Growing in intergenerational appeal, the 33rd annual Southern California Renewal Communities' Catholic Renewal Convention drew over 2,000 youth to the Labor Day weekend event (Sept. 3-5) attended by approximately 12,000 participants, including children, teens, young adults, families, singles and seniors.

SCRC president Dominic Berardino, opened Friday's assembly held at the Anaheim Convention Center by commenting on the under-reported "spiritual vitality" of the church. His remarks, and prayers for the school hostage situation in Beslan, Russia, were followed by a rousing talk from Alex Jones, former Pentecostal minister and Catholic convert now working for the Detroit archdiocesan office of evangelization.

"We are living in one of the greatest periods of church history," said Jones. "In spite of the [clergy sexual abuse] crisis going on in the church, this is an exciting time to be a part of the church. This is not a time to be critical…it's time now to rejoice in the Lord and to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to do the work of ministry. All we need is to fan into flame the gifts that God has given to us."

Workshop presenter Bob Canton, who spoke in one of the six workshops offered in the first session immediately following the assembly, also urged convention participants to boldly witness the faith. Canton, a lay evangelist from Stockton, Calif., with an international healing ministry, declared to a rapt audience: "We are called to give glory to the Lord and to be a witness of God's power."

In order to access the power of healing and miracles, said Canton, Christians must draw close to Jesus. "If you want to do his works, cling closely to him," he said. "We should be hearers and doers of his word," said Canton. He urged participants to step out in faith and use the name of Jesus when praying for healing.

Speaking on the convention's theme "My grace is all you need," Holy Names of Jesus and Mary Sister Linda Koontz declared: "Grace is what is unique about Christianity." According to Sister Koontz, Christianity is the only religion that dares to make God's love unconditional.

She said Christians living in today's competitive, looking-out-for-number-one world "need an extreme makeover" in their minds. "God wants to bless you so you can be a blessing to others," she said. "Don't magnify your problems any longer --- magnify the Lord…start saying 'I am favored by God;' trust in him; he gives grace to the humble."

Father Lou Cerulli, presider at the Friday evening Mass, called grace "God's free gift of himself to us," making it possible for Christians to share in divine nature. "Continue to give your heart to the Lord," urged Father Cerulli. "Don't let anyone or anything rob you of grace."

Convention participant Manuel Soliz, 74, who traveled to Anaheim from Antioch, Calif., with his wife and son, called the SCRC event "a wonderful, uplifting experience." His wife, Connie, 67, said the workshops provided the "kind of message we continually need to hear to build up our own faith."

Joyce Meersman, 64, a prayer group leader at Holy Spirit Church in Fountain Valley, called the SCRC event a blessing that she looks forward to every year. "I learn so much," said Meersman.

Fellow prayer group member Tami Belies, 32, a first-time SCRC attendee, described the convention as "a real call to people to come back to God." Allen Shepherd, 18, who attended the teen workshops and liturgies, said the event "rocked."

"You could feel the Holy Spirit in the room," declared Shepherd.