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February 6, 2020Story and photo by Christine Bordelon
When Helen Owens struggled with past life experiences that she found difficult to overcome, she didn’t know where to turn.
Someone suggested she visit the Catholic charismatic Center of Jesus the Lord, then on Rampart Street in New Orleans.
Members of the healing ministry at the center prayed over her decades ago, and she eventually let go of her grief and moved forward.
“I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for the healing I received,” Owens said.
People come here for emotional and inner healing of memories and physical healings,” said Owens, who leads the center’s intercessory prayer healing ministry. “Some come in tears to us after Mass and often feel better when they leave.”
The center offers laying on of hands after the 10:30 a.m. Sunday Masses and by appointment.
“I know in my own personal experience that people who prayed for me for inner healing and emotional healing helped me,” Owens said. “I have seen other people receive healing, and I wanted to give it to others.”
To expand the center’s healing ministry, originally started by Father Emile LaFrance when the center opened in 1975, the Center of the Jesus the Lord will present the first-level certification of the School of Healing Prayer, starting Feb. 15.It is the first of four Saturday classes from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., continuing March 21, April 18 and May 16.Topics to be covered include the scriptural foundation of healing, healing in the image of God, four types of healing, becoming a prayer minister, conducting the prayer interview, the healing power of forgiveness, introduction to inner and physical healing and developing prayer teams.
Father Lance Campo, director – for a second time – of the Center of Jesus the Lord, completed first-level certification over four days and learned things that he had not seen the center’s prayer ministry utilize when helping those experiencing turmoil.
In the training, he witnessed prayers of blessing for fathers and mothers to relieve family issues and bring about forgiveness. He also grasped how to lead people seeking healing into a positive space and how to use gestures leading to healing.
“I was impressed,” Father Campo said about the course devised by Florida-based Christian Healing Ministries. “It helps to see it. Some people learn better visually.”
Desire to help others
Father Campo said Father LaFrance would attend healing trainings and established prayer team ministries at the center. Several of original team members continue this ministry today.
“He did a lot of deliverance prayer, but others at the center did … inner healing and physical and other types of healing,” said Father Campo, who first came to the center after Father LaFrance died in 1995.
When Father Campo was director from 2009-13, he would celebrate a monthly healing Mass with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and pray over people for healing.He also held weekend healing retreats with Bob Schuchts of the John Paul II Healing Center in Tallahassee, Florida, from which he received personal healings from shame and fear and anxiety, and was inspired by other speakers.
Father Campo was reassigned to other archdiocesan duties, but returned in residence two years ago and became director in July 2019.
With Missionary Sister of the Sacred Heart Renee Kittelson, a Cabrini High School campus minister, working at the center and trained in healing ministry, Father Campo thought it was perfect timing to expand the ministry, since healing prayer ministries were in demand locally and nationwide.
Healing is sought
“I had the interest and realized this was a big part of what this center was when Father LaFrance was here and a big part of the charismatic movement,” he said. “This renewal brings healing to people so they can be liberated to love Jesus and others better and help them share that with others.”
A national service committee director of the charismatic movement recommended the course being offered.
“A lot of our ministers have been in this a long time,” Father Campo said. “We need to have a training for new people and to refresh and update our existing ministers.
We were always taught when you are feeling bad, you pray and ask for God’s healing. This is focusing on that, allowing someone to pray for you and with you, and they kind of guide, (surfacing) the hurt and suffering. Bringing healing from that will allow people to grow in their faith and love for Jesus and others.”
Father Campo said the course gives practical ministry tips – how to prepare for the healing sessions; how to pray with the people; confidentiality; safe environment training; inner healing through family tree exploration and more. Team members deal with personal issues first during training, enabling them to then help others who seek healing.
“You go back to that memory and you bring Jesus with you. You relive the memory and with others there with you, it changes that experience,” Father Campo said.
He and Sister Renee will conduct the first-level training with other speakers. Level 2 will begin Aug. 22. Light snacks and beverages will be provided, but participants are asked to bring a bag lunch. Cost is $75 to cover a workbook and book used in class.
For details, call 529-1636. The center is located at 1307 Louisiana Ave., New Orleans.
Christine Bordelon can be reached at [email protected].
