August 14th to 16th, 1981
Queens University - Kingston ON
The Theme of the Conference
'Be it Done Unto me according to your Word"
-The Logo of the Conference was a LILY -
I remember staying with my parents in a large camper trailer in someone's backyard. I can't even remember who they were but they were acquaintances of my parents, Jim and Elaine Maloney. Mom and Dad had attended a previous Conference at which one of the speakers was Carey Landry ( formerly Fr. Carey Landrey )
Anyways, all the information I kept seems to have disappeared ( I probably threw it out duh)
I remember a packed auditorium before each of the sessions: singing and worshiping in the auditorium before we dispersed to join the various workshops in smaller rooms. Most of the songs I hadn't heard before but I loved them: mostly from Carey Landry and the Saint Louis Jesuits as well as from the Songs of Praise books.
The speakers were amazing and all the participants were filled with joy in spite of the rain which poured down on all of us throughout the entire weekend as we made our way from one part of the Campus to another. As many of the workshops and talks were held simultaneously, we were limited in our choices. I remember one of the workshops we attended "Suffering the human condition"
Father Bob Bedard was one of the Speakers ( a few of the Speakers below ) and I remember now that Mom Dad and I attended his presentation
( I think so anyways )
Darn it I wish I still had the program for the Conference.
Catholic Register from the Archives
Some of the Speakers
Theme Song " Be it done Unto Me According to Your Word"
We sang the song so many times that I remember the melody (and most of the lyrics) but I am still trying to find out who composed it
BE IT DONE TO ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD ( as I remember it )
ANTIPHON Be it done to me according to Your Word, let Your will be done! ( 2x)
VERSE 1 We will celebrate Your call to recreate. We are your servants o Lord!
VERSE 2 May our hearts be one with Mary and her Son: Sharing Your love with them!
VERSE 3 Holy Spirit come, Lord of life, Lord of love, bringing the Word to flesh!
A few articles I found in the Archives of the Catholic Register
From the Archives of the Canadian Register ( below )
The Logo of the Conference was a LILY -
Father Joseph Lang -
Keynote Speaker for the Ontario Catholic
Charismatic Conference Queen's University
Kingston August 2023
A few exerts from the article below
Father Lang a leader in the Renewal from Auburn Maine said "Conversion to Christ has similar characteristics to falling in love. and the gifts are the same: love, joy, peace, patience, long-suffering " "And that's at the heart of the New Testament " he said. It's the heart of the message of Jesus: I love you, what are you going to do about it?"
"Christ's love has no preconditions." Father Lang said.
"Be joyful, fall in love, and walk with me and see what happens"
"Seek first the reign of God and then everything happens"
Father Lang said that conversion to Jesus requires time spent in prayer. To be in prayer is to be in the presence of God. This needs quietness and stillness.... and let the Goodness of God overwhelm us. Let His holiness surround us so we know we have come into His presence
A couple of weeks before
Bishop J. Faber MacDonald, of Grand Falls Newfoundland, will conduct three workshops including one for clergy, on August 14 and two for other registrants Saturday and Sunday mornings. Bishop MacDonald was active in the initial stages of the Renewal while a priest in P.E.I.
Other Ontario Bishops including Archbishop J. L. Wilhelm of Kingston, Bishop J.R. Windle of Pembroke, Bishop Paul Reding of Hamilton, Bishop Eugene Larocque of Alexandria Cornwall, Bishop R.B. Clure Auxiliary Bishop of Toronto, Bishop Girard Dionne Auxiliary bishop of Sault St. Marie, Bishop J.H.Macdonald Auxiliary bishop of Hamilton, and Bishop G. Belisle Auxiliary bishop of Ottawa
Bishop Windle is the Spiritual Director of the Ontario Catholic Renewal and the official Liaison between the Catholic Bishops and the Renewal in Ontario