Spiritual Advisor (Each month, a Spiritual Advisor will write an article)
My beloved sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus our Lord, Praise be God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has called us into His own family and to be His chosen people disciples, ministers and apostles in our day and age.
As many of you know I am one of the Spiritual Directors for our Diocesan Cursillo Movement along with Sr. Edna and Fr. Skip Littelmann. I am also the spiritual director of the MCCR (Ministry of Catholic Charismatic Renewal). We just invited Fr. Kevin Moebius to join our Board. Steve Toth has been a long time director of the MCCR and has retired from that position. We have searched for a new director to follow Steve and recently found a person who was willing to accept that position. His name is David Ordorica. He and his family live in the Toledo area and he served at St Rose Parish in Perrysburg most recently.
The MCCR is hosting a Praise Worship and Welcome to officially welcome David and his family to our Ministry. The event is scheduled for Wednesday September 29, 2021 at St Jerome Church in Walbridge, Ohio, from 7-9 pm. Please see the notice at the end of this article.
In a very special way, I INVITE all of you, my Cursillo family to attend, pray with us and support Dave and the Charismatic Ministry. Many of the folks in the Charismatic movement began through the Cursillo experience. So mark your calendars and join us that night.
The second thing: I participated in a Zoom Conference on June 21-23, from 8 - 10 pm each night. It was sponsored by the National Assembly of the Charis National Service Communion - a Virtual conference with about 68 participants across the country and Canada.
CHARIS. This is an effort by Pope Francis: First, to Share the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with everybody- it is a total Catholic thing, not supposed to be sequestered away and only known, expressed by Charismatic experience. Second, Build the Unity of Believers -Bring all the Charismatic groups and Ministries together, including Cursillo -as I read it-including other Christian Upcoming 2021 Cursillo Weekends Men’s Sept. 16-19 Spanish Men’s Sept. 30 - Oct. 3 Women’s Oct. 14-17 Please share how Christ is working in your life. Email Nancy Cook at nancy750@bex.net August 2021 ,, 2021 2021 20 2020 Ark P a g e | 2 expressions; and Third, to Serve the Poor, reaching out to those who are both physically and spiritually poor. This would include families and youth.
All are called to Evangelization of the world -to witness love- cannot function or thrive without love. “See how they (Christians) love one another.”
The call to Communion - Unity - not uniformity - both diversity in worship (including Eastern Right and other Christian denominations. Working for Unity - relational unity by being fully aware of who we are and brothers and sisters to be fully aware of who they are.
· Look beyond ourselves and rely on the Holy Spirit
· Real leaders know when it is time to follow
· We have to be team players
· Humility and willingness to learn (know what you don’t know and ask for help)
· Make sacrifices (step down as needed)
Our temptation is to take what the Lord gives us and hold on tight to it and never let go - while the Lord wants us to open our hands and hearts.
· The Challenges as Leaders and Encouragement.
· Be apostles grounded in the Gospel -witness the life of Christ, lived on our lives.
· Give witness to your encounter with Jesus
· Live the word, proclaim Jesus as Lord,
· Be people of prayer and praise,
· Be close to the poor and needy (get out to meet them in their need) It is not just a “Catholic” thing but also Ecumenical (all sons and daughters in Jesus Christ.)ministries.
· Seek to foster unity among all charismatic.
The First Goal of Charis is to share the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with all people of the world. Be creative and use new ways to attract people to share the Baptism of the Holy Spirit: go find them. The emphasis is to be a part of the community - that the efforts of the Holy Spirit may continue in the community = growth of the community of believers and use of the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Charisms).
Proper focus on the growth and building of leaders - guiding people to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit but beyond just the practice of the gifts.
What are we doing to further the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and growth? Use of ALPHA; Life in the Spirit Seminars, DVDs and weekends; Fr Dave Pivonka’s Wild Goose Series
The Second Goal: Build the Unity of Believers. Reflect a CURRENT OF Grace flowing through Christian Communities. Look to the Word of God: Acts 1 “all in one place…” John 7:21 -“all are one”; Acts 10 and “Peter saw the Holy Spirit come upon Cornelius’ family and the Gentiles being called by God”. Don’t get in God’s way.
The Holy Spirit works to produce Unity. We must seek a truly Christ centered communication with other religions while valuing and treasuring various Community Ecumenical Groups. We can learn from each other. Pope Francis sees the vast diversity and we must expand our own horizons. Remember God is in charge.
Be willing to be humble, mistakes happen, repent and repair. Also remember from Revelations the battle in heaven between the good and bad angels. The devil looks to separation and disunity.
The Third Goal: To serve the Poor - physically and spiritually poor. Part of this goal is also to reach out to the youth. How are we bringing our young people in to experience the Holy spirit and the ministry and life of an evangelist. Be creative.
Remember National Event 50 years ago the people who first experienced the Baptism of the Holy Spirit were young college people. 50 years later they are still involved but where are the young people following. (We can say the same thing for our Cursillo Community.)
Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time 29 August 2021 When serving the poor….Matthew 25 ministry. Words and works of mercy, inner healing, finding Jesus in the poor and marginalized. (use the example of St. Mother Teresa, her faith and witness as our model.) Go to the marginalized - the homeless in the streets and other areas and in their own homes.
Finally: Bishop Andrew Cozzens, Archbishop of St Paul/Minn, spoke about the Eucharistic REVIVAL in the Church.
· The first year will begin in the year 2023 and focus on the Diocesan level:
· The second year, 2024, will focus on the Parish level - also- include personal:
· The third year, 2025, will focus on a National Event -City in the Midwest. Aim is to affect the Church at every level - 6 pillars
1. 1. Foster a persona encounter with Jesus - charismatic adoration
2. Contemplate the Real Presence - the truth that transforms our hearts.
3. Roll out in groups like charismatic renewal; -Executive level and groups on a national level -Eucharist unites us - the Person we all love.
4. Reach out to smaller communities - literature; distribution of free materials.
5. Embrace multi-culture events.
6. Prepare for the National Event.
I know there is a lot of material here but I think it important that we know it and can reflect on it and share it with others.
I do hope you all can make plans for September 29 and join us to welcome David, our new director. May our God be praised! Lord, what are your plans for us?
Fr Jim Brown