - Catholic Faith Exploration CAFE (Catholic Faith Exploration) is the brain child of David Payne and the Catholic Evangelisation Services team, who have been producing a whole scries of very successful teaching videos over the last few years with speakers such as Fr Raniero Cantalamcssa OFMCap, the papal preacher and Marcellino D'Ambrosio. The team have now devised a whole process for parishes to use these videos and others specially filmed, to evangelise and equip small groups to develop in their Catholic faith and reach out to others. "Knowing God Better", module one of CaFE, has seven talks by David Payne and is a relaxed and fun introduction to the course, covering God's love, Grace and Forgiveness including mime testimonies, music and opportunities for prayerful reflection. The aim is to run this as a mini parish mission and then use the other CES videos including the latest one "Catholics Making a Difference" (featuring James Mawdsley and Lord David Alton and Cardinal Murphy O'Connor), according to the specific parish circumstances. Cafe training resources include a team training video, leaders' pack and group facilitator's manual. For further information and leaflets explaining about Cafe contact Catholic Evangelisation Services, PO Box 333, St Albans, Herts AL2 1EL. Tel 01727 822837.
web site www.catholicevangel.org

GROWING IN THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS

The Cursillo Movement invited John Vaughan Neil for the second year running to give their members a retreat about the Holy Spirit and the Spiritual Gifts. Fifty people attended the meeting which was held at the Carmelite retreat centre at Boar's Hill, near Oxford. Twenty people had to be turned away. Quite a few people came into speaking in tongues as a result and learnt more about the empowering of the Holy Spirit in various fields of ministry. The event was an example of the growing cross fertilisation between the movements as they seek to learn from each other's strengths.

Canon Jimmy Collins who is the Spiritual Director of Cursillo in the Liverpool area has been a regular speaker at the New Dawn Conference in Walsingham over the last few years. He has a powerful healing ministry and has been instrumental in promoting the use of the charisms within Cursillo.

CHARISM SCHOOLS

Cor Lumen Christi, the Chertsey based lay community founded by Damian Stayne, see one of their roles also to help equip people in the use of the charisms. They have run ten charism schools, over the last couple of years, including one in Poland, and shortly one in Kenya. Damian comments, "we're just trying to do what John Wimber did in the 80's but specifically for Catholics to help equip them to minister in the power of the Holy Spirit and use the spiritual gifts like healing, prophecy and words of knowledge." See coming events for details of upcoming schools.

FIRST NEW DAWN CONFERENCE IN IRELAND

Dates for the New Dawn Conference in Ireland have finally been fixed. The organisers wanted to find dates that would be convenient for Sr Briege McKenna, the religious sister, renowned for her gift of healing and her ministry to priests, and that also wouldn't clash with New Dawn in Walsingham, now in its 16th year. The dates are 4th-7th July and the conference will take place at Resurrexit House in Kildare. Among the speakers with Sr Briege are Fr Kevin Scallon, Fr Chris O'Donnell O'Carm, Fr Jack Finnegan SDB, Fr Michael Ross SDB, Canon Jimmy Collins and Myles Dempsey. Further details from John and Anne Barrett, 18 the Gables, Kill, Co Kildare

EVANGELISM IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

John Vaughan Neil, author of the Life in the Spirit seminar programme," Sons and Daughters of the Living God", ran a training weekend for those interested in running the seminars in their parishes. The weekend was organised by the Northampton Diocesan Service team. About 60 people from all parts of the country attended the day which was held at High Leigh Conference centre at the end of November. Those who would like to put on the seminars or wishing to get hold of the relevant materials should contact Good News Books, 60 Wickstead Avenue, Luton. Tel 01582 571011 or fax 01582 571012.

NOTICEBOARD

THANKS!

"Thank you to all sale and return people and everyone who is working hard trying to promote Goodnews in their parishes and prayer groups. We really need your help if we are to spread the Goodnews. If you want any further information on being a sale or return agent. Please ring me at the office 0207352 5298 or write to me at Goodnews, Allen Hall, 28 Beaufort Street, London SW3 5AA. God bless you!"

Lucia

PRAYER INTENTIONS

For the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the selection of the next Archbishop of Canterbury

All those like Gordon Brown who have lost babies or can't have children, that God would grant them healing and consolation in their sadness.

For the success of the CAFÉ programme in parishes launched by Catholic Evangelisation Services

COMING UP...

Even more people are expected for the evangelism day at the Friends Meeting House in June with John Vaughan Neil, who will be teaching on how to evangelise in the power of the Holy Spirit. (see coming events)