In 1978 I returned to Ireland on holiday after three years in Uganda (where things were very difficult due to the political situation and the reign of Idi Amin). I was tired, dispirited and wondering what mission was all about in a country which seemed to be going from bad to worse. I had heard of this new movement of the Holy Spirit from Fr. Labonte, a Missionary for Africa, whose retreat I had attended and I wanted to learn more. Thus when I came across a leaflet advertising a Charismatic Renewal Conference to be held in the RDS in Dublin I felt attracted to go. The first three days of the Conference were for priests and religious. They came from all five continents and I was just amazed at their stories, their joy and their enthusiasm. I realised they had something that I desired. One day, following our group discussion, I found myself asking the group to pray that I would get what they had and afterwards I felt a great peace and joy.

During the main Conference at the weekend I attended a workshop on ‘Healing’ given by Sr. Briege McKenna. I admired what she said. However, on the way out from the workshop my companion asked me what I thought of it and in my arrogance I replied, “They can stick to their praying. I will stick to my medicine.” But the Lord had other plans.

He had mistaken me for Sr Briege McKenna

That same afternoon I was walking around the RDS still amazed at the praise, the groups praying and the joy that seemed to permeate the place, when an elderly priest approached me and asked if he could speak to me. Before I realised what was really happening he was pouring out all his sadness and his sense of rejection. Then he popped the awful question – “Will you pray over me for healing?” How could I say ‘no’ and add to his rejection, so nervously I began to pray with him. After some time he looked at me and said, “I feel so much better. I knew when I saw you on the stage that if I could get you to pray for me I would be alright.” The poor man’s eyesight was not too good and he had mistaken me for Sr. Briege McKenna. The word of Scripture that came rushing to my mind was “Lord, you have duped me.”

Back in Uganda a few weeks later, on my first morning on duty at the hospital I was faced with a woman who was seriously ill and not responding to any treatment. Medically, nothing more could be done. As I walked away from her bed an inner voice said, “And what about the prayer for healing?” My first reaction was to reply, “Not here Lord.” But the Lord kept nudging me. I returned to the woman and with two nurses we began to pray for her healing. We encouraged the relatives who were at her bedside to continue praying. I spent the day operating in the theatre and late that evening I returned to the ward to find the woman very well and with her family praising God. Thus began a whole new ministry for me. I felt God still wanted me to continue using my medical knowledge but to bring him into everything I did. Over the years that followed, He used my hands to bring healing to many.

I had returned to Uganda carrying a small Life in the Spirit booklet, not knowing that there was a leaders’ version. At the hospital I started a prayer group, which immediately attracted many staff. Following the little booklet, I conducted a Life in the Spirit Seminar for about 25 people. The Lord blessed us with a great spirit of joy, and enthusiasm to bring His message of Love to others. Our prayer group grew and the coming together in prayer and sharing was a great source of strength for us, particularly in the following months when we went through the war that ended with the overthrow of Idi Amin in January of 1979.

Prayer group a great source of strength for us during the war

On one occasion during the war, soldiers surrounded the operating theatre wanting to kill a wounded man whom we were operating on. His crime was that he had refused to give them alcohol and they had shot him and left him for dead. Neighbours had brought him to the hospital when they realised he was still breathing. The staff had persuaded the soldiers to wait until I finished. As I was near to finishing, I could hear their angry voices. There were six nurses in the theatre with me and we began to pray. I was praying for courage, strength and the wisdom to know how to deal with the soldiers, but my knees were knocking. As I took off my theatre gown to go out and try to plead for the man’s life, the Lord put on my heart that we were praying for the wrong thing. It was these soldiers who were angry and out to kill who most needed the healing. So again we joined hands and prayed “Lord touch into their hearts and change them” and we claimed God’s promise, “My power is at its best in weakness”. Suddenly the soldiers got up and left. We all rejoiced for what the Lord had done. He was teaching me His values and what to pray for.

The following year I discovered that there were prayer groups in two other areas in Uganda. One was established at the Seminary in Masaka and had been started by Fr. Norbert Deprey. The second one was in Gulu in the Northern Region and had been started by Fr. Joseph Archetti, a Comboni missionary. Both priests had attended the Conference in the RDS and had returned to their missions bringing the good news from that Conference. The theme had been, “YOU SHALL BE MY WITNESSES UNTO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH”.

Life in the Spirit seminars conducted all over the country

Because of the war, it was not until 1981 that all three groups were able to come together for our first National gathering in Kampala. Fr. Fio Mascarenhas SJ from Rome came to teach us. It was a wonderful weekend when we experienced the power of the Holy Spirit and many gifts were poured out. From there the fire continued to burn and over the next few years, Life in the Spirit Seminars were conducted all over the country and many prayer groups formed. It was from there too that our first National Service Team was formed. The Lord gave me some wonderful companions. Each year the National Service Team met for three days to pray, to discern where the Lord was leading and to empower each other. We received a further blessing when Fr. Ernest Sievers came as full time co-ordinator and Chaplain for the Charismatic Renewal. He was instrumental in setting up the National Office and later the Emmaus Renewal Centre. This Centre has been a wonderful gift from the Lord and constantly conducts residential Life in the Spirit seminars, retreats for priests, religious and lay groups. It also provides courses on Evangelization and workshops on Behaviour Change. To-day people come from all over Africa to attend training programmes there and return to their countries filled with the Holy Spirit.

CCR instrumental in addressing witchcraft

The Charismatic Renewal has been very instrumental in addressing witchcraft and many priests and laity are trained in deliverance ministry. One of the challenges that the Renewal addressed was to reach out to people with HIV/AIDS. The home visits to the sick were instrumental in bringing many people to know the Lord Jesus. At clinics people were available for pastoral counselling and prayer and days of prayer were frequently organised for the sick. Members from the Renewal were also involved in an AIDS prevention programme called Education for Life, a Behaviour Change process. This programme focuses on promoting abstinence from sexual activity before marriage and faithfulness in marriage. It has helped thousands of young people to make responsible choices and thus avoid the risk of getting AIDS. Reconciliation, prayer for healing of the past and praying for the power of the Holy Spirit to live a holy and responsible life all form part of the programme.

I left Uganda in 1998 when I was appointed to South Africa. Last year I was invited back to Uganda to speak at a conference for the Charismatic Renewal in the western province. An estimated 75,000 people were present. The praise, the joy and the enthusiasm were just infectious. To-day hundreds of priests and religious are involved in the Charismatic Renewal and there are many Charismatic Lay Communities serving the Church. The Charismatic Renewal has been a real gift to Uganda. The seeds carried from the Dublin Conference of 1978 were planted, fell upon good soil and the Lord has given the growth. To Him be the glory and honour!

Transcript of talk given at the Irish National Catholic Charismatic June 2010 in Athlone

Sr Miriam Duggan is a Franciscan Missionary Sister for Africa and a medical doctor.