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Deacon urges charismatic Catholics to ‘fight the good fight of faith’
By Nissa LaPoint
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Photo by Nissa LaPoint/DCR |
Before going out into the world and evangelizing, the Catholic faithful may need to graduate from God’s boot camp.
In his message to Catholics at the 2011 Archdiocesan Charismatic Ministries conference, Deacon Alex Jones, a former Pentecostal minister who converted to Catholicism, said a boot camp for the soul is necessary to carry out the pope’s and Catholic Church’s vision to spread the Gospel.
“We must be prepared to preach the Gospel, to live the Gospel even if it costs us our lives,” Deacon Jones said. “Not to the point where somebody doesn’t like me or somebody says something nasty about me. You need to be toughened up. ... Don’t go home and sit down. Man up. Fight the good fight of faith.”
Deacon Jones talked about the challenge of evangelizing other parishioners, lukewarm cradle Catholics, fallen away Catholics, and catechizing children in his talk Sept. 25 at the Red Lion Hotel in Aurora. He delivered the final talk during the weekend conference titled “Fanning the Flame: Called to Love, Called to Serve.”
About 400 attendees from Colorado and surrounding states registered for the conference that featured national speakers, workshops, Mass, confession, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and praise music, said Monica Hernandez, conference coordinator.
“We try to offer the opportunity for those who would like to attend to grow in their faith and their relationship with the Lord,” Hernandez said.
The ministry hosts monthly days of renewal and regional conferences biyearly, she said.
This conference, sponsored by the Colorado Charismatic Committee, included a Mass celebrated by Bishop James Conley, apostolic administrator of the Denver Archdiocese; and talks by Jim Beckman, local author and youth minister; and Caroline Gambale-Dirkes, co-founder of 2Tim4 Ministries and member of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.
Presenting together, Jesuit Father Robert Faricy, emeritus professor of the Pontifical Gregorian University, and retreat leader Cheryl Nguyen gave talks titled “Mary, the Spouse of the Holy Spirit,” “Baptism of the Holy Spirit,” and “You Will Receive Power - Gifts of the Holy Spirit.”
Charismatics emphasize the living presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church. The charismatic movement grew rapidly in the 1960s and ‘70s as a spiritual revival movement within the Catholic and mainline Protestant churches.
The Holy Spirit was a dominant theme of the conference.
“The relationship with the Holy Spirit is what allows your prayer life to grow deeper,” Hernandez said.
For Bill and Marilynn Van Well of Akron, Colo., Deacon Jones’ talk about the need to be strong during those inevitable moments of hardship was encouraging.
“You get discouraged because everyone is afraid to loosen up and show their faith,” Marilynn Van Well said.
The couple attended the retreat to be renewed and plan to take the graces they received back to their parish, she said.
Deacon Jones emphasized that Catholics must prepare their hearts and learn from the Old Testament patriarchs Joseph and Moses, who faced seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
“To do what God wants us to do, we have to prepare our hearts for spiritual warfare,” Deacon Jones said. “The kingdom of God is opposed in this age. Not just this age—it’s always been opposed.”
Doing the work of the Lord has and always will be a challenge, he said. However, the Catholic Church is strong and growing.
“I know we’ve had the scandal and the abuse. That’s human failing, that’s human weakness,” Deacon Jones said. “‘The Church is falling apart’—that’s not true, that’s an illusion. In the United States, over 50,000 people were added to the rows of the Catholic Church just in one year and it’s growing.”
After Deacon Jones’ remarks, Chris Perry of Firestone, Colo., said she felt she had the tools to overcome difficulties in living her faith and being charismatic.
The message Perry said she will remember as she moves forward in her faith?
“Not to be intimidated,” she said.
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