At a daylong healing gathering in Lagrangeville, Dutchess County, the special message from speakers and organizers was: “Jesus Christ is the same today, yesterday, and forever! Jesus wants to love you. He’s knocking on the door of your heart. Will you let Him in?”
The Prayer Conference and Healing Service was held Saturday, May 17, at St. Kateri Tekakwitha Church. The event was organized by the Healing Prayer Ministry of St. Mary of the Assumption Church, Newburgh, in conjunction with St. Kateri parish.
Throughout the day, the faithful had opportunities to experience praise and worship music, communal prayer, prayer teams, confession, and healing services. When many lined up for personal blessings, some collapsed while overcome with emotion as they received their blessing; volunteers were there to aid them. Soft inspirational music was performed by New York-area singer/songwriter Marisel Rodriquez, accompanied by guitarist Raul Capcha.
“I heard about this healing service announced in my church. I saw it advertised,” Christina Motta, 47, a parishioner of St. James the Apostle, Carmel, told The Good Newsroom during an afternoon break. “In my head I’m: too busy, too busy, too busy. But life brought me here today. I’m facing a lot of challenges. And a lot of people that I love are struggling big time – and I knew my place was here today…I put everything else to the side, because the only person that can really take care of it all is God. I have definitely been touched. I feel nothing but gratitude – and I feel more peace in my heart,” added the married mother of two.
The featured speakers were Father Vincent Druding, parochial vicar at Holy Cross in the Bronx; Father Giuseppe Siniscalchi, CFR, of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, assigned to St. Mary of the Assumption; and Father George Stewart, pastor of St. Augustine-Our Lady of Victory in the Bronx. An estimated 200 people attended the daytime part of the gathering – about 100 the evening portion.
“God wants to turn your sorrow into joy – your lamenting into music,” Father Druding told attendees during his talk on the power of the Holy Spirit. “Lord, my prayer here today is that we love one another as you have loved us…Give us today, Lord, the fire of love. Thank you, Lord; thank you, Jesus. Alleluya. Alleluya.” Father Druding then led the faithful in praying the Our Father and the Hail Mary.
Father Siniscalchi’s talk focused on the importance of Inner Healing, noting, “Envy and jealousy is spiritual sadness – and sin and anger; why exhaust yourself? You don’t want bitterness in your heart; you want love, you want to forgive…When you look at the beauty and the wonder and the hope of God the Father, you always have freedom and you always have the power to love.”
Father Stewart led an evening Physical Healing Service, noting the healing power of the love of Jesus, having faith in the Lord. One of the event attendees, Joseph Granda, 88, a parishioner of St. Martin de Porres in Poughkeepsie, told The Good Newsroom onsite, “I didn’t know whether I was coming or not. And this morning I said, ‘You better go. It’s time for you to be doing something different than what you’ve been doing.’ I came and I’m not disappointed. It was enlightening, with vigor.” Granda is a widower, father of two, and grandfather of one.