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St. Anthony of Padua parishioner Amalia Ruelas holds a flag during the Evangelization Congress at the parish hall in San Francisco on Feb. 15. (Photo by Zac Wittmer/San Francisco Católico)
March 9, 2020
Lorena Rojas
San Francisco Católico
St. Anthony of Padua Parish in San Francisco hosted the 29th Evangelization Congress Feb 15-16, a weekend of prayer, celebration, renewal and fellowship.
The two-day event was organized by two parish groups, “Renovación Católica Carismática” (Catholic Charismatic Renewal) and “Cristo Rey” (Christ the King). It featured preaching by priests from Mission District parishes as well as by Father Francisco Tijerino from Managua, Nicaragua, and Brother Rafael Díaz from Los Angeles. Other activities included Scripture workshops, Holy Hour, Mass and confessions.
The Holy Hour was a highlight. Led by Father Rafael Bermúdez, who is on the pastoral staff of St. Peter, St. Anthony and St. Charles Borromeo parishes in the Mission, the faithful had a chance to worship in silence, in spoken prayer or with gestures to invoke the Holy Spirit.
Encouraging the faithful to stop correcting others and focus instead on their own shortcomings, Father Bermudez led the group in an examination of conscience.
“Help us to be able to change our prayers of petition into prayers of thanksgiving, even when someone has hurt us,” he said, asking God’s pardon and guidance to mature in faith.
The Holy Hour was held on the first day of the Congress and was followed by a Mass celebrated by Father Tijerino, who reflected on the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves of bread and reminded Christians that God invites all of us to serve in different ways. He added that when Jesus asked his disciples to “go and feed them” he was not only talking about providing food to his followers but also about spreading the nourishment of his message.