The first time I heard of the Charismatic movement was in a book. I do not remember the name, but it attracted my attention right away. At various other times, I heard rumors of groups around New York through people talking at the churches I attended. Nothing impelled me forward to try and find a group until I was walking home one day from the dry cleaners.

I decided to stop quickly in the Church of the Blessed Sacrament on W. 74th Street. It was late afternoon but there was a Mass going on. I sat in the back because I did not want to stay through the Mass. There were only a few people scattered about.

I did not pay any attention to the service but proceeded to kneel. What happened next is difficult to explain. I suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of my being loved and as I knelt and looked up at the altar, everything became a blur. The sensation was beyond description as time seemed to stand still, and I just felt touched by some unknown force that was penetrating my very being with waves of love and feeling. I remember little but I do remember that my eyes were full of tears of joy.

 I tried to move. I was going to grab my dry cleaning and just run out, but I could not. I just sat there engulfed in this tremendous circle of love. I saw nothing around me, knew no passage of time.

When the experience began to subside I looked at my watch and a half hour had gone by although it had seemed like two seconds. The people in the church were gone, the lights had dimmed, the service was over, and I left the church.

For weeks after, I felt touched by the Spirit in a way I never had before. All my prayers and actions changed from desensitivity into joy. During that time I heard about a group of Charismatics meeting in the 90's on the West Side. It was a group called Woodstock and one of the original groups.

I remember approaching the building and almost turning around, and once inside did not know where to go. But then I heard singing, loud and clear. They were singing about the Spirit. I entered and sat in the back.

Connecting with that group was one of the most powerful prayer experiences I have ever had. These people were verbally praising God, raising their hands, singing out, praying in tongues (which I had never heard before) and most of all seemed to be loving each other in a special way. One meeting led to more and it was there that I met one of the most wonderful friends of my whole life. Her name is Pam Phillips. I knew she was special from the start, and we hit it off at once. She has become a lifelong friend, soul buddy, mentor, spiritual director, gift giver, and is a blessing that God sent my way that I can never thank him for enough.

Pam introduced to other wonderful people. I met Sue Law who is now a Buddhist, and several special priests.

I remember the day of my Baptism in The Spirit and all the people praying over me and with me. I thought since I had that other experience in Blessed Sacrament Church that I had already been baptized in the Spirit and that when it came my turn for the laying on of hands, nothing special would happen. But the Spirit was with me in a powerful way that transported me to new heights of love and meaning.

Those were special days. I even took over the leadership of the group for a short period, but my stage fright kept me from being good at it. In those days my whole body shook when I had to stand up in front of others.

We had wonderful healing prayers during our service and laid hands on each other. It was a special time in the church and it gave a much needed renewal. I thought it would always continue, but while I can attest to the fact that the Spirit is still alive and active in my life, there is now no special community that I go to which celebrates the Spirit's wonderful touching and guidance in all our lives. I miss the people and I miss the singing, and I miss most of all the love that was always there.

It was not perfect. Many of the members were going through much suffering and pain. But we felt that God was reaching out and touching us in a special way of love. Eventually, the group began to disband and its members went off to other things. The Charismatic movement still exists in a quiet way within some churches, but is not actively promoted or attended.

Was it a fad? I like to think of it as the same wind that blew through the upper room on that illuminating day of Pentecost. It is still with us and always will be, but the Spirit blows where it will and even though we have all scattered and some of us are no more on this earth, the universe still resounds with those special roars that resounded when we raised our hands and arms and voices in a glorious "All Praise Honor and Glory be to Lord Jesus Christ".