About 200 people gathered July 26 in the St. Albert the Great Parish Life Center in North Royalton for the 42nd annual Catholic Renewal Ministries’ conference. This year’s theme was “The Joy of the Lord is My Strength.”
The event featured speakers, praise and worship, opportunities for reconciliation and adoration, Mass and a healing service. Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost celebrated the vigil Mass.
Speakers included Jaci Sabol, a neuropsychologist, author and director of the Center for Spiritual Care in her home diocese in Texas and Dave VanVickle, a popular speaker and podcast co-host from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
In one of his sessions, VanVickle shared how his family dealt with adversity, including the illnesses of two of his five children and his late wife’s battle with cancer. He said they maintained a joyful attitude and love of the Lord through it all, and he was instrumental in helping to lead others to Christ.
Bishop Woost, in his homily, told the group to “Never underestimate the importance of your relationship with God.”
He said one of the disciples noticed Jesus praying and summoned the courage to ask him to teach them how to pray, wanting to know how they could get to know God like Jesus did.
“Every day, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you so we can go deeper into our relationship with God,” the bishop said.
Catholic Renewal Ministries is the officially designated office for charismatic renewal activity in the Diocese of Cleveland. It unites all prayer groups under the authority of the bishop and his appointed delegate to the renewal, Father Bob Franco. Father Franco is pastor of St. Peter and St. Julie Billiart parishes, both in North Ridgeville.
Click here to learn more about Catholic Renewal Ministries.