Another month has begun. Time is just going too quickly, and I feel that I am always behind everything also because our life is so full. You never get bored!
We had a wonderful experience in Birmingham. I am sure many of you had a chance to see us on EWTN last Thursday Jan 31 on the program “Life on the Rock. If you did not have a chance to see it, we encourage you to buy the DVD from the EWTN and pass it along. That way all of us we are able to spread the message of hope that is the essence of Comunita Cenacolo and the joy that came from many young men that once were lost, full of fears, and now are capable to even speak in front of a camera, knowing that they would be seen by millions of people because the network can be seen all over the world either online or through the satellite.
For sure we felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. We knew that at the same time we were on the show, our guys that stayed at the Community were praying for us. That is always our strength. Plus we are connected among all the houses of Comunita Cenacolo. Just before leaving I sent an email to all our houses throughout the world to pray for us. We really felt it.
Father Mark met with all of us and asked us some questions. He did not know much about the Community, except what Bishop Baker had told him. Bishop Baker is so open to express his love for the Community. He speaks to everybody about Cenacolo.
Then Father Mark spoke with Joyce and me for a brief overview of who we are and what we do. Then all of us from the Community prepared before the interview by spending an hour of Adoration in the chapel where everyday the Holy Mass is celebrated at EWTN. This opened the doors to the Holy Spirit. Of course, none of us knew what Fr. Mark was going to ask or want us to talk about. It is totally spontaneous, and that fits the Community. Nothing was prepared and nobody knew anything.Fr. Mark did a great job shifting all the topics among the members. At the end of the show there was so much enthusiasm among all of us and the audience and all the staff of EWTN. I think that we brought something really special, and we are just so grateful for the invitation!
The producer gave me the very first copy of the DVD. After the show, all of us and some of the friars, went to Bishop Baker’s residence for a little reception. We had a chance to watch the DVD and just laughed at each other with so much freedom! In the meantime we started to receive so many emails and phone calls of congratulations!
Just to tell the funniest story of all, one of the mom was watching her son on TV. She said that she started jumping up and down and even kissed the screen when he was speaking! Please send me your comments!
I want to thank those that believe in us. Thank you also to the deacon and his wife who took us into their home again. They fed and spoiled the guys with so much love and attention, like they were their own kids. Thank you also to the family that came with us and had the courage to testify what happened through the cross of having sons that were addicts and the transformation through the Community! They thought they were coming only to watch the show in the audience. They were pretty shocked when at the last minute we told them that they would be on the show! And a special grazie to Bishop Baker who is such a special part of the big family of Comunita Cenacolo!
Now we are back and jumping into everything we have to do for the show in March. It will be presented at 8 pm on the First Saturday of March at our Community. We will show it again at the parents meeting in March 14-16.
Please make you reservation at the Marywood Retreat Center or call the Community at 471-8453 if you want to stay at Camp St. John. If you have called already to let us know that you want to stay at Camp St. John, please call us again. With me gone for a while, Diane sick, and now Joyce sick, we are not sure that we have everybody on the list that has called. It•s better to call again, just to be sure, or you could arrive and have no bed.
At Mary Immaculate we are still doing a lot of work on our soccer field and clearing some areas around the mobile home! Some of the new guys that just entered are struggling, but we can see that are trying! Brett from MI just entered at OLOH.
We ask you to pray for our site in Russia that is having some hard times. Because of political reasons, we are having a very hard time to get visas and also to do our work there. For right now, some of the guys moved to stay at an orphanage run by a priest.
It has been a month that Tim C. and Dan N. are in Peru. It seems that they are adjusting well. Tim is in St Eudalia and Dan is in the new house where a lot of work is going on to prepare to welcome the children for the beginning of the school year in March.
There is a meeting in Europe for all the older guys in Community. This year the meeting is taking place in Lourdes this week. It will end on Feb 11, the day of the anniversary of the apparition of the Blessed Mother to Saint Bernadette. It will be a special time with Sister Elvira for everybody. She always brings a lot of enthusiasm and direction for all the houses.
We had a great First Saturday Adoration at OLOH with more people that we have ever had. It is really good because we are getting more and more young adults. Next month March 1, we will do our show Rich in Mercy at 8 pm. The guys are working hard to prepare for it!
Again we say Grazie for all your prayers and support.
Grazie
Ciao
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