The path of the Community is based on two foundations: conversion and evangelisation. It is formed by a Group of Prayer and by a Community of Service. The first is constituted by the Brothers with their personal experience of Pentecost, known as “Baptism in the Holy Spirit”. They will take part to the meetings of Prayer and to the seminars for spiritual growth, demonstrating all the charismas they have received.
The Community of Service wants to be the answer to the calling of God to live Christian experience in a stable commitment. Such commitment fulfils in a covenant among members to love and serve God, to love and serve themselves mutually according to their specific calling. They participate to a path of growth based on education, sharing and reviewing of their lives. They participate to the meetings for Eucharistic worship called “Burning Bush”.

The life of the Community is like entering the Cenacle to receive strength from Holy Spirit and coming out to donate to whom is in troubles or distressed and anguished, because through the Evangelisation that the Community can retransmit best of all the Love that God offers plenty and for free.
The Community is a member of the Catholic Fraternity, private association of Christian Believers, International of Pontifical law, born to contribute to strength and promote the Catholic expression among the Charismatic movements.
The Community has its own bulletin, called Jasna Gora.

Our purpose describes how we respond to who we are called to be as City of the Lord. We are a work of the Holy Spirit, who brings about a deeper call to holiness, expressed in our willingness to be available to God and his purposes in the world.ii These purposes unfold as we follow God's plan for the community.
Our Covenant and its Commentary describe this purpose in general terms:

1 ... To live a life together
2 ... In the power of the Holy Spirit
3 ...Under the Lordship of Jesus Christ

We are called to be a community. By living a life together based on commitment rather than convenience and service rather than self-centeredness, we bear witness to the character of God.
We want to live in faithfulness to our covenant with God and one another, treasuring and protecting our love for one another, speaking and acting in a way that honors others.

]]> The Servants of Jesus Community has a "covenant" or agreement which outlines the basic calling of God and commitment of the community. Members, believing God has called them to live out the covenant, are invited to make a 12 month commitment to do this.
Others, having been members of the community for several years, may make a more long term commitment until God may call them elsewhere.

We believe "covenant" has a solid biblical foundation and has always existed in various forms throughout the history of the Church. We see it as especially important in an age when the trend of society is away from entering long-term commitment.
Of course, the "covenant" applies only to areas of community life and not to people's personal lives. It is also fully subordinate to primary covenants such as Baptism and Matrimony.

Since 1981 individuals and families have come together to form a Christian Community called "The Servants Of Jesus". Together we live a supportive lifestyle and uphold Christian values and ideals such as family life, prayer, sharing and service. "Servants" is NOT a church, our 450 members attend both Catholic and Protestant Churches throughout Sydney. Servants teach that one must believe what is contained in the Apostles and Nicene Creeds. In addition we meet together as a group to demonstrate Christian unity (John 17:20-24) and the renewing power of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2:10-13).

Christian Community began at Pentecost and has remained in the Church in one form or another until the present day. Community life tests our love. In his book "Community and Growth" Jean Vanier writes "while we were alone, we could believe we loved everyone."

We believe God has started this work and we have attempted to respond to the best of our ability by the grace of God. The Servants is not a perfect group and is only one small part of the Holy Spirit's work, there are other groups in this country and around the world who are living out the gospel in a radical and effective way. However, we invite you, if you feel the call of God, to come and see.

On March 24, 1986, Sis. Techie, Bro. Bobby, Bro. Froi and six others went to the Seminary of the Recollects Fathers. Fr. Hubert Decena, OAR, led them into a one-hour contemplative prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.In the chapel, a prophetic vision was given to Sis. Techie. Fr. Decena interpreted the vision to mean that a new community would be established by the Lord for soul-winning.
It is a community of renewed Catholics committed to raise up a people united in love of Christ (Jn 13:35) by being transformed into His likeness (2 Cor. 3:18) through the exercise of spiritual gifts (Rom. 12:6-8). The community is basically a community of lay persons who were once a Catholic in "name only" but have had dramatic conversions to Christ and are now living the Catholic Faith. Members are trained and required to observe Disciplines:

1. Personal Interior Discipline of Prayer, Study, Quiet Time, Journaling, and Intercession
2. Personal Outward Discipline of Submission, Obedience and Humility
3. Community Discipline of tithing, Service evangelization, Intercession and Corporate Works of Mercy.

Three (3) Bishops have made themselves available to the community and Seven (7) Priests with various expertise act as spiritual directors.

The Bread of Life Fellowship is also a member of an interational association known as the "Catholic Fraternity of Charismatic Covenant Communities and Fellowship", which is recognised in Rome by the Pontifical Council for the Laity as a "private association of the Christian Faithful of pontifical right"
he fundaments aims of the fellowship are :

To reaffirm and deepen an awareness of membership in and love for the Catholic Church.

To improve knowledge of Catholic doctrine and guarantee its faithful observance.
To promote all the riches of the spiritual heritage of the Catholic Church in the life of the Fellowship.
To undertake specific initiatives related to the work of evangelization and Church renewal in submission to the local Church.
To encourage the use of charisms, and as given by the Spirit, for the upbuilding and renewal of the Church.
To foster authentic ecumenism in the hope of perfect unity and in accordance with the teachings of the Church.
To share the Fellowship's specific experiences of community life with other communities, associations and movements in the Catholic Church.
To pay particular attention to important events in the Catholic world and to reflect on suitable ways of participating in them.

Some of the practical ways that the Fellowship tries to fulfil its purpose are: The Fellowship conducts meetings regularly. At these meetings the members gather to pray and to receive sound and practical teaching on the Catholic Faith.
With ecclesiastical approval a special Sunday Mass is celebrated by the fellowship at least three time a year.
The fellowship is involved in Charismatic Masses which are held on a monthly basis.
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is also regularly conducted.
The fellowship maintains regular contact with the local bishop of each diocese in which it is recognised, through it's liaison priests.
The fellowship sends a representative to the annual meetings of the Catholic Fraternity of Charismatic Covenant Communities and Fellowships.
The Fellowship co-operates in the work of the local Catholic Charismatic Renewal.
The Fellowship tries to respond in whatever way it can to requests for assistance occasionally received from parish priests and prayer meeting leaders.

Bethel Community is an ecumenical body, which at this time is predominantly Catholic. All members meet at least weekly for worship, teaching and fellowship and are encouraged to be involved in the local church of their own denomination. Bethel has approved statutes with, and receives support from the Catholic Archbishop of Perth as well as other church leaders, pastors and Christian organisations. Bethel is a founding member of the International Catholic Fraternity of Communities which has branches in most countries of the world and which received Papal approval in 1991.
The Fraternity is a private association of Pontifical right and is constituted to act on behalf of its members in service to the whole church.

Mission

A belief in the uniqueness and gift of each individual, and their capacity to grow as whole people within a communal context, is the motivation behind the Community. Helping to establish and develop this belief is its mission.
Growing as we did, from the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of the mid seventies, we believe this can only be effectively accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit. To this end, there is an emphasis on the spiritual life in order to help people discover their call from God. Regular prayer meeting, teachings and retreats are oriented towards our relationship with God and our role in the wider community.

"Bukas Loob Sa Diyos" is a Filipino name; in English, our name is "Open In Spirit To God." Our original name reflects BLD's country of origin, The Philippines. Today, however, members of the Community live throughout the world. A large number of members are to be found in North America, and call Canada and the United States home.

The community is Roman Catholic in its essence, charismatic in its activities and faithful to the Magisterium of the Church. Each BLD District is under the ecclesial authority of the local Archdiocese. This ensures that all activities and teachings of BLD Districts are in accordance with official doctrines and dogmas of the Church.
As a communion of encountered families, we are called by the Lord to build communities of disciples of Jesus Christ who, empowered by the Holy Spirit, will renew and strengthen our Christian faithful. Through programs of Christian Encounters, (Marriage Encounters, Family Encounters, Singles Encounters, Solo Parents Encounters, Youth Encounters) and Life in the Spirit Seminars; through programs of Spiritual Growth and Pastoral Care aimed at developing intercessors, teachers, witnesses, and shepherds. And through programs promoting servant leadership and poverty alleviation in society.

Our vision is to be a particular people of God, dedicated in spirit and in truth to the pursuit of holiness through the imitation of our Lord Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit so that we may be used by God to be his salt and light to our families, the church and the entire world.

Our mission and ministry is to participate by the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the Great Commission to bear witness to the entire world of the fullness and truth of the Gospel of Jesus through the example of lives lived together in communal love, worship, prayer, sacrifice, and service.

God has placed in our hearts a desire to build covenant community. Through this we are convicted to live our lives wholly for Christ. This is what binds us together.

In answering the call to build covenant community, a very practical step that the founders of our community took was to seek out property where they could live in close proximity to one another. Now a large portion of community members live in what we call Faith Village. It can be likened to a subdivision. However, in this neighborhood everyone knows everyone’s name, and the door is always open to neighbors, neighbors who rarely ever move.

This lifestyle promotes much growth both in our relationships with one another and in our relationship with the Lord because we intentionally live out our lives as extended family. Friends really do become family, giving and receiving love, providing encouragement and correction, sharing laughter and tears.

Another way in which we live as extended family is through sharing of goods. If one of our brothers or sisters is in need, we see that the needs are met. This may mean lending a lawn mower so that your neighbour can cut the grass, lending your van so that a family can take a vacation in a more reliable car, or making a meal for a family with a new baby. We are so blessed to have opportunities to share God’s blessings with one another.

Our Covenant states that we will "love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ." Our commitment to this part of Our Covenant provides the foundation for being able to resolve conflicts in a godly manner. We live by the guidelines Jesus outlines in Matthew 18 for repairing relationships. This standard promotes accountability and protects our unity.

Our life in Alleluia Community is a priceless gift. It is both sacrifice and reward. For, as Our Covenant states, we believe that this is the way God has chosen for our sanctification.

Excerpted: http://www.yeslord.com/]]> THE ROLE OF THE NEW COMMUNITIES IN THE CHURCH

At the Vigil of Pentecost in 1998, Pope John Paul II spoke of the movements and the new communities as the “providential response of the Holy Spirit to critical challenges at the end of the millennium.” At the heart of our call as new communities in the life of the church is a radical faithfulness to the action of the Holy Spirit. God has a plan for us and wants to use us to renew his church and to transform the world and the place where God begins is within our own hearts. Through the action of the Holy Spirit and the experience of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, God captures our hearts. The Spirit leads us to a profound encounter with Jesus Christ who in turn restores us in our identity as sons and daughters of God. In this modern charismatic outpouring, the lives of men and women have been radically changed – you and I are recipients of this grace and our lives have been transformed. But this was only the beginning.

This capturing of our hearts and our spiritual transformation was very important to God but God had a bigger plan in mind, a plan that would touch the lives of thousands and millions. The Holy Spirit sought out men and women from around the globe who would translate this experience of Baptism in the Holy Spirit into a whole of life experience. For us as the Emmanuel Community, it was about creating a way of life that embraced God with us, that lived God with us and that proclaimed God with us. As Emmanuel, we were convinced that every aspect of our lives both as individuals and as a community we were called to be a revelation of God living among his people in the power of the Holy Spirit. We could not remain silent about such a wonderful gift – it had to be shared.

Pope John Paul II said, “There is great need for living Christian communities!” As communities, we are able to give a more convincing testimony to the reality of faith integrated with life. It is important for men and women in our day to have a clear testimony of what it means to live a radical Catholic way of life – what can this life look like? How can it be lived? Its important for men and women today to have models of missionary life that are concrete and practical – capable of being embraced while living in the ordinary circumstances of daily life.

We need the support of one another to give the very best of what we can give in the service of the Gospel. It is in community that we can live and make concrete a culture of life; it is in community that we can experience a solid and in-depth Christian formation [in community our first formation is the witness of a Christian life that is lived]; it is in community that we become convinced of our baptismal identity of our vocation and mission in the Church and in the world. From this foundation of Christian community we are better equipped to take up the challenge of what is before us.

In Australia we live in the midst of a nation where there is a raging battle for the souls of men and women. You don’t have to go far to find people, organizations, media, political parties, advertising etc seeking out your allegiance. We live amongst a growing culture of death. Indeed, we are on a very slippery slope downwards – abortion, euthanasia, the abortion pill, and cloning to name just a few of the growing number of moral and ethical questions of our day. If we don’t have a solid foundation it is easy to be swayed in directions that are contrary to the gospel.

The challenges that we face are not limited to the moral and ethical questions. So many fundamental challenges are related to daily life where people struggle with unforgiveness, resentment, jealousy and hatred. Although Australia is in many ways a very wealthy nation we have one of the highest suicide rates of young men anywhere in the world. On the surface, this seems such a contradiction but it only goes to reinforce our conviction that wealth does not provide the answer to the longings of the heart. We’re being constantly seduced by values that are in sharp contradiction to the Gospel. Whether its relativism, consumerism, materialism, secularism, the influences of new age, the undermining of the Christian Church or so many other distractions, the effect is the same. It causes us to take our eyes off Jesus and the fullness of life he wants to share with us and for us to share with others. Pope Benedict XVI reminded us at the beginning of Lent, 2006, that we are caught up in a battle and that battle can only be won through our holding fast to Jesus Christ who has himself won the victory, a victory he shares with us.

Before concluding his address to the movements and new communities in 1998, Pope John Paul prayed in the following way:

Come Holy Spirit, come and renew the face of the earth! Come with your seven gifts! Come, Spirit of Life, Spirit of Communion and Love! The Church and the world need you. Come, Holy Spirit, and make ever more fruitful the charisms you have bestowed on us. Give new strength and missionary zeal to these sons and daughters of yours who have gathered here. Open their hearts; renew their Christian commitment in the world. Make them courageous messengers of the Gospel, witnesses to the risen Jesus Christ, the Redeemer and Saviour of man. Strengthen their love and fidelity to the Church.

As new communities, our challenge is to keep that prayer to the Holy Spirit alive – not only in our hearts but in the responses that we make day after day.

We cannot underestimate the value of our response both as individuals and as Communities. If we are to evangelise our cultures, the first challenge is to present an alternative, a living alternative which highlights the reality of the Gospel and makes it concrete in the lives of men and women. In Australia we have a deep respect for people whom we describe as “fair dinkum”. For those who don’t understand the term “fair dinkum” it is a description of people who are authentic, honest and down to earth – what you see is what you get! There is no pretence. Christian Communities are challenged by the world around them to live authentic Christian lives which only make sense if Jesus Christ is real, if Jesus Christ has died and risen and continues to live amongst us. Of course, there are many dimensions to evangelizing a culture but the beginning point is transformed people who create transformed Communities.

It has long been a hope amongst the Communities of the Catholic Fraternity that we might work together for the evangelization of the world. This vision holds within itself an exciting dynamism while at the same time presenting individual Communities with a deep challenge.

In order to work together on a common mission, in order to build communion together, there is always a certain dying involved. Many of our Communities are already stretched to their limit, committed to projects not only in local Communities but in different parts of the world. To work with others at times can seem a distraction and yet the challenge lies before us not only to consider what our own Communities are called to do but to consider what we can do by acting together for the evangelization of the whole world. We have already seen small signs of this as Communities have begun the initiative to assist one another, to learn from one another and to build relationships together. For this vision to develop we need open hearts to one another and the conviction that together we can make a difference. These foundational years of the Catholic Fraternity have given us many opportunities to build relationships with one another and to become familiar with one another’s experience of mission. The next steps forward in such a vision are to identify a path forward and how we might bring to bear our various resources for the sake of the proclamation of the Gospel to a world that is thirsty for Christ.

Shayne Bennett Moderator of the Emmanuel Community Brisbane, Australia

Some young men, who belonged to the covenant community, approached Fr. Ken, expressing a call to priesthood, but also wanting to remain part of the community. They agreed to meet weekly before the Blessed Sacrament for a year in order to listen to the Lord's direction. At the end of that time they began to share a common life together in a fraternity house, seeking to live the gospel in a radical manner, by imitating Jesus in his poverty, and developing a strong life of prayer and brotherhood.

Click to listen

to Father Steven Tynan testimony

We live today in a world where modern conveniences seem to be taking up more and more of our time and energy. So many people seem to feel or experience the need to have the latest in mobile phone technology or the latest laptop, MP3 player, digital organizer or i-pod. The question I would like to put before us all is: “How much of this do we really need?” Yes, many of these things, and they are only just ‘things’ may give us a certain convenience but we seemed to live quite well without them only 10 or 15 years ago! How quickly we forget the time when mobile phones were virtually non-existent and there was no such thing as the internet and e-mails! Even if we have all of the above it seems that there is still restlessness within the hearts of people as they seek to fill the void we experience in our spirits.

I searched in many places for the answer to the restlessness in my heart – I tried communist philosophy as a 14 year old and then I went on to alternative lifestyle movements, but they were all based in the here and now of this world and failed to fill or answer the questions my spirit was asking. It was not until I went on a local Catholic youth Camp when I was 18 years old that I realized that the answer lay in my faith and not in the things the world had to offer. All my life I had been a nominal Catholic, going to Mass every Sunday, praying once in a while and going to confession 3 or 4 times a year when dad told me it was time to go. I looked as though I had faith in God but there was very little if any personal experience of God in my faith. If you had asked me whether I had a personal relationship with Jesus I would have looked at you with a blank stare s if you had been speaking to me in a language I did not understand!

On this Youth Camp there were other young people who were sharing their faith-walk with Jesus. They spoke of Jesus being their friend whom they conversed with daily in prayer and who was seemingly as real to them as was the person standing next to me. The clincher for me was when one person shared about the meaning of the Cross of Jesus such that if I had been the only person in the world Jesus would still have come and died on the cross for me alone! The truth of this statement broke through the hardness in my heart and I suddenly realized what the phrase “God loves me” really means! God was no longer some sort of abstract concept or idea or distant figure. He suddenly became aas alive to me as any of my friends. It was as though my faith was now directed towards something that was with me in the here and now and not just a memory of what the Son of God had done 2000 years ago.

Later that day there was an opportunity to be prayed with. I remember as clear as day the person leading the session saying that here was the opportunity for anyone who wanted to be prayed with to come forward and ‘surrender his or her life to the Lord.’ Now that may sound a bit clichéd but it is something we all must do in order to enter into the fullness of the relationship Jesus wants to have with us. I knew that this was my moment of grace – I could say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to Jesus as I pleased. I also knew that if I did not respond now I may never have the same opportunity to do so again. I virtually ran to the nearest prayer team and surrendered my life to Jesus for the first time. I have repeated this act again and again over the last 22 years and the mercy and love of God has never failed to embrace me every time.

A couple of months after this experience I decided it was time to ask God what he wanted me to do with my life. Every since my First Holy Communion (aged 6) I had felt something of a calling to the priesthood but had never really responded to it. I had not rejected it, but at the same time, I had not really pursued it either. Anyway, when I posed this question to God it came to me as clearly as if God was standing next to me, “I want you to be a priest.” It must have been another moment of grace for me as I quickly said “Yes,” to God and then began to search out how to follow up this commitment.

At the time I was in relationship with a charismatic covenant community called Hephzibah (Hebrew for: My delight is in her) and was also feeling a call to join the community. My problem was, how could I both join a lay covenant community and at the same time follow a call to the priesthood? I went to see the leader of Hephzibah and shared with him my dilemma. He quickly told me that the community would be a great place to discern a call to the priesthood so I joined Hephzibah in December 1984.

In January 1985 I attended a Pastoral Training School that was run jointly by my community, Hephzibah and the Disciples of Jesus Covenant Community. (In September 1994 Hephzibah and Disciples of Jesus amalgamated taking the name of the latter community) Towards the end of the two week school I was approached by a priest who was a member of Hephzibah, Fr Ken Barker and he told me there were two other young men who wanted to become priests and was I interested in praying with him and them about whether or not God was doing something new with us in Hephzibah. We prayed and shared together once a week for the rest of the year and after receiving the blessing of our then Archbishop of Canberra-Goulburn, the Most Reverend Fr Francis Carroll, DD, began living together in a house of formation in February 1986. Thus was born the Missionaries of God’s Love (MGL), a consecrated group of men within the lay community of Hephzibah.

In 1987 I began my priestly studies that culminated in my ordination to the priesthood on December 4 1992. In 1996 I was sent to The Philippines to begin the MGL mission there as well as establish a branch of the Disciples of Jesus Covenant Community. I have enjoyed my ten years in the Philippines and expect to be there for a few more. Recently the MGL was entrusted with the responsibility of establishing a new parish in the Diocese of Novaliches in Quezon City, Metro-Manila and we look forward to the opportunity to build a center of evangelization and formation within the parish for which we care.

Sometimes old friends ask me whether I am happy with the choices I have made for my life, the implication being that becoming a priest can hardly be a satisfying choice for my life. This could not be further from the truth. I can happily and, more importantly truthfully say, that the choice to become a priest has been the most exciting thing I could have chosen for my life! I firmly believe that no other path could have been more interesting or more fulfilling for me. I believe that God has a perfect will for each of our lives and though I may not have followed him perfectly, I would not change any of the major choices I have made in choosing to follow his will. Yes, I may well have been happy if I had chosen to marry and have a family, but for me, the best and most fulfilling choice was to become a priest. There is nothing to be afraid of when we follow God’s will as his promise to us is that his grace will be sufficient for us. This has been my experience every time there was an obstacle or difficulty in my life. God is true to his promises and He always desires the best for us.

My experience of God’s love and mercy thus leads me to confidently place before you the challenge to forget any fears you may have and ask God what He wants you to do with your life and then act on what you hear from Him. I am sure He will be as faithful with you as He has been with me. I owe all I am to Him and my greatest desire is to simply be His disciple and do what He tells me.

The Archbishop John Ha in his short interview to Canção Nova website, told us about importance and his expectation to this conference that will gather different people and languages.

Click to listen to Archbishop John Ha’s comments.

Read about The Bread of Life Community

In 1978 and ’79 we started broadcasting our programs through radio and in 1980 we bought our first radio station; “Radio Bandeirantes” in Cachoeira Paulista, SP- Brazil. It was a miracle Canção Nova has radio station, but God led us again toward communication means. It was confirmed through Evangelii Nuntiandii # 45:

“Our century is characterized by the mass media or means of social communication, and the first proclamation, catechesis or the further deepening of faith cannot do without these means, as we have already emphasized. When they are put at the service of the Gospel, they are capable of increasing almost indefinitely the area in which the Word of God is heard; they enable the Good News to reach millions of people. The Church would feel guilty before the Lord if she did not utilize these powerful means that human skill is daily rendering more perfect (…). It is through them that she proclaims "from the housetops"[72] the message of which she is the depositary. In them she finds a modern and effective version of the pulpit. Thanks to them she succeeds in speaking to the multitudes. Nevertheless the use of the means of social communication for evangelization presents a challenge: through them the evangelical message should reach vast numbers of people, but with the capacity of piercing the conscience of each individual, of implanting itself in his heart as though he were the only person being addressed, with all his most individual and personal qualities, and evoke an entirely personal adherence and commitment.”

The Radio Bandeirantes with only 250 watts output, grew fast reaching 1.000 Watts output; Five years later, it was 10KW and broadcasted through Medium Wave. Later, we got license to operate on 31, 49 and Tropical Waves as well. It was God’s prodigies. Notice, everything was done without advertisement! Our listeners helped us through donation… and began the - Listener Club

A very special moment of these prodigies happened when our power transmitter broke. Suddenly, our radio station was mute and we did not have any condition to buy another power transmitter. The inspiration of God come through Nehemiah’s reading chapter 2, 17-18; “You see the evil plight in which we stand: how Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been gutted by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we may no longer be an object of derision! Then I explained to them how the favoring hand of my God had rested upon me, and what the king had said to me. They replied, "Let us be up and building!" And they undertook the good work with vigor.”

Thanks God, another prodigy accomplished. People from every part of Brazil, knowing about our situation, sent us their donations. We not only bought a new power transmitter to Medium Wave, but we bought also three other ones to short wave and tropical wave bands. It was accomplished the miracle of solidarity. These transmitters are working full time today.

Our TV station was born from our radio station. In 1989 we broadcasted only to neighborhood city and in 1987 we broadcasted through satellite. Two years later, we bought our TV signal generator. The installments were paid during two years and it was done through our project called: Give me Souls. We recognize how fruitful this TV channel has been to family’s heath. People have witnessed their transformation that happened through this TV programs. Since 1998 Canção Nova TV has being a channel of transformation to many families.

In 2004 you helped us through jewel and money donation to built the arena – D.João Hipólito de Moraes. We say: God did it. It is a miracle before our eyes! The beauty of these examples is that you took part of this adventure of faith. Through your donations we are able to accomplish the God’s deed stated in Evangeli Nutiandii. We testify the Pope Paul VI’s words is updated: they are capable of increasing almost indefinitely the area in which the Word of God is heard; they enable the Good News to reach millions of people. The Good News is proclaimed "from the housetops". They are a modern and effective version of the pulpit.

Thank you for taking part of this adventure with us. I continue counting on you

May God bless you.

Father Jonas Abib

Founder and President of Canção Nova Community

In his first day in Brazil, Mons. Stanislaw, as president of the Pontifical Concil for the Laity, said He is always in contact with the life of the ecclesial movements and new communities; and these new realities always make him astonished.

Mons. Stanislaw Rylko, told us what the Church needs is the courage to offer new method, initiatives and mainly to discover within people the enthusiasm for God’s cause in the world.

He also visited the Holy Sacrament present in small chapels in all departments of Canção Nova and said that it is a very important sign because from the Holy Sacrament sprouts all initiatives and forces to continue on mission of the announcing of Jesus Christ to mankind.

At the same time of his visitation, took place an executive meeting between some authority and father Jonas Abib, founder of Canção Nova Community.

Click to watch Stanislaw Rylko - in Brazil - (in Portuguese).

Click to watch Stanislaw Rylko - Holy Mass - (in Italian).

Mons. Rylko remembered John Paul II teachings, he said that hierarchy and the movements sprouted by the Holy Spirit do not conflict with each other. “The Holy Spirit not only sanctifies people through sacraments but spills His gifts upon who He wills. The Spirit leads the Church on sovereign freedom.” This was rejected due to mistrustfulness on the authenticity of Charisma in the Second Vatican Council.

The bishops should verify the authenticity of Charisma that emerges in the Church, not to extinguish the Spirit, but to take what is good of that. A genuine charisma has basic features which bears the fruits of spirit, spiritual affinity among members, harmony with the Church authority; even if appears “prophetic criticism” it must never set aside the unity and the communion.

Scholarls affirm that the relationship between institution and charisma in the Church is not dialectic but organic, co-essential and complementary. The charismatic dimension is not an ornament or accessory; because it is linked to the Church and has become a structural element of it.

Mons. Rylko wanted to tranqüilize the founders of new communities concerning to recognition of charisma for the Holy See. The bishops understand that it is a delicate and complex process of “suffering”, because the judicial instruments of the Church are not sufficient to express all richness of the Charisma. The acknowledgment of Charisma for the Holy See is not a final process, but from that, everyone should plunge into the calling, looking to their founders and to the occasion which their community was born.

It is necessary to consider the reason of the Holy Spirit and the primacy of grace to face the challenges, which are launched against the Church; concluded Mons. Rylko.

It was the first time that bishop from 9 different countries are gathered to treat subjects of new communities connected to the Catholic renewal in Brazil.

www.cancaonova.com

article translated from original in Portuguese

Now, I should thanks to the Catholic Fraternity Community for invitation to this event, and before the President of Fraternity Community, Matteo Calise, I would like to thank for this important deed, stressing its importance between the CCR and Pope, the successor of Peter.

I thank to Fr. Jonas Abib for this wonderful deed; it is sign of the Holy Spirit’s power. I thank for hospitality; you and your Community have our best greetings.

Dear brothers and sisters, we should speak about new evangelization, new men, renewed by the Holy Spirit and I want to begin remembering the words of John Paul II. In his apostolic letter – Millenium Ineunte #40 – “We must revive in ourselves the burning conviction of Paul, who cried out: "Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel" (1 Cor 9:16).”

Pope Benedict XVI addressing to German bishops, in his journey in Cologne, He told they should make a real evangelization, it does not mean only an evangelization but the true evangelization. Now, it is not necessary to keep the flock that we have; I believe we should seek new methods to take the gospel announcing Christ to the world.

Through these two pontiffs’ words give directions to this congress. The world is thirsty for the Gospel. The world needs Christ and men and women of our days should nourish them. The Holy Spirit who renews the Church through new charisma gives to men and women a new charisma for evangelization.

Article produced in Portuguese originally - Mons. Stanislaw Rylko’s addressing.

One of the foundations that we are built on is that the Community (our community, your community) is given by God as a gift. It is given to us by God as a gift to be lived and shared freely with others. That founding charism is usually conferred upon one person who is responsible to carry the vision, being responsible for the charism and guiding the community so that it might respond to its full capacity. As the one who has taken over responsibility from the founder, I am not free to do with the community as I want. It is also my role to be responsible, in a sense to be submitted to the founding charism so that the community might move forward with continuity. New leaders must be faithful to the founding charism.

Brian Smith, our founder, wrote very little about the founding charism. He felt that the founding charism should be something ingrained in people’s hearts and so was reluctant to write it down. While it is true that it should be ingrained in our hearts, it is also true that people need to read it, to reflect on it not just experientially but intellectually. One of the first tasks for me just after the death of our founder was to gather together what he had written and to write down the founding charism of our community and the necessary response of the community to that charism. Ultimately, this was a very positive experience for the community because we lead them through a process of rediscovery of the founding charism as well as the essential elements of our life as the Emmanuel Covenant Community. It became a process of renewal and renewed conviction.

Today, we are a community that is 31 years old. During those many years it is easy for our community life to be overshadowed by a growing institutionalism (perhaps even conservatism). We forget our charismatic birth and our reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit. We begin to think that we can achieve in our own strength what we once knew only God could achieve through us by the power of his Spirit. While it has been important for our community to grown in some institutional forms, we must work hard to remain open to the Holy Spirit.

My experience is that the ones most likely to remind us of the dynamism of the Holy Spirit in our midst are the young. Young leaders are often full of energy and dynamism and ready to conquer the world for Christ. Sometimes, older leaders have experienced some more of the difficulties and hardships that come with leadership. Sometimes the suggestions of the young sound foolish or even outrageous. We must embrace this tension. We must make a place for the young who are idealistic, dynamic and have a hope for the future for which they are prepared to give their lives. We must find a way for them to take leading roles and not tell them you have to wait till you are 60 years of age before you can be a leader in this community. When I was appointed Moderator, I was the youngest of those in the leadership of the community. I’m very happy to say that today I am no longer the youngest.

One of the experiences that was very important for me was my own relationship with our founder. I met him when I was 17 years of age and he was my mentor for many years. I will always appreciate the fact that he gave me opportunities to lead, to take positions of leadership. Whether it was in works of evangelisation, working with young people or in various forms of outreach – he made it possible for me to grow in my gifts of leadership. Without those opportunities, I would never have been able to grow in the gifts that God had given me. Sometimes, he even surprised me at the trust he had in me. I can remember when I was 21 years of age, I walked into his office and he told me how he had just recommended me to speak at an international conference – I thought to myself, “do you know what you are doing?” But you could be certain that he knew exactly what he was doing. When I was appointed Moderator of the Community, Brian wrote a letter to the whole community, as the founder, supporting my appointment. He did not have to do that but he did and it was helpful for the continuity of the community leadership.

As a leader with 26 years of experience, et me encourage you older leaders that there is much you can do to raise up new leadership, to encourage that gift in the Community, to give young leaders an opportunity to grow in their gifts. Don’t be afraid of discipling young leaders, either in a formal or informal manner. We need to have a vision of our communities extending beyond ourselves. Our communities are gifts for the Church and the world and we should take every opportunity we can to raise up men and women who will exercise the leadership that is appropriate to them to carry our communities into the next generation. Finally, anchor the members of the community in God and not in allegiance to particular personalities. People will always fail us. If we make gods of our leaders they will fail. Let God be the first leader of our community.

Let me first of all encourage young leaders to be everything they can be in the service of Christ. Christian leadership is above all a following of Christ and submission to his action in our lives. Love Jesus Christ first and above all else. Be faithful to Christ first. In leadership, there are many challenges to serve the purposes of man. Jesus referred to this sort of leadership when he corrected Peter (Matthew 16:23 But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.") Sometimes members of communities want their leaders to make life easy but this was not the promise of Jesus (Matthew 8:20 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.") The greatest challenge for any leader and especially the young is compromise.

God calls us first to serve him and him alone. Be more concerned with pleasing Christ than serving the ideas of man. Search out wisdom. Don’t be afraid to seek out leaders whom you know and respect. Ask them to help you grow. Make yourself vulnerable to them. Growing is a normal part of life. I’m still growing in my capacity for leadership and I trust I will continue to grow until the day I die. Don’t be afraid of it.

Don’t be afraid to allow the Holy Spirit to continue to lead and guide you. While we need to be faithful to our founding charism – each generation has the task of finding the language and structures to help you to respond. Language and structure changes across the generations. Structures we once had no longer serve us in responding to our charism and purpose. One of the great challenges for the young leaders in tension with the older leaders will be to keep finding new ways of being faithful to the call that God gave in the beginning.

Let’s pray that both old and new leadership might work together in order that our communities might be for the Church and the world all that is in the heart of Jesus our Lord.

SHAYNE BENNETT

MODERATOR OF EMMANUEL COVENANT COMMUNITY

BRISBANE

Your Excellency,

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI sends cordial greetings to the members of the numerous communities born of that “current of grace” which is the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, as they assemble in Cachoeira Paulista, Brazil to reflect on the theme: New Communities for a New Evangelization. He is also pleased to greet the many Bishops present who have met to reflect on the theme: Charism and Institution: Coessential.

As His Holiness said to the members of ecclesial movements and new communities gathered in Saint Peter’s Square on the Vigil of last Pentecost: “Anyone who has come across something true, beautiful and good in his life – the one true treasure, the pearl of great price – hastens to share it everywhere, in the family and at work, in the contexts of his life” (Homily at first vesper of the solemnity of Pentecost, 3, June, 2006). Was it not such a new, spontaneous and joy filled witness then became proclamation, a missionary impulse inspired by the Holy Spirit, that led many lay faithful to undertake a more committed Christian life within their communities? As a result, the Pope also said in Saint Peter’s Square, they can “ collaborate even more, very much more, in the Pope’s universal apostolic ministry, opening the doors to Christ. This is the best service that the Church can offer to men and women, and specially to the poor to help the life of each individual, a just social order and peaceful coexistence among nations find in Christ the cornerstone on which the genuine civilization, the civilization of love, can be built”(ibid).

To speak of the new evangelization also means to speak about those who will carry it out, namely, individual Christians, those who have themselves encountered Christ, for “being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction” (Deus Caritas Est, 1). In order to give life to the world, that true life which is in Jesus Christ, each Christian must become his follower, must make him Master and Lord of his life, must enter into profound communion with him and become familiar with his thoughts, as we find them in the Sacred Scriptures. It was precisely to reflect together on how to be disciples of Jesus in our own time that the movements and ecclesial communities of Latin America gathered on 9-12 March last, in Bogota, Colombia. That meeting pointed to several urgent priorities calling for broad cooperation: Christian formation, a powerful proclamation before the world, a consistent missionary style, a concern for the poor, the suffering and the outcast. A passionate commitment to facing these challenges will surely contribute to the renewal of the Church, particularly in Latin America. As we look forward to the fifth General Conference of the Latin American Episcopate, due to meet in Aparecida in May 2007 on the theme: Disciples and Missionaries of Jesus Christ so that in Him the peoples may have life, the Holy Father expresses his hope that the present meeting, through the exchange of experiences, reflections and new proposals, will contribute effectively to the preparation of that significant ecclesial event.

Entrusting the work of the Conference to the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church, particularly venerated in Brazil as Our Lady Aparecida, His Holiness sends to all present his special Apostolic Blessing.

With personal good wishes for the success of this initiative, I remain

Yours sincerely in Christ,

Carinal Tarcisio Bertone

Secretary of State.

I have been visiting Canção Nova this week and have been asked more than once about our experience in Emmanuel of the death of our founder, Brian Smith and the transition to new leadership. This is my personal reflection as a member of the community who has lived through this.

For Emmanuel the passing of our founder has been more than a change of leaders. It has been a sign of generational change. Just as the church carries from one generation to the next the same deposit of faith and life in Jesus, but must find a new language and expression to communicate it, so a community must maintain its founding charism and adapt its way of living and communicating this in each generation.

Perhaps the most difficult, most critical transition is from the founder to the second generation. It is natural for us to feel dependant and want to hold on to the founder because we tend to identify the gift of God with the one who has given it to us and nurtured it in us. We do well to remember, as we honour our founder that the gift he has brought is from God. The community belongs to God, not to us who love it, and not to the founder whom we love and venerate. Jesus will never leave us and it is His intention to give every grace we need to take His community forward into the next generation, to achieve the purpose for which he has given it birth.

In looking back over our transition over the last six years, this has been our experience. Brian Smith was a man of unique gifting whom God chose to found Emmanuel. He did this so well. We did not know who could replace him as we all saw his death approaching. He could not be replaced. We grieved for his loss, as any father is grieved for. Many were not happy that he handed over the leadership before he died, but he asked the community to choose a new moderator. He was always a man of charismatic faith and he trusted in the Holy Spirit to guide this process. When Shayne Bennett was selected, Brian affirmed this choice and asked the whole community to trust Shayne as the new moderator.

What Brian modeled for us was trust and faith in God. It took us as a community more than 3 years to grow in this trust to the point where now we are confidently moving forward with the new leaders God has given us. It is clear now that we did not need another Brian Smith. He has completed his task. Just as when the Chosen People came to the Promised Land they did not need another Moses. They needed a Joshua to enter in and take possession of the promises of the Lord in the new land. So too, we needed a new leader to take the gift God gave to the world through Brian, to a new generation.

If we keep our eyes on the Lord and remain open to Him, He will protect and nurture what he has given through the founder. There is no need to fear. What we need is humility and trust in God that He will complete the work He has begun in our community.

Do not look to man or human limitations. Trust only in God.

God Bless You,

Member of Emmanuel Covenant Community,

Brisbane, Australia.

Mons. Archimandrite Sergius Gajek, representative of Greek Catholic Church of Byelorussia, said that the common testimony of Christian is the fundamental, in order to spread the Gospel throughout the world. The Church is One and she cannot be divided. It is necessary, we accelerate the communion among Christians Churches of oriental and occidental cults.”- Concluded D. Sergius.

Rev. Anthony Palmer- member of Traditional Anglican Church, in his preaching said that God created our individuality, like our DNA. Our diversity is divine and on the other hand, our division is diabolic. Not only respect me but celebrate with me this diversity which I have as a gift for you.- said Rev. Anthony Palmer.

The XII International conference of the Catholic Community was hold in Canção Nova plant, between 1st and 5th November gathering about 15.000 people a day.