CCRSO is the official shepherding body of the provincial Renewal as mandated by the Ontario Bishops

Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI Affirm the Charismatic Renewal

"At the recent "World Youth Day" in Denver I reflected with the young people present on the words of the Lord to the Prophet Isaiah: "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" (Is. 6: 8). We reflected on these words as applied to vocations to the priesthood and the religious life in the context of the new evangelization. Today it is a fact of the Church's life that many vocations arise and blossom in the heart of the various Movements and Associations. I wish to encourage you to give close attention within the Catholic Charismatic Renewal to this particular mode of God's love for his People. The prayerful response of your members and associates to this grace will be a further, explicit sign of the Renewal's sharing in the life and mission of the Church, the visible body of Christ (Cf. 1Cor. 12: 27)." Address of his Holiness John Paul II to the leaders of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal at Castel Gandolfo, Saturday, 18 September 1993 "

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"What we learn in the New Testament on charism, which appeared as visible signs of the coming of the Holy Spirit, is not a historical event of the past, but a reality ever alive. It is the same divine Spirit, soul of the Church, that acts in every age and those mysterious and effective interventions of the Spirit are manifest in our time in a providential way. The Movements and New Communities are like an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the Church and in contemporary society. We can, therefore, rightly say that one of the positive elements and aspects of the Community of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal is precisely their emphasis on the charisms or gifts of the Holy Spirit and their merit lies in having recalled their topicality in the Church." Address to the Catholic Fraternity of Charismatic Covenant Communities and Fellowships, Hall of Blessings, Friday,31 October, 2008 Friday, 31 October, 2008.

 

Message from the President

" Launch out into the deep for a catch ". This message from Jesus was repeated strongly by Pope John Paul II. It was a message that Brian Sullivan often emphasized during his time as President of CCRSO. John Paul II exhorted us to embrace the new evangelization. As Paul VI reminded us, " The Church exists to evangelize." We exist to evangelize. Under Brian's leadership we did embrace some new things; The Holy Spirit Retreats for Catholic Parishes being an important response. We investigated various processes to discover and discern spiritual gifts and use them to serve in the Church and beyond. The endorsement of the Called and Gifted Spiritual Gifts Workshop last year is a result. In the Hamilton Diocese Miriam Wright and others learned the Unbound: Freedom in Christ method of deliverance and hosted and Unbound conference last May and plan another this coming May 7th in Oakville.

"Return to your first love" is a loving word of correction we have been hearing at CCRSO. We have asked the Lord, "How have we strayed from that first love for you? How have weallowed the ways of the world to distract and distance us from you and your ways?" We continue to examine ourselves as individualsand as a group in the light of Scripture, the teaching of the Church and the prophetic words. " Lord, I want to know you more; I want to love you more. Reveal yourself to me and purify my heart for you alone. Amen."

"Lord, light the fire again!" is our response tohis call to evangelize and return to our first love for Jesus. We are to seek first God and his kingdom way of righteousness. We need to rouse each other up to that great zeal we had for the Lord and to persevere in reaching out to others for him. St. Paul exhorts us to " stir into flame the gifts you have received." The gifts of the Holy Spirit are given to us to serve others;they are part of the equipment given to us to accomplish the purposes we are on the earth for. We need to deepen our relationship with the Holy Spirit who reveals and glorifies Jesus; Jesus in turn reveals the Father to us. We need our hearts purified so as to be more powerful and effective witnesses and instruments in the Lord" s vineyard.

" Launch out into the deep for a catch."
" Return to your first love."
" Lord, light the fire again."

Deacon Stan Cor
President:

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Message from the Spiritual Director

We have heard through the Word gifts, the Lord wishes "That they all may be one...that you love each other as I have loved you," and from last night, "Seek first the Kingdom of God." In His presence is the fullness of joy. He wants us to be totally attached, "In your deepest wound, stay grafted to my heart and my blood will flow." Without love, I am nothing. Seek the path of holiness because he is in us and with us. The Trinity is in us from the moment of baptism. He never abandons us, even if we stray; he waits for us to wake up - so anything is possible!
Be fools for Christ. Again from the Word gifts we heard, "I died like a fool for you, won't you live like a fool for me?" We must keep on being attentive to where the Lord wants us to be or to lead us. Holiness and trust in the Lord are essential. We must use our gifts. In maturing, we need to be able to be corrected. In discernment, confirmation is needed. The most important reality in discernment is the peace we are given.
Humility is so important. Jesus became human - he required humility to clothe his Godliness so He could save us; His Godliness showed through when teaching, healing, and through his whole life. We grow in humility by contemplating the face of Jesus in the Eucharist and in others. There is no room for pride, arrogance, envy, self-centeredness, 'power-tripping', lording it over, or hearing one,s own voice...He came to serve, not to be served. We need to have an openness to transformation. We need discernment at every moment of every day.

Practical ways of discernment:

Fr. Don Lizzotti
Spiritual Director: