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“Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the Evil One.” (Matthew 5:37)

For our series of articles on Miracles and the Holy Spirit, here’s what members of Good News Ministries have reported is happening in their countries and parishes:

Fiona Navarro in Malta reports:

The Holy Spirit is doing mighty things in Malta. Although Malta is best known as the island mentioned in Acts of the Apostles where St Paul was shipwrecked, morality in Malta is on the decline, so much so that it can no longer be considered a predominantly Catholic country. Yet, despite the indifference and moral decline, the Holy Spirit is working mightily with priests. A group of holy women felt called to invite priests to attend Life in the Spirit Seminars (LISS). So every week for seven weeks the participating priests are first invited to share a hot meal prepared by these ladies and then they listen to the relevant teaching and later there is a time for ministry. I am told that many priests are having life-changing experiences as they feel the Holy Spirit touch them so powerfully.

May Balzan in Malta provides more details:

Since we are a small group of women who are in the priest’s ministry, we can only take 36 priests at one go, as we do not want to overpower them or frighten them. We send invitations to all the priests in Malta and on the island of Gozo, and then it is up to them whether they accept the invitation or not. Amazingly always the number that we can take applies.

So far, about 200 priests have done the LISS, even the previous Archbishop and the Nuncio.

I am so excited at what the Holy Spirit is doing in our midst. Apart from the Seminars, we have been meeting once a month with different denominations to pray together as one body, united in Christ Jesus. On the 2nd of October we organized a Celebration of Faith which we called UNDIVIDED. It was a huge success and the Pope sent a representative. We also had representatives from different churches. The Presence of the Lord was there with us. United in him, we praised and glorified the Lord as brothers and sisters. We believe that the Holy Spirit is bringing down the walls of division and he is calling us forth to walk on water as we keep our eyes focused on him and him alone.

Wing Aguila in the Philippines reports:

My community, Bukas Loob sa Diyos (Open To God) Catholic Covenant Community (BLD), is involved in conducting Life in the Spirit Seminars, Marriage Encounters, Solo Parents Encounters, Single Encounters, and Youth Encounters. The best program is the Family Encounter where family relationships are restored and healed. We also have a Mark 10 Ministry for the younger children. We cater to all kinds of people. The encounters and the LSS are the formal entry points to our community, after which they undergo a formation program.

The final phase of the formation program is going out into the mission field, most especially to the less fortunate of our society: to the squatter areas, to the home of the aged, to penitentiaries, to hospital wards, to the institute of abused women. Part of this mission field is building houses for the poor through our Gawad Kalinga projects, which is similar to the Habitat for Humanity program. We also give LSS to seminaries that request for it. We involve the parish priest and other priests to let them experience the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

I have been invited to help a new Household of Faith Community (in Dagupan, Pangasinan). I have been involved in their training for the mission field: tapping the power of the Holy Spirit through prayer and the Word of God and healing through pastoral activites. Many priests are requesting for the presence of the Household of Faith in their parishes. The diocese is focused now on the marriage and family apostolates and is tapping the community because of its experience in these. The Lord is opening up a lot of mission work for this community. And I love to be part of it!

Praise God for a bountiful harvest of 104 women inmates of the Dagupan Penitentiary in Pangasinan who underwent the Life in the Spirit Seminar [last November]. The Holy Spirit was evident in their faces. [They were] filled with great joy.

Osith D’Souza in India reports:

Renewal is at the highest peak again this year. We here in Mumbai, India, can feel the Lord working mightily. Churches that did not have a prayer group have opened doors for the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. We here can feel the Lord’s power; retreats are a houseful. Suddenly there is a new eruption, which can be seen and felt all over India.

Miggy Dressler in New Jersey (USA) reports:

In my church, we have more people converted, involved in the church, more servant [attitude], and living a holy life.

Teresita Dauigoy in California reports:

Our Charismatic ministry is called Reach Out Catholic Charismatic Community (ROCCC), which provides communion services to senior healthcare facilities. The facility gathers all Catholics in their function room and we do Liturgy of the Word, then we give communion. We do worship songs [with them].

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