An inspiration that came to life at a charismatic conference in 2022 offered a new take on the classic New Jersey State Charismatic Conference, one of the oldest charismatic conferences in the country.
“Today is the beginning of something,” said Ramil Caragay, one of the speakers and organizers of the Garden State Revival Charismatic Conference, held in St. Mary Parish in Middletown.
PHOTO GALLERY: 2025 Garden State Revival
On Oct. 18, more than 135 people attended the conference, which included speakers, worship music, and healing services. The day culminated in Mass and Eucharistic Adoration. The revival was presented by the Diocese of Trenton Catholic Charismatic Renewal.
“We’re here to taste and see, not just to study and learn,” said Dan DeMatte, keynote speaker, co-founder and executive director of Damascus, one of the fastest-growing youth and young adult ministry movements in the country. “There’s a renewal happening in the Church. The youth are getting it! They’re seeing Jesus in the Eucharist.”
As the fist-pumping faithful rose to their feet, DeMatte declared, “Praise God, the youth are alive!”
“Outward signs are just signs,” said DeMatte. “Revival is about our hearts being pierced by the Holy Spirit, just like our Blessed Mother.”
“My prayer for you is that your heart is pierced with the Love of God,” he added.
Inspired by the Spirit
The inspiration for the Garden State Revival began in 2022. Caragay and his wife, Kipsy, both parishioners of Holy Innocents Parish in Neptune, were deep in prayer at a charismatic conference.
“Something happened,” said Ramil Caragay. “The Lord gave me a vision. I saw everyone in my family, my friends and the state of New Jersey, before the Blessed Sacrament. They were worshipping Jesus with everything they had.”
He said he heard the Lord speak to him. “He asked me to work every day to revive New Jersey … to help bring New Jersey back to him.”
“The same thoughts came to me in prayer,” added Kipsy Caragay. “We couldn’t do this alone. We knew Father Jeff Kegley from the regular healing Masses held in St. Mary, Mother of God Church in Middletown, so we shared this vision with him. It all started from there. The Lord gathered together a group of us, and we began praying and planning.”
Michael Griggs of Holy Innocents Parish had been praying for good friends to walk in faith with him. He met the Caragays.
“We were all praying for the next steps in our faith lives. We were hearing the same thing in prayer. A large part was centered around the Eucharist and living in the Garden State — the fresh fruits of the Holy Spirit could bring us back to life and unity with God, like it was in the Garden of Eden,” he said.
Matt Ross, the Young Adult and Life Teen coordinator in St. Mary, added: “God brought us together, and the pieces fell into place. All our efforts are to help make disciples who will go out and impact others.”
Inspired by young Catholics
“This statewide revival is for everyone, young and old,” said Father Kegley, pastor of St. Mary, Mother of God Parish and liaison to the Diocese of Trenton Catholic Charismatic Renewal. “This year’s revival was the inspiration of the younger members of the DTCCR. They’re all in their ’20s. They love Jesus. They love the new evangelization and are passionate about bringing revival to New Jersey.
“They inspire me,” Father Kegley added.
“You know, Father Jeff and I have been around a while,” added Jim Tortorici, a speaker at the Revival and director of the New Jersey Campus of the Encounter School of Ministry, a formation program offered by the Diocese to help prepare the faithful to go out and share their faith.
“The prayer that Father Jeff and I have been praying over the last decade has been ‘Lord, please help us to connect with the youth,’” said Tortorici. “God is answering this prayer. There’s something happening with young people. It’s beautiful to see. And that’s so exciting.”