Catholic Charismatic Renewal

Women’s Day of Renewal
May 10, 2007
Holy Spirit Church
In the Chapel
4383 E. Broad St. (Corner of Yearling and E. Broad) in Whitehall.
Registration: 9:45 A.M.
Program: 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.
Fr. Dean Matthewson will be presiding

“Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
(Phil. 4:6-7)

This month we will be continuing speaking on the “Fruit of the Spirit”. Maxine Powers will be our speaker for the May meeting of Women’s Day of Renewal. Her topic will be “Self-control.”
Maxine has served, as the Director of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Center, since 1990. She and her husband Wade have served the church in many capacities; in teaching, leading Life in the Spirit Seminars, youth ministry, and in many other capacities. She also serves on the council for the National Service Committee for the Charismatic Renewal, assists Fr. Justin Reis on the Association of Diocesan Liaisons, is a member of the Diocesan Evangelization Committee, as well as the Evangelization committee for her home parish, St. Francis de Sales, Newark, OH, where she and her husband Wade are members.
The day will begin with praise and worship, our featured speaker, Mass, followed by discussion groups, a delicious lunch, and prayer teams will be available for those who would like individual prayer. There is no charge for the day, however, an offering will be received during Mass for the ministry of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR). For more information, please call the CCR office at (614)237-7080.

Please Note: There will be no childcare this month. We are seeking someone who could serve in this ministry. If you are interested, please call the above number.
If the Columbus Public Schools are closed because of inclement weather - the Women’s Day of Renewal will also be cancelled.

What is the Baptism in the Spirit?
(Click Here for a Print Friendly Version)

Prior to His ascension Jesus told His apostles, "Before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit." He added., "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses" (Acts 1:5-8). The apostles prayed for the coming of the Holy Spirit with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and a group of about one hundred and twenty. On Pentecost they were "baptized with the Holy Spirit: and were transformed into new creatures, bold witnesses for Christ.

Pentecost comes to each of us in the Sacrament of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. In Baptism we receive the Holy Spirit and become God's children and members of the body of Christ. In Confirmation we receive a new fullness of the Spirit and we are empowered to serve the Church and bear witness to Jesus.

Often we do not allow the Spirit we have received to be as active in us as He want to be. To use an analogy, He is like chocolate syrup poured into a glass of milk - it goes to the bottom of the glass until stirred up. But when it is stirred up, it permeates the milk and transforms it into something new. We can learn how to "stir up" the Spirit - and how to receive more of Him - from Jesus in the Gospels: "If anyone thirst, let him come to Me, let him drink who believes in Me." As the scripture has said, "Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water." He said this about the Spirit which those who believed in Him were to receive. (John 7:37-39). "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" (Luke 11:13).

The Lord teaches that first we must thirst for God; we must desire more and more of His Spirit. Then we must believe that Jesus is faithful to His promises and will indeed give us His holy Spirit. Finally, we must ask God for the Holy Spirit. We must pray for perseverance, asking, seeking, knocking, believing that "everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks fiends, and to him who knocks it will be opened" (Luke 11:10). We can follow the example of the early Church by praying for the Spirit in union with Mary and the apostles as they did at the first Pentecost (see Acts 1:12-14).

What can be expected when we are "baptized with the Holy Spirit"? We can expect an immediate or gradual experience of deeper union with God, our loving Father and with Jesus, our Lord and friend; a fresh appreciation of Scripture; a greater love for others and a desire for Christian fellowship; the fuller presence in our lives of the fruits of the Spirit; love, joy, peace, patience and more (see Galatians 5:22-23); the reception of one or more of the Charismatic gifts of the Spirit, such as discernment, service, prophecy, praying in tongues, healing (see I Corinthians 12-14). This gift of a new fullness of the Holy Spirit is, I believe, the grace of our age. "Ask and it will be given to you!"

(This article is reprinted from the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of New Orleans).

What is the Baptism in the Spirit?
Baptized in the Holy Spirit
by Harold Cohen, S.J.