In God's Providence: The Story of a Parish Coming Alive in the Holy Spirit

In God's Providence: The Story of a Parish Coming Alive in the Holy Spirit, by Father John Randall, tells how the Holy Spirit invigorated and enlivened the dying parish of Saint Patrick's in Providence, Rhode Island. Father John Randall lived through that rejuvenation and was instrumental in bringing it about.

 

The book is much more than a story of parish renewal. Primarily it tells how God is able to bring about far more than we can imagine, and often in incredible ways. Despite obstacles, human and otherwise, the Holy Spirit has His way with those who trust in Him. God's designs are relentless and will be fulfilled. When we cooperate with them, we see marvelous wonders.

 

Near the end of this short book are the following paragraphs:

 

"It seems to me that in the Church today many people who have tried genuine renewal following Vatican II have run out of gas, out of steam, because they tried to do it with their own effort. They worked from early morning to late at night, as Psalm 127 says, getting very tired in the process. Many have become disillusioned, even embittered.

 

"But perhaps that has to happen until we learn that the power, the wisdom, the kingdom and the glory are the Lord's. 'The kingship is the Lord's,' as the end of the book of Obadiah says. Jesus is Lord. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. What's really happening is that Jesus is building up the kingdom of His Father right in our midst. He's still here in power working miracles, speaking prophetically, giving out wisdom. All we have to do is seek Him, seek Him deeply. And He will transform us and our parishes into living parishes, our communities into living communities.

 

"What God the Father wants to do in our time is to build up in every city and every town the body of Christ, the Church, a whole Body alive; one where people can come and see Jesus Christ, feel His healing power, see His wisdom, hear His inspired preaching, reach out and touch Him, just as the crowd in Galilee did. This is what's happening. This is the total renewal of God's Church. And He is doing it Himself.

 

"Praise Him!"