Healing Mass planned to reintroduce Charismatic Renewal to diocese's Anglo community

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SALT LAKE CITY — An effort is under way to revive the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in English in the Diocese of Salt Lake City.

The diocese’s Hispanic population has been very active in Charismatic Renewal for more than 25 years, drawing more than 1,000 Catholics to each of the retreats during Lent and in the summer, said Maria Cruz Gray, director of the Office of Hispanic Ministry.

Catholic Charismatic Renewal is a spiritual movement within the Church “that emphasizes the availability of the power and the many gifts of the Holy Spirit in the life of every believer, and the need for a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ in order to live life to the fullest,” according to the USCCB Catholic Charismatic Renewal website. The movement consists of thousands of local prayer groups and communities, as well as special ministries and services, in almost every country around the world.

In the early 1990s Father Ken Vialpando, now the diocese’s vicar for clergy, served as chaplain for a Salt Lake Valley English Charismatic Renewal group, which met quarterly and celebrated Mass together for about five years. Bishop William K. Weigand also participated with the group, which subsequently disbanded.

Now it is being revived. Bishop Oscar A. Solis has appointed Father Arokia Dass David, administrator of Notre Dame de Lourdes Parish in Price, the group’s chaplain. As a kickoff event, Fr. David will celebrate a Healing Mass at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Salt Lake City on June 4.

At the Mass participants will pray for physical, emotional and spiritual healing throughout the world, and for those attending who feel the need for a special blessing, Fr. David said.

Prior to the Mass, there will be a music ministry. After the formal liturgy, there will be Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and anointing. The entire event will last three to four hours, Fr. David said.

“We do not have an English Charismatic Revival group at all in the diocese. We don’t have anyone apart from me,” said Fr. David, who is hoping that those who are interested in Charismatic Renewal will help him organize a group.

The Healing Mass will be the first stepping stone. “Then we will go forth from there,” he said, adding that the goal is to have a Charismatic Revival group in each English-speaking parish community.