Mercy and Evangelization—and a letter from Pope Francis

From left around the table: Vickie Holthaus, Allan Holthaus,  Laurie Peterman, Peter Poppleton, David Peterman, Sr. and Bob Garrett rekindle their relationships at the Catholic Fraternity Conference.

The Catholic Fraternity (CF) conference in Rome, November 2-8, highlighted the Year of Mercy and a personal letter we received during the meetings from the Holy Father. Laurie and David Peterman, Jr. and Dave Peterman, Sr. represented our Community at the conference held on the outskirts of Rome, Italy. This special conference celebrated the 25^th Anniversary of the founding of the Catholic Fraternity, which we helped initiate.

The theme of the conference, “Mercy and Evangelization” was in keeping with the Year of Mercy and these topics wove through nearly every presentation.  A bishop in Poland gave a talk on Divine Mercy and shared about migratory birds that are able to fly through surrender to the warm air as we are called to surrender to the power of the Holy Spirit. Laurie Peterman shared this story at our Gathering on November 15^th.

Many other leaders from various Communities shared how the Holy Spirit was working in their Communities as a way to build relationships and serve the Lord.  They focused on Unity and Mercy and the importance of looking past the dark aspects of our lives to see the Love and Joy in one another and always respond in Mercy.

Shayne Bennett retold the history of the Fraternity and the importance of passing on the blessing of the Fraternity to new members and the younger generation.

Bob Garrett, from the Alleluia Community in Augusta, not only issued a strong Call to Unity, but made it real by publically bringing reconciliation between Catholics and Protestants to the stage through a personal apology.

Patty Gallagher Mansfield spoke on understanding the grace of Baptism of the Holy Spirit and encouraged us all to take the Holy Father’s exhortations seriously.

Matteo Calisi, prior president of the Catholic Fraternity and frequent visitor to CCGD in Dallas, shared on the call of the Fraternity to continue to be a force for ecumenical unity. He showed a video of he and other ecumenical leaders praying over the Holy Father (then Cardinal Bergoglio) in Buenos Aires in 2007 for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on him and his ministry.

Sister Briege McKenna shared many ways that God brings about healing in our lives. She had so many fantastic sharings about God at work in his people’s lives today.  Her message was plainly, “Jesus is alive and still in business!”

Plans for the Golden Jubilee

The Executive members of the Fraternity discussed plans for the Golden Jubilee for the Catho­lic Charismatic Renewal (CCR) in Rome for Pentecost, 2017 beginning May 31^st and culmi­nate with the Celebration of Pentecost with our Holy Father in St. Peter’s Square on June 4^th. The Holy Father is inviting everyone to join him for this celebration. If you would like to travel with the Community to Rome, please contact David Peterman, Sr. for the details.

Letter from Pope Francis

The climax of the conference was clearly the personal letter that we received from the Holy Father.  Please take time to review it and study it.  You can find it on our website at https://godsdelight.org/library/outreach/ccr_resources/2015-11%20Pope%20Francis%20Letter%20to%20the%20CFCCCF%20+%20footnotes.pdf

Here are the key points from his letter:

1. Unity of the CF and International Catholic Charismatic Services (ICCRS) - He asks that the Catholic Fraternity and ICCRS unite in their mission to stir up the gifts of the Holy Spirit all over the world.
2. CCR Jubilee - He invites us all to Rome on Pentecost 2017 to celebrate 50 years since the eruption of this current of grace that is the Charismatic Renewal in the Catholic Church.
3. CCR is for all - He confirms the understanding that the Charismatic Renewal is not a “movement” but rather a single current of grace for the renewal of Pentecost for the Church and the world.He reminds us that together, with all the Christians who have lived the experience of “being born anew,” the Church and the world need, today more than ever, the Holy Spirit! He asks us to join St. Peter in announcing the Good News as like he did on Pentecost morning.
4. Christian Unity - He explains that we should be united with one another to accomplish this and give witness together to the Father’s merciful love made known to us in Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior!
5. CCR Mission - He entrusts the CCR with a very specific charge confirming the mission he gave us last year to share the Baptism in the Holy Spirit with everyone in the Church.
6. Ecumenism – He reminds us that the CCR was “born ecumenical” and so we are called with all Christians to join together in fraternal prayer and service to our neighbors.
7. Marginalized – He asks us to work to alleviate the needs of the weakest and of those victims of all human suffering, encouraging us to reach out to them and touch in them the wounds of Jesus himself.
8. Year of Mercy – He invites us to join the Church in celebrating the Year of Mercy by being merciful to our neighbors particularly, while knowing how to distinguish between the sin and the sinner.We must show mercy to the sinner while rejecting the sin and together asking for forgiveness.
9. Praise – He reminds us of the importance of strengthening ourselves daily with the prayer of praise, which we as the Renewal have rediscovered as a gift from the Holy Spirit for the Church.

You can find a link to the event videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/catholicfraternity/videos