1981 Catholic Charismatic Conference Queen's University Kingston - August 1981

I'm like a dog with a bone I guess. I am searching for information on the Conference which was held at Queens University, Kingston ON, in August 1981, I remember staying with my parents in a large camper trailer in someone's back yard. I can't even remember who they were but they were acquaintances of my parents, Jim and Elaine Maloney. 

I have lost all information on the Conference so I decided to do a search of newspapers but I haven't had too much luck. I found these links below but I can't access the information because I need an account to do so and I don't want to do that for now anyways. 

 https://www.newspapers.com/search/?query=Catholic%20Charismatic%20Conference&t=27064

https://research.digitalkingston.ca/research-tools-and-tips/newspapers/1927-to-1984

I remember a packed auditorium for all the masses which were very lively with lots of singing and worshiping. 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. 

There were numerous workshops and spectacular talks. I remember one of the workshops was entitled "Suffering the human condition" or something like that. 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 about from one part of the University to another. . Since many of the workshops and talks were held simultaneously, we were limited in our choices. 

I can't find anything about the conference anywhere: diddly squat. But I'm not giving up

The Theme of the Conference was 

" Be it done Unto Me According to your word" and I remember the melody ( and most of the lyrics ) simply because we sang it over and over and over.  I am trying to find out who composed the hymn. It is very beautiful. 

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!

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!

FYI  Below is some history of the Charismatic movement in Canada. 

My good friend Gemma O'Sullivan, the sister of Father Joe Kane O.M.I and my mother's first cousin Audrey Guillet, whom I have always called aunt Audrey, filled me in on some of the background of the Renewal in Ottawa. Both father Gerry and father Joe were missionary priests with the Oblates of Mary Immaculate at the same time, Gemma told me that her Brother Father Joe Kane was was really impressed with what he was seeing in this new movement: and urged her to see what she could do to start a prayer group in Ottawa 

I surmise that  Father Gerry Guillet approached aunt Audrey in the same way as well because she held the first prayer meeting in her home on Allen Blvd. in Vanier. I imagine Gemma was one of the participants but I'm not sure. Aunt Audrey invited several parishioners of Assumption Parish I believe but I am not exactly sure. She said there was a howling wind during the entire prayer meeting. She was happy the roof didn't cave in. 

Anyways  Gemma approached the priest at Saint Martin de Porres Church in Bells Corners and asked him if he would give permission to start a Prayer group at Saint Martin de Porre:  he cautiously said ok, but he said he would keep an eye on it to see how it goes  Her pastor was a newly ordained Priest Father Bob Bedard. Father Bedard got hooked! 

I don't know any of the dates of these events but I thought I would write this down before I forget everything. Probably the 70's? 

General Information on the Charismatic Renewal 

https://romans1015.com/catholic-charismatic-renewal/

https://teresa-httpsitesgooglecomsitefaithful.blogspot.com/search?q=charismatic

So far this is all I could find about this Conference but I'm not giving up

And I took a few odds-and-ends screenshots from the archives of Renewal Ministries around the same time ( 1981 ) but unfortunately for me I believe they only covered Conferences in the US 

As well I took a few screenshots from the Kingston Whig-Standard because that since they advertized the Conference that there might be a possibility that perhaps they covered some of it although being a secular newspaper probably they didn.t 

For what they are worth here they are

After that, I took my search to the Catholic Register in Canada and I found that they did have some viewable archives dating back to before the Conference but then I had trouble getting an account to view what they had so I just gave up cause I had a headache. Maybe one of these days I'll try again

Maybe, maybe not.

Charismatic Renewal in Canada and the 1981 Ontario Conference In Kingston

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 -

An ancient symbol of the Blessed Virgin

with the Greek Abbreviation for Christ rising from its center

I know I'm reminiscing but Pentecost Sunday is coming up and boy do we need an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Canada. 

A couple of years ago I got a bee in my bonnet to find out about this Conference but at  the time I was stumped and gave up click here for more

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 

Hymns 

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!

Another hymn we sang often during the  weekend

"Proclaim His Marvelous deeds to all the Nations"

from Songs of Praise  

I can't remember much about the talks and the workshops but I do remember many of the Praise and Worship songs: many of which were new to me including:

Abba Father- Carey Landry

And the Father will Dance - Carey Landry

I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light

Be Not Afraid- Bob Dufford S.J.

I couldn't wait to bring these great songs back to my Parish

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 -

An ancient symbol of the Blessed Virgin

with the Greek Abbreviation for Christ rising from its center

Below is the Prayer of the Conference

"We ask you Lord to give us hearts like your mother's 

that we may hear your voice and be bearers of your Word. 

Breathe unto us Your Holy Spirit, Lord, that we may do your will. 

With Hearts surrendered, may we proclaim 

your bounteous love and majesty to all the world:

From the Catholic Register

4500 PRAISE THE LORD

Bring Christ to a "weary world" 

Stan Coma 

August 29th.,1981

Kingston Ontario - Catholic Charismatics were challenged to say a firm "yes" to the Holy Spirit - just as the Blessed Virgin did - and bring Christ and His Loving message to a "weary world" 

This was the theme stressed by speakers at the General Sessions of the recent Ontario Catholic Charismatic Conference here. 

About 4500 enthusiastic delegates participated in joy-filled Eucharistic celebrations and a total of 15 workshops that discussed such topics as healing revelation, social justice, and Suffering. 

The annual conference also included workshops in French, Portuguese, and Cree. 

Bishop Joseph Windle of Pembroke praised the movement during his homily at one of the masses He said it was a "beautiful thing" to have a movement in which people who love God come together in prayer and want to make Jesus better known and loved

Bishop Windle encouraged Charismatics to listen to Pope John Paul II who spoke to Charismatic leaders visiting Rome recently. The Pope said it was not enough to praise God. It is necessary to do God's work and help establish the Kingdom of God through prayer, good example, and deeds. Citing specific examples for action, Bishop Windle said..........

( below is the continuation of Bring Christ to a weary world )

Modern man seeks to be his own god 

"Charismatics should uphold the dignity of life "What is more beautiful than a tiny baby?" he said "What is more terrible than a tiny baby who has been given the unfortunate circumstances to never really live in the world. What a dreadful thing abortion is." 

The bishop encouraged delegates to have a strong pro-life and pro-youth position

Then, there are the needs of the poor, the lonely, the handicapped. Many people want to hear about the Goodness of God and His Love

. 

"A kindly word, a gentle look, or a sign of encouragement can go so far for them."

Bishop Windle also urged charismatics to entrust their work to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Members of the Charismatic movement have a special need for the Blessed  Virgin Mary

" We have a special need for her kindness, her help, her love so that she will be always present to help us grow in devotion to the Holy Spirit and become more faithful members of the Church of which Our Lady is such a beautiful model

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 prior to the Conference

A couple of Articles below From the Catholic Register July 25, 1981

 in Anticipation of the Conference

A couple of weeks before 

Stan Koma, Associate Editor

Ten Catholic Bishops have confirmed that they will be attending the 1981 Ontario Catholic Charismatic Conference to be held in Kingston, August 14 to 16. Nine are from various Diocese in Ontario and one is from Newfoundland. 

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

Come Holy Spirit!

Ontario Charismatic Conference, August 1980, Thunder Bay

Transcribed by me for easier reading 

Special to the Register

Thunder Bay Ontario

Bishop John O'Mara of Thunder Bay prayed for a new experience and understanding of the Spirit of God at the recent 5th annual Ontario Catholic Charismatic Conference.

The conference which was attended by more than 2,000 delegates; seven bishops and 51 priests was the largest gathering of its kind in the city's history.

"Bind us Together" the theme of the conference, was expressed in prayer cards and banners, printed in eight languages: English, Italian, French, Portuguese, Polish. Dutch, Ojibway, and Cree.

Charismatics from Canada and the U.S. listened to inspiring speakers and the gentle promptings of the Holy Spirit during the weekend event. While contemplating the need for reconciliation within families, they praised God with open hearts and uplifted arms. Most of all they drew their spiritual strengths from the joyous celebrations of the mass during which they renewed their Commitments

Bishop J.R. Windle from Pembroke spoke of the division within families, the difficulties, and the challenges that can be resolved through the work of the Holy Spirit. The greatest need families have is for unity in prayer. 

Barbara Shlemon, a nurse and mother of five-spoke of the healing power of the Spirit, which many participants said they experienced at a healing service during the conference. 

Bishop Roger Despatie addressed the same general theme to French language participants. 

Father Bob Bedard, a past president of the conference discussed Mary as the most powerful intercessor and said  "the saints are part of the living Body of Christ through their resurrection."

Father Carey Landry, noted musician and former pastor of Saine Genevieve Church in Lafayette L.A. let a workshop session on the place of Music in Chanismatic liturgies. 

An Ojibway workshop led by Joe and Grace Fox. ( Reverend Mr. Fox is an ordained deacon and social counsellor at Queen's University in KIngston ) dealt with the special needs of those on Indian reserves and their relatonship with white neighors.

C led a workshop on leadership. 

In a homily, Bishop O'Mara stated that forgiveness and reconcilation are central to receiving and sharing the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 

Participants said they were sent forth with the desire to accept the mandate, the power and the responsibility to bring the love and forgiveness in Jesus. To bring His love to others. To spread it and to give it willingly. 

Charismatic Renewal is the fastest growing movement in the Church today

 

Charismatic Conference in Toronto - 1976

First Charismatic Conference in Ontario

It seems pretty amazing to me from what I am reading here. 

I will transcribe some of this later

 

Charismatic Conference - August 1979 - Hamilton Ontario

Fourth Conference held by the 

Catholic Charismatic Services of Ontario 

"Only Say the Word and I Shall be Healed "

August 16th to 19th - 1979

McMaster University

I began searching for information 

on the 1981 Conference that I went to and now I can't stop. 

Sort of like the energizer bunny, I keep going and going

 

Pope John Paul II Beatification

Excerpt of Decree for John Paul II's Beatification

"Sign of the Depth of Faith and Invitation to a Fully Christian Life"

VATICAN CITY, JAN. 14, 2011 (Zenit.org).- Here is an excerpt of the decree written by the Congregation for Saints' Causes regarding the beatification of Servant of God John Paul II, published today by Vatican Radio. The prefect of the saints' causes dicastery is Cardinal Angelo Amato.

The full text can be found on ZENIT's Web page: www.zenit.org/article-31459?l=english

* * *
Beatification: Sign of the depth of faith and invitation to a fully Christian life

The proclamation of a Saint or of a Blessed by the Church is the fruit of putting together various aspects regarding a specific Person. First, it is an act which says something important in the life of the Church herself. It is linked to a "cult," i.e. to the memory of the person, to his full acknowledgment of him in the awareness of the ecclesial community, of the country, of the Universal Church in various countries, continents and cultures. Another aspect is the awareness that the "presentation on the altars" will be an important sign of the depth of the faith, of the diffusion of faith in the path of life of that person, and that this sign will become an invitation, a stimulus for us all towards a Christian life ever more profound and full. Finally, thesine qua non condition is the holiness of the person's life, verified during the precise and formal canonical proceedings. All this provides the material for the decision of the Successor of Peter, of the Pope in view of the proclamation of a Blessed or of a Saint, of the cult in the context of the ecclesial community and of its liturgy.
John Paul II's pontificate was an eloquent and clear sign, not only for Catholics, but also for world public opinion, for people of all color and creed. The world's reaction to his lifestyle, to the development of his apostolic mission, to the way he bore his suffering, to the decision to continue his Petrine mission to the end as willed by divine Providence, and finally, the reaction to his death, the popularity of the acclamation "Saint right now!" which someone made on the day of his funerals, all this has its solid foundation in the experience of having met with the person who was the Pope. The faithful have felt, have experienced that he is "God's man," who really sees the concrete steps and the mechanisms of contemporary world "in God," in God's perspective, with the eyes of a mystic who looks up to God only. He was clearly a man of prayer: so much so that it is from the dynamism of his personal union with God, from the permanent listening to what God wants to say in a concrete situation, that the whole of "Pope John Paul II's activity" flowed. Those who were closest to him have been able to see that, prior to his meetings with his guests, with Heads of State, with Church high officials or ordinary citizens, John Paul II would recollect himself in prayer according to the intentions of the guests and of the meeting that was to come.

1. Karol Wojtyla's contribution to Vatican II Council

After Vatican II, during the pontificates of Paul VI and of John Paul II, the manner of presentation, and thus of self-presentation of the papacy, has become quite expressive. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the pontificate of John Paul II, the Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs published in 2004 a book entitled "Go Forth in the Whole World." Giancarlo Zizola, a "vaticanist," remarked on the fact that "the papacy has conquered its citizenship in the realm of public visibility, breaking away from the siege of worship marginalisation where it had been kept by decree of secular society, in the name of a militant vision of the liberal tenet of Separation of Church and State" (p. 17). A German historian, Jesuit Klaus Schatz, speaking of Paul VI and of John Paul II, underlined the meaning of the "papacy on the way" -- thus in conformity with Vatican II -- more in the manner of a missionary movement than as a static pole of unity. Schatz refers to the manner of interpreting the papal mission as a challenge to "confirm the brothers in the faith" (Luke 22:32), in a way tied to structural authority, but with a strong spiritual and charismatic hint, in link with the personal credibility and rooted in God himself.

Let us pause a moment to consider Vatican II. The young archbishop of Cracow was one of the most active Council Fathers. He made a significant contribution to the "Scheme XIII" which was to become the Pastoral Constitution of the Council "Gaudium et Spes" on the Church in the Modern World, and to the Dogmatic Constitution "Lumen Gentium." Thanks to his studies abroad, bishop Wojtyla had a concrete experience of evangelisation and of the mission of the Church, in Western Europe or in other continents, but above all of totalitarian atheism in Poland and in the other countries of the "Soviet Block." He brought all this experience to the Council debates, which were certainly not like drawing-room conversations, extremely courteous but void of contents. Here was a substantial and decisive effort to insert the Gospel's dynamism into the conciliar enthusiasm rooted on the conviction that Christianity is capable of furnishing a "soul" to the development of modernity and to the reality of the social and cultural world.

All this was to be of use in preparing for the future responsibilities of the Successor of Peter. As John Paul II said, he already had in his mind his first encyclical, "Redemptor Hominis," and brought it to Rome from Cracow. All he had to do in Rome was to write down all these ideas. In this encyclical, there is a wide invitation to humankind to rediscover the reality of Redemption in Christ: "Man (…) remains a being that is incomprehensible for himself, his life is senseless, if love is not revealed to him, if he does not encounter love, if he does not experience it and make it his own, if he does not participate intimately in it. This, as has already been said, is why Christ the Redeemer 'fully reveals man to himself.' [...] man finds again the greatness, dignity and value that belong to his humanity. In the mystery of the Redemption man becomes newly 'expressed' and, in a way, is newly created. [...] The man who wishes to understand himself thoroughly -- and not just in accordance with immediate, partial, often superficial, and even illusory standards and measures of his being -- he must with his unrest, uncertainty and even his weakness and sinfulness, with his life and death, draw near to Christ. He must, so to speak, enter into him with all his own self, he must 'appropriate' and assimilate the whole of the reality of the Incarnation and Redemption in order to find himself (No. 10). [...]

"This union of Christ with man is in itself a mystery. From the mystery is born 'the new man,' called to become a partaker of God's life, and newly created in Christ for the fullness of grace and truth. [...] Man is transformed inwardly by this power as the source of a new life that does not disappear and pass away but lasts to eternal life. [...] This life, which the Father has promised and offered to each man in Jesus Christ (…) is in a way the fulfilment of the 'destiny' that God has prepared for him from eternity. This 'divine destiny' is advancing, in spite of all the enigmas, the unsolved riddles, the twists and turns of 'human destiny' in the world of time. Indeed, while all this, in spite of all the riches of life in time, necessarily and inevitably leads to the frontier of death and the goal of the destruction of the human body, beyond that goal we see Christ. 'I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in me ... shall never die'" (No. 18).
--- --- ---

On ZENIT's Web page:

Full text of decree: www.zenit.org/article-31459?l=english

March 21, 2020

Daily Mass from with Word on Fire - March 21, 2020

Cardinal Burke - ON MAR 21, 2020
Message on the Combat against the Coronavirus, COVID-19 




Father Mark's  Sunday Homily for this week ( March 22, 2020)

more from the Companions of the Cross

Due to COVID-19 attending a public Mass has become almost impossible. Priests however are still celebrating Mass every day. Several Companions of the Cross Parishes have taken, or are taking, steps to live stream their Sunday Masses. Below are links to parishes who are producing live streamed, or recorded, Masses.

Annunciation of the Lord Parish
http://www.annunciation-ottawa.com/

Saint Benedict Parish
https://livestream.com/saintbenedictparish

Queen of Peace
http://www.qophouston.com/  ( parish website ) 
https://www.facebook.com/Queen-of-Peace-Catholic-Church-105010926208102 ( facebook)

Saint Maurice Parish
https://stmauriceparish.com/

Holy Trinity Parish
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrk5e1SS5I9lGwj6n0qAvow

Catholic Charismatic Centre
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwzPB3wM8oA54SVReMtvLxw

 Cardinal Burke
Message on the Combat against the Coronavirus, COVID-19

ON MAR 21, 2020

https://www.cardinalburke.com/presentations/combat-against-coronavirus

Ontario Charismatic Conference - August 1978 in Ottawa

Theme of the 1978 Conference in Ottawa ON

at Lansdowne Park

"Be Doers of the Word"

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.

V. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray. O God, Who didst instruct the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant us in the same Spirit to be truly wise, and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.