Gathering of National Leadership Groups

This is the title of a meeting held each January since 1999 which meets under the direction of a Committee of Five led by Bishop Sam Jacobs. The Groups meet for prayer, fellowship and hearing the Lord together for the Renewal. It brings together the NSC, the Diocesan Liaison Steering Committee, members of the Alliance of Filipino Catholic Charismatic Prayer Communities, Comité Nacional de Servicio Hispano, Le Conseil du Renouveau Charismatique Catolique des Haïtiens d’Outre-Mer, the Korean Service Committee, and a representative of the Catholic Fraternity of Charismatic Covenant Communities and Fellowships, and other Communities.

In 1993 the NSC and the Association of Diocesan Liaisons formed an Ad Hoc Committee to convene a meeting of a diverse group of leaders in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. Bishop Sam Jacobs was invited in his capacity as Chairman of the Bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee to chair the Ad Hoc Committee and the Meeting. The Ad Hoc Committee held three meetings: March 1995 and 1996 in St. Louis and June 1997 prior to the National Catholic Charismatic Renewal Conference. These leaders developed the Unity Statement which was subsequently revised and which leaders in the Renewal are encouraged to download, sign and have other leaders sign.

In January 1998 the Ad Hoc Committee was disbanded. It was reconstituted by Bishop Jacobs as a Committee of Five shortly thereafter. It consists of the chairpersons of the NSC and the Association of Diocesan Liaisons and key representatives of the Catholic Fraternity of Charismatic Covenant Communities and the diverse ethnic realities and Bishop Jacobs. Its purpose is to organize and oversee the Gathering.