Page 10 - Catholic Life, April 2012
Visiting priest leads healing rallies across diocese By Regina Abraham AMERICAN priest Fr Mike Barry visited Australia in March and his visit was great blessing to many in the Diocese of Sale. Fr Barry’s travel and stay in Australia were sponsored by his friends. Ordained in 1964, Fr Mike Barry belongs to the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. St Damian of Molokai renowned for giving his life in the care for sufferers of leprosy, was a priest of this same order. Fr Barry has served as provincial for his Congregation’s Western province, in the USA, taught in schools and worked tirelessly for the poor for many years.
He is the former Director of Evangelisation and Healing Ministries, for the San Bernardino Diocese. Fr Barry is founder of “Mary’s Table� a ministry to feed the poor and homeless, that serves meals once a day, for six days of the week, which amounts to about 8000 meals a month. He also opened a home for single mothers and mothers in vulnerable situations, called “Veronica’s Home of Mercy� which at present is home to 25 women and 34 children. Fr Barry said many of these women were seeking safety to have their child against the pressure on them to have an abortion. He was the liaison priest for the Charismatic Renewal for the Diocese of San Bernardino,
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California for many years. He has conducted numerous retreats and workshops. He is renowned for his prayer for emotional wounds, spiritual direction and for celebrating healing masses. He held a teaching day at Narre Warren, where he spoke about the setting up of Mary’s Mercy Centre. This work of mercy had its beginning within the local charismatic prayer group who were looking for a way of extending the love of Jesus to those in need. He also spoke about the power of the Mass to heal and break patterns of sin. He spoke of the harm that continues in families from one generation to the next that causes breakdowns in relationships, excessive anger, financial problems, diseases and many other bondages of sin that are prevalent in many families today. He held healing Masses at Narre Warren, Traralgon, Pakenham and Cranbourne. These had a focus on praying for the family members both for the living and the deceased. Fr Barry emphasised on the power of the Mass to be the greatest prayer for healing and that at every Mass healing happens, as it is Jesus Christ who heals. At every venue I noted the hunger of people to receive personalised prayer; and Fr Barry
FR Michael Barry preaches at Cranbourne, watched by parish priest Fr Denis O’Bryan (left) had an amazing stamina in individually laying hands and praying for everyone who waited, sometimes for 2-3 hours after the healing Mass. During his stay in Victoria Fr Barry met with Bishop Chris-
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topher Prowse and the parish priests, where the Healing Masses were held. Links to Fr Barry’s charitable works can be viewed at: www. marysmercycenter.org
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