Young Adults

St. Colette Church has begun hosting Branches, a Catholic ministry for young adults (and young adults at heart). Jean & Trish Boussari serve as chairs of the young adult ministry for the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in the Chicago Archdiocese and here at St. Colette.

What is the Catholic Charismatic Renewal?
The Catholic Charismatic Renewal (“Renewal”) has its roots from Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit fell on the early church and disciples proclaimed the gospel, performed miracles in Jesus’ name, and grew in faith.

Nowadays, Christians may ask why they don’t experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit like the early church did. A group of college students from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania asked themselves that very question and went on retreat seeking the answer. They spent the weekend in prayer, asking God to allow them to experience anew the grace of both Baptism and Confirmation. That weekend the students had a powerful and transforming experience of God, which came to be known as “baptism in the Spirit” or, simply “release of the power of the Holy Spirit.”

The account of the weekend and the experience of the Holy Spirit quickly spread across the college campus, then to other campuses throughout the country, then to parishes and other Catholic institutions around the world. This ecclesial movement within the Catholic Church has come to be known as the Renewal.

The deepest identity of the Renewal and its essential mission is:

• Personal conversion to Jesus Christ.
• Openness to the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
• Reception and use of the spiritual gifts from the Holy Spirit.
• Evangelization by proclaiming the Gospel in word and deed, personal testimony, and works of faith and justice.
• Ongoing growth in holiness guided by the Church’s Magisterium.

What is a Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group? At the core of the Renewal are prayer groups that meet regularly for praise and worship, prayer with and for each other, discernment and development of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and support of each other to grow in holiness. The prayer group hosted at St. Colette Church meets on the last Saturday of each month following the 5pm mass. We welcome you to join us!

Information adapted from the International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services (www.iccrs.org) and the Catholic Charismatic Renewal National Service Committee (www.nsc-chariscenter.org)