Message from the National Coordinator
Bob Canton
Stir Into Flames the Gift of God: As of this writing, I am in Domus Pacis, Santa Maria Degli Angeli in Assisi, Italy, attending the International Catholic Charismatic Conference sponsored by the Vatican-based International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services (ICCRS). On our way to Assisi, some of the members of the ICCRS Council stopped by at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican to have an audience with his Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI. During our audience with him, the Holy Father encouraged the ICCRS Councilors to continue to have confidence in the power of the Holy Spirit and to pray for peace throughout the world. He also assured us of his prayers and support for the worldwide Catholic Charismatic Renewal. He greeted each one of us personally and he went to the extent of having individual as well as group pictures with him. I consider it a "grace moment" indeed to be able to kiss his "Fisherman's ring" and to converse with the Supreme Pontiff. Moments before I came face to face with the Vicar of Christ here on earth, I said a short prayer to the Lord to make all of you to be present in the spirit at that moment because I am representing all of you as well as the English-speaking CCR in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean countries. I told him that we are all praying for him and for his ministry as the successor of Peter. He thanked me and he replied that he is "also praying for all of us". In March of this year, the ICCRS Councilors also had a private audience with the Vatican's Secretary of State, the Vatican's No. 2 man, Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone. Cardinal Bertone also encouraged the ICCRS Council members to continue to serve the worldwide Catholic Charismatic Renewal with the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Pontiff's message is indeed a validation of the theme of the Assisi Conference, which is "Growing in the Charisms of the Holy Spirit." I believe this Conference is very much needed for us to "stir into flames the gifts of God" (2 Tim.1:6). I am scheduled to give talks on the gifts of healing, word of knowledge, faith, and miracles and to lead a session focusing on the operations of the gift of miracles.
In the book of 1 John 4:4, St. John says, "the Kingdom of God is not a matter of words but of power."
Indeed we have to implore the Holy Spirit again and again to empower us and to use us in the Name of Jesus to do His works for His glory and for the building up of His Church. We should always remember what Jesus said to His disciples in John 14:12, "the works that I do, you will do also, and far greater works shall you do because I will go to the Father." And His words are alive and active and they still apply to all baptized believers, to all of us, until now. All we have to do is to receive His gifts with faith and with thanksgiving in our hearts because every good gift, every blessing comes from Him..
New Appointments: I would also like to announce the appointments of Jeannie Ejercito from Las Vegas, Nevada, a servant leader for St. Francis of Assisi Prayer Group, as a Regional Coordinator for the Rocky Mountain Region; Emil Lucero, the chairperson of the Filipino Catholic Charismatic Communities in San Francisco, CA., as a Regional Coordinator for the North Pacific Region; and Melba Barrameda, a member of the Diocesan Pastoral Council in Queens, New York, as a Regional Coordinator for the East Atlantic Region. I believe that, through the anointing of the Holy Spirit, they will be great and valuable assets to the AFCCPC.
Toronto Regional Conference, 2012: Furthermore, I would like to inform all of you of the forthcoming AFCCPC East Canadian Regional Conference to be held in Toronto, Canada on September 7-9, 2012. Please mark your calendar and plan on attending this Regional Conference. The chairperson for this Conference is Bro. Don Quilao, one of the Regional Coordinators for East Canada. As many of you may recall, one of the biggest, if not the biggest, AFCCPC National Conventions was held in Toronto, Canada in 1997. This forthcoming Conference in 2012 will be the first ever Regional Conference to be conducted in East Canada Region.
Philadelphia Conference in 2012: In this vein, I would also ask you to be present during 2012 National Conference sponsored by the Gathering of the National Leadership Groups (formerly known as the "Committee of Six") on June 1-3, 2012, in the Philadelphia Convention Center. The AFCCPC will hold a one-day Mini-Conference on Saturday, June 3, 2012. The chairperson of this Mini-Conference is none other than our indefatigable Sis. Purita Vazquez. She will be assisted in this task by Dr. Dave Armesto, our Regional Coordinator from New York.
To God be the Glory: We should always be thankful to the Lord because through the inspiration and guidance of His Holy Spirit, the AFCCPC has always been a very dynamic and active organization, always willing and able to serve God's people. Please continue to pray for all the members of the Board, the Regional Coordinators, officers, and spiritual advisers, and especially for me, your lowly National Coordinator, for strength, wisdom, knowledge, and anointing from the Holy Spirit. For without the Lord, we are nothing and we can do nothing. But with the Lord and the anointing of His Holy Spirit upon us, we can do everything and nothing at all is impossible for us. To God be the glory, forever and ever, Amen! @@@
