40 Years of
Charismatic Renewal
Our conference celebrating this notable birthday brought together the Brazilian and American Charismatic communities in the Boston area. On Saturday and Sunday, February 17 and 18 the Lynn Memorial Auditorium was flooded with joyful music, praise, wisdom, and encouragement to live our faith in Jesus fully.
It was a chance to re-live the original Pentecost experience of praising God and proclaiming his kingdom simultaneously in many languages. Our translator, Katia Roldi helped the Brazilian and American communities to understand all of the talks and word gifts.
Evangisist Roberto Tannus and gifted musician and leader of praise Rodrigo Ferreira and his music ministry called, Lavour & Gloria (praise and glory) traveled from Brazil to lead the conference.
They were joined by Boston’s popular Father Paco (Rev. Francisco Anzoategui) in greeting the people and illuminating the Renewal’s past and mission in the Church.
A gift of the Spirit that cemented the communities together turned out to be the excellent sequential translation or Portuguese talks into English and the English presentations into Portuguese. Some of the Americans commented that both speakers and translations were so clear that they learned many Portuguese words. One Brazilian woman observed that she also found out how to express several thoughts in English by listening to the translation.
Saturday evening the Hurah Dance Ministry demonstrated how dance gives praise to God.
An enthusiastic praise sing along followed these performances.
Next we were led to reflect on the beauty of the Annunciation and Nativity through music and mime presented by Sharry and Laurie Anslono.
A musical mime presentation evoked tears from many of us by telling the story of a father and his sons recognizing the crucified Jesus as the sacrificial lamb.
Cardinal Sean O’Mally presided at the closing Mass. His homily, given mostly in Portuguese, was based on our Pope’s first major writing, God Is Love. The Cardinal used Dorothy Day as an example of an ordinary person who was able to grow in God’s love and share God’s love with the poor. He also encouraged all to attend the Boston Men’s and Women’s conferences held on March 17 and 18, respectively, as a Lenten growth experience.
At the end of this two-day conference people said that this was one of the most exciting and warmest expressions of the fire of God’s Holy Spirit in the Church they had experienced. Still, Father Paco reminded us that while we have been experiencing the joy and power of God’s love, the world out there has not changed. It is up to all of us to bring Christ to the world and bring all people to Christ.
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