They Were All Gathered in One Place

In 1998, in the Year of the Holy Spirit in preparation for the Great Jubilee of 2000, Pope John Paul II gathered  in St. Peter’s Square nearly a half million representatives and participants in the movements and new communities and said, “The Holy Spirit is here with us!  It is He who is the soul of this marvelous event of ecclesial communion.”

In a similar, but much more modest way, representatives and participants in the movements and new communities in the U.S. have been invited to Washington, D.C. for a one day “Celebration of Movements and New Communities in the Service of the New Evangelization” on Saturday, August 9.

Keynote speakers include Ralph Martin, Jackie DeMesme-Gray (Cursillo) and Cardinal Donald Wuerl. Bishop Sam Jacobs will lead us in prayer.

We hope to gather 1500 – 2000 participants from not only the various expressions of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, but also Cursillo, Worldwide Marriage Encounter, the Neocatechumenal, Focolare, Arise International and many other expressions of this “grace of the Holy Spirit.”  This is what Pope Francis said on his return from World Youth Day in Brazil, “I think the Movements are a grace of the Holy Spirit.”

EclesialMovementsEventFlier1We want to encourage you, especially if you are within driving distance of Washington, to consider attending and to bring a bus or car load of participants.  There is no official housing but motels near BWI Airport and in Columbia, Maryland are nearby.  The Day will be held at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Olney, Maryland just on the north side of Washington, D.C.  We are asking the Renewal in the nearby Dioceses to offer housing to travelers in need.  There will be no registration fee but participants will need a ticket for admission.  More information is available on our website.

The Day will include Mass, praise and worship, witnesses, conversations, lunch and so much more.  It will be the place to be!

Why?  To celebrate what the Lord is doing in the Renewal and in the other movements and new communities through the power of the Holy Spirit and to give witness to these charisms for the Church in the U.S. as we go forward in the New Evangelization.

Click here for the event flier