|
NEW DAWN PEOPLE – HOPE FOR THE CHURCH
Kristina Cooper reports on New Dawn which took place
at the national marian shrine at Walsingham 4th-9th August 2008
I felt there was something different about this
year’s New Dawn conference, which attracts about 3000 people every
year. The talks and speakers and liturgies were as good as usual. The
line up included Fr Bob Faricy SJ (USA), back after an absence of a
long time, Michelle Moran and Charles Whitehead (UK), Fr Chris O’Donnell
O Carm (Ireland), Fr John Bashibora (Uganda), Fr Stan Fortuna CFR from
the Bronx, Roy Shoeman, a Jewish convert to Catholicism and FR. Rufus
Pereira (India). I think the difference was more to do with the calibre
of the people and their faith which showed itself in different ways.
Be agents of change
There were some amazing families. One was the Mizens
who have been coming to New Dawn for years, helping out on the family
camp site. This year, however, their contribution was more high profile
as they were invited to address the conference after the traditional
open air Mass at the priory. Barry and Margaret Mizen came to national
prominence in May this year, when their son, Jimmy, joined the catalogue
of statistics of young people killed violently in London, when he died
in an incident in a local baker’s shop. The peace and spirit of
forgiveness they showed touched the press and the nation alike and the
couple shared some of their experiences at the time.
I was particularly struck by Barry’s call on people
to not expect the government to solve the problem of teenage violence,
but that we all had to be agents of change in our communities. When
I spoke to him later, he said, “We are just very ordinary people.”
Maybe they were, but because they were full of the Holy Spirit, when
their moment of testing arrived, they showed how strong and real their
faith was.
For years now, it seems there have been few vocations
to the priesthood and religious life in the UK. One of the factors important
for priestly vocations to flourish is loving and committed Catholic
families. There are an abundance of these at New Dawn and this summer
I met or heard about three boys, who wanted to be priests. The youngest
of these was only five years old and was visiting the Goodnews stall
with his parents. He told me he wanted to be a priest who “had
his house next to the church like Fr Denis”, his own parish priest.
This is the first time in years I have come across so many children
for whom the priesthood was even in the ballpark of career possibilities.
It felt as if something was changing and God was preparing something
new and sowing seeds for the future.
New Dawn has always had a strong international dimension
to it. This is highlighted during the long Masses when the gospel is
read in 4 languages – English, Polish, Czech and Portuguese in
deference to the large groups of pilgrims coming from these countries
– and the offertory procession, which is led by swaying Africans.
These foreign pilgrims are wonderful examples of faith. This year the
Slovak contingent decided they wanted to make coming more of a pilgrimage.
Thus one group flew to Luton and rode the rest of the way by bike, while
another group walked from Standstead to Walsingham on foot. They met
with wonderful hospitality on the way from one old lady who gave them
showers and accomodation in her cottage and an old colonel who let them
camp on his lawn and cooked them breakfast.
Towards the end of the week there were extreme weather
conditions including hail and monsoon type rain causing a flash flood
which ran through the New Dawn camp site bringing havoc. Porta loos
even fell over under the impact of the sudden surge of water. Amazingly
the conference itself was hardly disrupted. Sleeping bags were dried
out and everyone rallied round to help those worst affected. There was
a bit of grumbling, but not much. Once again people were tested and
came through. Charismatics are sometimes disparaged as “happy clappies”,
with the implication that they are superficial in their faith, because
of their joy and love of praising God. It is in times of testing, however,
that people’s true and genuine faith is shown and I felt proud
at the witness of those I saw and felt a surge of hope for the future
of the Church.
For many years the Prince of Peace community have made
New Dawn a donation only conference, to allow those on limited incomes
to come, without embarrassment, and give as they are able. For this
to function, however, it needs those with more to subscribe more than
the ?85 average conference donation needed to cover expenses. This year
not enough money was given to cover the ongoing high costs of the conference,
particularly as £24,000 had to be spent on renewing the site electrics
and a further £13,000 for a grass cutting machine that was destroyed.
The Lord has always provided for the community but this is an anxious
time for them. Those who feel called to help contribute to ensure the
continuation of the conference, should contact them at Prince of Peace
Community, New Dawn, St Emilies, Oakhill Park, Liverpool L13 4BP tel
0151 228 0724 website www.newdawn.org.uk
BIRMINGHAM CONFERENCE
This year’s Birmingham Catholic Charismatic Renewal Conference,
from 11th-15th August, took place once again at the Paragon Hotel in
central Birmingham. The venue is proving a popular one and the conference
was packed and draws not only those from the Birmingham area but from
all over the country. The theme focussed on the person and call of Jesus
“Who do you say I am” and was unpacked by the speakers who
included Fr Pat Collins CM on top form and recently back from his two
year sabbatical in the United States (see Agape Tapes page 29), David
Payne, from Catholic Evangelisation Services, Derek Williams and mime
artist Steve Murry, who gave a talk as well as sharing his arresting
mimes. Other speakers included Ros Powell, Sr Josephine Walsh and Fr
Bill Keogh. As at New Dawn, there was a palpable sense of excitement
and expectation during the conference as if something new is on the
way.
Drawn to Adore
Frances Graham reports on this year’s Welsh Conference
in Lampeter
Our speakers were David Wells (Director for the Department
of formation in the Plymouth diocese) and John Delaney, from Ireland,
who filled in for Joe Dalton, who couldn’t come because his wife
was having an heart operation. John has a deep reverence and love
for the Eucharist and the Blessed Sacrament (I myself have been especially drawn
to the Real Presence this year) and we were brought back
to the basics of our faith. When we have Jesus, we have everything. John
dedicated our Conference and Wales to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
We had Exposition all night every night in the beautiful Chapel
there, and I am sure the blessings from this and the Conference will
spread all over Wales and far beyond.
The word that the NSC had before the Conference from our Irish brethren
was “not to stop listening”, and also that “Wales needed
a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit”, and we certainly experienced
that at Lampeter! During the healing ministry on Wednesday evening
most of us were slain in the Spirit - and there was a feeling of
peace and joy there all week. We feel built up to go forward again to
do God’s work. We are indebted to all the people praying
in Ireland for us and to Marie’s tape on “Prepare ye the Way
of the Lord” which has guided us in Wales too.
Please ask your priests if you can have Exposition in your Parishes
if you don’t already. Please also join with the Welsh NSC
(and across Britain) in prayer and fasting when you can - eg Wednesdays
and/or Fridays and almsgiving. We need people of Intercession. We could
ask the sick and housebound in our parishes to pray too. The NSC Wales is discerning
the next step forward from here and will publish any future events on our
website www.ccrw.org.uk.
Many people have already said that
they felt the Conference was the most Spiritual they’d
attended, and what they needed. I don’t think it was a coincidence
that I was invited to go to the Assisi Pilgrimage Reunion at St Non’s
the following weekend. There the Nehemiah chapter 2 and chapter
4 readings came up again (we had chapter 2 at our
last Conference in North Wales last year) and also both several
times since.
Nehemiah rebuilds the walls of Jerusalem
under many of the difficulties that we face today and that St Francis
of Assisi faced when he heard the words “Rebuild My Church”.
We too are called to use our various gifts for rebuilding, evangelisation
and mission. Another prophecy that came up at this Conference again
is that people are stuck in the bog, and need our help to pull them
out. To do all this we must stay close to Him, put our small
hands in His big hand, (in unity and love for Him and each other), to
draw our strength from the source and be open to His inspirations
for the way ahead.
MICHELLE MORAN IN ROME FOR THE BISHOP’S SYNOD.
We can be very proud that Michelle Moran, the chairperson
of the English NSC, and the President of ICCRS(International Catholic
Charismatic Renewal Services) was chosen as one of the few women to
attend the Bishops’ synod last month in October which reflected
on the Word of God. It is a sign of the growing regard with which the
CCR, as one of the new movements, is held by the Vatican, as well as
a personal affirmation of Michelle’s own giftedness and experience
in evangelisation and leadership formation.
|
PROPHETIC WORDS GIVEN AT ST PETER’S BASILICA
IN ROME 1975
In 1975 the first international gathering of
the Catholic Charismatic Renewal took place in Rome. It proved
to be a seminal event, when the CCR received recognition from
Pope Paul VI who addressed them and told them that the CCR was
“a chance for the Church and a chance for the world.”
At the closing Eucharist on Pentecost Monday there were two now
famous prophecies that were given by Ralph Martin and Bruce Yocum,
two respected prophetic figures and leaders of the Catholic Charismatic
Renewal, which we publish in full below for people to reflect
on at this time.
Because I love you, I want to show you what
I am doing in the world today. I want to prepare you for what
is to come. Days of darkness are coming on the world, days of
tribulation… buildings that are now standing will not be
standing. Supports that are there for my people now will not be
there. I want you to be prepared, my people, to know only me and
to cleave to me and to have me in a way deeper than every before.
I will lead you into the desert… I will strip you of everything
that you are depending on now, so you depend just on me. A time
of darkness is coming on the world, but a time of glory is coming
for my Church, a time of glory is coming for my people. I will
pour out on you all the gifts of my spirit. I will prepare you
for spiritual combat; I will prepare you for a time of evangelism
that the world has never seen… And when you have nothing
but me, you will have everything: land, fields, homes, and brothers
and sisters and love and joy and peace more than ever before.
Be ready, my people, I want to prepare you.” (Ralph Martin).
I speak to you of the dawn of a “new age”
for my Church. I speak to you of a day that has not been seen
before. … Prepare yourselves for the action that I begin
now, because things that you see around you will change; the combat
that you must enter now is different; it is new. You need wisdom
from me that you do not yet have.
You need the power of my Holy Spirit in a way
that you have not possessed it; you need an understanding of my
will and of the ways that I work that you do not yet have. Open
your eyes, open your hearts to prepare yourselves for me and for
the day that I have now begun. My church will be different; my
people will be different, difficulties and trials will come upon
you. The comfort that you know now will be far from you, but the
comfort that you will have is the comfort of my Holy Spirit. They
will send for you, to take your life, but I will support you.
Come to me. Band yourselves together, around me. Prepare, for
I proclaim a new day, a day of victory and of triumph for your
God. Behold it is begun.”(Bruce Yocum)
|
|
|
|
CHARISMATIC PILGRIMAGE TO KNOCK
Over 2000 pilgrims from all over Ireland including
some from the UK and the USA, attended the weekend organised by
the Monaghan prayer group at Knock at the end of August (29th-31st).
The pilgrimage is a result of a prophetic word received by the
prayer group four years ago that “Now is the favourable time”.
The group stepped out and the retreat has grown every year. Speakers
included Fr Ronnie Mitchell, Noel Byrne, Aidan Byrne, John Nolan,
Teresa Lappin and Bernadette Goulding. Next year’s retreat
will be 28th-30th August and the main speaker will be Fr Stan
Fortuna CFR, the famous preaching and rapping Franciscan. For
details look on the website www.mcpg.net
|
|
APOLOGIES TO IRISH READERS
We would like to apologise to the Irish readers
for the very late arrival of their September/October edition of
the Goodnews magazine. Aidan McMorrow from the Nazareth community
who had been distributing the magazine for us for five years,
was unable to continue due to a change in his personal circumstances
and stepped down in March. We were very fortunate in that Sr Bridget
Dunne from Cork, very kindly agreed to take over the task from
him and has been responsible for sending out the last couple of
issues. Unfortunately at the time when she normally would have
been sending out the September/October edition of Goodnews Sr
Bridget, was taken ill while on holiday and did not arrive back
to Ireland until well past the mail out date. We are sorry for
any inconvenience to our readers caused by this and are glad to
report that Sr Bridget is now much better.
|
|
NEW HOME NEEDED FOR THE CHEMIN NEUF COMMUNITY
The Chemin Neuf community, who have been based
at St Gildas in Langport, Sommerset are having to move and are
looking for a new base where they can run retreats and their other
activities. They are looking for a house with between 30 and 45
rooms, including kitchen, dining room and three lounges, one which
could be used as a chapel, and at least two conference rooms which
could accommodate 40-60 people. As one of the new communities,
they have no financial resources to buy a property or pay an expensive
rent, but they would pay all maintenance costs and are trusting
in God’s providence to provide something so they can maintain
their base in the UK.
The community have a particular calling for ecumenism
and marriage support, and their CANA weeks for families are famous
on mainland Europe. They have an Ignatian spirituality and run
various formation courses including those on spiritual direction
as well as providing the possibility for people to do the Ignatian
exercises themselves. Those who feel they might be able to help
them please contact Dominique Ferry, 56 Amershand Road, New Cross,
London SE14 6QE Tel 020 8692 6931
|
|
CaFE goes on the Road!
Because of a number of circumstances the Management
Committee at Catholic Evangelisation Services have made the decision
to cease film making for at least twelve months. This will enable
David Payne, Liesel DeTemple and others to spend time preaching
and training around the country. There seems to be a growing openness
in parishes, schools and dioceses especially after the success
of ‘Believe’ and more recently the ‘Alive in Christ’
DVD that has been sent free to all parishes in the country (and
Australia and New Zealand!)
Parishes and deaneries are booking David to do
one-off CaFE Mission evenings either at the end of a CaFE course
or to kick start a new one. Some parishes are asking for a longer
mission with David, Jenny Baker and Steve Murray each doing a
separate evening with afternoon events also. Liesel and David
are busy promoting CaFE to parishes, deaneries and priests’
conferences. David has also been giving input to Catholic teachers
and staff on Inset days. In all these cases the presentations
will use a mixture of inspirational speaking, DVD clips, buzz
groups and times for prayerful reflection.
If you would like more information about how to
book one of these events please contact CaFE on their new telephone
numbers which are from the UK:
0845 050 9427 (David Payne)
or 0845 050 9428 (Resource enquiries).
From outside the UK the new phone number is:
+44 207 717 9133
Please do continue to pray for CaFE who are planning
to resume filming the CaFE resources later in 2009.
Please don’t forget to promote the new “Alive
in Christ– Making Mission Possible in your Parish” DVD
in your parish. It is designed to inspire and equip fresh mission
both inside and outside the Parish. You can see it on our new
web-site www.faithcafe.org or order a copy from our resource office.
For more information about this or any of the CaFE
resources please contact:
Web-Site: www.faithcafe.org
(contains samples of all the CaFE resources)
and www.youthcafe.org
|
|
FOYER OF CHARITY RETREAT FOR CHARISMATIC LEADERS
The Foyers of Charity, one of the oldest of the
lay movements founded in 1936 by Marthe Robin, the French mystic,
and Fr George Finet, will be sharing the fruits of their charism
in a special way this coming summer at a retreat they are running
for leaders of the Charismatic Renewal and others from 3rd-9th
August at Esker Retreat Centre in Co Galway. The retreat will
be led by Fr Killian Byrne. Those interested should contact the
Irish NSC office in Dublin 00 353 1 6670570.
|
|
FR BERNARD MURPHY AND DAVID PAYNE TO SPEAK AT
TINE
Fr Bernard Murphy, the worldwide head of the Friars
of the Renewal and David Payne, the director of Catholic Evangelisation
Services will be the main speakers at next year’s Tine conference
in Mullingar (30th January – 1st February 2009). Tine seeks
to bring together all Catholic groups in Ireland involved in evangelisation
for mutual upbuilding and support. In July 2009 (4th-19th) the
Tine Network is facilitating a major evangelistic outreach to
the City of Galway which will be called “Reach Out 2009”.
It will be working in a number of parishes undertaking renewal
projects. Those interested in being part of the project should
contact 00 353 57 9333222 or 00 35391 562368.
Those wanting to attend the Tine conference should
visit www.tine-network.org
|
|
JOIN IN A HUNDRED DAYS OF PRAYER FOR OUR LANDS
A hundred days of prayer ending on 1st January
2009, the feast of Mary, the Mother of God, was launched on the
24th September, the feast of Our Lady of Walsingham. Its intention
is to ask for the intercession of the Holy Souls and Our Lady
to pray for a special grace at this time for the Church in England,
Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Two priests have agreed to say 100
Masses each to cover this period with the daily Mass intention
as above. Antonia Moffat whose idea it was says she was inspired
by reading about Archdeacon Cavanar, the parish priest of Knock
in 1879, who had a great devotion to the Holy souls as well as
Our Lady, and said a 100 Masses. This was a time of great suffering
for the people in Ireland and on the 100th day Our Lady appeared.
She comments, “I’m not expected Our Lady to appear”,
but I feel this is an important time to pray for our countries.
Others seem to be joining in round the world and praying for their
countries too.” People, especially the sick and housebound
are invited to participate in whatever way they would like, in
praying for this general intention.
|
|
NEW CHAIRMAN FOR CREW TRUST
Charles Whitehead was for many years the chairman
of the National Service Committee for the Catholic Charismatic
Renewal. In recognition for his services to the CCR he was nominated
a Life Member of the English NSC, and earlier this year he was
elected chairman of the CREW Trust. He takes over from Terry Higham,
who had held the position for many years, who retired in January,
and to whom we owe our grateful thanks for his hard work behind
the scenes.
CREW Trust is the charity that sustains the work
of the English NSC, Goodnews and Catholic Evangelisation Services.
Members are a mixture of NSC members and others who have expertise
in particular areas. They include apart from Charles Whitehead,
Michelle Moran, Tony Harris, Eileen O’Kane from the NSC,
Peter Moran from the Sion Community (a former NSC member), Leona
McHugh (a solicitor and one of the leadership team of Soul Food),
Vincent Turner (a retired Union negotiator and member of the Westminster
Diocesan Service Team), and Quentin Hall (a former Shell business
executive, now a member of the Sion Community).
|
|
THANK YOU!
With the changes underway at Catholic Evangelisation
Services, we say goodbye to several valued helpers. Special thanks
must go to June Palmer, who has retired after many years being
David Payne’s administrative support, also to June’s
husband David Palmer, who has been a Crew Trustee for a long time,
managing the CREW Trust budget and accounts, as well as helping
out both at CES and as a valued member of Goodnews’ editorial
board, which he still continues to do. Since his ordination to
the diaconate last year David has been very busy in his parish
and the diocese. We want to honour and thank them for their contributions
which have helped reach so many parishes round the world with
CES’s excellent Catholic teaching material. We ask God’s
blessing on them for the future.
|
|
