Peace, healing and spiritual renewal are powerful and transformative Gifts from the Holy Spirit that should be shared openly with others – as well as oneself.
Such was the message conveyed to more than 500 faithful gathered for the New Jersey Catholic Charismatic Conference in St. Mary Parish, Middletown.
“Be seekers, ask God for his gifts and knock on his door. Be bold, ask big things of God as we are actually honoring him that way,” keynote speaker Dr. Mary Healy said, encouraging intimacy with God through the practice of prayer.
Photo Gallery: 2019 New Jersey Catholic Charismatic Conference
Healy also emphasized compassion for the sick, poor and especially the spiritually lost – to be radical in obedience, and most importantly, to take risks by putting faith into action.
“Get out, go outside,” she said. “Church communities can sometimes be very insular and tend to be closed circles looking inward, hoping people will come in. We instead need to go out to places where the lost can be found.”
Missionary Message
Sponsored by the Diocese of Trenton’s Catholic Charismatic Renewal, the Oct. 25-26 conference featured inspirational speeches, emotional stories of personal spiritual renewal and witness, music and Mass celebrated by Father Jeffrey Kegley, parish pastor.
In his homily, Father Kegley referenced the first Christians and noted that they boldly brought their message of healing through faith in the Holy Spirit outward to the community.
“Just like them, we must act as missionaries and proclaim out loud the wonders of God. The challenge is not to just go home without heeding the message of healing. We do not need to ask for permission to take action and to heal others in the Holy Spirit,” said Father Kegley, diocesan liaison to the Catholic Charismatic movement.
Noting the conference attendance and spiritual engagement of those gathered, Father Kegley added, “Everything is beyond my expectations. There is faith formation, application and mission.”
Being bold and courageous in faith, establishing intimacy with God, and bringing messages of peace, healing and renewal outward to the community were central themes imparted by Healy and workshop leader Paul Martini.
“Each of you is the light, the joy, the peace, an outpost of the Kingdom of God, charged with bringing the culture of heaven to earth through love and forgiveness and with keeping the fire of the Holy Spirit alive,” said Healy, professor of Sacred Scripture at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit.
Making Sense of Suffering
Through his candid personal testimony, Martini spoke on the transformative power of peace. Challenges and battles are always present in the journey toward peace, he noted, using the analogy of airplane turbulence to illustrate the concept of surviving storms and asking the Holy Spirit to release a person from fear and anxiety.
“Don’t despise the challenges, the battles and the messes that you are going through. They are there for a reason,” said Martini, an associate evangelist with Global Awakening who has traveled to more than 30 countries with the ministry.
Many conference attendees had tears in their eyes as Martini went on to relate his personal story about marriage at age 19 and the painful divorce that followed.
“I hit rock bottom and prayed to God, asking if I would ever find peace,” Martini said.
After moving back to his parents’ home in Philadelphia and feeling lonely after a family Thanksgiving celebration ended early, he found himself at a bar, drinking and smoking, full of self-pity. A stranger asked Martini if he was going to make it and then asked his name.
“I answered, ‘Paul.’ This guy responded by saying that Paul had done great things for God and that I would, too. This changed the trajectory of my life,” Martini said, “and I immediately felt a sense of peace.”
‘Spiritual Muscles’
Throughout the day, conference attendees reacted with gratitude for the event and its speakers. Kathryn Coleman, a parishioner of St. Peter Parish, Point Pleasant Beach, spoke of the presence of the Holy Spirit and the teaching tools she learned to help others.
“I felt so close to the Lord today,” she said.
Noted fellow attendee Mary Luby, “This is beautiful. The peace, the spirit, and the supportive and welcoming atmosphere … I feel very renewed and alive in my faith.”
In recapping the spirit of the conference, Dr. Healy encouraged attendees to avoid complacency and indifference. “They are the enemies. To grow in faith you must exercise your spiritual muscles.”
For more information on the Catholic Charismatic Renewal visit, www.DOTCCR.org.