By Rita McInerney

Healing Masses are currently being celebrated in two churches in the Atlanta area. Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 2855 Briarcliff Road, N.E. and Church of the Transfiguration, 1815 Blackwell Road, N.E., Marietta.

At IHM the Mass is celebrated the second Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m., according to Father Michael W. Panter, parochial vicar. He said the monthly Mass started back in January when Father Brent A. Bohan began a healing Mass for a small group of Hispanics. It continued until June when Father Bohan had to take sick leave.

“We picked it up in July and have had it ever since,” Father Panter said. “The goal is to have all the priests of the parish involved. It belongs to everybody, it’s the Holy Spirit.”

Attendance usually numbers about 250 people, he said, and includes a good representation from outside the parish. It’s a “quasi-diocesan” Mass, Father Panter said.

At the healing Mass celebrated Nov. 12, Father Bohan, also a parochial vicar and in charge of the Hispanic ministry of the parish, joined Father Panter, Father Richard P. Wise parochial vicar at Corpus Christi Church and Deacon Jorge Gonzalez of IHM. Father Panter’s teaching on the gifts of the Holy Spirit was followed by a brief homily in Spanish by Father Bohan on the Gospel account of the 10 lepers who were healed by Jesus and the one who returned to thank Him. Father Bohan also led the singing of a Spanish hymn and prayers during the Mass.

Father Panter said the Mass will continue to be bilingual so as to serve both communities in the parish.

After the liturgy and general prayers for healing, the congregation was invited to come forward to be prayed over individually by the priests, deacon and members of the charismatic community. Father Panter is archdiocesan liaison to be Catholic Charismatic Renewal.

Individual prayers for healing are sought by many in the congregation. People wait prayerfully in the aisles for their turn to be prayed over. Frequently during these individual prayers, they are firmly supported by team members as they fall back to the floor, “slain in the Spirit.” When everyone has had the opportunity for individual healing prayers, Benediction is celebrated as the concluding service.

Healing Masses are scheduled for Dec. 10, Jan 14, Feb. 11 and March 11.

Father Henry C. Gracz, pastor of the Church of the Transfiguration, said two healing Masses have been held at this church in Marietta, the second on Saturday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. He said the next one will be held sometime after Christmas.

The healing Mass is relatively similar to the Mass at IHM, the pastor said. It was started at the request of some members of the charismatic community in the parish. But, since the idea was broached after the schedule of weddings and parish functions was already in place, it has not been possible to hold the healing Mass on a regular basis, Father Gracz said.

The Lord’s healing is invoked during the celebration of the Eucharist with special readings, he said. At the conclusion of Mass, people are invited to come to the altar for special prayers with three teams of people. Before Mass, members of the healing teams gather and pray together.

“We believe the healing power of the Lord is present in the community. We need to petition for it and recognize it when it happens,” Father Gracz said.