The 2012 conference of the Atlanta Catholic Charismatic Renewal will be held Oct. 12-13 at Corpus Christi Church, 600 Mountain View Drive, Stone Mountain. In response to the call to life-giving repentance and reconciliation, the group has chosen the theme, “Come, Be Renewed,” inspired by 2 Chron 7:14, “If my people who are called by my name, humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” All are invited to attend. A free will offering is appreciated.

On Friday evening, Oct. 12, beginning at 7 p.m. with praise and worship, a healing service will be held in Corpus Christi’s gymnasium. The speaker will be Sister of Charity Nancy Kellar, a member of the Charismatic Renewal’s National Service Committee. Father Guyma Noel and Father Tim Hepburn will also take part.

The conference continues on Saturday, Oct. 13, beginning at 9 a.m. Sister Kellar will speak, as well as Chuck Hornby, also a member of the National Service Committee. The day will conclude with Mass at 5 p.m., celebrated by Father Noel.

The national Catholic Charismatic Renewal is preparing for a jubilee 50th anniversary to be held in 2017. At this year’s 45th anniversary conference in June in Philadelphia, the National Service Committee and a number of other national leaderships groups announced a five-year journey to the renewal’s 50th anniversary jubilee in 2017.

At the June conference, Walter Matthews, executive director of the National Service Committee gave an overview of the five-year journey beginning with a time of life-giving repentance, as the first and crucial step, from June 1 to Dec. 31, 2012. Each of the following years includes a theme: 2013 is the year of Spirit-filled faith; 2014 is the year of charisms and grace for the church; 2015 is the year of unity; 2016 is the year of mission; and 2017 is the year of jubilee.

This call to life-giving repentance, according to Matthews, is not primarily directed at individuals, but to the prayer groups, communities, ministries, diocesan service committees and other groups that exist in the renewal. All renewal groups are encouraged to take time to meet, reflect and dialogue to be more effective instruments of the Lord’s work of renewal in the church and in the world.

This time of life-giving repentance leads directly to the Year of Faith called for by Pope Benedict XVI which will begin Oct. 11, the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council and will end Nov. 24, 2013, the feast of Christ the King.