By Rita McInerney

The Archdiocesan Revival conducted Feb. 24 to 27 by the Office for Black Catholic Ministry was a great success, judging from many responses being received by members of the sponsoring committee.

Rhonwyn Rogers, head of the office, said committee members report evaluation sheets returned by those attending the revival at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Atlanta are “overwhelmingly positive. People want us to do it again.”

Mrs. Rogers is especially pleased with the favorable comments from the young adults and children who attended each night. Parents tell her their children couldn’t wait to return each night. Thursday night some wondered, “What are we going to do tonight?”

Parents appreciate the way the revival leader, Father James E. Goode, OFM, of San Francisco, involved the young people in each night’s program, she said.

On Wednesday night, the conclusion of the revival, Father Goode asked anyone who wanted to be prayed for to come forward. “I think practically everyone in church came forward,” Mrs. Rogers commented.

On Tuesday night, with youth as the program focus, Father Goode opened his sermon with a litany of gratitude that mentioned his family for teaching him respect for African-American history and for insisting, despite resistance on his part, that he attend Wednesday night prayer services.

He urged parents to touch their children “with your life and with your love. Put your arms around them. Let your house be the center of love and entertainment. Let the roots of your African-American culture seep into their bones.”

“Listen to your children,” he appealed to the parents. “Tell them your story. We must teach by what we say and what we do. Don’t drop your children off at church,” but go with them.

Taking his theme from the second Scripture reading, St. John’s account of the miracle of the five loaves and two fishes, he told an attentive congregation that “it was a miracle of expansion. The substance had not altered.”

What made it happen, Father Goode continued, was changing the food from the child’s hands to Jesus. “Let it go out of your hands, into God’s hands,” he urged the young people. “You can get more out of it.”

All of the pain of youth, he went on, “Everything that spells you, your youth, successes, failures, goodness, selfishness, let Him fix it for you.”

It can happen, the priest said, “whenever the soul surrenders, whenever I put my trust in Him.”

After his homily, Father Goode issued an altar call to the young people in the congregation. Without any hesitation, they streamed out of the pews, into the aisles, and quickly surrounded him on the altar.

As the congregation prayed and sang, Father Goode held a little girl and boy in his arms. At times, the outstretched arms of the young people hid him from view of those in the pews.

The Atlanta Public Schools Ethnic Heritage Choir, guest choir for the evening, was warmly received. The strong young voices of its members added to the spiritual exuberance of the worship.

Jeanine Barker led the devotional period before the service began. Father Edward Branch, Newman chaplain at Atlanta University Center, gave the opening prayer after the congregation was welcomed by Connie Sambrone, chairperson of the revival committee. Father Henry Gracz, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes parish, gave closing remarks and prayer. Merlin Todd introduced Father Goode.

Earlier in the program, Ryan Taylor and Brian Smith, both sixth graders at St. John the Evangelist School, Hapeville, were introduced as winners of the poster contest held in conjunction with the Revival.

Father Goode ministers to a multi-ethnic congregation as pastor of St. Paul of the Shipwreck parish in San Francisco. On the archdiocesan level, he was appointed coordinator of black Catholics by Archbishop John R. Quinn in 1986.

He has preached at the United Nations. He represented Archbishop Quinn and the archdiocese at the first Human Rights Congress in El Salvador in November, 1984.

Mrs. Rogers said the collection for the four-night revival, $4,300, covered about 85 percent of the expenses.

Revival videos will be available within the next few weeks. Interested persons can check with their parish or the Office for Black Catholic Ministry at 888-7848.