EMMANUEL (IRELAND) ORGANISES IRISH YOUTH TO GO TO WORLD YOUTH DAY
The Emmanuel Community in Ireland, which is linked the community
of the same name in France, has taken responsibility for organising
a large group of young people to attend World Youth Day in Toronto
(17th-30th July). The group will have a week of catechesis in Pittsburg
before flying onto to Toronto. Over 125 young people are going.
LIFE IN THE SPIRIT SEMINARS SUCCESS IN DEPRIVED DUBLIN PARISH
Over a hundred people attended a Life in the Spirit Seminars at the
Holy Spirit parish on the Ballymun estate in Dublin in May and June
this year. This is double the number that usually attend Sunday Mass.
The estate with its high rise flats and high unemployment is one of
the most deprived areas of Dublin. Patricia Mitchell, Irish NSC chairperson,
spoke on the first night and on the fifth. She commented, "It
was really wonderful to see the physical changes in the people in
that month. All the tension and anxiety seemed to have lifted from
their faces."
The seminars were the initiative of curate, Fr Eamon Crossam. The
parish team decided to target in particular the parents of the Holy
Communion and Confirmation children, so they could receive spiritual
formation alongside their children. In preparation for the seminars
the parish team fasted each Tuesday for the seminars and spent 15
minutes in daily prayer for its success. As the parish didn't have
sufficient experience and resources of their own to do the seminars,
all the music, most of the talks and the small group leadership was
provided by the Emmanuel Community in Dublin. The parish priest was
absolutely delighted at the turnout and there are currently discussions
underway as what to do as follow up.
Patricia Mitchell comments, "We have always done the seminars,
but it is significant that now, more and more, the call is coming
from the priests, rather than us suggesting them. It is a sign that
Charismatic Renewal is seen as having something valuable to offer
and the grace of the seminars to bring people to conversion."
IRISH GROUP GOING TO ICCRS EUROPEAN LEADERS CONFERENCE
The Irish NSC is organising a group from Ireland to go to the ICCRS
European Leaders Conference in Czestochowa this autumn (21st-30th
September 2002). They expect about 30 people to be going. Further
details see coming events.
IRISH NSC GROWTH IN THE SPIRIT EVENINGS
The Irish NSC ran a series of growth in the spirit evenings from
November 2001-April 2002, which attracted up to 70 people each evening.
The speakers included Fr Chris O'Donnell O'Carm, Bishop Martin Brennan,
Brendan Lynch and Fr Tony Draper. Patricia Mitchell commented, "We
felt it was important for people to gain a really Catholic understanding
of Church, the Eucharist and ecumenism and many prayer groups don't
have the resources to provide on-going teaching."
EMMANUEL COMMUNITY OUTREACH IN BELFAST AND DUBLIN
The Emmanual School of Evangelisation in Rome sent their students
on an evangelistic outreach to Ireland this Spring. The Emmanuel team
ran a three week parish mission in Belfast and a Pentecost mission
in another parish in the north of Ireland.
NEW IRISH WEB SITE
The Catholic Charismatic Renewal in Ireland now has its own website
maintained by Tim Nichols. The address is
www.ccr-ireland.org
SCOTTISH NEWS
TAKING DAYS OF RENEWAL OUT TO THE PARISHES
The Gilles Centre, the Pastoral Centre for the Edinburgh and St Andrew
Diocese, due to renovations, will be out of action until the New Year
so the local diocesan service team for the Catholic Charismatic Renewal
are taking the opportunity to take their Days of Renewal out to the
parishes. The first one on September 25th will be at the parish of
St Mary and St David in Hawick, 65 miles outside Edinburgh. The Day
will be an introduction to the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, and will
be focused on helping parishoners to understand the blessings of the
baptism in the spirit and the charisms in the Christian life. Future
venues will be Dunfermline and Stirling. Further details in Goodnews.
CHRISTIANS PRAY TOGETHER AT CARFIN, NATIONAL MARIAN SHRINE
Carfin, the Scottish national marian shrine, no longer attracts the
thousands it did in its heyday in the 1950s, when up to 20,000 pilgrims
at a time from Glasgow would process round the gardens and grotto.
But maybe things are changing. In the same way the annual New Dawn
charismatic conference has introduced Walsingham, the English National
marian shrine, to a whole new generation of pilgrims, so the Scottish
Catholic Charismatic Renewal chose Carfin as their venue for their
national conference in June last month. About 500 people came from
all over Scotland - even from as far as Aberdeen. The main speaker
was Fr Jim McManus, who spoke about conversion and the need for us
to convert all the different layers of our personality, including
our thinking and our feelings. In the afternoon there were a selection
of seminars and the concluding Mass was celebrated by Bishop Joseph
Devine of Motherwell. The day, significantly was on the 20th anniversary
of the Pope's visit to Scotland.
Interestingly for a year now a small group of charismatic christians
from all denominations have been meeting on the last Saturday of the
month at the grotto at Carfin at 2pm to pray for renewal and the nation.
Tom Mullen, chairman of the Scottish NSC says, he feels unity and
evangelisation are very much the two main thrusts for the way ahead.
MALTA HELPS SCOTS IN STREET EVANGELISM
Marantha, the Maltese community headed up by Dr John Bonnici Malia,
are hoping to come to Glasgow in July with a street outreach team
of young people from their community. The Glasgow Diocesan Service
Team have felt God has been asking them to go out evangelising on
the streets for a while now and have just been waiting for the right
opportunity which the Maltese community have provided. Contact the
Glasgow Charismatic Office for details 0141 553 1066.
CAFÉ HITTING THE SPOT IN DUNOON
The Catholic Faith Exploration process of small groups and teaching
videos conceived by Catholic Evangelisation Services is working well
in the parish of Our Lady and St Muns in Dunoon, Argyll. The organising
team began with the Alpha course in 2001. Then they followed this
with Exploring the Catholic Church talks by American Marcellino d'Ambrosio,
and then a series on the Scriptures by Australian Mgr Mark Coleridge.
The group run Alpha for newcomers and then for those who have done
Alpha a spiritual growth teaching video on the same night. Everyone
eats together and then the groups separate into their different rooms
to watch the appropriate videos. About 30 people attended the last
course. The registration supper evening for the autumn course is September
4th. See coming events.
NEW WEB SITE FOR SCOTTISH CHARISMATIC RENEWAL
The Scottish NST are putting all their prayer groups on a data base
on the web so people wanting to know where the groups are will be
able to simply click on to find out where their nearest group is.
There will also be an intercession page on which people can ask for
prayer. These will then be forwarded to every prayer group in Scotland.
There will also be general articles about charismatic renewal and
testimonies, which people are invited to send in. For further details
contact NST Communications, c/o Lavery, 10 Somerville Place East,
Dundee, DD3 6JL
COSMAC - NEW EMBRYONIC EVANGELISING COMMUNITY
A network of Catholics committed to evangelisation and training has
emerged as a fruit of the Alpha course in Scotland. Led by Andrew
Brooks, a former seminarian from Dundee, a group of a dozen or so
people, mainly from prayer groups in Tayside but also as far as Fife,
have been reaching out to youth and others. They have organised youth
events and evangelism training days and weekends for parishes and
groups. They promote CAFÉ (Catholic Faith Exploration videos)
in Scotland and are willing to travel to parishes to help them get
started on the process. COSMAC stands for Compassion, Outreach, Sharing
and Sympathy, Mediation, Action and Creativity.
CLIMBING THE MUNROES TO CLAIM SCOTLAND FOR CHRIST
Callum MacFarlane-Barrow, founder Craig Lodge family House of prayer
in Dalmally, with several friends, is in the process of climbing the
284 munroes (peaks over 3000ft)in Scotland as part of an intercessory
campaign for the conversion of Scotland. He prays all the way up and
then places a small cross (from a rosary) on the cairn at the top
of each one, as a symbol committing Scotland to Christ. Between them
the group have climbed 80 peaks since the year 2000. Other climbers
interested in taking part in the project should contact Callum at
Craig Lodge, Dalmallyu, Argyll, Scotland PA33 1AR
ENGLISH NEWS
ALTON DAY OF RENEWAL LOOKS FOR NEW HOME
The Alton Day of Renewal which has been running for 27½ years,
is looking for a new venue as it can no longer meet in the convent
it Alton which has been its home for many years. The last Day of Renewal
there will be in July (see coming events). Their September meeting
with Sr Maria Natella will still co ahead but at different venue.
If the core team don't manage to find suitable premises they will
see this as a sign to finish running the day. Further information
will be in the next issue of Goodnews.
NEW ARUNDEL AND BRIGHTON DAY OF RENEWAL TO START
With the encouragement of Fr Terry Martin, a regular at the Celebrate
Conference, a core team is being formed to plan a Day of Renewal for
the Arundel and Brighton diocese later in the year.
FROM GANGLAND TO PROMISED LAND
Those who have read "The Cross and the Switchblade" and
"Run Baby Run" and think powerful conversion stories only
happen to American evangelicals will be pleased to know that they
happen to English Catholics too. "From Gangland to Promised Land"
tells the story of John Pridmore, who full of anger at his parents'
divorce, slid into a life of petty crime and eventually became a full
blown East End thug by the time he was in his 20s. By a miracle of
grace he experienced conversion and later went on to become a tireless
evangelist for Youth2000, travelling up and down the country, speaking
about God and telling young people his story. His story is frank and
gritty as he shares about his experiences as a criminal and the mindless
violence he was involved in, as well as his struggles once he became
a committed Christian. He comments, "The change doesn't happen
overnight, however. When I first found God, I still carried on smoking
dope, being aggressive and sleeping around. Slowly He changed my life,
but I still struggle, even today." The book which was co-written
by Greg Watts, is published by DLT price £5.95 pluse £1.20
p&p available from Good News Books, 60 Wickstead Avenue, Luton.
Ideal book to give to young people who think Christianity is for wimps
- one word you would certainly never use about this man!
THE ARC DUE TO OPEN IN THE AUTUMN
Fr David Keniry who has been involved in Charismatic Renewal for
many years in the Birmingham diocese has been released by the Bishop
from parish work to head up a new centre for formation and teaching
in Coventry. The Arc, as it will be called, is to be a place of healing
and refreshment for those involved in ministry and a place where the
charismatic gifts will be used. The former convent in Potters Green,
which used to house the Faith Alive Mission Team, some years ago,
has been totally refurbished and will open sometimes in the autumn.
Fr Keniry has had a sabbatical to prepare himself for this new ministry
which has been on his heart for many years.
SR MARIA NATELLA STEPS DOWN FROM ENGLISH NSC
Sr Maria Natella OP, the Dominican sister, who has been on the English
NSC for several years, has stepped down to concentrate more on her
work for her religious community. The Community, the Dominicans of
St Joseph, which is based at St Dominic's Priory in the New Forest
near Lymington, is a new one seeking to return to a radical living
out of the vision of St Dominic of contemplation and preaching. The
sisters wear a full length traditional habit, pray the full office
and have a common purse relying on divine providence for their needs
rather than having paid jobs outside the community. While many orders
are having difficulty getting vocations, Sr Maria's community, despite
being very small, like the Franciscan Friarys of the Renewal, seems
to be attracting a lot of new vocations. For further details contact:
St Dominic's Priory, Shirley Holms Road, Lymington, Hants SO41 8NH
FIONA HENDY NEW MEMBER ON ENGLISH NSC
Fiona Hendy, the leader of the House of the Open Door Community in
Worcestershire, has joined the English National Service Committee.
She will be following a family tradition as her father Roy Hendy,
the founder of the House of the Open Door Community was a member of
the NSC for a decade. Fiona has been one of the organisers of Network,
the network of younger English leaders to have emerged from the communities
and ministries of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. She is particularly
known for her gifts in leading worship and the prophetic ministry.
WORLD YOUTH DAY IN SOHO
For those who can't make it to Toronto for World Youth Day, Fr Alexander
Sherbourne, the parish priest of St Patrick's Church in Soho, London
is hoping to organise a mini event in the same spirit for young people
in London. There will be liturgies, prayer vigils and talks and they
are also hoping to perform the musical Joshua ( the story of the Good
Shepherd) performed in Rome for the World Youth Day in 2000 by the
young people of the Emmanuel community.
NEW SCHOOL OF EVANGELISATION IN SOHO
Fr Alexander Sherbrooke, the parish priest of St Patrick's is also
hoping to set up a new residential school of evangelisation called
St Patrick's School of Mission, helped by Marie Barbieri from the
Emmanuel Community. This will be a residential course for young adults
between 20-35 years who want to give a year of their lives to learning
how to evangelise and to reach out to the spiritually and materially
poor of the inner city. The course, which begins in October 2002 will
finish in June 2003. The course includes a study of the Catholic faith,
Scripture, formation in Spirituality and prayer and training in evangelistic
outreach.
THE CARDINALS ON EVANGELISATION
Nine cardinals have been invited by the theology department of St
Mary's College, in Twickenham, Surrey to come and share their thoughts
on the theme of evangelisation and mission, in a series of lectures
this autumn. Cardinal Napier from Durban in South Africa has already
given one talk in the series on Community serving Humanity. The Cardinals
who will be coming are Cardinal McCarrick (3rd September), Cardinal
Murphy-O'Connor (11th October),Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan (21st October),
Cardinal Arinze (4th November), Cardinal Connell (11th November),
Cardinal Puljic (18th November),Cardinal Stafford (9th December),
Cardinal Daly (3rd March 2003). Topics to be covered include Authority
in Church and in Society, The Parish and a Spirituality of Communion
and The Urgency of Proclamation in a World of Religious and Cultural
Plurality. Cost for an individual lecture is £5 and for the
whole series of nine is £30. Entry is by ticket only. For further
details contact Fr Michael Hayes, St Mary's College, Waldegrave Road,
Twickenham TW1 4SX
YOUTH OUTREACH TO THE EAST END OF LONDON
SPECeast is a new outreach of the SPEC Centre, the Westminster diocese
youth ministry, based at All Saints Pastoral Centre, London Colney.
As well as their ongoing retreat and school mission work, the SPEC
Centre has sent Cleo Jones and Lee Caddick, two of their experienced
full time workers to establish a new base in Tower Hamlets in the
East End. The new community will based at a former Infant School which
closed down due to the low attendance roll. SPECeast will work with
young people from all backgrounds and help with spiritual and educational
and social needs. Promoting racial tolerance and good community relations
is a priority and Cleo and Lee have spent the last year in building
relationships with the local community. For more details about this
contact 2 Lukin Street, Commercial Road, London E10
POCKET GOSPELS
Do you want something handy to read in your pocket. CTS (Catholic
Truth Society) have just published the four gospels (New Jerusalem
version) as single editions for just £1 each. Each gospel has
an attractive cover, largish print and an introduction by the Benedictine
scripture scholar, Henry Wansbrough. Over the last few years CTS have
had a complete revamp and their booklets are sparky and well produced
and affordable. If your parish doesn't have a CTS stall any more it
would be well worth contacting them and starting one. CTS, 40-46 Harleyford
Road, London SE11 5AY.
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NOTICEBOARD
CONGRATULATIONS to MGR MARK COLERIDGE, regular speaker at Celebrate
and one of the stars of the Catholic Evangelisation Services
video series, who has just been nominated auxiliary bishop in
Melbourne. One of the Pope's speechwriters working in the Secretariat
of State he proved to have an amazing gift for communication,
which we in England greatly benefited from. He left Rome at
the end of May to take up his duties in Australia, which means
he won't be able to attend the New Dawn conference as he had
planned. Our loss, the Aussies' gain!
CONGRATULATIONS to FR MIKE GWINNELL, one of the first Catholic
priests in England to be involved in the Catholic Charismatic
Renewal, who this year celebrates his Golden Jubilee to the
priesthood. Fr Mike who is from the Southwark diocese retired
from parish life this year, but is still active giving talks.
He is also one of the main organisers of the New Dawn conference
and the chaplain to FOND (Friends of New Dawn).
THANKS for all their pioneering hard work to JOAN and MICHAEL
LE MORVAN, the founders and directors of the Catholic Bible
School, near Chichester, who retired this summer. The Catholic
Bible School, which is a lay initiative, was set up by the couple
in 1989 after Joan received a prophetic word from God about
the importance of Catholics knowing the scriptures. For more
than a decade it has run a whole range of residential and long
distance learning courses on scripture, counselling and spiritual
direction as well as bi-annual study trips to the Holy Land.
Their work will be continued by Geoff and Gina Poulter, who
have been working alongside them for the last year, and the
community of volunteers which has grown up over the years to
support the ministry.
PLEASE PRAY for ENDA DEVINE and FELICITY HENDERSON, the new
chairman and vice-chairman of the London Day of Renewal. Numbers
have been falling over recent years, and the high costs for
the day were putting its long term future in doubt until the
committee received a mystery donation, which they see as a real
confirmation from God to continue. Their vision is to increase
the emphasis on the charisms and generally being more open to
the Spirit for the format of the Day rather than sticking to
the timetable they have been doing over the past few years.
Also pray for DOM BENEDICT HERON OSB, chaplain for the day and
author of several books on the healing ministry, who has been
ill and not able to minister for over a year.
ARE YOU GOING TO UGANDA THIS SUMMER? Would you be prepared
to take some Christian books out in your luggage for an Ugandan
priest there? If so please contact Martin Mason, who will be
going to the Ugandan New Dawn Conference in August and needs
help transporting books he hopes to take.
PRAYER FOR THE CONVERSION OF ENGLAND: Antonia Moffet, a laywoman
living in Walsingham, is spearheading an intercessory campaign
to pray for the conversion of England. She has got together
with Peter Hutley the owner of the Wintershall Estate, Miles
Dempsey of the New Dawn conference, and Fr Cyril Thomas from
Liverpool to have 100,000 cards of the old PRAYER FOR ENGLAND
printed to make them more cost effective. The cards which are
beautifully produced have a picture of Our Lady of Walsingham
on the back and cost £5 for 200 plus postage.
WANTED MEN WHO LIKE WALKING!
Roman Catholic men who like walking, are invited to join in
WALK WESSEX in May next year 3rd-25th, an ecumenical Christian
outreach particularly to men led by Rev Daniel Cozens. Homes
are also needed to host the walkers who next year will walk
through Hampshire preaching the gospel. Groups do as much or
as little as they want and the organisers reckon they need about
2500 participants to cover the mission, which is part of the
Walk of a Thousand Men initiative. More details to come in future
issue of Goodnews, but those who are interested can also contact
Through Faith Missions, 73 High Street, Coton, Cambridge, CB3
7PL
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