BY Ron Bergman, The Observer

ROCHELLE—Jim Murphy, an internationally popular Catholic evangelist, was the guest speaker at the March 8 Day of Renewal sponsored by the diocesan Office of Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services. It was held at St. Patrick Parish Center in Rochelle.
Murphy spoke on the theme “Keeping the Spirit Alive — What are you doing with the gifts you have received?”
He said God uses the gifts of the Holy Spirit, not only the well-known seven “Isaiah” gifts, but also the many “service” gifts described in 1 Corinthians chapters 12, 13 and 14.
Murphy said there are two graces people need to look for — to know the will of God and to do the will of God.
To be faithful to what God is doing now, in order to be ready for what God will do tomorrow, people need to get intimate with the “real thing,” Jesus. Then they will know when something is not right.
“We always need to be obedient to the Lord,” he said.
He emphasized that since the Holy Spirit gives the gifts to build up the body of Christ, his people have the responsibility to use those gifts, not to ignore them or allow them to lie dormant.
Murphy is well-known for his two-year, 4,200-mile walk across the United States carrying a cross on his shoulders.
On one occasion, he said he was waiting at a stop light when he became aware that a woman was curiously watching him. They began to talk, and after several stop light changes she eventually asked him why he was carrying the cross.
Murphy told her he wanted to remind people that Jesus died for love of them, no matter what they had done. She then unexpectedly broke into tears and told him she had had an abortion several years ago and felt that God couldn’t love her again.
As they continued to talk, he assured her of God’s love, she accepted his offer to pray with her, and she went away smiling.
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Murphy said it was clear the Holy Spirit had “predestined” that encounter so the lady could know the unconditional love that God has for her.
Murphy ended the day with prayer for release and strengthening of the gifts of the Holy Spirit so people would be more ready and empowered to use the gifts of the Holy Spirit to build up the body of Christ.
The next diocesan gathering for CCRS is a workshop on the gifts of the Holy Spirit, also to be held at St. Patrick, Rochelle, on Sept. 27. Look for information at http://www.rockforddiocese.org/charismaticrenewal/ as additional plans develop.