50 YEARS!

Catholic Charismatic Renewal to celebrate milestone in the Diocese of Albany

The Catholic Charismatic Renewal is a spiritual movement within the Catholic Church which emphasizes a personal experience of the Holy Spirit and the manifestation of the spiritual gifts (charisms). It’s a movement focused on deepening one’s relationship with Jesus Christ and fostering a renewed appreciation for the gifts of the Holy Spirit received through the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. Pope Francis called the Charismatic Renewal “a current of Grace of the Holy Spirit being poured out for the renewal of the Church in our time.”

The Charismatic Renewal in America began in February of 1967 with the “Duquesne Weekend” at “The Ark and the Dove” retreat house near Pittsburgh, Pa.

By 1976, there were several Spirit-filled prayer groups in the Albany Diocese that had developed from the Second Vatican Council in Rome. The Second Vatican Council met from Oct. 11, 1962, to Dec. 8, 1965, in four sessions (each lasting 8-to-12 weeks), under the direction of Pope John XXIII and Pope Paul VI.

Through much prayer and guided by the Holy Spirit, several Albany diocesan clergy — Rev. J. Thomas Connery, Rev. Elmer Donnelly and Rev. Francis McCloskey — came together and asked the Most Reverend Edwin Broderick, Bishop of Albany (1969-76) to acknowledge the Charismatic Renewal in the Diocese of Albany. They created the Diocesan Service Committee (DSC). In 1977, Rev. Howard J. Hubbard was ordained and installed as Bishop. Other prominent clergy at that time include Rev. Jim Zegers, Rev. Mike Sullivan, Rev. John L. Cairns and Rev. Henry Tansey.

The early liaisons to the Bishop were Father Connery, followed by Deacon Jerry Grigaitis and Marie Grigaitis as co-liaisons. The DSC-Advisory Board was formed and made up of several lay people representing the various prayer groups and parishes within the Diocese.

Today, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR-RCDA), has taken on the format of the National Organization with CCR and the initials of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. Our present organization consists of two co-liaisons to the Bishop, eight CCR-Advisory Board members and many Service Committee members representing the vicariates within the Diocese.

At the present time there are five active Charismatic Prayer groups throughout the 14 counties of our Diocese. We offer “Life in the Spirit” and “Growth in the Spirit” seminars along with monthly Charismatic Healing Masses with individual prayer teams on the second Wednesday of the month at Christ Our Light Church in Loudonville. We also have a monthly Diocesan Charismatic Prayer Meeting on the fourth Saturday of each month at the Christ Our Light Parish Chapel. Check our website: www.albanyccr.org for scheduled times.

On May 24, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal will celebrate its 50 years of service in the Diocese of Albany with a Mass at Christ Our Light Church at 2 p.m., with Bishop Mark O’Connell presiding.

The current CCR-Advisory Board is made up of Jack Ellsbury and Diane Seaver, co-liaisons to the Bishop, and Stephanie Brynairski, Lenora LeMay, Beverly Means, Phyllis Murphy, Gail O’Brien, Joyce Papa, Julie Teal and Joseph Stone.