Catholic Charismatic Renewal Celebrates Golden Jubilee with National Conference

by Admin · August 17, 2022

Compiled by Joe Sengooba – The Catholic Charismatic Renewal in South Africa (CCR-SA) will be celebrating its golden jubilee with a national conference from October 27-30.

The 50th-anniversary celebration conference will be held at the Drakensville AKTV Resort in Drakensberg.

It will include speakers from South Africa and the United States, under the overarching theme of “Transformed into His Likeness: Redeemed, Restored and Renewed”, based on Philippians 3: 8-12.

The host of the conference will be Archbishop Zolile Mpambani, as the venue is located within his archdiocese of Bloemfontein. He will be the main celebrant of the Opening Mass at the start of the conference on Thursday, October 27. Archbishop Emeritus William Slattery of Pretoria is also scheduled to speak and celebrate Mass during the conference.

Bishop Victor Phalana of Klerksdorp, a patron of the Charismatic Renewal in SA, will also give a witness of his experience in the movement and of his faith journey in his priestly ministry.

Fr Joseph Wilson MSC, well-known for his healing ministry in Johannesburg and Pretoria, will facilitate sessions during the conference enabling the delegates to experience spiritual healing and renewal in their individual faith journey.

International Speakers from the US are Jim Murphy and Dr Mark Nimo. They have been involved with the CCR for many years through their respective ministries of teaching and preaching God’s Word at Catholic and ecumenical events. They will deliver teachings to uplift and empower the delegates during the conference.

Delegates are expected from various African countries, such as Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria and the Southern African region, including Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Eswatini. The conference programme will be guided by women leaders from various dioceses in South Africa.

Pope Francis actively supports the work of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. In June 2019, he launched CHARIS (Catholic Charismatic Renewal International Service) for the entire Catholic Charismatic Renewal in the world. “I expect this movement, to share baptism in the Holy Spirit with everyone in the Church. It is the grace you have received. Share it! Don’t keep it to yourselves!; to work for Christian unity and to serve the poorest, those most in need of everything, physically and spiritually.

What is Catholic Charismatic Renewal? A History

The Catholic Charismatic Renewal is a movement within the Catholic Church that is part of the wider charismatic movement across Christian churches and bodies. It began in 1967 when Catholics from Duquesne University attended a weekend retreat and experienced being “baptised in the Holy Spirit”. The late Belgian Cardinal Leo Suenens described the Charismatic renewal as “not a specific movement; the Renewal is not a movement in the common sociological sense; it does not have founders, it is not homogeneous and it includes a great variety of realities. It is a current of grace, a renewing breath of the Spirit for all members of the Church, laity, religious, priests and bishops.”

Charismatic Renewal in South Africa and in Johannesburg, specifically, started with Val Halley-Wright, a Johannesburg mother of nine, who desired to draw closer to God and started praying novenas to the Holy Spirit, having read the book Catholic Pentecostal Movement by Kevin Ranaghan.

One day in October 1972, she went to pray in St Charles’ Catholic Church in Victory Park, was overcome by the Holy Spirit of God, experienced the “Baptism in the Holy Spirit”, and started praying in tongues.

Much discernment followed with the consultation of priests, and the result was a weekly prayer meeting in her home, which she started with her friend, Pat Shakinovsky (now Withers).

This prayer group attracted more believers, including some Mercy Sisters and parish priest, Fr Paddy Keough. They called themselves “Family of God Community” — the Charismatic Renewal in Johannesburg had begun!

On the evening of August 16, 1974, the first prayer meeting took place in Cape Town at Nazareth House. Seven people attended: two priests, two nuns and three lay persons. The numbers increased as the people experienced the movement of the Holy Spirit. By the end of 1976, ten prayer groups based in parishes had started and 14 priests were involved. Meetings were on a weekly basis and by 1977, there were 22 groups. Monthly leadership meetings were held in the Kelly Room (named after The Southern Cross’ founding editor) at St Michael’s Church in Rondebosch.

The first Life in the Spirit Seminar held in Pretoria was conducted in March 1998 in Lynwood parish by Family of God Community, and in May 1998 the Catholic Charismatic Renewal was formed with Patrick Arendse as the leader. Family of God Community also conducted a Life in the Spirit Seminar in Queenswood parish in September 1999. From these two seminars sessions, more leaders emerged.

This spiritual movement has spread throughout South Africa. The CCR is now active in Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, Durban, Pretoria, Johannesburg, Klerksdorp, Rustenburg, Tzaneen and Polokwane — through various expressions and realities.

The basic activity of the CCR is the regular prayer meetings that are held at parish or diocesan levels. The annual Pentecost vigil is a hallmark for the CCR worldwide, held during the feast of Pentecost.

An equally important feature of the CCR is the Life in the Spirit Seminars (LISS). These consist of a series of talks designed to help individuals realise and experience the power of the Holy Spirit that is available for every aspect of their lives.

Most of us have heard about the Holy Spirit and most of us have learned about the Holy Spirit, but many times that is as far as our experience has gone. The Holy Spirit is a real person, a part of the Blessed Trinity just like Jesus and the Father. We receive the Holy Spirit through the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. Through what is called the baptism in the Holy Spirit, a personal conversion experience, the power that is the Holy Spirit is released within us.

Other programmes may include Leadership Development and Serving in Ministry based on one’s charismatic gifts – teachings all based on the Catholic doctrine.

The upcoming October Conference is intended as an opportunity to re-ignite the grace of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, through the teachings, prayers sessions and anointed moments of praise and worship.

Every baptised and confirmed Catholic is eligible to register and participate in the Golden Jubilee Conference celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the CCR in SA. Registration forms are available and enquiries can be sent to: