Dear Partners in the Gospel,

I just came back from an inspiring trip to Winnipeg, Manitoba. I spoke at the annual conference of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in that region of Canada, and about two-hundred people attended over the course of the event. I gave four talks on holiness, evangelization, my testimony, and Fatima, and things went very well.

Seeing the maturity and commitment of those attending was particularly inspiring. Some have persevered for many years, and you could see their depth and stability. Some were the fruit of a newly dynamic leadership that has brought fresh energy and initiative to the renewal there. Recently revitalized Bible studies and Life in the Spirit Seminars have released an evangelistic spirit in the renewal.

It was also a real joy to meet a number of Renewal Ministries’ supporters who were happy to see me in person after so many years of just video contact. I had been in Winnipeg years before for a FIRE rally with our original FIRE team, and then at another time for a charismatic conference. I remember that one of those visits was in winter, and it was cold! Someone told me that Winnipeg is the coldest city in the world for cities with over 500,000 people. They also told me that about ten miles out from the city is the exact geographic center of the US and Canada.

The couple that picked me up and hosted me for much of the conference was a man and his wife, who began tithing a few years after they married. Renewal Ministries was first on their list at that time and remains so thirty-four years later, as they continue to not only financially support our work but to serve in many ways in the local area as well.

I stayed in the basement guest room of another couple, a deacon and his wife. Next to the guest room is a small chapel where the bishop allows them to keep the Blessed Sacrament. That was such a gift! It was inspiring to see how the couple prays for people for healing and deliverance on almost a daily basis.

I thought the trip was going to be challenging, as I’ve been experiencing some back pain with a disc pressing on a nerve, and I wondered if I would be able to stand for four long talks. Thanks be to God, I was!

The bishop came for the concluding Mass and my talk, and he warmly greeted me. There are two neighboring dioceses, the Archdiocese of Winnipeg, which is primarily English speaking, and the Diocese of St. Boniface, which is primarily French speaking. I heard many stories of the deep pain that exists because of efforts to not respect the French-speaking community’s desire to preserve its language and culture.  I heard similar stories when I was in Saskatchewan not too long ago, about the efforts of the Eastern Provinces to throttle industrial development in the Western Provinces. There is a lot of pain, injustice, and suffering in the world, only a portion of which we see reflected in our daily news.

Thank God for the coming of his kingdom, which will establish the just and merciful rule of Jesus over the entire world. Only then will there be no more pain, suffering, injustices, or death!

Come, Lord Jesus, come. The world needs You. We need You.

Your brother on the mission,

Ralph

P.S. We just completed filming twenty-six new episodes of The Choices We Face and are getting ready for our annual board meeting. Meanwhile, other members of our team are out and about, preaching the Gospel. More on that next month!

This article originally appeared in the November 2025 Renewal Ministries’ newsletter.