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What is the Spirit Doing?
The Holy Spirit speaks through prophetic words but he also shows what He is doing by raising up ministries, communities and events to meet the needs of the Church in our Isles today. In the following pages we mention some of these with their contact details.
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- NEW RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES - One of the signs of the Spirit in recent years has been the raising up of new radical religious communities with an emphasis on prayer and evangelisation. Below are two of the best known in the UK |
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Franciscan Friars of the Renewal The community of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal was begun in 1987 in the Bronx, New York by a group of Capuchin Franciscans desiring to work for both personal and communal renewal and the reform of the Church as called for by the Second Vatican Council. We do this by living a traditional religious life which includes daily Mass, praying the Liturgy of the Hours and Eucharistic adoration, and through our mission of evangelisation and free service to the poor. It is our sincere hope that, despite our inconsistencies and weaknesses, we may be a prophetic witness of Christ’s teaching that life is a pilgrimage of committed faith, trusting hope, and effective love of God and neighbour through the work of the Holy Spirit. We arrived in the East End of London in June 2000 to serve the needs of the poor and have been very active since then in numerous preaching activities (eg Youth2000, Bright Lights, New Dawn, parish missions and youth evangelisation). In September 2005 we opened our second friary in Bradford to continue our mission there. We also have lay friends who help us with our work.
For more details visit www.franciscanfriars.com or contact: St Fidelis Friary, Killip Close, London E16 1LX Tel 020 7474 0766 and St Pio Friary, Sedgefield Terrace, Bradford BD1 2RU. Tel 01274 721 989
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The Dominican Sisters of St. Joseph In August 1981 five Dominican sisters in England, inspired by the book “Renewal” by Paul Hinnebush OP from the St Joseph Province in America began a process of rediscovering the original charism of their order. The aim was as a small community to live the Dominican spirituality with a special emphasis on its contemplative dimension and to carry out an apostolate which would flow from that. This eventually evolved into a new religious Dominican community, officially recognised in 1994. Our journey has been full of stories of God’s intervention, protection and providence along the way. We now have our own priory in the New Forest, and have built a beautiful freestanding oak chapel and a two storey extension to cope with the continual stream of new people coming. Some of whom have stayed and some left, and of the original five sisters, only one is still with us, but the enthusiasm for “authentic Dominican life” and the zeal to serve the Church lives on in those who have joined over the years. At present we run a retreat house and are actively engaged in the preaching ministry both in the priory itself and around the country. As a community we are very much involved in the spiritual formation of all ages, individuals and groups. We have found over the years that the door of preaching often leads to individuals coming forward and expressing their need for inner healing which as a community we take very seriously and provide individual ministry as well as running retreats with inner healing as the main theme.
For more information visit www.dominicansrs.co.uk or contact St Dominic’s Priory, Shirly Holms Road, Lymington, Hants SO41 8NH Tel 01590 681874 |
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- COVENANT LAY COMMUNITIES -
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Craig Lodge Craig Lodge was formerly a successful shooting and fishing lodge owned by Calum and Mary Anne MacFarlane-Barrow. In 1982 their daughter Ruth, theirs sons Magnus and Fergus and four other teenagers went to Medjugorje and returned converted. Their parents followed their footsteps and also returned converted. Our Blessed Mother prompted them to turn their hotel into a House of Prayer which they did. The spirituality of the community is centred on the Eucharistic Jesus and the putting into practice of the monthly messages of Our Lady from Medjugorje. The Charismatic Renewal came to the community in 2001 from which it has received innumerable charisms and now holds a weekly charismatic prayer meeting in the house on Wednesdays. The Scottish International Relief is the main outreach of the community and it is working in Peru, Lebanon, India and Colombia. It also launched Mary’s Meals as part of this. In Malawi alone 100,000 meals are given to children daily, together with an opportunity to go to school as part of the ministry. The Community runs regular residential retreats at the house and bi-annual retreats for young people.
For further details of their work and retreats contact Craig Lodge, Family House of Prayer, Dalmally, Argyll, PA33 1AR Tel 01838 200216 or visit www.craiglodge.org Divine Love Community The Abbey Prayer Group started in Erdington, Birmingham in 1984. A group of people had been converted through Billy Graham, and after doing the follow up sessions about the basic truths of our faith they wanted to carry on meeting. So we then did the Life in the Spirit seminars with them. Then they continued to meet as a prayer group. As they had been converted they were keen to evangelize others, so we started Street Evangelization. A year later some members of this prayer group decided to form a community. Thus the Divine Love Community was formed. Later we were given a house. The Community and some of the members of the prayer group did door to door evangelization as well as singing and giving testimonies in the street. We did missions in a number of Parishes and invited people to come to Life in the Spirit Seminars. They then formed prayer groups. We helped them until their own leaders arose. We gave missions in other parts of Britain as well as our own diocese. We also started giving healing services as so many people were going to the spiritualists for healing. In 1993 we went on mission to Hungary for two weeks and in 1995 we acquired a Retreat Centre in Hungary. Since then we have done missions in Poland and Romania. In Romania we run a soup kitchen. We hope to train more people to be apostles i.e. to preach the Gospel and heal the sick. For more information tel. 0121 384 5002
Emmaus Family of Prayer In 1975 Dave and Maureen Grimley, Harold and Barbara Glover and Archie and Cathy Cameron and a group ran the first Life in the Spirit Seminars in the Southport area. Many lives were changed and new decisions for Christ made. One of the fruits of this was that Dave and Maureen and Cathy and Archie decided to sell their homes and with their young families live together in Christian community. In 1976 they moved into a big old house in York Road, Birkdale on the feast of the Triumph of the Cross. Archie comments, “We had no fixed model or ministry nor did we need one. We simply had our trust in God that if we were open , God would bring good out of any and all circumstances.” As more and more people committed themselves to this simple trust in God, they were able to reach out to others in evangelisation. In the years that followed many areas of ministry developed led by different members of what became known as the Emmaus Family of prayer. These included, weekly prayer gatherings, running the Life in the Spirit Seminars, A drop in ministry for the homeless in Southport, prison ministry, a magazine, running a retreat centre, days of renewal, monthly Agape masses, conferences and the Irenaus Project and Agape Ministries which records and distributes talks on spirituality. Each of these ministries has been used by the Lord for a time and then changed or adapted. After 25 years York Road was sold and Dave and Maureen and Cathy and Archie live in different homes, but they are still united in their simple trust in God and their commitment to the gospel and work of the Spirit in the world today. For more information contact: 58 Marshside Road, Southport, PR9 9TH Tel 01704-224286
Source Group Based in High Wycombe, The Source Group rose from the ashes of a battle re-enactment group ‘The Brotherhood of the Axe’ in the early nineties. The weapons may have changed but that first wakening of a call to community still challenges us. Our vision is for the battle, survival and revival of the Church, (Ezekiel 37). Our campaign ministry is - cell group discipleship supported by communal worship. As individuals, we serve the Church locally and beyond as we feel called, honing our weapons and watching the hills…
Website www.faithandfriendship.org.uk
Prince of Peace Community The Prince of Peace Community was established in 1985, building on 10 years’ experience of non-residential community centred on the family home of Joan and Myles Dempsey, a married couple in SE London. The aim is to promote “love at the heart of Mother Church”, seeking to deepen the spiritual life of every individual through personal prayer, group prayer, retreats, seminars, teaching sessions, healing ministry, Eucharistic services and development of a special style of religious pilgrimage/conference “New Dawn” which has attracted 2-3 thousand participants to Walsingham annually for over 20 years. Recently New Dawn has spread overseas to Africa and elsewhere where much larger numbers gather. We are especially called to encourage lay spirituality.
For further details contact: Prince of Peace, St Emilies, Oakhill Park, Liverpool L13 4BP. Tel 0151 2280724. Website: www.princeofpeace.org.uk
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Cor et Lumen Christi
If you would like more information about attending or hosting one of our events please either call us on 01932 565747 (Surrey) or 01697 345623 (Cumbria). Full details of our life, events and ministries can be found at www.coretlumenchristi.org
Pilgrims' Community
Website: www.pilgrimscommunity.com
House of the Open Door HOD is an ecumenical lay residential community with about 25 adult members. There are five families, six members who are ‘Single for the Lord’ and six European members.
The Community began in the family home of Roy and June Hendy who became involved in the Charismatic movement in 1976. Their extended family moved to a dilapidated tenement building in Slough in 1978. They were joined by families and single people in the early eighties, and a pattern of daily prayer, family life and shared resources was established. Our main purpose has always been to live together as family. Out of this shared lifestyle, various ministries developed including music and drama, teaching and preaching, evangelisation in schools and prisons and a discipleship course (Crossroads Community). Since moving to the Cotswolds in 1989 there has been an increased focus on youth work and outreach to Europe. The Retreat Centre has become a major ministry and source of income. We also run a small farm. We have a small chapel where we have daily prayer, communion and weekly Mass. Recently we were granted the status of ‘An Association of Christ’s Faithful’ in the Archdiocese of Birmingham. For further details contact: House of the Open Door Community, Childswickham House, Childswickham, Broadway, WR12 7HH Tel 01386 852084 Website: www.houseoftheopendoor.org
Spirit of truth community We are a small Catholic lay community made up of families and single Christians, mostly Catholics. Fr David Keniry is our spiritual director. We began as a youth prayer group in 1988. The leaders and youth went to a Faith Alive Camp, we then began a youth camp at Hilton and shortly after we prayed for a name, the Holy Spirit gave two of us on the same day, in different places, the same name – Spirit of Truth. Our initial vision was to evangelise children and youth. We ran the weekly prayer group and youth camps and then about 8 years ago, we began the Family camps. Our vision is to evangelise families, and our main mission presently is the annual Family Camp. During the year we pray for and support each other, intercede for others and prepare for camps. Our weekly prayer begins with prayer and sung worship, we pray before the Blessed Sacrament, have a time of intercession and pray the evening prayer of the Church. We have a specialised evening for children alternate Fridays, this is a time of growth and discernment for us as we have changed both the structure and day of the meetings from Sunday to Friday. The recognisable fruit seems to be produced through the camps – families learning how and being inspired to pray together is perhaps a major fruit. We are not always aware of what is developing through the community, but we know that God is doing something different in each individual family, we simply try to provide the ethos, prayer and hospitality and place for people to draw closer to Jesus and each other. We recognise that we are in need of further teaching and presently praying for that to be put into place. Further details of camp and other activities contact: Spirit of Truth Community, Hilton House, Cranebrook Land, Hilton, Nr Lichfield WS14 OHA Tel 01543 480428
Sion Community Sion Community came into being as a Parish Mission Team drawn together in 1983 by Fr Pat Lynch, a priest of the Nottingham diocese. This original team would be the nucleus of a developing Community, charismatic in ethos and spirituality, and motivated by a desire to bring a lively faith to others. Sion Community works predominantly in the Catholic setting, encouraging a new openness to the Spirit; offering the challenge of a more personal commitment to Christ; and promoting a Vatican II vision of the Church. The Community is now located in five bases, the most recently established base being in Ireland. Membership is made up of priests, married couples, families and single people. Young people are invited to take up a gap-year opportunity to experience community life and work on mission, and volunteers can also be trained to participate in one-off missions.
For info call: 01277 215011. |
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Cor
et Lumen Christi Community was founded in 1990 and comprises of both
residential and non residential members. The community owns two large
community centres, one in Chertsey, Surrey and the other in Wigton,
Cumbria. These provide a home for the residential members as well as
being centres for the whole community’s meetings and activities.
The community can be described as Charismatic and contemplative with
a Eucharistic heart. We seek to live a radical prophetic lifestyle inspired
by the life of Christ and the New Testament communities proclaiming
the word of God in the power of the Holy Spirit. By God’s grace
this ministry has taken us to four continents. Our ministries include:
The Charism School, Catholic Miracle Rallies, Ministry days for Families,
prayer meetings and evenings of renewal, Philip Course, Andrew and Barnabas
Sessions, ministry to women, evening Healing Rallies, the Night of Light
initiative, our annual Autumn Conference and various other retreats,
training schools and conferences. 
A
Community centred on Christ for the New Evangelisation. The Pilgrims’
Community, originally called ‘Nottingham Pilgrims’, was founded
in 1989 by Fr. Jonathan Cotton, a priest of the Diocese of Nottingham,
and Sister Angela Murphy, a Presentation Sister. The Pilgrims serve
the ‘new evangelisation’ in the Catholic Church by running
parish evangelisation courses from the KE KA KO School of Evangelisation
[e.g. Philip Course, Paul Course etc.]. They intend to re-start their
gap year youth mission team as soon as possible, training the team in
community living, discipleship and kerygmatic proclamation of the Gospel.
They see the establishment of small faith sharing/mission groups and
Parish Evangelisation Teams as a way of renewing the Church. 
- INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITIES IN UK & IRELAND -
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Chemin Neuf Chemin Neuf was founded in France (Lyon) in 1973. It is an apostolic, Roman Catholic community with an ecumenical vocation in which there are members of Roman Catholic Anglican, Reformed, Evangelical, and Orthodox Churches. Its members are single or married men and women, lay people and ordained, living in community houses, or in their own home. Its spirituality is marked both by St Ignatius of Loyola and the Charismatic Renewal. It has 1300 members in about 25 different countries and has been in England since September 1999.
The Community is offering Marriage and Family ministry (CANA weeks and formation weekends), discipleship course over weekends or for 3 months residential, Spiritual Accompaniment training courses (days or weekends), inner healing retreats (3 days), Ignatian guided retreats (1 week) and individually guided retreats (on request). It also animates, through monthly videos, a network of local groups praying and working for Christian Unity and Peace (Net for God: 15000 people in over 50 countries and more than 20 languages). The Chemin Neuf Community, St Gildas Christian Centre, Langport, Somerset TA10 9QF Tel: 01458 250 496, Fax: 01458 251 293.
Alabaré Christian Community The Alabaré Christian Community (Spanish for ‘I will praise’) was founded by John & Alicia Proctor in 1984. The original vision was a community challenged to live a life more closely centred on the Gospel, encouraging Christians of all denominations to work and pray together in order to be a more effective witness to their faith in Jesus Christ. After 10 years the Community wrote its rule and became a Covenant Community developing a greater emphasis on working with the vulnerable and marginalised. In 1991 they founded a sister charity Alabar? Christian Care Centres to develop their work with the homeless and there are now more than 35 projects across the South West also working with women leaving the sex industry, ex offenders, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, young peoples’ services, residential and day care services and also with communities of adults with learning difficulties. In November 2005 Bishop Declan Lang inaugurated the Alabar Catholic Fellowship, a branch of the Community, as an Association of Christ’s Faithful in Canon Law in the Diocese of Clifton. We currently have 11 covenant members, 4 associate members and 10 young people in Alabaré Youth.
For further info visit our website www.alabare.org |
Couples for Christ Couples for Christ (CFC) is an evangelistic and missionary community for Families led by the Holy Spirit and renewing the face of the earth. We are an integral part of the Catholic Church. CFC started with a few couples in the Philippines, but now has spread to 158 countries including the United Kingdom. For our mission we exist to share the good news of salvation and liberation in Christ with the whole world. It includes all ages from the cradle to the grave. For 2007 we are taking the theme of HOPE. We continue to seek the Lord in prayer, the Bible, our community and the face of the poor. We are called to holiness and to serve God. CFC is a way of life, it’s pro God, pro-life, pro-poor and pro family. We aim in the next 5 years to be fully integrated in parish based activities and continue with global evangelisation. We are focused on building strong and vibrant Christian communities throughout the world. Website: www.cfcglobal.org
Emmanuel The Emmanuel Community is an association of Catholics of all states of life: lay people, both married and single; men and women consecrated in celibacy; and priests. The Community was founded in Paris in 1976 by two lay people, Pierre Goursat and Martine Lafitte. Today there about 7000 members of the community in 70 different countries on 5 continents.
The main charisms of the Community are Adoration, Compassion and Evangelisation. We try to stay close to Jesus in the Mass, prolonged by silent adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Jesus’s love which overflows in us from this contact with His Presence, can flow to others whom we contact. Our love for our fellow men and women is expressed in care for both their material and spiritual needs. The greatest poverty is not to know God. The Community uses many forms of evangelisation : personal contact, street evangelisation, prayer groups, magazines, missionary congresses, parish missions, evangelisation evenings, and large gatherings (eg at Paray-le-Monial, Altötting, etc.) Compassion inspires Community work in disadvantaged areas, the third world, and in many practical expressions of love towards those around us.
SHALOM Community Click here for more details |
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- SWORD OF THE SPIRIT COMMUNITIES - The Sword of the Spirit is an international ecumenical community of communities. It is made up of local covenant communities, communal groupings like brotherhoods and sisterhoods, mission teams and organizations, and evangelistic outreaches and movements that share a life together as brothers and sisters in the Lord and seek to serve the Lord. |
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The Community of the Risen Christ - Glasgow The Community of the Risen Christ from Glasgow is a Catholic Charismatic Community recognized by the Catholic Church. We were formed 25 years ago in 1981 with our roots in Catholic Charismatic Renewal and are part of the Sword of the Spirit ,an International body of Communities. The Community have had a steady growth and numerically have 70 adult members and 46 sixteen year olds and below. Our ethos is supporting each other in personal holiness,family life, bringing children into adulthood with a strong understanding of the Catholic Faith. We work in the Catholic Schools and our youth teams work in the universities. We also lead a parish based youth outreach for 10 to 14 year olds and support the adult education programmes in the Archdiocese of Glasgow Currently we are teaching Life in the Spirit Seminars, adult and youth. Our single people do mission work in Europe and Africa.Our target is to enlarge our Community and plant other similar Communities in Scotland. For further information contact 20 Belleisle Street, Crosshill, Glasgow G42 8HJ. Tel.: 0141-423-3445 Website: www.risenchrist.org.uk
In the late 1970’s, the ground for an ecumenical community was prepared by a priest involved in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Fr. Pat Egan. He opened contacts with Catholic and Anglican bishops which resulted in a joint invitation from the bishops to start an ecumenical community in London. In 1979 a dozen people were sent to London from other
Sword of the Spirit Communities to form Antioch. In the autumn of 1979
the community held its first Life in the Spirit Seminar at the Verona
Sisters in Chiswick. It was attended by some Protestants and Catholics,
and many of these a few years later were among the first to make initial
or “underway” commitments to the community. As the Lord said
through the prophet Jeremiah, “I know the plans I have for you,
plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and
a future.” After 28 years together we have discovered the truth
of those words, we have experienced so much grace and favour. Thank
you Lord. |
Community of Nazareth The Community of Nazareth is a lay Catholic Covenant community that was founded in 1984 with 25 adult members. As a community of disciples on mission its call is to help others come to know and experience in a fuller way the abundant life that Christ offers. Members do not live in common, but in their own home situations. Life together is facilitated in that most members live in south county Dublin. There are regular small group meetings most weeks and Community gatherings twice a month. The community has a strong formation programme for 7-17 year olds that meets weekly and involves bible study, catechetics and teachings about having a Christian way of life. There is a youth camp every year. The Community is involved in various outreach activities: The Nazareth Family Institute runs marriage preparation courses for young couples and community members lead CaFE programmes both in parishes and in their own homes. Small cell groups are organized for women who desire Christian support but who are unable to make a full commitment to the community covenant. Community members are also very involved on a professional level in the Pro-Life movement and Catholic family planning. This community is part of the Sword of the Spirit a “community of communities”, an ecumenical association comprised of more than 65 communities in 24 countries. The Community of Nazareth is a transgenerational group made up of married couples, families, and single persons, where children, parents, and grandparents can serve together. At present the community is made up of some 90 adult members and more than 80 children. Website: http://nazarethcommunity.org/
Charis Community An ecumenical Community founded in 1976, it has 100 adults plus children. Its vision is to build bridges between Catholics and Protestants. Runs youth outreaches in west Belfast. and works with students. For further details contact Goodnews Office |
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“Be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish each other, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God." Among the most significant ways that the people
will encounter the Catholic Charismatic Renewal is one of the many
family conferences that take place during the holidays, when people
of all ages can receive spiritual teaching and refreshment in their
faith to help to equip them to live the Christian life today. |
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Celebrate Celebrate is a Holiday conference for Christians of all ages that is based at the John Fowler Holiday Camp in Ilfracombe in Devon over the Easter break. About 1500 people attend every year and the conference is always booked out very quickly. Most of the participants are Catholics but there is a strong ecumenical openness and welcome for Christians of other traditions, as the organisers, Charles and Sue Whitehead and their team, believe we have much to learn from each other and share. The vision has spread to two other countries – Austria and the Netherlands – where the idea has been adapted to their local situation. The vision is to offer a spring event, combining good Christian teaching and celebration with an opportunity to enjoy a short break after the winter, which is a refreshment for body, mind and spirit for all the family. There is a great emphasis on creativity, and as well as main talks, daily liturgy and bible teaching, there is a huge selection of workshops that deal with everything from Christian business management to praying for healing, and Christian dance. The conference is known for its excellent provision for children and young people and over 40% of the conference is under 23 years old.
Now in its 14th year, if you would like to be there in 2008 write to Holly Trees, Bull Lane, Chalfont St Peter, SL9 8RZ. Website: www.celebrateconference.org
New Dawn
For further details contact: New Dawn Conference, St Emilies, Oakhill Park, Liverpool L13 4BP - Tel: 0151 228 0724 Website: www.newdawn.org.uk
The Birmingham Conference takes place during the second week of August at the Parragon Hotel in central Birmingham. It is residential but also draws local day visitors. Its strong charism of praise and worship regularly attracts 400 plus people from all over Britain, Ireland and Europe to return year after year. A family conference, it offers sound Catholic teaching from renowned international speakers, who in the past have included Sr Nancy Kellar, Ralph Martin, Charles Whitehead, Fr Pat Collins and Patti Mansfield. An intimate conference it is known for its fellowship and laughter. It has a small separate youth track for young people and children. Contact: 27 Heathgreen Close, Chelmsleywood, Birmingham B37 6UH tel 0121 603 3842.
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Campers Renewal Campers’ Renewal, which takes place every summer, has had a variety of locations over the years including Ushaw, Topcliffe and Colomendy in Wales. The current location is Queen Ethelburga’s College near York, where there are facilities for both campers and B&B. About 200 people come every year which creates a family feel. There is a mix of social and spiritual activities including talks, small groups, Mass, Healing Service as well as youth groups, a crèche, children’s ministry, barn dances and barbecues etc. The emphasis has always been on keeping costs down so families can afford to come. For details write to 9 Carr Wood Way, Calverley, Leeds, LS 28 5UE
Springs Camp Another week long small family style camp which takes place at the end of July at St Mary’s Wycliffe in Co Durham, near Barnard Castle. The parish where the camp is based is one of the few in the Catholic Church which is run collaboratively by a lay couple and the parish priest from Richmond who celebrates Mass twice a week for the campers. The young people traditionally prepare lunchtime sandwiches, while a group of volunteers cook the evening meal for everyone. A combination of talks, worship, healing and reconciliation services etc as well as plenty of activities for children. For further details contact Goodnews Office
Weekend Conferences WALK’IN HOPE conference takes place during the late spring over a weekend at Blackfriars Hall in Newcastle upon Tyne city centre. It is now non-residential and there are talks, praise and worship, Mass, healing services etc. The music is provided by teenagers from the Inner Sanctum music group. About 300 people attend. For further details tel: 07932 501172 NORTHERN CATHOLIC CONFERENCE The inspiration of Frankie Mulgrew, Lord David Alton and Fr Jimmy Collins. It is non-residential and takes place at the Floral Hall in Southport on the North West coast. About 600-800 people attend. There is the usual mix of talks, praise and worship, workshops, Mass and prayer for healing. For details tel: 01254 826463 HEREFORD CONFERENCE takes place annually at St Mary’s School in Lugwardine, near Hereford. A couple of hundred people attend the conference. The music is provided by a group of people of all ages. It is non-residential. Contact White’s Farm, Brooms Green, Dymock GL18 2DP Tel 01531 890471
Other National Local Conferences
The Glasgow Diocesan Service Team for CCR runs regular teaching days and weekends throughout the year For details contact their office at St Mary’s RC Church, Abercrombie Street, Glasgow G40 2DQ tel 0141 575 4561
The Scottish NSC also organises bi-annually a national weekend for those involved in CCR. Details from: , 10 Sommerville Place East, Dundee DD3 6JL tel 01382 203 269
THE IRISH NATIONAL CONFERENCE takes place in late spring/early summer in Athlone in the centre of Ireland. About 1000 people attend. For details contact the Prayer Centre, 22 Salmon Weir, Hanover Street, Cork Tel 021 42 70362
THE LIMERICK CONFERENCE takes place over a weekend in the autumn. Non-residential. For details contact the Prayer Centre, 22 Salmon Weir, Hanover Street, Cork Tel 021 42 70362
THE WATERFORD CONFERENCE takes place in the early autumn. Some people stay residentially, others are day visitors. For details contact the Prayer Centre, 22 Salmon Weir, Hanover Street, Cork Tel 021 42 70362
THE DERRY CONFERENCE takes place every two years in the Spring. It is organised by the Derry Diocesan Service Team.(see coming events in Goodnews for dates and details). For details contact the Prayer Centre, 22 Salmon Weir, Hanover Street, Cork Tel 021 42 70362 |
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The
New Dawn conference started in 1987 through a prophetic word given to
Myles Dempsey. It takes place annually at the marian shrine of Walsingham
in Norfolk during the first week of August. Organised by the Prince
of Peace Community and a host of volunteers, it attracts up to 3000
people who either camp, rent cottages or stay in local B&B accommodation.
A whole village of tents and marquees is erected for the week, as the
shrine facilities are not large enough for the numbers who come. Participants
attend not only from the UK but also from all over the world. There
is an even larger New Dawn which now takes place in Uganda each January
attracting up to 60,000 people. The conference combines traditional
Catholic spirituality, such as adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, a
rosary procession and an open air Mass in the priory grounds together
with a lively youth ministry, healing and reconciliation services etc
and daily Eucharists which last two hours. There is also a children’s
ministry. As well as talks in the main marquee given by well known international
speakers, there are numerous workshops looking at different aspects
of the spiritual life from “the dangers of new age” to “Carmelite
spirituality” and “Healing the Family Tree”.
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“He said to them, ‘Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.’”(Mark 16:1 )
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St Patrick's Evangelisation School SPES is a nine-month formation course, forming young adults in the Catholic Faith. SPES was set up in response to the late Holy Father JP II’s call for new evangelisation and the challenge for young people to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. The Charismatic Renewal has played a large part in the formation of the young people here at SPES since the school began in 2001. Each year the students attend a Life in the Spirit Seminar, volunteer at the Celebrate Conference and, on a weekly basis, participate in praise and worship. The school has supported the formation of over 30 young people, where many are following their vocations as either Religious, married, preparing for priesthood and many other ways of serving Christ and his Church. The influence of CCR has helped the students to discover who they are and release the gifts of the Holy Spirit within them so that they can go out into the streets, proclaim the good news and be ready to give an account for the hope that is within them.
For more details contact St Patrick’s Evangelisation School (SPES) 21a Soho Square, London W1D 4NR tel 020 7434 9965. Website: www.stpatricksoho.org/spes
Jesus Youth Jesus Youth is an international Catholic youth movement with a charismatic spirituality. We had our beginnings in India but have now spread to nineteen countries. The strength of the movement is its special focus on a Jesus-centred life, starting with the experience of God and growing through prayer, the Word of God, sacraments, fellowship and bearing fruit in a life style of sharing the Good News of Jesus with others. Though not a community, we are a wide network of small but strong fellowship groups of youth and young families from different walks of life. In our own unique situations we strive to set apart time for the Lord, answering the challenges of today’s world in the power of the Spirit. Jesus Youth in the UK was a dream cherished for many years. The fervent prayers and intercession of the Jesus Youth who migrated to the UK in the early 90s initiated the formation of Jesus Youth UK. Towards the late 90s and during 2000 – 2001 many more people with a JY background started coming in. The first ever JY gathering in the UK was held at Dudley, a little village in Birmingham with only 9 participants. During the last 5 years Jesus Youth has established itself and is taking a lead in developing a vision for the evangelisation of Europe. It has National and International full time volunteers, a teen’s ministry, Christian leadership training programmes and several other projects. The first ever Jesus Youth European Convention will be held this autumn in Wales with 450 JY leaders from seven countries in Europe expected to attend. For further details of our work contact : Jesus Youth UK, 4b Oxhayes Close, Balsall Common, Coventry, CV7 7PS tel 0167 653 2794
Hexham & Newcastle Youth Ministry The Youth Ministry Team was started in 1995 as an initiative of Bishop Ambrose Griffiths and was born out of the fruits of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. Our vision is to bring the Gospel to young people in new and creative ways, encouraging them into a personal relationship with Christ and fully into the life of the Church. Our approach is three-fold: initial proclamation through Missions and outreach; follow up experiences such as retreats, and developing youth ministry. Vital to our work is the support of adults in youth ministry. We invite young people from all over the world to live in community in our Youth Village and work as part of a team in peer ministry.
For details visit website www.ymt.org
Ezekiel Project The Ezekiel Project is a fresh approach to youth mission and ministry in the Diocese of Northampton. The unique aspect of the project is its commitment to ongoing mission amongst the young people of Northampton town. The team live in community and share their faith in culturally relevant ways within the 5 schools and 9 parishes of Northampton deanery. This allows them to encourage effective follow up to the initial proclamation of the Gospel with a wide range of discipleship programmes which they support in the local parishes. The Ezekiel Project was a direct outworking of Avril Baigent’s ‘Y-Church Report’ for the Diocese of Northampton, and although both the diocesan youth ministry team and the project itself are not expressly Charismatic, they are evidently fruit of the renewing movement of the Holy Spirit within the‘mainstream’ church. For more info about the project, visit their website at www.ezekielproject.com |
Living Water Ministry
We are a team of young adults from all over the world, committed to living our faith and sharing it through retreat ministry. We travel throughout Scotland to share our love of God and how He has worked in our lives. We use drama, music, personal sharing, games, activities, teachings, discussion and prayer to give an experience of who God is and how much He wants a relationship with each one of us. Our programme is centred on the love of God, the life of Jesus and practical areas of discipleship. We are looking for young enthusiastic Catholics aged 18-28 to commit to a year of living in community and sharing our faith. See www.livingwaterministry.org.uk or write to Living Water Ministry, The Visitation, Taynuilt, PA 35 IJQ UK or tel 01866 822269 website: www.livingwaterministry.org.uk
Youth 2000 Youth2000, which started in 1990, is part of an independent
international initiative that helps young people aged 16-35 plug back
into God at the heart of the Roman Catholic Church. Its main distinguishing
features are: Youth2000, with the help of clergy and religious, operates a network of youth prayer groups across the country and encourages young people to become involved in their home parishes and in wider issues of social action. It’s very much an initiative of young adults reaching out to other young adults embracing music, drama, and other forms of youth culture. Youth2000 also runs a mission team – a community of young people on a godly gap year, who speak about their faith in Jesus to young people around the country in schools, on the streets, at retreats and in parishes. The secret of its success lies in its focus on time-honoured Catholic devotions – such as Adoration of the Eucharist and the Rosary – and in making them relevant for the youth of the third millennium. For details contact Youth2000, 15 Church Street, Wetherby LS22 6LP or tel 01937 582200 or web site www.youth2000.org
Fanning the Flame
For further info contact St Dominic’s Priory, Shirley Holms Road, Lymington, Hants SO41 8NH Tel 01590 681874
OTHER DISCIPLESHIP/TRAINING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE INCLUDE: ANIMATE YOUTH MINISTRIES – a new youth service for Liverpool archdiocese invites 18-25 year olds with a passion to serve the Church to spend a year developing gifts for a lifetime. More info from tel: 01744 740462 CROSSROADS at H.O.D. Take time out, share in their prayer, community life and work. Opportunity to join them in outreach work. Contact: 01386 852084 www.houseoftheopendoor.org ELM GROVE COMMUNITY (Lay benedictine). Based on
spirituality of St Benedict. Living Gospel in Urban setting in Brighton.
Evangelisation and service of marginalised. One year or more. For further
details visit: www.elmgrovecommunity.co.uk |
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Fanning
the Flame began in 1995 with a city wide mission to the then 17 parishes
in Southampton. It is a Catholic mission aimed at fostering the Catholic
faith in children, youth, young adults and adults. This is achieved
through weekly fellowships, retreats, reunions, summer camps and parish
missions. Our guiding piece of scripture is “I remind you now to
fan into flame the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you.
God’s gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power
and love and self-control.” Our aim is to “fan into flame”
the faith that people received in their baptism and this is achieved
through teaching, preaching, drama, music and art but mainly through
introducing all those involved to the movement of the Holy Spirit in
their lives – opening them to both the charismatic gifts and the
fruits of the Spirit. Fanning the Flame is in Southampton, The new Forest,
Salisbury, Hereford and Gloucestershire, Stockton on Tees and Gateshead.
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“And what you have heard from me through many
witnesses entrust to faithful people who will have the
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Charisms School “Make love your aim and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts” (1 Cor 14.1) Over the last 5 years over 8000 Catholics have participated in Charism Schools run by the Cor et Lumen Christi community in Europe, Africa and Australia. Huge numbers have been released into the spiritual gifts they had never used before or had not developed. God has profoundly touched thousands through a fresh anointing in the Holy Spirit, words of knowledge, prophetic ministry and deliverance. Literally thousands have testified to receiving physical healing, including the blind, deaf and mute and lame and those with terminal and incurable diseases. May God be praised! The Charism school concludes, on the last evening, with a public Miracle/healing rally. For further info: contact Cor et Lumen Christi Community, Highfield House, St John’s Way, Chertsey, Surrey, England KT16 8BZ tel 01932 565747. www.coretlumenchristi.org
Catholic Bible School
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Harvesters
For more details visit www.harvesters.co.uk
Ark of the Covenant Ark of the Covenant is a Centre for mission, evangelisation, prayer and spiritual formation at parish level. Our vision is to develop a more vigorous and effective evangelisation at parish and sacramental level. This would help the ‘spiritually thirsty’ Catholic become more aware of the latent spiritual vitality and beauty of our sacramental life and help satisfy the deep hunger in the heart of the Catholic laity for a more vibrant, personal relationship with Jesus.Our prayer is for conversion to flow from the Church’s ongoing work of evangelisation, its ‘essential ministry, deepest identity and reason for its existence’ (Evangelium Nuntiandi 14). More details from www.thearkofthecovenant.org.uk
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The
Catholic Bible School provides a warm and welcoming environment in which
to meet others and draw closer to God. It is a unique establishment
serving the Church in a wide variety of ways. Roman Catholic in foundation
but open to all. The vision of the Catholic Bible School is to provide
a range of opportunities for people to encounter and develop a love
for the Scriptures as “The Living Word of God”, know Jesus
as their living Lord, deepen their relationship with Him, find healing
and wholeness in Christ and be encouraged and equipped to share the
Good news with others. Contact: Geoff and Gina Poulter, Directors, Nutbourne
House, Farm Lane, Nutbourne, Chichester PO18 8SD, Tel 01243 371766:
Fax 01243 371459 
Harvesters
is a Catholic Men’s Network with a positive desire to include men
from other Christian church traditions and backgrounds, all sharing
the same vision and thereby building unity in the body of Christ. Harvesters
seeks to encourage and equip men in their Christian faith, to challenge
them to walk more closely with Jesus Christ, and to live in the power
of the Holy Spirit. Harvesters organises weekends of celebration, teaching,
fellowship, sport, and relaxation, for 300 men and local area groups.
A website, newsletters, general information are available. Harvesters
hopes to see men envisioned, built up in their faith and confirmed in
their identities as men loved by God. To see men forming new groups
inspired to share their Christian faith with others.
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“First of all, then I ask that supplications
prayers, petitions and thanksgiving be offered for everyone.”
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Mothers' Prayers
For any further info please contact: 01959 532 505. Website: www.mothersprayers.org
Pray for London Mission Pray for London Mission is a charismatic intercession group that was started on 1st March 2006. The mission seeks to be a catalyst for intercessory prayer in the Catholic Church in London. It has a regular intercession centre based at the Assumption Church in Soho where there is prayer (Thurs 5pm-8pm; Sat 1pm-4pm and Sun 11.30am to 4pm). It also has a web site where people can submit their prayer requests It encourages intercessory prayer through the distribution of its prayer “Litany for London” and runs training programmes on prayer. Website: www.prayforlondon.org |
Burning Bush Initiative A prayer initiative that began in 1997 in Rome during a time of intercession for the new evangelisation of Europe when Kim Kollins received a prompting of the Holy Spirit to call people to return anew to the “Upper Room of Jerusalem” in adoration and intercession. This involves a renewed call to the importance of intercession backing up apostolic work and initiatives; knowing that the first wellspring of action is prayer, which connects us with the Spirit of Christ, who is “He, who renews the face of the earth”. It is a re-digging of a well of grace of the 19th century vision of Blessed Elena Guerra, who encouraged Pope Leo XIII to have a perpetual Pentecost novena of prayer to the Holy Spirit between Ascension and Pentecost, to pray for full Christian unity and the conversion of sinners. Throughout the world the “culture of Pentecost” in being stirred in a variety of ways within the CCR including a renewed focus on the Pentecost Novena, experienced in new ways. A key focus is a call to night and day adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, where intercession led of the Spirit and in His gifts, especially the gift of tongues are used to intercede for the needs of the Church and the world. The Burning Bush received papal encouragement in 2004. Further details of the vision and how to participate can be found at www.burningbushinitiative.com Burning Bush Initiative, Postfach 1341, Kelkheim 65763 Germany.
SOS Telephone Prayer Lines If you need someone to pray with you, there are various ministries that have volunteers praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament, available by phone for this. They are: St Patrick’s Catholic Bible School Providence Convent |
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Mothers’
Prayers was started eleven years ago by Veronica Williams and her sister
in law Sandra, who were concerned about the harmful influences on their
children and grandchildren and felt called to pray for the Lord to change
things. They realised that young minds could be corrupted by pornographic
magazines and young lives ruined by drugs. They prayed that God would
protect their own children and other children from danger. Mothers’
Prayers groups are now in over 80 countries. Each week mothers pray
together in small groups uniting their prayers with all the thousands
of groups around the world, which brings great comfort and support.
There have been many wonderful answers to prayer with children coming
off drugs, returning home after long absences, coming back to faith
and many other blessings – such as improved family relationships.
Mothers too have felt a great peace.
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“These signs will accompany those who believe…
they will lay their hands on the sick and they will recover.”
The Charismatic Renewal has brought alive the healing ministry in the Church, both in its sacramental aspect, the sacrament of the sick and simply praying with people for healing, informally or at big events. Below are several examples of the way the healing ministry has been revived. For further information contact the Goodnews office 020 7352 5298.
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Cockfosters - London This is the fruit of a north London prayer group which developed a strong healing ministry. Not only do they pray for people at their prayer meetings on Monday evenings at 8pm but they also once a week after the 11 am Mass on Thursdays at Cockfosters priory, have a special time of prayer for people. The team also sometimes will pray for the sick outside these hours. The address is Priory of Christ the King, Bramley Lane, London N14. For further details telephone 0208 883 4736
This is an ecumenical Christian Healing Ministry with a full time centre at 8 Cambridge Court, 210 Shepherd’s Bush Road, Hammersmith, London W6 7NJ. Here people can receive individual appointments for healing prayer as well as attend weekly healing services. The office is open Monday to Friday 10am to 6pm. Tel 020 7603 8118. General Healing Service every Tuesday at 1pm. Also 24 hour prayer request line 020 7603 0667.
Some individuals seem to be used by God in a special way in the healing ministry, whether this is for inner healing or physical healing. Some, such as Joe Dalton and Eddie Stones, both from Ireland, have an itinerant ministry and will travel and will preach and minister at healing services. Others like Fr Jimmy Collins and his team in the North west of England, tend to work in a more local area. (In the coming events section of Goodnews we try to keep readers abreast of any visits by preachers with a healing ministry.)
Sr Briege McKenna, an Irish sister, based in Florida has an international healing ministry and travels the world. To find out her schedule contact: Sr Briege McKenna OSC, St Clare’s Sisters’ Retreat Ministry, PO Box 1559, Palm Harbour, FL 34682 tel 001 727 786 3821 or prayer line 001 727 781 5906 or fax 001 727 787 3741 or www.sisterbriege.com |
Divine retreat Centre - Potta The Divine Retreat Centre at Potta, in India not only welcomes people from all over the world on retreat, but many are attracted by the powerful healing ministry at the centre. Priests and lay people from Potta travel proclaiming the gospel and giving retreats, part of which is their powerful healing ministry, where people experience healing simply by hearing the word preached. For more info on Potta, visit their website www.drcm.org
Healing Masses Although all Masses are healing, individuals and prayer groups involved in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal often organise Masses with a particular emphasis on healing. These are advertised in the coming events section of Goodnews (see insert). Some groups organise prayer for healing on a regular basis after Sunday Mass (see coming events under healing).
Healing Services All charismatic conferences would incorporate a healing service as part of the week’s activities (see conferences for contacts) often led by high profile individuals with recognised healing ministries. The same would be true of Days of Renewal (see coming events insert for dates). Even small prayer groups will often lay hands and pray for healing if requested. |
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