CHRIST RENEWS HIS PARISH
Christ Renews His Parish began as a renewal weekend at Holy Family Parish in Parma, OH in 1969.
The members at Holy Family found the enthusiasm and positive response to their initial weekend overwhelming. The program exposed participants to the effectiveness of shared ministry and motivated them to build a Christian community that understood that Jesus Christ was its center. Now, some 45 years later, Holy Family has celebrated its 80th renewal and over 3,000 men and women from their parish have attended.
During the 1970’s news of Christ Renews His Parish success at Holy Family motivated other parishes throughout the Cleveland Diocese to adopt the program. Through the 1980’s, 90’s and into this century, Christ Renews His Parish has spread to over 1,400 parishes, in 100 dioceses, across 40 states and has received the recommendation of the renewal office of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP) is a personal and parish spiritual renewal process. As Catholics, we are called to witness to one another the amazing things God has done for us. The CRHP process allows us to do just that—take a break from our busy lives, share our faith with others, and get to know God through His works.
Our first Christ Renews His Parish renewal weekend included men and women from Sacred Heart in Seymour, St. Mary in Megargel, St. Joseph in Rhineland, St. Joseph in Crowell, Santa Rosa in Knox City, St. Mary in Quanah and Holy Family of Nazareth in Vernon. Our initial CRHP was conducted by a group of men and women from Sacred Heart in Wichita Falls, who helped build the knowledge needed to do our future CRHP presentations in house. Since that first renewal we have conducted two others; one housed at Holy Family in Vernon and one at Sacred Heart in Seymour. We will be conducting the next weekend at St. Joseph in Rhineland.
A high percentage of our team members continued their faith formation and shared their experience with the next CRHP team, helping to evolve and promote the development of a vibrant faith community in our parishes by transforming the hearts of committed parishioners, one soul at a time. As of the completion of our third CRHP we have seen 77 men and 83 women participate in the renewal.
What will you see when you participate--- I couldn’t tell you but I saw participants obviously moved by the weekend, but I make no claim that their walls came tumbling down and that the retreat was awash in their catharsis. Conversion is a lifelong, spirit-led process, and no one can manipulate or even predict how it unfolds in the great mystery of any individual’s interior life, especially in the hearts of men and women whose emotional muscles may not get frequent exercise. Time will tell. But I can report, happily, that cracks can appear even in what might seem the toughest and thickest of shells. And through the cracks comes a light that shines like the sun: a lovely, true, image-of-God self, hungry for connection; only waiting for you to open the door.
Prepared By Bill Dreyer, Former Men's Lay Directer.
For More Informations Contact: Dn Jim Novak
(940 889 2136)