Bishop blesses Diocesan Catholic
Charismatic Center at Paterson Parish

PATERSON On fire with the Holy Spirit and alive in Christ, members of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in the diocese joined together with Bishop Serratelli for the grand opening and blessing of the new diocesan Catholic Charismatic Center at St. Michael Church here Jan. 3.

Belonging to 22 different parishes throughout the Paterson Diocese, more than 200 people. most hailing from Latin American countries, filled the new space at St. Michael’s singing charismatic hymns with hands raised high in praise and worship to God. To mark the opening, Bishop Serratelli led a prayer service, which included his blessing of the new center.

Father Enrique Corona, pastor of both St. Michael’s and St. Agnes Parish in the city, is director of the new center. “This is an exciting journey for those who worship through the charismatic movement,” he said. “It has been a longtime coming for these active Catholics, who bring a spirit of life to the Church. I feel privileged to be the first one to serve this center. We ask for the support of all pastors of the diocese especially those with Hispanic parishioners.”

The center will host many faith opportunities for Spanish-speaking parishioners in the heart of Paterson including Bible study every Wednesday, retreats, prayer assemblies, concerts, youth holy hours and days of renewal. Already the center has a retreat planned during the Feb. 6-7 weekend. Father David Cosca Restrepo will be keynote speaker for the “Retiro de Sanacion y Liberacion.”

In his remarks during the blessing, Bishop Serratelli challenged those in attendance to spread the Gospel message and create a new Pentecost in the Paterson Diocese.

The bishop said in Spanish, “I expect from you a new evangelization using the Word of God, which announces Jesus is alive and that Jesus’ love is for all people. Through the intercession of the Blessed Mother and with the Holy Spirit, may they grant you the gift of strength so we know how to follow Jesus with joy.”

Susano Jose, a parishioner of St. Nicholas in Passaic, who is coordinator of the center, said, “A place like this has been a dream for the past 30 years. The center is for the whole Paterson Diocese and we invite all to the charismatic renewal. The charismatic prayer movement has helped form so many of us in our faith.”

Catholic Charismatic Renewal is a movement within the Catholic Church in which the presence of the Holy Spirit is felt. The renewal began at a retreat for students at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh in February 1967. Since that time, it has grown throughout the United States and other countries especially in Latin American countries. Pope Francis showed his support by attending a Catholic Charismatic Renewal Conference in Rome last June expressing the importance of the movement.

Miriam Perez, part of the diocesan charismatic team and a parishioner of St. Nicholas, said, “Being charismatic is about being part of the Church, which infuses the Holy Spirit. We feel this is the heart of the Catholic Church.”

From around the diocese, parishioners came to the opening of the center including a group of women from St. Michael Parish in Netcong. “They just started their charismatic prayer.” Said Perez. “Part of our work at the center will be to help other parishes start their own charismatic movements.”

At the blessing, there was also a large presence of young people who are involved in the charismatic movement. “The charismatic renewal helped me have a deeper understanding about the way the Holy Spirit works within us,” said Justin Carrasco, a student at Kean University in Union and a parishioner of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in the city. “At first I wasn’t used to praying this way, but then as I began to pray charismatically, I got closer to my faith.”

Father Corona said, “It can be challenging during these times to evangelize the faith but the center will be a new journey to spread the faith. We will use this place as a tool for evangelization.”