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June 18, 2007 • VOL. 45, NO. 12 • Oakland, CA
Charismatics celebrate the power of the Spirit
Bishop Allen Vigneron receives the Offertory gifts from
a group of young women of St.
Clement Parish in Hayward.
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| Participants raise their hands and hearts in prayer. |
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A woman holds a painting that portrays the descent of the Holy Spirit and its seven gifts – wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, fortitude, piety and fear of the Lord. JOSE LUIS AGUIRRE PHOTOS |
The Holy Spirit,
the third person of the Holy Trinity, is “like any person and wishes
to be well known, loved and adored the way God and Jesus are,” Father
Francisco Figueroa, diocesan director of the Hispanic Charismatic Renewal
movement, told 1500 Spanish-speaking Charismatic Catholics during a recent
Pentecost weekend celebration in Hayward.
“Spirit’s mission is very humble; he comes to give testimony
of Jesus and to make us adore the Father in spirit and truth,” St.
Jarlath’s parochial administrator told the assembly. The group had
gathered for two days at Tennyson High School to pray, sing and dance
in honor of “The Lord and Giver of Life,” this year’s
theme for the Congress.
“This weekend is the chance to have a beautiful celebration, where
we can receive much energy and inner peace at the same time,” said
Maria Alamillo, a parishioner at St. Jarlath, Oakland.
Enthusiasm was high as a series of keynote speakers affirmed the power
and role of the Spirit in the life of the Church.
Oakland Bishop Allen Vigneron, celebrant for the Pentecost Mass, drew
several minutes of applause when he affirmed that “the charismatic
renewal is a gift to the Lord.”
Jesus Macias, a conference coordinator, expressed his gratitude for the
bishop’s presence, asserting that “our diocesan shepherd gives
security to the people.” Macias then expressed a prayer that “the
Holy Spirit fills the hearts of all the people so that they recover the
true faith. As Catholics we must be convinced of our faith.”
Andres Arango, coordinator of Sacramento’s Charismatic Renewal,
also noted his appreciation for Bishop Vigneron’s presence at the
conference. “It is an advantage that the faithful are united with
their shepherd,” Arango said.
He was pleased to see so many people from parishes and communities throughout
northern California. “We are not independent parishes, we are not
independent dioceses. We are a single church,” he added.
Arango based his presentation on the late Pope John XXIII’s words
when he opened the Second Vatican Council: “Renew in our times the
gifts of Pentecost.”
“The pope did not say that phrase thinking about the Charismatic
Renewal, but many of us have seen an answer to that prayer in it because
during the past 40 years, it has turned out to be a new Pentecost,”
Arango said.
