Charismatic Renewal hosts congress in Diocese to celebrate Year of St. Joseph

CLIFTON  The Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR) of the Paterson Diocese hosted a Spanish-language congress dedicated to the Year of St. Joseph, inspired by the theme, “Jesus, Heal My Family.”

The congress was held Oct. 29–31 at St. John Paul II Center here. More than 900 people attended the three-day event, making it one of the largest events hosted by the CCR. People traveled from Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Florida, Connecticut, Mary­land, and New York. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney visited the congress on two occasions during the weekend to celebrate with the community.

Father Rafael Delgado, who is known as Padre Chelo, came from the Dominican Republic to speak at the event. Also speaking at the event was Aladino and Maria Rodriguez, a married couple from the Arch­diocese of Newark, and Father Yasid Salad, diocesan director of the CCR, who is the pastor of St. Therese Parish in Paterson.

Holy Mass began the congress on Friday evening, which was celebrated by Father Delgado and concelebrated by two diocesan priests, Father Salas and Father Jesus Peralta. Deacon Luis Gil of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson and Starli Castanos, a diocesan seminarian, assisted at the Mass.

Father Salas said, “The congress had the purpose of gathering charismatics and anyone who wanted to come for a spiritual encounter with the ‘founder’ of the CCR — the Holy Spirit. It was throughout intense evangelization, preaching, worship, prayers, songs, and adoration that the result of such a congress was a total success.

According to the CCR team, many family and individual spiritual conversions happened and many testimonies of God’s glory were witnessed.

Teresa Amparo, secretary of the diocesan CCR, said, “We got a beautiful surprise of having our Bishop visit us twice, where he publicly welcomed Father Delgado to our Paterson Diocese and closed the congress with his holy blessing. The people were so eager to see the Bishop supporting this event.”

Father Salas said, “We look forward to responding to the call of the Lord as his servants and continue giving our best to this ‘current of grace’ as Pope Francis has called the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.”