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Catholic Charismatic

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Contents

March-August 2012Vol. 16 No. 2-3

(Continued on the next page. )

Proclaim the

Good NewsBy Blaine Comfort

"We cannot keep to ourselves the words of

eternal life given to us in our encounter

with Jesus Christ: they are meant for

everyone, for every man and woman....It is

our responsibility to pass on what, by God's

grace, we ourselves have received." Pope

Benedict XVI, Verbum Domini, on the

importance of evangelization.

Over the centuries, the church has been

built up on the shoulders of the saints and

the blood of the martyrs, those courageous

men and women who were so convicted of

the truth of their Catholic faith that not

only were they willing to live for it and live

by it, but they were willing to die for it as

well, all because they were unwilling to

compromise the truth which Christ teaches

for the illusions of truth which the world

proclaims. Those saints and martyrs are

the living stones upon which the church

has been erected, stone by living stone.

And Jesus Christ is the cornerstone.

Today, the word “martyr” has frightening

connotations. But martyr, literally

translated, means witness. And to witness

is the essence of evangelization. Whenever

we witness by word or deed, we give

credence to the teachings of Jesus Christ

and cooperate with the Holy Spirit in

promoting God's plan of salvation. For God

"desires all men to be saved and to come to

the knowledge of the truth." (1Tim 2:4)

We live in a culture today however, that is

dangerously adrift on a sea of moral

relativism, no longer united under the

banner of "In God We Trust" nor wedded to

the truth of things as they really are. We

now live in a society where many have

asserted their own absolute sovereignty

and decided that God is irrelevant in their

lives and that for them, "there is no truth

but my truth." Unfortunately, when God

and truth are severed from the individual

consciousness as well as the national

consciousness, disastrous consequences

follow. For we are now a nation whose

citizens are at odds with one another and

whose leaders are often at odds with our

founding Christian principles. As a nation,

we don't seem to know where we are, nor

is there any consensus as to where we

ought to be going. We are adrift on a

turbulent sea and can't seem to find our

moral bearings.

Christianity, which historically has

provided the moral compass by which to

steer our nation, is now being

characterized by many as as old-fashioned

and unreliable. Our values are being

pushed into a remote corner of our ship of

state and we are told to keep our moral

bearings to ourselves.

The Catholic Church in particular, with her

stand against abortion, contraception, gay

marriage, and euthanasia to name just a

few issues, is being demonized as

disruptive, divisive, subversive, and totally

out of step with the culture. As as

consequence, we are told that we cannot

bring our so-called radical religious views

into the public square. To which the

church and her faithful respond, "yes we

can," or even more emphatically, "yes we

must."

For most of the last 2000 years, the church

has always been a counter-cultural

movement. The saints and the martyrs are

a testament to that tradition. They have

laid for us a firm foundation. It is up to us

to build upon that foundation by becoming

living stones ourselves, proclaiming the

faith which we believe and most

importantly, living the faith which we

proclaim. We may never be called to

literally die for our faith, but we are called

every day to live our faith, by dying to self,

picking up our cross, offering it up, loving

our neighbor, praying for our enemy, and

participating in the corporal and spiritual

works of mercy. We are called to practice

our faith and what our faith calls us to and

to do so every day, with joy and patience

and conviction. Let others see the faith that

defines us, the hope that encourages us,

and the love that animates us, and we

will be bearing witness that the culture of

death cannot withstand the Way, the

Truth and the Life.

To witness is the essenceof evangelization. AndGod “desires all men tobe saved and to come tothe knowledge of thetruth.”

If a train station is where a train stops and a bus

station is where a bus stops, what’s a workstation?

Two students were talking about food. “ I’ve

got a cookbook,” said one.”But I’ve never been

able to use it.” “Why not?”Asked the other. “Were

the recipes too complicated?” “Not really, but each

one began the same way: take a clean dish…”

A man accidentally swallowed all the tiles from

his Scrabble game. He went to the doctor and was

told that the problem would sort itself out, but not

in so many words.

A newly hired nurse could not understand why

the house surgeon was walking the corridors of

the hospital yelling “Typhoid, Tetanus,

Measles!!” “Why does he keep doing that?” She

asked a colleague. “Oh, he likes to call the shots

around here!”

Did you hear about the man who put on a pair

of clean socks every day? By the end of the week

he couldn’t get his shoes on.

What happens if you play country music

backwards? Your wife returns to you, your dog

comes back to life, and you get out of prison.

No one has ever complained about a parachute

not opening.opening.

513-471-LITE

HEALING SERVICES AND MASSES With Healing Services

July 6, (Friday), Mass with healing service, 7:15 p.m. Mother of God Church, Sixth Street, Covington ,Ky

July 11, (Wednesday) Healing Service,7:30 p.m., St. Ignatius Church, I-74 and North Bend Road, Cincinnati, Ohio. Sponsored byLighthouse Community. Call (513) 47l-LITE for more Information.

July 19 (Thursday) Mass with healing service, St. Teresa of Avila.

July 23 (Monday), Mass with healing service, 7:00 p.m. St. Patrick Church, Troy, Ohio

July 29,Living Waters Prayer Group at Maximillian Kolbe Church has a Healing Service

August 1 (Wednesday) MASS with healing service 7:30 p.m., St. Ignatius Church, I-74 and North Bend Road, Cincinnati, Ohio.Sponsored by Lighthouse Community. Call (513) 47l-LITE for more Information.

August 3, (Friday), Mass with healing service, 7:15 p.m. Mother of God Church, Sixth Street, Covington ,Ky

August 16, (Thursday) Mass with healing service, St. Teresa of Avila.

August 27 (Monday), Mass with healing service, 7:00 p.m. St. Patrick Church, Troy, Ohio

September 5 (Wednesday) MASS WITH HEALING SERVICE, Bishop Binzer Celebrant 7:30 p.m., St. Ignatius Church, I-74 andNorth Bend Road, Cincinnati, Ohio. Sponsored by Lighthouse Community. Call (513) 47l-LITE for more Information

September 7, (Friday), Mass with healing service, 7:15 p.m. Mother of God Church, Sixth Street, Covington ,Ky

September 20, (Thursday) Mass with healing service, St. Teresa of Avila

September 24, (Monday),Mass with healing service, 7:00 p.m. St. Patrick Church, Troy, Ohio

September 30, (Sunday)Living Waters Prayer Group at Maximillian Kolbe Church has a Healing Service

October 3 (Wednesday) MASS WITH HEALING SERVICE 7:30 p.m., St. Ignatius Church, I-74 and North Bend Road, Cincinnati,Ohio. Sponsored by Lighthouse Community. Call (513) 47l-LITE for more Information.

October 5, (Friday), Mass with healing service, 7:15 p.m. Mother of God Church, Sixth Street, Covington ,Ky

October 20, (Thursday) Mass with healing service, St. Teresa of Avila.

October 24, (Monday), Mass with healing service, 7:00 p.m. St. Patrick Church, Troy, Ohio

CHARISMATIC MEN'S PRAYER BREAKFASTS

July 14, (Saturday) 7:30 to 9:00 a.m., Price Hill Chili, 4920 Glenway Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio. For information call Jerry Schmitt (513)385-0513

August 11, (Saturday) 7:30 to 9:00 a.m., Price Hill Chili, 4920 Glenway Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio. For information call Jerry Schmitt(513) 385-0513

September 8, (Saturday) 7:30 to 9:00 a.m., Price Hill Chili, 4920 Glenway Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio. For information call Jerry Schmitt(513) 385-0513

October 8, (Saturday) 7:30 to 9:00 a.m.,Price Hill Chili, 4920 Glenway Ave. Cincinnati, Ohio. For information call Jerry Schmitt(513) 385-0513

LIFE IN THE SPIRIT SEMINAR

Starting September 19 (Wednesdays) 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. A Life in the Spirit Seminar will be held in Fr. Hilvert Center at St.Ignatius Church at I-74 and North Bend Rd., Cincinnati, OH. It is sponsored by Lighthouse Renewal Center. For further informationcall (513) 471-LITE.

CHARISMATIC RETREAT

On September 14 & 15, 2012 there will be a Charismatic Retreat in Cincinnati. Fran Franchina from Dayton, will be the speaker.This dynamic Retreat is designed to better help us live the Gospel way of life as adult Christians in today's culture. There will be timefor personal prayer and reflection on beautiful Retreat like grounds. For more details, contact Lighthouse Renewal Center at 513- 471-5483 .

COMING EVENTS SECTIONAny area happenings may be placed on this calendar. The nextnewsletter will be in September. So any retreats, seminars, day ofrecollection, or other special happenings from September throughNovember or later can be advertised here.

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By Sr. Chris Edwards

Have you ever met someone who had such grace

about them and exuded so much love, joy and

peace, that you felt drawn to them? Love, joy and

peace are God’s great gifts to us and are actually

the normal state of a Christian. Yet these gifts don’t

come to us naturally, but come through the

indwelling of the Holy Spirit. That’s why they’re

called the fruits of the Spirit. We can’t produce

them by our own power.

“God’s love has been poured into our hearts

through the Holy Spirit, Who has been given to

us.” (Rom. 5:5) And love is His first gift,

containing all others. It’s in God’s love that we find

joy and peace. It is the love of the Holy Spirit that

flows through us as we love with God’s own love.

It’s far different from the world’s counterfeit for

love, which can be brute passion or vile egoism.

Jesus says, “Abide in My love so that My joy may

be in you and that your joy may be full.” (Jn. 15:10)

Abide means a constant presence – to live there.

The key to our joy is our abiding in Jesus. It’s not

the world’s joy, which is a superficial fleeting

happiness.

St. James says, “Consider it pure joy whenever you

face trials of many kinds, because you know that

the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”

(Jas. 1:2-4) So joy can be present even in suffering.

It’s not a surface emotion, but it’s a depth

experience – it’s deeper and inner. We have access

to a love, peace and joy that cannot be destroyed by

pain, suffering and death, as long as we live in the

Lord.

Can we grow spiritually to a point of having joy

even in the midst of trials? The saints did. Jesus

said, “Ask and you will receive, and your joy will

be complete.” (Jn. 16:24)

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem the Angels

proclaimed peace. On the last night Jesus spent on

earth he said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I

give to you.” (Jn. 14:27) His customary greeting to

His apostles after His resurrection was, “Peace be

upon you!” (Jn. 20:21) Peace is a gift so beautiful,

so profound, and so efficacious, that we shall never

fully comprehend it. It’s the fruit of the Holy Spirit

in us and the synthesis of all the graces and

heavenly blessings which we have received in

Christ. It’s the Peace that surpasses all

understanding. The world cannot counterfeit

peace, because peace is a Divine thing.

Since the fruits of the Spirit are such wonderful

gifts, why isn’t there more love, joy and peace

among Christians? In a world beset by terrorism,

recession, natural disasters and evil of all kinds, it

can be increasingly difficult to live in Christ’s spirit

of love, joy and peace. The world, the flesh and the

devil are at war to keep us from living in the fruit

of the Spirit.

In Gal. 5 we find the fruits of the Spirit listed by St.

Paul immediately after he is talking about the

works of the flesh - meaning all that is opposed to

the Will of God. Paul gives a list of obstacles to the

fruit of the Spirit. Here he is clearly telling us what

to avoid and oppose, and what we are to cherish

pain,

Lord.

e in the

lly to a point of having joy

ints did. Jesus

wi

pain, su s long as we live

lly to a point of having

saints did

pain, suffering and death, as

and cultivate. For Paul says the flesh has desires

against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.

These are opposed to each other. Docility to the Holy

Spirit at work in us is needed, and this often

demands death to our own will and ego.

So what is the secret to a victorious life of living in

the fruits of the Spirit? Jesus tells us quite clearly. He

says that we are to remain in Him. As a branch

cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the

vine, so neither can we. Jesus is the vine and we’re

the branches. If we remain in Him we’ll bear much

fruit. Without Him we can do nothing. (John 15:4-5)

Only as we abide in the Vine, Who is Christ, can we

bear the fruit of Love, Joy and Peace. And the key

word is abide, which is the constant ongoing union

with Jesus.

Aids to abide in the vine include daily spending

quality time alone with the Lord, as well as walking

and talking with the Indwelling Presence, Who is the

fount of all love, joy and peace. Daily prayerful

reading of God’s Word, frequent Confession, regular

Mass and Communion are our nourishment. As

Jesus says, “He who eats my flesh and drinks My

blood abides in Me, and I in him.” (John 6:56)

The fruits of the Spirit are our inheritance as sons and

daughters of God. We can’t obtain these gifts by

seeking them. They are byproducts of our living in

the Lord. When we are loving, joyful and peaceful

we bring joy, comfort and consolation to those we

meet. Probably those closest to us could give us a

good idea as to how habitually we are living in the

fruits of the Spirit.

It’s so clear, so simple and yet not always easy. To

have true love, joy and peace we need to be

intimately united to Jesus, the Vine. It means living

not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

“So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old

things have passed away; behold, new things have

come.” (2 Cor. 5:17)

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Happiness in this world,when it comes, comesincidentally. Make it theobject of pursuit, and it leadsus on a wild-goose chase, andis never attained.

Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Regional Service Team Newsletter is published four times a

year for the Catholic CharismaticRenewal. It is specifically designed for prayer group leaders and their members.

It is supported by an annual subscription fee of $10.00 for the paper edition. An electronic copy is free via email.

Editorial Team

Fr. Richard Dressman, Sr. Christine Edwards, SFP

Regional Service Team Charirperson

St. Christine Edwards, SFP

Archdiocese of Cincinnati Liaison Southern Region

Fr. Rick Dressman

Archdiocese of Cincinnati Liaison Northern Region

Veronica And Bruce Murphy

Diocese of Covington Liaisons

Yvonne and Charlie

Contributing Writers

Veronica and Bruce Murphy,

Sr. Christine Edwards,

Tom and Marcia Cruse

Blaine Comfort

Treasurer

Jerry Imsicke

Please Do Not Forward this Newsletter

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PENTECOST The Catholic Charismatic Renewal

Regional Service Team

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Cincinnati, Ohio 45205

(513) 471-5483

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