Life in the Spirit Seminar – 8, 15 and 22 November 2015

"I'm calling on people to hold Seminars of New Life in the Spirit, where a person can get in touch with some part of Christian doctrine, where they can experience the Renewal and pass from being nominal Christians to real Christians." - Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap., preacher to the papal household since 1980

The Life in the Spirit Seminar that was held on 8, 15 and 22 November drew an amazing response from the congregation at St. Gerard’s Church as well as from friends from around Wellington. The line up of the talks given by our resident missionaries, namely Fr. Alliston, Fritz Mascarenhas, Wimpie Santoso and Ignatius Susilo prepared the hearts of the people to see God as a loving Father once again. The Father’s love that every heart is longing for, is lavished upon us through Jesus Christ, our Saviour. The participants were encouraged to turn back to Christ. They were empowered once again by the power of the Holy Spirit. The dynamics of the sessions included times of praise and worship, teachings from the BIble,,group sharings and fellowship. The seminars closed with a session of infilling with the Holy Spirit for all the participants. Hearts were turned back to God and lives were refreshed.

Here below is a sharing from one of the participants;

"The Life in the Spirit seminar was almost my first exposure to charismatic worship. I'm still thinking about whether it is for me. It was good to set aside time to think about how to live life in the spirit and to realise how challenging it is to actually do so. Everyone involved in running the seminar was very sincere and committed and made an effort to reach out to the people who attended. Thank you all for doing it". – F.H.

Grace's 25 Years Anniversary with the ICPE Mission

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age" - Matthew 28: 19-20

Grace Chin is a Malaysian-born missionary. She recently celebrated here her 25th anniversary as an ICPE missionary. She is well-travelled. In fact, she has been reaching out to God’s people across the globe for 25 years, through outreaches to the USA, former Czechoslovakia, Russia, Romania, Tunisia, Gibraltar, Ghana, Switzerland and Italy, just to name a few places. She has also lived and served in the ICPE Mission Centers in Germany, Malta and Rome and presently she is serving at St. Gerard’s monastery in ICPE New Zealand where she has been involved in parish missions - when they occur - and also heading the Kitchen ministry (keeping fellow missionaries well-fed) within the ICPE Mission Community in Wellington.

The 8th World Meeting of Family (Philadelphia) and the Gospel of the Family

“Faith grows when it is lived and shaped by love. That is why our families, our homes, are true domestic churches. They are the right place for faith to become life, and life to become faith.”

- Pope Francis’ homily in the concluding mass of the 8th World Meeting of Families, Sept. 27, 2015

On September 22 -25, 2015, the 8th World Meeting of Families Congress was held in Philadelphia, USA which culminated in the papal mass on September 27 at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and which was attended by a million people. The World Meeting of Families was started by Pope John Paul II in 1994 “to strengthen the sacred bonds of the family across the globe.” The theme for this year was “Love is our Mission: the Family Fully Alive.”

Come and listen to the experiences of three participants from New Zealand. “The 8th World Meeting of Families Congress and the gospel of the family” will be held on Wednesday, November 11, 2015 from 7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m at the Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, 29 Dr. Taylor Terrace in Johnsonville. Learn more about the World Meeting of Families, and share and live the gospel of the family!

Life In The Spirit Seminar

Do you desire a deeper relationship with Christ; recognize the gifts that have been given at your Confirmation to help you reach others for Christ. Then The Life in the Spirit Seminar (LSS) is for you. It offers some of these life-changing benefits:

* to renew or deepen one’s personal relationship with Jesus

* greater appreciation of the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation

* deeper personal prayer life

* increased interest in the reading and studying of the Holy Scriptures

* the Fruits of the Spirit: “Love, Joy, Generosity…. (Galatians 5:22-23).

* greater love of the community of faith (the Church)

"I'm calling on people to hold Seminars of New Life in the Spirit, where a person can get in touch with some part of Christian doctrine, where they can experience the Renewal and pass from being nominal Christians to real Christians." - Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap., preacher to the papal household since 1980

Mission Sunday Celebration

“And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to preach and to have authority to cast out demons” - Mark 3: 14 – 15

Mission Sunday, October 18th this year witnessed the commitment of 9 participants from 4 different nations as they started their Missionary Formation with an inaugural mass followed by fellowship with our Sunday congregation. The 9 participants: Stefanus and his wife Susanna, Melinda, Dion, Irene, Gemma, Cornelia, Bibiana and Miriam will be journeying together for period of two years with the Missionary Formation Director, Fr. Francis D’Souza.

That same evening they started a day-long recollection which included quiet reflection, reconciliation, prayer and adoration which ended with mass on the following evening. To celebrate this start the covenanted members of the Mission prepared a lovely Agape Meal which was made special with the presence of the founders of the ICPE Mission, Mario and Anna Cappello via a Skype call. They too extended a warm welcome to each of the participants and blessed them with a prayer as they embark on this journey.

We ask for your valuable prayers for each one of them as they embark on the mission to know Christ and to make Him known

Feast of St. Gerard Majella

October 16th saw the feast of St. Gerard Majella being celebrated in the first church in the world dedicated to his honor. At the 7pm mass quite a few of the faithful from far and near gathered for the feast day Mass celebrated in his honor. At the end to the mass we had a special prayer for mothers seeking the gift of a child and also prayed particularly for the expectant mothers present in the congregation. There was also a testimony from Raphael whose wife was blessed with a gift of a child and shared this during our time of fellowship

This ‘patron of mothers’ was a young Redemptorist saint living in Italy between 1726-1755. In a short but remarkable life where he was involved at different times as a cook, carpenter, tailor, gardener, sacristan, porter etc. he was renowned for his holiness. A small note on his door: "Here the will of God is done, as God wills, and as long as God wills” testifies to the fact that St. Gerard was serious in his walk with God. We the ICPE missionaries are encouraged to emulate the exemplary life of St. Gerard who desired to do God’s will at all times