UPDATED: NJ Catholic Charismatic Conference engages prophets for Christ
November 1, 2023 at 8:30 a.m.
Father John Gordon, secretary for evangelization and acting vicar for pastoral life of the Archdiocese of Newark, delivered a high-energy reminder to attendees at the 2023 New Jersey Catholic Charismatic Conference that “Jesus is truly here in the Eucharist; the action of the Mass becomes Bethlehem and Calvary at the same time.”
PHOTO GALLERY: 2023 NJ Catholic Charismatic Conference
Mankind’s “yes” to the Holy Spirit began at the Annunciation of Mary, Father Gordon, one of the conference’s three keynote speakers, continued, and “when we say yes to this invitation, Jesus is in us … he is objectively present.”
An appropriate response is to acknowledge the fact we are sinners; “come before him where misery and mercy meet, and mercy wins,” he said.
The two-day conference at St. Mary, Mother of God Church, Middletown, had as its theme, “Behold Him!” It opened Oct. 28 and featured a keynote by Auxiliary Bishop Joseph A. Espaillat of New York. Gilbert Rodriguez, associate director of adult faith formation in the Archdiocese of New York, was a keynoter Oct. 29. Father Jeffrey Kegley, parish pastor and liaison of the of the Diocese of Trenton Catholic Charismatic Renewal, celebrated Mass and led a healing service and candlelight procession.
In his presentation, Father Gordon emphasized that repentance is a necessary part of receiving God’s mercy, because “mercy doesn’t come otherwise … repent, believe, receive. When I am emptied of me, I can receive Him.”
In order to receive all the graces of repentance through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, one must lay one’s sins upon the altar and “be specific, for if you are vague, you will repeat the sins again,” Father Gordon said.
Repentance has a rich history as a response to calamity, in modern times in this post-pandemic era, Father Gordon said.
“We have seen the face of God and survived; Jesus has a human face first seen at the Nativity, and we must orient our lives for that glory,” he said.
“If I can see God and live, how much more awesome it is, then, to receive him [in the Eucharist] and live? The greatest truths of our faith are the Eucharist and the resurrection. May I be found ready in this holy Sacrament,” Father Gordon concluded.
In his homily, Father Kegley urged the congregation to heed one of the U.S. Bishops’ goals for the Eucharistic Revival: invite one back.
“Every Mass we attend is a healing Mass,” he said. “If we recapture the power of the Eucharist, people will be healed. Sometimes, with our rituals, we can become out of touch with the very God we are touching.
“An invigorated celebration of the Mass is one of the goals of the Eucharistic Revival,” Father Kegley said. “Anticipate the miracles that happen at Mass. This is the source and summit of our lives.”
Revealing that but a third of Catholics now believe the Eucharist is the real presence of God, and all too many have stopped attending Mass, Father Kegley tasked his congregation to “ask just one person from your inner circle to come with you to Mass. This is where the rubber meets the road.”
He asked matter-of-factly: “If we won’t do it, who will? The fire has to start with us, through us. We need to take our minds off the evil of the world and put our focus on the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.”
Father Kegley concluded, “We come from a world that beats us up, and the battle never ends. Invite one back. It is your responsibility: We are called to be disciples, ambassadors of Christ. Our hearts are burning, don’t keep it to yourself.”
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Father John Gordon, secretary for evangelization and acting vicar for pastoral life of the Archdiocese of Newark, delivered a high-energy reminder to attendees at the 2023 New Jersey Catholic Charismatic Conference that “Jesus is truly here in the Eucharist; the action of the Mass becomes Bethlehem and Calvary at the same time.”
PHOTO GALLERY: 2023 NJ Catholic Charismatic Conference
Mankind’s “yes” to the Holy Spirit began at the Annunciation of Mary, Father Gordon, one of the conference’s three keynote speakers, continued, and “when we say yes to this invitation, Jesus is in us … he is objectively present.”
An appropriate response is to acknowledge the fact we are sinners; “come before him where misery and mercy meet, and mercy wins,” he said.
The two-day conference at St. Mary, Mother of God Church, Middletown, had as its theme, “Behold Him!” It opened Oct. 28 and featured a keynote by Auxiliary Bishop Joseph A. Espaillat of New York. Gilbert Rodriguez, associate director of adult faith formation in the Archdiocese of New York, was a keynoter Oct. 29. Father Jeffrey Kegley, parish pastor and liaison of the of the Diocese of Trenton Catholic Charismatic Renewal, celebrated Mass and led a healing service and candlelight procession.
In his presentation, Father Gordon emphasized that repentance is a necessary part of receiving God’s mercy, because “mercy doesn’t come otherwise … repent, believe, receive. When I am emptied of me, I can receive Him.”
In order to receive all the graces of repentance through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, one must lay one’s sins upon the altar and “be specific, for if you are vague, you will repeat the sins again,” Father Gordon said.
Repentance has a rich history as a response to calamity, in modern times in this post-pandemic era, Father Gordon said.
“We have seen the face of God and survived; Jesus has a human face first seen at the Nativity, and we must orient our lives for that glory,” he said.
“If I can see God and live, how much more awesome it is, then, to receive him [in the Eucharist] and live? The greatest truths of our faith are the Eucharist and the resurrection. May I be found ready in this holy Sacrament,” Father Gordon concluded.
In his homily, Father Kegley urged the congregation to heed one of the U.S. Bishops’ goals for the Eucharistic Revival: invite one back.
“Every Mass we attend is a healing Mass,” he said. “If we recapture the power of the Eucharist, people will be healed. Sometimes, with our rituals, we can become out of touch with the very God we are touching.
“An invigorated celebration of the Mass is one of the goals of the Eucharistic Revival,” Father Kegley said. “Anticipate the miracles that happen at Mass. This is the source and summit of our lives.”
Revealing that but a third of Catholics now believe the Eucharist is the real presence of God, and all too many have stopped attending Mass, Father Kegley tasked his congregation to “ask just one person from your inner circle to come with you to Mass. This is where the rubber meets the road.”
He asked matter-of-factly: “If we won’t do it, who will? The fire has to start with us, through us. We need to take our minds off the evil of the world and put our focus on the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.”
Father Kegley concluded, “We come from a world that beats us up, and the battle never ends. Invite one back. It is your responsibility: We are called to be disciples, ambassadors of Christ. Our hearts are burning, don’t keep it to yourself.”