Conference 1: Gifts of the Holy Spirit - Yearning for Healing /w Msgr. John Esseff & Sr. Cor Immaculatum Heffernan

Conference 1: Gifts of the Holy Spirit – Yearning for Healing /w Msgr. Esseff & Sr. Cor Immaculatum Heffernan – Discerning Hearts Online Retreat

Retreat Directors: Monsignor John A. Esseff and Sister Cor Immaculatum Heffernan, IHM

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Conference 1: Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Opening Prayer:

Praise of the God the Father, Creator of our world…

God the Son…Redeemer who established His Body, the Church and God the Holy Spirit who has gifted us to minister to others

We, the baptized – in this time of need look up to heaven to Mary…and pray: Hail, Holy Queen

We are all in need of healing…we are all wounded…

God has not left us orphans… but has given us gifts in Baptism and Confirmation, gifts for us to use to minister to others, to teach, to heal, to preach, to serve…

1 Cor: 12: 4-‐11 -‐ Different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit

Called to holiness in our different vocations in life – healing power of blessings and prayer

- Single life – examples of holiness
- Religious life – “ “ “ “
- Married life
  - Parents called to bless their children, throughout their lives, family prayer,
  - Baptism – blessing of child by the family, community of the Church

Blessings in the Old Testament – through all generations
- Genesis 26: 1-‐5 – Isaac’s blessing of Abimelech
- Genesis 27: 26-‐29 – Isaac’s blessing of Jacob
- Genesis 49: 25-‐26 – Jacob’s blessing of his sons
- Exodus 20: 6 – God’s blessing to Moses -‐ the 10 Commandments
- Numbers: 6:24-‐27 – Blessing of the priests
Through the union of Baptism, we – the Church Militant in the world today -‐ are surrounded by the Church Triumphant and the Church Suffering -‐ our prayers to them for their assistance are powerful

Pope Francis’ decree that Latin-‐rite Catholics observe the feast “Mary, Mother of the Church” on the Monday after Pentecost. John 19: 25-‐31 (see quote in handouts)

Matthew 5: 1-‐12 The Beatitudes

The Beatitudes are our challenge, our call to live the Gospel today…to LOVE everyone in the entire world

10) The Holy Spirit has given us many gifts…the Greatest Gift is LOVE– all healing is because of LOVE…healing comes through love

Paul’s exhortation: 1 Cor 13: 1-‐13

Suggestions for individual reflection and prayer:

1, Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the special gifts that you have been given…make a list of them

How can I use those gifts for others?

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the special gifts He has given to your spouse,,,your children…your grandchildren…your friend/neighbor
- How can I affirm them?
Reflect on the personal challenge to you to LOVE everyone – as you are called in 1 Cor: 13: 1-‐13. Prayerfully, make a resolution.

HANDOUT: Quote

MARY, MOTHER OF THE CHURCH

Awaiting the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the first disciples were had perfectly

accepted and made fruitful the singular grace with which importantly, the grace of being the Mother of God. All of the Church’s children can admire her complete docility to the action of the Holy Spirit: faultless docility in faith and transparent humility. Mary, therefore, testifies fully to the obedient and faithful reception of every gift of the Holy Spirit.

Moreover, as the Second Vatican Council teaches, the Virgin Mary, by her maternal charity, “cares for the brethren of her Son, who still journey on earth surrounded by dangers and cares, until they are led into the happiness of their true home”.[117] Since she “let herself be guided by the Holy Spirit on a journey of faith towards a destiny of service and fruitfulness, today we look to her and ask her to help us proclaim the message of salvation to all and to enable new disciples to become evangelizers in turn”.[118]

For this reason, Mary is recognized as the Mother of the Church and we, powerful intercession, the charisms, abundantly bestowed by the Holy Spirit among the faithful, may be received with docility and bear fruit for the life and mission of the Church and for the good of the world.

The Sovereign Pontiff Francis, in the Audience granted to the undersigned

Cardinal Prefect on 14 March 2016, approved the present Letter, adopted in the Plenary Session of this Congregation, and ordered its publication.

Rome, from the Offices of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, May

15, 2016, the Solemnity of Pentecost.

Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton. He served as a retreat director and confessor to St. Teresa of Calcutta. He continues to offer direction and retreats for the sisters of the missionaries of charity. He has lived in areas around the world, serving in the Pontifical missions, a Catholic organization established by St. Pope John Paul II to bring the Good News to the world especially to the poor. He is a founding member of the Pope Leo XIII Institute. He continues to serve as a retreat leader and director to bishops, priests and sisters and seminarians, and other religious leaders.

Sister Cor Immaculatum Heffernan, IHM is a member of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Scranton, PA. “ She holds several degrees: a Bachelor of Arts in English/Art and a Master of Science degree in Counseling, both from Marywood; a Master of Arts degree in Sculpture from the University of Notre Dame; and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Illustration from Syracuse University. Her multi-faceted life is in itself a masterpiece: she is a teacher, a mentor, and a consultant; she is a sculptor, a harpist, a calligrapher, and a creator of mosaics; she is a counselor, a spiritual director, and above all, she is a servant of God to others”.