I am writing this from the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. Leah Darrow is speaking right now, talking about her experiences on America's Next Top Model. She's interesting, but the person I can't wait to hear is Patty Mansfield, who is speaking next.
Two years ago, Patty spoke at this conference, and her talk about the beginning of the Catholic charismatic movement had a profound impact on me. I won't tell her story here, because you really should buy her book, "As on a New Pentacost," and read her telling of it. But the piece which I took home was that when they were preparing to go on retreat, their priest had them all praying the Veni Creator Spiritus prayer.
At the time, I was in the middle of praying a rosary novena to help me discern what God wanted for me, specifically regarding Matt. I knew I loved him, but he was in the seminary, and the situation seemed hopeless. So I decided to pray that God change my heart, or change the situation, or give me the grace to endure it, and I knew that if nothing had changed by the end of the novena then I would have to find some way to stop being friends with Matt without hurting him. The novena was 27 days of petition and 27 days of thanksgiving, and I had gotten to the thanksgiving portion of it, nothing seemed to be changing, and I was sick thinking that I would have to stop being friends with him. So after hearing Patty speak, I decided to begin praying the Veni Creator Spiritus prayer whenever I began to feel afraid that God would answer the prayer by saying no.
That was on April 18, 2008. On May 2, 2009 - 2 weeks later, and exactly on the last day of the novena - Matt told me that he loved me completely and couldn't imagine not spending every day with me. Now, I'm not saying that the prayer was like some kind of magical incantation which made this happen. But I also know that these prayers were effective. I know that God worked in both of our lives through these prayers and the prayers that Matt prayed at the same time.
So Patty's talk is titled "To Jesus, through Mary." I can't wait to find out what she has to say.
Two years ago, Patty spoke at this conference, and her talk about the beginning of the Catholic charismatic movement had a profound impact on me. I won't tell her story here, because you really should buy her book, "As on a New Pentacost," and read her telling of it. But the piece which I took home was that when they were preparing to go on retreat, their priest had them all praying the Veni Creator Spiritus prayer.
At the time, I was in the middle of praying a rosary novena to help me discern what God wanted for me, specifically regarding Matt. I knew I loved him, but he was in the seminary, and the situation seemed hopeless. So I decided to pray that God change my heart, or change the situation, or give me the grace to endure it, and I knew that if nothing had changed by the end of the novena then I would have to find some way to stop being friends with Matt without hurting him. The novena was 27 days of petition and 27 days of thanksgiving, and I had gotten to the thanksgiving portion of it, nothing seemed to be changing, and I was sick thinking that I would have to stop being friends with him. So after hearing Patty speak, I decided to begin praying the Veni Creator Spiritus prayer whenever I began to feel afraid that God would answer the prayer by saying no.
That was on April 18, 2008. On May 2, 2009 - 2 weeks later, and exactly on the last day of the novena - Matt told me that he loved me completely and couldn't imagine not spending every day with me. Now, I'm not saying that the prayer was like some kind of magical incantation which made this happen. But I also know that these prayers were effective. I know that God worked in both of our lives through these prayers and the prayers that Matt prayed at the same time.
So Patty's talk is titled "To Jesus, through Mary." I can't wait to find out what she has to say.
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