Milagros Ramos

The Office of Cultural Diversity, along with the members of the African-American Commission of the Diocese of Buffalo, will be holding their biannual Revival this year at SS. Columba-Brigid Parish, 75 Hickory St., Buffalo. The Revival theme is, "Cast the First Stone."

This Revival will be a time to be spiritually revived in the Lord through the testimonies and reflections of our guest speakers' twin brothers, Father Charles F. Smith, SVD, and Father Chester P. Smith, SVD. They made history as the first African-American priests of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. They were ordained in Chicago, but now reside in Indianapolis.

The Revival will take place for three consecutive nights; Tuesday-Thursday, Oct. 13-15. Wednesday will be for everyone, although the emphasis will be given to the youth who are present and the Revival will end on Thursday night with both Father Smiths preaching. A reception will follow.   

All are invited to come out and receive a spiritual blessing, or it may be possible that there is a miracle in store for your life. So come and be filled by the Spirit and fire of your baptisms. This gathering is a way of being evangelized and a tool for evangelizing our brothers and sisters in every walk of life. So please invite your family, friends and neighbors to come join us on these extraordinary nights.

Those attending will listen to songs of praise and worship, the choirs of SS. Columba-Brigid and St. Martin de Porres Youth and Adult Choir will be helping us praise and sing out to the Lord for the three nights.   

Watch the parish life of St. Martin de Porres below:

One of the Scripture readings that will be examined comes from the Gospel of John 8:1-12. When the scribes and Pharisees brought to Jesus the woman who had been caught committing adultery, Jesus says, "Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." One by one they left and Jesus then said to the woman, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"  She tells him, "No one, sir." He says, "Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more."

I can imagine she was so afraid and probably crying because she was about to be put to death for her sin. I can see Jesus tenderly and compassionately lifting her up and asking her that question. How many of us have felt this way at some time in our lives? What is it that the Lord is going to tell us through his messengers Father Charles and Father Chester? You won't know unless you come.

We pray that those attending the Revival will be able to reach out to others who were not able to be present and share with those who have been stoned in their life through verbal, physical or mental abuse, and also those who are lost, forsaken or troubled and the revival will live on for others.

On the final night of the Revival at our social, we will sponsor a drawing of three wonderful prizes. Tickets are $5 each. The funds raised will help with extra expenses of this Revival.

To purchase tickets or for more information contact the Office of Cultural Diversity at 716-847-2217.