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| AFCCPC UPDATE |
| July 2008 |
HEADLINES (Click on headline to read the article) A Message from the National Coordinator (Bob Canton) |
| A MESSAGE FROM THE NATIONAL COORDINATOR Bob Canton
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before Him.” (Eph. 1: 3-4). The AFCCPC has a new Head Shepherd in the person of Fr. Ramon Valera, who is currently the pastor of St. Cyprian Church in Long Beach, CA. He previously served as Assistant Head Shepherd. Fr. Bill Halbing, Pastor of St. Antoninus Church in Newark, NJ, was the unanimous choice of the Alliance Board to assume the position of Assistant Head Shepherd. Fr. Bill has been a staunch supporter of the Alliance. Although not Filipino, he always proclaims himself to be “Filipino” at heart. These two priests love the Lord and are willing and ready to do everything for His glory and honor. What a blessing for our organization to have Fr. Ramon and Fr. Bill as our shepherds! We have indeed been blessed tremendously by the Lord. Time and time again, the Lord shows us that He is always with us and that He will never abandon us. During the Rocky Mountain Regional Conference in Las Vegas last March for instance, the Lord Jesus touched the lives of many in ways that are beyond our expectations. Physical, emotional, spiritual healings took place as well as healings of broken relationships. The prayer groups in Las Vegas and vicinity have become more cohesive and more united. Consequently, they are now working together beautifully and sharing their gifts and resources with one another. Regional Coordinators Bertie Krehnovi, Val and Leoni Kiamco, Dr. John Valles, Virginia Nuval, and Philip Garcia are working hand in hand in the works of evangelization and in promoting the mission and the vision of the AFCCPC. They informed me that more people are now attending the various prayer meetings in and around the Las Vegas area. This is indeed a tremendous blessing from the Lord. Let us continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in Las Vegas that the Holy Spirit will spark a powerful fire of revival in that place and that He will continue to use the prayer groups in a mighty way. There is a saying in Las Vegas that goes like this, “What happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas.” I would rather say, “What happened in Las Vegas during and after our Regional Conference should be proclaimed throughout the world.” Alleluia! Immediately after the Las Vegas Conference, I flew to Rome to attend the International Colloquium on Charisms and the Council meeting of the International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services (ICCRS) of which I am a member. There were 140 invited leaders from 46 countries representing all the continents throughout the world who attended the 4-day Colloquium. The event was co-sponsored by the ICCRS and the Catholic Fraternity which is made up of Covenant Communities and fellowships within the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and it was organized in collaboration with the Pontifical Council of the Laity. Attendance of this event was by invitation only. It was indeed a great privilege and an honor for me to be one of the invitees. Diane DeGuzman, an AFCCPC Regional Coordinator representing the Mid Pacific Region, was also invited to attend. I believe that the Colloquium has given the CCR leaders throughout the world an impetus to encourage and to teach people how to use the gifts of the Holy Spirit for the building up of the body of Christ. If used properly and with the anointing of the Holy Spirit, the spiritual gifts are very powerful tools for the works of evangelization. During the week-long ICCRS Council meeting immediately after the Colloquium, I was very much encouraged to learn that the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in many parts of the world is very much alive. The ICCRS Council members (there were 12 of us present during the meeting) also had a general audience with his Holiness Pope Benedict XV1 at the square of St. Peter’s Basilica. Michelle Moran, the ICCRS president, and Oreste Pesare, the ICCRS director, presented the Cross of the Renewal to the pontiff. I’m happy to report that there are many worldwide events and initiatives that are being sponsored or initiated by the ICCRS and one of these events is the School of Healing Prayers for Leaders Part 1 and 2 to be held in Jacksonville, Florida on Oct. 20-25, 2008. This event is jointly sponsored by the ICCRS and the National Service Committee of the CCR in the United States and will be presented by Judith and Francis MacNutt. Last year, many of us from the Alliance attended Part 1 and we all agreed that it was a tremendous blessing for the attendees. Anybody is encouraged to attend this Workshop on Healing whether or not you attended last year’s program. Since this School of Healing Prayer for Leaders is too good to miss, I expect many from the AFCCPC will come to attend. Please bring a friend or 2 so that they will also receive a great blessing from the Lord Jesus. I also would like to remind all of you to make your airline and hotel reservations and send in your registrations for our North Pacific Regional Conference to be held in my hometown of Stockton, CA, come Nov.7-9, 2008. Please remember that this is on a “first come, first serve basis” since the space of the Hilton Hotel is limited. I promise, with the Lord’s grace and help, that this Conference will be a big blessing to all of you who come. Our bishop in the Stockton Diocese, Stephen Blaire, and our very own Bishop Oscar Solis from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the first Filipino-American Bishop to be ordained in the U.S and an AFCCPC spiritual adviser, will speak at this Conference. There are other dynamic speakers who are coming such as Fr. Bill Halbing and Sis. Linda Koontz. The Singing Priests from San Francisco and from the Diocese of Stockton are scheduled to participate during the Praise Concert on the opening day of the Conference together with the different Music Ministries from Los Angeles, Stockton, Las Vegas, and the San Francisco Bay area. We in the North Pacific Region are all excited to host this Regional Conference because we believe that the Lord has beautiful plans for all of us. The Rev. Ramon Valera, Rev. Matthew O’Donnell (Pastor of St. Luke’s Parish, Stockton), Deacon Bill Brennan, Rev. Dean McFalls (Pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Stockton), and yours truly are also scheduled to speak at the Conference. A Mass for each day is scheduled as well as a Healing Service on Saturday evening. The cost of registration for the early bird is $30 until Sept. 15, 2008, and then it will go up to $45 after this date. There will also be a Youth Track and the cost to register is $10 for youth and young adults (ages 12-20 years old). For information, call 415-467-7951. For hotel reservations, call 1-800-445-8667. Kindly send in your registrations to AFCCPC /Stockton Convention, P.O. Box 691927, Stockton, CA. 95269. You may also call 209-916-271-7705 to obtain registration forms. When you make your airline reservations, please make Sacramento, CA. as your place of destination. Shuttle vans have been arranged to pick you up from the Sacramento Airport and to take you back after the conference. If possible, let us know the time and flight numbers of your arrival and departure and your airline carrier. Indeed, the AFCCPC is being tremendously blessed by the Lord. Please continue to be open to the promptings of His Holy Spirit and to do everything in love so that His blessings will continue to flow into your life, and into your ministry and family in great measures. God bless you all! Bob Canton |
RENEWAL TO EMPHASIZE YEAR OF ST. PAUL Walter Matthews At the Gathering of National Charismatic Leadership Groups in Miami, January 14-16, it was decided, in response to Pope Benedict XVI’s naming the year from June 28, 2008 to June 29, 2009 as the Year of St. Paul in honor of the 2000th Anniversary of St. Paul’s birth, to encourage a focus and emphasis on St. Paul during this time. While there will be a number of events in Rome during the Year the Renewal here in the U.S. will accompany the Church on this journey as we did in the years prior to the Jubilee. As Msgr. Joseph Malagreca noted in his talk presenting the idea and some of the connections between St. Paul and the Renewal, when we, individually or as the Renewal, have taken seriously these opportunities (e.g. The Year of the Eucharist), the more we lived them, the more graces we received. Msgr. Malagreca, who serves as the Chairman of the Committee of Five that is responsible for planning the Gathering of National Leadership Groups, noted these six connections between St. Paul and the Renewal:
To focus our efforts in this year of St. Paul a prayer card is being developed and should soon be available. This was the tenth such Gathering of National Leadership Groups in its current configuration bringing together members of the AFCCPC, the national committees for the Koreans, Hispanics and Haitians, the National Service Committee, the Diocesan Liaisons Steering Committee and several members of the Catholic Fraternity of Charismatic Covenant Communities and Fellowships. Until he stepped down as Chairman of the US Bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee on the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Bishop Sam Jacobs was the Chairman. About 50 leaders gathered this year. Among other matters it was decided to expand the Committee of Five to include the National Coordinator of the Alliance of Filipino Catholic Charismatic Prayer Communities, Bob Canton, and Deacon Joseph Lee, the Chairman of the Korean Service Committee. They join Msgr. Malagreca who represents the Haitian and Hispanic leadership groups, Arlene Apone, Chairperson of the Diocesan Liaison Steering Committee, Aggie Neck, Chairman of the National Service Committee and Dennis McBride of the Alleluia Community in Augusta, Georgia and the US representative to the Catholic Fraternity. With the two additions the Committee is looking to revise its name possibly to the Planning Committee for the Gathering of National Leadership Groups. Allow me to end this piece with a warm greeting of brotherly love personally and on behalf of the National Service Committee. For a number of years now I have been privileged to meet and get to know a number of the Alliance leaders most especially, of course, Bob Canton and many others including your esteemed Editor. As leadership groups we have worked together on a number of projects, most recently the 2007 National Catholic Charismatic Renewal Conference held in New Jersey last June to celebrate the Renewal’s 40th Anniversary, and continue to meet on the national level at the Gathering. Together we have but one purpose: to continue to serve the Lord and see that this grace of the Renewal, this grace of Pentecost, grows in the life of the Church. With Bob Canton’s new service as the ICCRS representative to the U.S. we will have even more opportunities to serve together proclaiming Jesus as Lord to the glory of God the Father. |
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Fr. Ramon Valera Pope Benedict XVI will proclaim a Year Dedicated to Saint Paul on Sunday, June 28, 2008, commemorating the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Saint Paul. I believe that everyone involved with the Catholic Charismatic Movement should be familiar with this holy man who turned the pagan world into Christ Jesus. As a fearless preacher of the Word of God, let us be acquainted with this unique man and appreciate the greatness of his contribution to our Catholic Faith. I will attempt to write about who Saint Paul is and describe briefly his background and surroundings. Who is Saint Paul? Much of what we know about Paul (known by his Jewish name Saul) comes from the New Testament of the Bible, particularly from the Acts of the Apostles and the Writings of Paul himself. Acts 22:3 tells us that Paul was born in Tarsus, a rich commercial city which was also the center of the Stoic and Epicurean schools of philosophy. In this center Paul learned Greek rhetoric and became acquainted with the profound religious questions that tormented the hearts of pagans tired of offering incense to numerous gods. Being the son of a family that strictly observed the Jewish law, Paul became well versed in the Jewish Law and its interpretation. Taught and trained in a Jewish environment, Paul became a Pharisee, a small group of people who were considered “separated ones” because of their special learning and leadership in the community. As a convinced Pharisee, Paul acts in a way that is consistent with his identity. His profound desire to carry out the will of God leads him to take on the responsibility of destroying the early Christian community. Acts 22 narrates to us Paul’s intent to destroy the Christians in Damascus, but along the road a strong light blinds him and forces him to be thrown away from his horse, and a voice from heaven demands: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me.” Nervous and afraid for the first time, Paul asks: “Who are you, Lord?” “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” This was the voice of God that would not only change Paul’s entire life but would give him the true meaning of his identity to carry out the will of God. Paul’s conversion does not stop here. Deeply shaken, Paul sets out to discover himself. He is told to go to Ananias who first cannot believe why Paul, a dangerous man, is brought to his charge. Ananias receives a revelation from God that Paul will be “the instrument of evangelization, of bringing Christ’s name before pagans and pagan kings and before the people of Israel.” (Acts 9:4-16; 22:3-21; 26:0-18). God has a specific plan for him. Jesus later tells him: “Get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this reason: to appoint you as my servant and as witness of this vision in which you have seen me, and of others in which I shall appear to you.” (Acts 26:16). The conversion of Paul is an amazing story, but what was true to Paul can also be true to us: our genuine identity comes from God. We receive it as a gift in Baptism; it develops in dialogue with the One who seeks to draw us to Himself, perhaps throwing us into confusion many times in our spiritual journey in this pilgrim way into the Kingdom of God. Let us for a moment now examine how Paul welcomes and listens to the Word of God and becomes an authentic bearer and fearless preacher of God’s message. Very briefly let us look at Paul’s change of attitude: from Saul – the Pharisee deeply attached to the Law which he scrupulously observed and forced others to observe; to Paul – the convert who finds his identity in Jesus and freely communicates him to others with his entire being. During the time in which Paul lived, the Word of God was part of the Bible that Christians today call the Old Testament containing the Law, the Prophets and their writings. The core of the Old Testament was the Torah, which Saul the Pharisee loved with all consuming passion. The phrase that would best describe Paul at this stage of his life is this: “My life is the Law.” Saul succeeded in living the Law so perfectly, as every Pharisee would at this time that he was able to boast of this fact without fear of being contradicted. He truly observed the Law, which no one really believed could be practiced completely, and no one could find anything to correct in his behavior. (Gal. 1:13-14; Phil. 3:3-6). Saul learned the Law of God as a child. For fifteen years, he sat at the feet of Gamaliel, studying the Scriptures, hanging on every word of his teacher and making the effort to observe every aspect of the Law down to the last detail. (Acts 22:1-4). He learned to interpret the law and to also embrace the fundamental truth that constitutes the framework of life for the religious Hebrew. Converted to Christ, Paul re-reads the Scriptures (the Old Testament, which is the Word of God) from the Christian perspective of directing his life to Christ and announcing to others the salvation won for us by Jesus Christ. Having come to understand the Scriptures in the light of Christ, Paul supplements them with his own communication of Christ to others through his fearless preaching and writings we find in the New Testament from his 13 letters or epistles (as we used to know). As a follower of Jesus Christ, Paul lived entirely for and with Christ, following in his footsteps. Thus his life is transformed into Scripture. His life became the Word of God for towards the end of his life Paul was able to shout and proclaim with pride and without fear and doubt: “by the grace of God, I am what I am.” |
| LAS VEGAS REGIONAL CONFERENCE Narciso Albarracin, Jr.
The first Rocky Mountain Regional Conference was held in Las Vegas at the Hampton Inn Tropicana on March 28, 29, and 30, 2008. Chaired and coordinated by Val and Leoni Kiamko, it was a Spirit-filled and music-and-dance animated conference that reached out to some 400 attendees including young people from Las Vegas and California. “Lord I’ll go! Send me” (Is 6:8) was the conference theme. The Most Reverend Joseph A. Pepe, Bishop of Las Vegas, celebrated the opening Mass on Friday evening, which was followed by a Festival of Praise by music and dance. The following music ministries turned the evening into a night of exaltation: Countdown Band of the Seed of Life Music Ministry (Las Vegas), Children of God Music Ministry (Stockton, CA), Southern Nevada Renewal Community with Together in Christ Combined Music Team (Las Vegas), Great Harvest of the Lord Music Ministry (Antioch, CA), Spirit of God Music Ministry (Los Angeles, CA), St. Joseph the Worker Music Ministry (Canoga Park, CA), and Friends of Jesus (Glendale, CA). Directed and choreographed by Leoni Fae Kiamko, liturgical dance and drama was provided by the Seed of Life Ministries Youth of Las Vegas and Victorville, CA; Divine Mercy Youth of Las Vegas; Junior Apostolate for Christ Youth of San Francisco, CA. The Conference featured 11 Spirit-inspired talks and 4 personal testimonies. Fr. Bill Halbing opened the session with his talk on the conference theme, “Here I am Lord; Send Me” and Bob Canton closed the conference with his talk on “Living a Victorious Life.” Sister Nancy Kellar talked on “Gifts of the Holy Spirit” and “How to Make Your Prayer Group Evangelize Effectively.” Peter Thompson talked on “The Church Exists to Evangelize” and “By What Authority.” Father Ramon Valera, preparing the congregation for the Year of St. Paul, talked on “St. Paul, the Fearless Preacher.” Bob Canton talked on “Defeating Our Adversary” and Bertie Krehnovi talked on “Claiming Our Position in Christ Jesus.” Tony Cailan talked on “My Word – They are Spirit and Life.” Val Kiamko talked on “God’s Commission – Go! Make Disciples!” Personal testimonies were given by Mario Vierneza, Alma May Dewey, Gus Mora, and Dr. John Valles. Quite heartwarmingly, this Conference had a Youth Track that reached out to our young people, lovingly ministered to by Leoni Kiamko, Mario Vierneza, Grace Bernardo, and Bob Canton. The Youth Session opened with Remarks from National Coordinator Bob Canton. This was followed by Mario Vierneza’s talk on “The Power of Praise and Worship.” Leoni Kiamko talked on “Sharing God’s Word through Dance and Drama” and “Victory in Christ – Make a Difference.” Grace Bernardo talked on “God’s Wonderful Plan – New Purpose” and “God’s Armor.” Val Kiamko talked on “Fully Alive in the Spirit.” Mario Vierneza talked on “God’s Encounter – Love for Prayer, Scripture, and Sacraments.” The concluding talk was given by Bob Canton on “God’s Call – To Proclaim His Name.” A Q&A Open Forum preceded the closing Eucharistic Celebration. Bob Canton conducted a healing service on Saturday night. Many healings occurred on site and testimonies of healing continue to be received by Bob. At the concluding ceremonies on Sunday afternoon, installation of new officers of the AFCCPC was done by Bob Canton and Fr. Ramon Valera who himself is a newly appointed Head Shepherd. This Conference is significant and memorable not only because it is the first in the region but also because it was held right in the midst of so-called sin-city Las Vegas. The common wisdom is expressed in the saying “what is seen and heard in Las Vegas remains in Las Vegas.” This Conference reverses that common wisdom into supernatural wisdom – what is seen and heard in the conference in Las Vegas shall be proclaimed to all corners of the earth, to go and make disciples. Evidence is accumulating that indeed the fire of the Spirit has been stirred into flame by this Conference not only in the Las Vegas area but also to the rest of the Alliance. For a job well done, let us congratulate Bro. Val and Sister Leoni Kiamko, their fellow regional coordinators (Bertie Krehnovi, John Valles, Philip Garcia, Virgie Nuval), and the many unnamed and unsung vineyard workers who gave their untiring support. |
A CONFERENCE JOURNAL: Weekend in Las Vegas Ramon Mescallado Regional Coordinator, Southeastern Region Cape Coral, FL March 28, 2008, 6:45 p.m. Las Vegas, NV. The Most Reverend Joseph Pepe sends forth the AFCCPC body, “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” I looked at the Conference theme. I recalled Fr. Ramon Valera’s admonition at the Leaders Meeting just before this opening Eucharistic Celebration: “Be open. Obey. Trust in the Lord.” I muttered in my mind and stuttered in my heart: Lord, your Vicar in Las Vegas just SENT me. I GO. I am Going. Fr Bill Halbing emphasized the here and now in his “Here I Am Lord, Send Me.” He assured the conference that the power of the Holy Spirit is in us. Let’s stay under the shower of the Holy Spirit who is the outflow of the overflow of the inflow of God. Failure is not an option. Any fear of inadequacy was dispelled by Mario Vierneza who assured us that God does not call the qualified; He qualifies the called. Once called, Jesus will use us. We fish for men; Jesus cleans the catch. Attempting to get off the hook, I hunched my shoulders and weaseled out: No net, no boat, no go. Sr. Nancy Kellar shot back, “Gifts of the Holy Spirit “ – “Tools for Evangelization”. I insisted: Dunno how. Sr. Nancy countered, “How To Make Your Prayer Group Evangelize Effectively.” Thinking the avuncular Maple Leaf was an easy mark, I smirked: Not my job! Peter Thompson read my not-so-stiff upper lip, "The Church Exists to Evangelize.” Cornered, I challenged: Sez who? Peter Thompson answered his own rhetorical “By What Authority.” Jesus founded His Church on Peter. Fr. Ramon Valera, followed with 1-2-3 punches of “St Paul, The Fearless Preacher”: firmness, dedication, determination. Altogether Fr. Ramon threw 21 combinations of Galatians, Romans, Ephesians until he was restrained to save the Acts for later after the bell. Bro. Bob Canton delivered the coup de grace in “Defeating Our Adversary.” He kicked more rear ends of Gehenna residents when he conducted Healing Service through the evening. He trashed those afflictions, diseases, and all sorts of baggage that weighed us down. He dumped them until around midnight. Despite the long night before, Bro. Bob was bright and joyful the next day while “Living A Victorious Life.” We all have the spiritual blessings, he enthused. Alma May Dewey shared her devotion to the Real Presence in the Blessed Sacrament. Her focus was riveting. “God is in control. He knows what’s going to happen. So, let us not be distracted from our calling” We did not want to break for dinner until we started “Claiming Our Position in Christ Jesus”. Bertie Krehnovi whetted our appetite for loving the Lord “who has loved us before we were even conceived.” Our financially adept Co-Host urged us to “Deposit the check, and claim our inheritance.” She cashes in “our abundant life for Eternal Life.” Tony Cailan prefaced “My Word – They Are Spirit and Life” with his remarkable love and devotion to our Blessed Mother. Gus Mora’s Testimony on early T’nTs, (Trial and Tribulations) was at once touching, moving, and inspiring. Ad Jesum Per Mariam ---To Jesus Through Mary. John Valles psyched us up on our spiritual couch and repositioned our perspective. “Persevere”, the good doctor encouraged us, and “keep God Number 1.” Our Host Val Kiamco welcomed us to a “New Pentecost” and reminded us that “What we are is what we should do”. Sending us forth, he invigorated us with strength for the journey: As Christians, we must fulfill our Great Commission and anointing. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations.
Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit …and know that I am with you until the end of the world! I am the Alpha and the Omega, |
| NEW HEAD SHEPHERDS FOR THE ALLIANCE N. Albarracin, Jr.
Fr. Ramon Valera was recently appointed Head Shepherd of the Alliance of Filipino Catholic Charismatic Prayer Communities (AFCCPC), succeeding Fr. Edgardo Abano with whom he served for several years as Assistant Head Shepherd. Fr. Ramon was ordained to the priesthood on June 29, 1975, by Pope Paul VI at the St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, and is a graduate of the Immaculate Concepcion Major Seminary in Vigan, Ilocus Sur and the University of Santo Tomas Pontifical Seminary in Manila. He finished Licentiate of Sacred Theology (STL) at UST Central Seminary with cum laude honors. He was formerly Dean of Seminarians and Professor at the High School Seminary in Tuguegarao, Cagayan. He first got involved with the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in 1978 and has since been very active in giving spiritual talks, conducting retreats and recollections, healing services, Life in the Spirit and Growth seminars. Currently, he is the Pastor of St. Cyprian Church in Long Beach, CA, of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. He coordinates the Filipino-American Catholic Prayer Groups and Communities in Los Angeles and is a regular speaker at the SCRC annual conventions in Anaheim, CA. Fr. Bill Halbing is the Pastor of St. Antoninus Church in Newark, NJ. He graduated from the Seton Hall University and Immaculate Concepcion Seminary. He was ordained to the priesthood in October, 1982. He has a BA degree in Spanish and a Master’s degree in Divinity. Quite notably, he holds a Master’s degree in Judaeo-Christian Studies, an expertise acquired by only a few priests. Fr. Bill has been active in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal since 1975. His knowledge of scriptures and his preaching style have made him a popular conference speaker and Bible teacher. An active and involved priest, Fr. Bill’s ministry includes parish missions, days of recollection, and healing services. As a man alive with the Holy Spirit, Fr. Bill wants nothing less than for every person to be renewed in the Holy Spirit. |
| BOB CANTON MINISTERS TO MALAYSIANS Gus Mora Mid-Pacific Regional Coordinator and AFCCPC Legal Adviser
On May 4, 2008, Bro. Bob Canton, Dr. Ric Gutierrez, and I flew to Kuching Malaysia to conduct a healing crusade and seminar for four consecutive days. It was my second trip to Kuching upon invitation of the Emmaus Prayer Community. The seminars were conducted in the parish hall while the masses and healing rallies were done in the church. The seminar on the first day was attended exclusively by the members of the Emmaus Prayer Community. The seminars on the next succeeding three days were attended by approximately 500 people from Kuching as well as from the other dioceses including Miri and Sibu. The topics included: “How to Pray Effectively for Healing and Deliverance; Charisms of the Holy Spirit and How to Receive and Use Them; How to Effectively Evangelize and How to Make Your Prayer Group Evangelistic. The masses and healing rallies were conducted for three consecutive evenings and were open to all. As during our previous trip in 2004, the attendance filled the church to overflowing, with more and more people than before. About a couple of thousand people from all walks of life, some of whom were non-Christians, came and received God’s anointing. Many received the gift of tongues, prophecy and word of knowledge during the prayer for empowerment. There were many healings and miracles. The lame walked, the blind saw, the ears of the deaf were opened, illnesses were healed, and evil spirits were cast out from people. Many were in awe of what the Lord had done in their midst. Bishop Dominic Su and Fr. Sebastian from the Diocese of Sibu came to attend the events. Fr. Lawrence Chua, the pastor of the Blessed Sacrament Church, wholeheartedly supported all aspects of the crusade and allowed us to use the church facilities and the hall for that purpose. The three of them concelebrated the evening masses and joined us in praying over the people while the Blessed Sacrament was exposed. A number of people who were healed and delivered from evil spirits during our 2004 visit gave powerful testimonies. Most notable of them was from a former “bohmoh” or spiritist whose life changed after being prayed over by Bro. Bob in 2004. He said that when he first saw Bob, anger raged within him and an urge to hurt Bob started to build up. As he was about to punch Bob on the face, he felt that his hands were being held down as if a cord was being wrapped around his body. Bob continued to pray over him until he rested in the Spirit. A year later, he was baptized Catholic and had been active in the Legion of Mary since then. Mother Adriana, the superior of the local religious order, who was suffering from heart problems, was prayed over by Bro. Bob and received instant healing. One of the guitarists in the music ministry named Gary received a brand new heart. This was confirmed by his doctor from tests conducted two days after attending a healing service. The members of our host community were very warm and hospitable and were very receptive to the teachings of Bro. Bob. The Emmaus Prayer Community has been in existence for 16 years and the leaders and members have shown great potential in spearheading a renewal program that will enliven and strengthen the faith of the Catholic and other Christian communities in that part of the world. |
| STOCKTON REGIONAL CONFERENCE IN NOVEMBER 2008 The North Pacific Regional Conference will be held November 7-9, 2008, in Stockton, CA, at the Stockton Hilton. Space at the hotel is limited so everyone is encouraged to register and make reservations early. Among the dynamic speakers scheduled for this Conference are: Bishop Stephen Blaire of the Diocese of Stockton, Bishop Oscar Solis of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Fr. Bill Halbing, Linda Koontz, and Bob Canton. The Singing Priests of San Francisco and Stockton will be featured during the Praise Concert scheduled on opening night.
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| NEW APPOINTMENTS BY THE NATIONAL COORDINATOR
Prime Abiado Luz Delin Leo & Mina Vitangcol Teresita Pal Philip Garcia Eli Madridejos Rolly Rivera Fe Enriquez Fe Lacbain Dr. Anastacio Pinzon Dr. Jose Nepomuceno |
| AMENDMENTS TO THE AFCCPC BY-LAWS N. Albarracin, Jr. Years of practical experience in conducting the affairs of the Alliance have prompted the Board to consider amendments to the original Bylaws. The Board has sought the advice of Gus Mora, the Alliance legal adviser. At a special meeting of the Board of Directors held during the recent Regional Conference in Las Vegas, the following amendments to Article 4 of the Alliance Bylaws were discussed and approved on March 29, 2008:
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| UPCOMING ELECTION OF OFFICERS N. Albarracin, Jr. The present Officers and Board of the Alliance will conclude their term of office at the end of this year (2008). Another round of Elections is hereby announced and this will occur during the Regional Conference in Stockton in November, the specific date and time and place to be announced later by the National Coordinator. The elective positions include the following offices: National Coordinator, National Treasurer, National Auditor, and Board of Directors (5 positions). The Alliance membership is hereby reminded of the following rules regarding the Elections:
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| AFCCPC FUND RAISING: GET YOUR RAFFLE TICKETS Irni Tabasa, Marico Enriquez, and Ray Caparros Alliance Funding
The office of Coordinator of Funding is introducing to AFCCPC a new way of raising funds – raffle tickets! Irni Tabasa, Marico Enriquez, and Ray Caparros are coordinating this project. Alliance officers and regional coordinators have been (during the Las Vegas Regional Conference) or are to be each allotted $200 worth of tickets to sell. Address your questions about the Raffle to Irni Tabasa (415-467-7951 or 707-426-6285). Submit remittances to ticket sales and ticket stubs to this address: Irni and Delia Tabasa, 134 Fox Sparrow Lane, Brisbane, CA 94005. Their email address is: ddtabasa@yahoo.com. Each raffle ticket costs $1.00. A packet of 6 tickets costs $5.00. Drawing will be done at the North Pacific Regional Conference in Stockton, CA, on November 9, 2008, at 2:00 p.m., at the Stockton Hilton Hotel. You need not be present to win major and consolation prizes. The First Prize is a round-trip ticket to the Philippines (SFO-MNL, MNL-SFO). Second Prize is a 42-inch Plasma TV. Third prize is a digital camera. Fourth prize is an i-Pod. There is a special prize of a roundtrip ticket to Hawaii. There are also 20 fabulous consolation prizes. By buying and/or selling raffle tickets you are helping AFCCPC in its efforts at fund-raising. |
| HELP THE MISSION AND SERVICE OF ICCRS A message from Michelle Moran, President of ICCRS Dear Brothers and Sisters: I greet you in the name of ICCRS and wish you all God’s blessings as you continue to serve the Lord in the power of the Holy Spirit. As the new President of ICCRS, I am pleased to inform you that ICCRS is at present actively involved in projects in every continent. Indeed it seems that we have never been so busy. Just to give you an idea, The International Colloquium on Charisms and the Charismatic Renewal in the Catholic Church was co-sponsored by ICCRS and the Catholic Fraternity and organized in collaboration with the Pontifical Council for the Laity (PCL). This Colloquium was held in Rome last April and attended by 140 invited leaders from 46 countries. ICCRS is now preparing the materials from this Colloquium for distribution worldwide; they will certainly be of big help for many prayer groups and priests in general. In response to Pope John Paul II’s request to the CCR to ‘foster ecclesial maturity’, the ICCRS Institute of Formation for Leaders helps to form mature and committed leadership in the CCR. ICCRS is holding the one-week Leadership Training Courses (LTC) in South Korea in July 2008 and in Botswana in April 2009. Then in Rome in September 2009, there will be the third 3-week Institute of Formation. Part II of the School of Healing Prayer for Leaders will be held in Jacksonville, Florida, USA from 20th to 25th October, 2008. The ICCRS Council is also in the process of planning the next International Conference in Kkottongnae, South Korea from 1st to 9th June, 2009 and a major CCR retreat and pilgrimage for Pentecost in Jerusalem in 2010. The Mission of ICCRS: In 1993, the Holy See recognised ICCRS as a body for the promotion of Catholic Charismatic Renewal, with a juridical personality, according to Canon 116, and approved the Statutes of ICCRS. One of the central roles of ICCRS is to be the main point of communication for the CCR worldwide. This is a big task, as there are about 125 million Catholics who have lived this experience and whom ICCRS has endeavoured to serve over the past 31 years. ICCRS also has an important role as the main link between the Vatican and CCR. It is the central place of dialogue with other movements, communities and organisations. For all this to happen effectively it is important that ICCRS has an office within the Vatican. Recently we have been instructed by APSA (the department that deals with Vatican property) that they require ICCRS to re-locate to a new office that is situated in the San Calisto Palace, in the same block as the Pontifical Council for the Laity. This is in line with the vision of the Vatican to move all the offices of the movements near to the Pontifical Council of the Laity. The move will enable ICCRS to have improved office accommodation in a better location but there will be a modest rent increase. Thankfully, the Vatican has agreed to pay our transportation costs but there will also be inevitable extra expenses involved with the move. What Does ICCRS Provide for the Worldwide CCR?
ICCRS Needs Your Support: Currently we estimate that ICCRS needs €13,000 per month to operate at its current level. The main sources of income are donations and tithes from National Service Committees worldwide, donations from individuals, and money raised from ICCRS events. At the present moment ICCRS is facing a severe financial challenge, we only have enough funds to operate at our current level for 3 months. However, we also want to expand our operations especially the Institute of Formation for Leaders but with the present financial situation this is not possible. We are therefore launching a special appeal for funds. Short term we urgently need to raise €50,000. This will enable us to have funding for 4 more months. Then in the longer term we need to build a more stable financial future for ICCRS. How Can You Help Us?
Please do all that you can to help ICCRS. I realise that many of us are also facing financial struggles at the local and national levels of CCR but it is vital for us to ensure that International CCR through ICCRS continues its service at the heart of the Church. In the next ICCRS Newsletter, and soon at the ICCRS website, you will find more information about how you or your area can participate in the “Hope Sack Pledge Project” and support ICCRS financially. Please look for this information and ask the Lord how you might be able to help. Thank you for your prayers and for considering what financial support you can give towards the work of ICCRS, that is the work of the Lord. May God bless you abundantly, Michelle Moran |
| COMMENTARIES ON THE POPE’S VISIT Deacon Bob Rosales Being a Canadian looking from the outside of the arena so to speak, I can only reflect on what I have seen and heard in television. “Spe salvi facti sumus”—in hope we were saved, says Saint Paul to the Romans, and likewise to us (Rom 8:24). This was the first sentence in the introduction of Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical “Spe Salvi”, given in Rome on November 30, 2007. In his visit to the United States in April he addressed the sexual abuse that rocked the American church and the terror perpetrated by those who evoke the name of God to justify acts of terrorism, murder and hate. He did this through his message of God’s love and a promise: "I will do all possible to be a real successor to Peter, who also was a man with all his faults and sins but who remains finally the rock for the church.” All these certainly regenerated a lot of hope – a hope for peace and a better world, a hope for justice for the abused and the victims of terror, and certainly a hope for the universal Church and its faithful. And if we follow “Spe Salvi”, with this hope and the grace of God, we can certainly be saved. The testimonies of some of the victims of abuse evoked some solace, and seemed to indicate that their pain had been somehow assuaged. It gave me the impression that they felt relieved, comforted, and justified, and are now strengthened to really move on with their lives. Liza and Bob Jablonski I had the opportunity to watch the motorcade of the Holy Father on 5th Avenue in New York City. It was an awesome experience. There was a sea of humanity waiting for a glimpse of the Holy Father that would last but only for a few minutes. I did not know where all these people came from. Waiting is a lot longer than actually seeing the Pope, yet the people patiently waited. When they finally saw the Pope they were so jubilant and ecstatic. To think that the USA is not even a Catholic nation and yet the Pope made the effort to visit the country made me happy and made me proud that I am a Catholic. The media coverage was so extensive and made the visit a most welcome event. The visit made me feel that we Catholics are so special that the Vicar of Christ made time to visit us. I felt I was truly blessed by this fleeting glimpse of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI. (Liza Jablonski). |
| Page updated July 20, 2008 |
