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Gulf Pine Catholic
•
February 27, 2015
Charismatic retreat at St. Thomas Aquinas makes impact
on participants
BY DAVID TISDALE
HATTIESBURG -- Fire has its negative connotations when it comes to the afterlife. But the Charismatic
Catholic Retreat held Feb. 7-9 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, titled
“Fire From Heaven”
encouraged
attendees to turn up the flame of their faith.
Members of the Catholic Charismatic Center in Houston, Texas, which included its director, Father Mark
Goring; Pauline Brazil, a worship leader, lay formation teacher and evangelization retreat leader from Houston;
and Jay Flunker, a lay evangelist, formation teacher and retreat leader from Houston. Sponsored by the St.
Thomas Aquinas Catholic Student Association, the retreat was geared toward a general audience and open to
the community.
The goal of the retreat, which was based on scripture, traditions of the Catholic Church and teachings of
recent popes, was to help lead participants into an experience of a “personal Pentecost.” St. Thomas Aquinas
pastor Father Mark Ropel welcomed attendees on the first night, encouraging them to embrace the event. “If
the fire in your spirit has tamped down, put a couple of logs on the fire this weekend,” he said. “Open your
heart.
“We’re going to humbly ask our Holy Father to pour his love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.”
In keeping with the theme of the event, Father Goring opened his presentation by declaring that “we need
the fire of the Holy Spirit from Heaven, the fire of the Pentecost” to bring a person Pentecost into the lives of
those attending the retreat.
Father Goring shared the story of his early life, in which he experienced doubts about the concept of God
and an afterlife, despite growing up in a family devoted to its faith. “At some point, it seemed like a fairy tale,”
he said. “I wasn’t ready to base my life on what I thought was a fairy tale.”
He had come to a crossroads, he said, not certain anyone was really listening when he prayed. He wondered
if his faith was merely going through the motions, “following the rules, going to Mass.”
Father Goring turned to his father with his questions and doubts. His father encouraged him to study and
learn more about the lives of the saints, which he did. Among those, he read about Saint Padre Pio, from whom
his father once received communion.
“I was immediately captivated by those stories (of the saints) and what touched me was the love they had
for God. They weren’t afraid of being persecuted for their love of him. They loved God. And I thought, that’s
exactly how I want to feel.”
Father Goring said he moved forward in deep prayer, meditation and reflection and began to feel the power
of God in his life, and today carries forth the message of His word, that someone is listening.
Ken McDonald of Saint Stephen Catholic Church in Magee brought members of the church’s youth group
to the retreat. He previously attended a charismatic convention and New Orleans, which he said was a power-
ful awakening for him spiritually and inspired him to attend the event at St. Thomas Aquinas. “It just brought
me to another level of understanding about how much God means in our lives,” he said. Peggy Kelly, also from
Saint Stephen in Magee, echoed McDonald’s comments. “This retreat has been absolutely uplifting,”
she said.
David Burckel, a member of
Sacred Heart Church in Hattiesburg,
urged other Catholics in the commu-
nity to consider experiencing a char-
ismatic event like the retreat, and
hoped more events like it would be
available in the future. “It’s some-
thing I believe more people need to
be exposed to,” he said. “It’s a great
way to re-commit to the faith.”
“I hope people come away from
the retreat with an awakening of the
spirit and all God’s gifts, and come
away a changed person,” said Emily
Bordelon of Picayune, a member of
the CSA retreat team.
Photos/Steve Coleman
Father Mark Goring makes a presentation during
a Charismatic Catholic Retreat held Feb. 7-9 at
St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Hattiesburg.
Mark Ropel and others lay hands on an attendee
during the retreat.
Deacon Ralph Torrelli prays during the three-day retreat.
Pauline Brazil, a worship leader, lay formation teacher
and evangelization retreat leader from Houston, leads the
congregation in song.
