An Introduction
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
May the Lord be with you, today and every day.
Now that we have a newly appointed liaison's team for the Charismatic community of San Jose, it seems like a good idea for each of us to take turns introducing ourselves to you through the CPST newsletter, one of us each month.
I'm Fr. Tony Pereira and I'm presently at St. Simon's Parish community, in Los Altos. I entered the seminary at the age of 13+ and have been trying my best to walk with the Lord each day since then. As I look back over my life, I can't help seeing the Lord's hand in it, guiding me and calling me to do his work each day. So much so I jokingly tell people that HE is my SECRETARY. (At least he seems to be good at bossing me around.)
Let me give you an example of what I mean. It was a busy Tuesday and I had appointments scheduled all day until 9:00 p.m., when the phone rang. It was a lady asking for a priest to come anoint her mom, who was dying of cancer. Over the phone I responded to her, "How about Thursday morning at 10:00 a.m.?" "That will be fine, Father" she answered.
About two o'clock that day, my 2:00 p.m. appointment called to cancel. So I called the lady back explaining that I could come right now. She said, "That's perfect, because the whole family is here at the house."
As soon as I entered the room of the dying lady she joined her hands as if she was praying. A big smile, from cheek to cheek, came on her face as she saw me enter wearing my Roman Collar. Together with her family we prayed and I anointed her in the name of the Lord.
Before I could even get back to the rectory office, the family called and left a message for me. "Mom had passed away as I left the house. She went home to God in peace."
It's events like these that make me begin each day with prayer: "Lord you take over my day." To paraphrase the prayer of St. Theresa: "Use my feet to go where you would wish today. Use my hands to touch your people today. Use my heart to love someone today."
It is this spirit that is Christian. That is the meaning of discipleship. That is the spirituality of the Charismatic Renewal.
May God bless us.
Father Tony Pereira
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