A Year In Review: Book Reading List 2024

The year 2024 came with its own surprising twists and unexpected events. Early on, I transitioned from one job to a series of consulting roles until I landed what seemed to be a stable position—but only time will tell. Throughout this major professional shift, my family grew as my wife and I welcomed our fourth son. This new addition to our family brought unexpected demands on our time, more than I had bargained for. Raising four boys is no easy feat, especially when two of them have strong-willed personalities.

Despite the increased family responsibilities, I managed to continue some of my usual activities. I attended some of our weekly Bible Study with the Living Word Association (LWA) and made an effort, though limited, to fulfill my role as a Catechist for confirmation classes at my parish. Though these two commitments took a backseat, two other activities took center stage throughout the year. First, I continued joining Father Raphael and Tigana in offering a monthly Bible Study in our local parishes focused on the Gospel of St. Mark. Second, we launched a series of spiritual journeys for an ecumenical audience (both Catholics and Protestants) with a special emphasis on Charismatic gifts. This latter initiative gained remarkable momentum, growing from an initial 21 participants in 2023 to a regular gathering of 40+ attendees each month.

In addition to the monthly spiritual journey, which began in July 2024, two major retreats were conducted with guest speakers from South Africa: Br. Nesbert, Sr. Olivia, and Dr. Thierry L. Both retreats, one in June and the other in November, provided profound spiritual experiences. Unlike the 2023 event, where we played a supporting role while our guest speakers led the prayers for healing and the in-filling of the Holy Spirit (a term used in Charismatic circles to describe a profound encounter with God's love, often accompanied by physical manifestations in those receiving prayer), this time, we actively involved the participants in praying for one another. Many powerful testimonies emerged from these spiritual gatherings. People shared stories of physical healing, emotional liberation, and spiritual renewal. Some close friends who had embarked on this journey with me, seeking a greater manifestation of the Holy Spirit, were overjoyed to witness the Lord answering their longing in unexpected way.

As I do each year, I am sharing my reading list of books I was able to complete. However, I noticed a significant drop in my reading this year due to my increasingly demanding schedule. This year, and possibly going forward, I will drop the scaling I used to give to my readings:

Catholic Authors:

1. The Signs of His Coming: An Examination of the Olivet Discourse from a Preterist Perspective by David J. Palm

2. Healing - Revised and Expanded (The Bestselling Classic) by Francis MacNutt

3. Hostile Witnesses: How the Historic Enemies of the Church Prove Christianity by Gary Michuta

Protestant Authors:

1. The Quest for the Radical Middle: A History of the Vineyard by Dr. Bill Jackson

2. Nine O'Clock in the Morning by Dennis J. Bennett

3. Angels Are for Real: Inspiring, True Stories and Biblical Answers by Judith MacNutt

4. Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Comprehensive Guide by Sam Storm

Miscellaneous Books:

1. Testing Prayer: Science and Healing by Candy Gunther Brown (Harvard University Press)

As I look forward to the new year 2025, I do so with hope, praying that it will be better than the last, all for the glory of God the Father.

"I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus." - Philippians 1:6 (NABRE)

A Sacred Journey: Three Days of Healing, Deliverance, and Renewal

Below is a description of the 3-day retreat held at a Jesuit retreat center, organized by our team from the St. Dominic Bible Study. Our Bible study group meets monthly to explore Scripture, following the Church’s liturgical reading plan. This year, being Year B, we have been focusing on the Gospel of Mark.

Twice a year, however, we step beyond our usual gatherings for an ecumenical retreat, immersing ourselves in the Charismatic life of the Church. These retreats offer a unique opportunity to pray, reflect, and experience the dynamic, Spirit-filled dimension of the Gospel that we study throughout the year. The retreat from November 8 to 10, 2024, was one such occasion—a powerful time of renewal, intercession, and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 

The testimony below is true to the best of my recollection. Others who were there will in due time share how they have experienced this retreat from their respective vantage point. 

"Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses." - Pope Paul VI

... 

FRIDAY

We were off to a great start for the 3-day retreat organized by the Dominican bible study team, Rwanda; the evening was promising. It ended with an impromptu moment of ministry. Dr. Thierry, our guest-speaker from South Africa, was hard at work.

One of the people he prayed for caught my attention as she was on her way back. Nothing seemed to visibly happen when she was prayed for, but a thought lingered in my mind—perhaps I should try to speak with her and, if possible, pray with her again. So, I did.

For the first time, I took the risk of interpreting the strange sensation I felt on part of my head. I interpreted it as her mind being attacked, causing her to struggle with doubt. When I shared this with her, she became quite emotional and briefly shared her story: she had been a Christian in the past but was no longer practicing and wasn’t sure if God still wanted her.

I prayed for her in light of her confession, and she became visibly agitated. Michel saw me struggling with her and quickly joined me. As we prayed, she collapsed to the ground in a seated position, doing strange things as if she were fighting against a suffocating and overwhelming sensation. Dr. Thierry came over, joined by Shenge, and I believe Ruti and Joelle were there too.

It was unclear what exactly she was fighting against, but Michel and Shenge pointed out that it could have been both an evil spirit and a strong sense of emotional shame. Dr. Thierry also suggested a possible evil spirit, and he encouraged her to come back for the remaining days of the retreat to experience full freedom.

This is how we ended Day 1.

I was left wondering: This is interesting—our first spiritual and tangible manifestation on someone else, without the immediate input of our guest trainers.

Was this just a one-time anomaly, or is this the beginning of what we’ve been seeking in God’s presence since 2020?

Only the remaining two days of the retreat will tell us.

SATURDAY

It wasn't their fault, but Les couples jumeaux were about to have their minds blown on this 2nd day of the Centre Christus retreat. The night was growing late, and I was worried we wouldn't have enough time to pray. I had already suggested to Dr. Thierry that I wanted to bring my There is more team to support with prayers, even though they were not part of the retreat organizing team. From the organizing team, I only wanted Teta on board for today since she has been with us the longest, ever since October 2023 at our last retreat at the Dominican sister convent. Hence she had some level of familiarity of what was about to transpire.

Dr. Thierry agreed that he and Br. Nesbert would lay their hands on them to join the ministry time. I had suggested this model because I had noticed during the week registration that there would be many people and only two speakers wouldn’t be enough, especially since Br. Valerio couldn't come. But there was a problem.

Br. Nesbert was feeling unwell and had retired to his bedroom. Dr. Thierry kept leading people in a long, ongoing prayer session of surrendering to the Lord, hoping that Br. Nesbert would recover quickly to rejoin us. It was 8:30 PM, and we were supposed to vacate the room by 9 PM. We couldn’t wait any longer; Dr. Thierry was alone, facing 62 people wanting to experience the touch of God. We signaled Tigana, who was seated at the "Command Post" (our organizing team table at the far back), to check one last time on Br. Nesbert. He returned quickly, shaking his head from the doorway, indicating that Br. Nesbert wasn’t coming.

Dr. Thierry and I exchanged looks, and he asked, " What do we do? " I glanced at my watch—8:35 PM. There was no time to waste. I replied, " What does the Holy Spirit say to you? " Dr. Thierry began a quick song with the help of Shenge and Manu, then went into what seemed a deep inner prayer. Shortly after, he told me, "Tell your team to come."

There they were: Tigana, Lisette, Teta, myself, and le couple jumeaux, aka Ruti-Joelle and Michel-Shenge. Someone joked that we should pair up since we were in couples, and some of us did, but not all, namely Dr. Thierry, Tigana and Teta. Dr. Thierry liked the idea. So, we had the Alpha Team (Dr. Thierry - Teta), Delta-Force (Michel-Shenge), Bravo Team (Ruti-Joelle), Charlie Team (Eric-Lisette), and the Lone Star Sigma agent (Tigana Birasa). 

Dr. Thierry quickly gave us instructions and asked the audience to approach any team for prayers. I wanted to remind him that he was supposed to lay hands on us first for the N-ieme time, but he said it wasn’t needed anymore. Apparently, He had received during his brief prayer that no laying on of hands was necessary, I tried to justify the unconventional move. He just lovingly threw us violently to the “sharks”!

Delta-Force Team looked understandably anxious, and I could see Bravo Team smiling nervously too. But we had no time to think nor panic; people were already coming up for prayers. I positioned myself with Lisette for our first person, an elderly mother. Following the instructions received, I asked, " Have you surrendered your life totally to the Lord? " She replied convincingly, " Yes. " So, I informed her that we would pray for her to receive the Holy Spirit. As I was explaining what could happen when the Holy Spirit comes upon a person, I heard a soft BANG on my left. Quickly glancing over, I saw someone lying on the ground. Delta Team had their first “win” and it was fast. I wanted to be shocked—Michel-Shenge? Impossible, I thought. But I quickly refocused on our own “patient.”

Lisette and I called upon the Holy Spirit on her, and as I was praying, Delta Team was already on their third person down, and Bravo Team on my left on their second person shaking like a leaf and out of balance. Ruti-Michel, also? This is not normal, I worried. Meanwhile, our first customer was still standing with her feet firmly rooted on the ground. I wondered, this is not working. On my left again, but this time a man was crying hard from the eyes and the nose. Everything was coming out. No way, this is the Sigma Agent at work. Now, Tigana also? Unacceptable!

I briefly stopped praying to regroup my wandering thoughts, every team seemed to be moving in power except ours. A thought intruded my mind, it was John Wimber famous " clinic time ". In his 'Clinic Time' he had spoken about the visible sign of the Spirit presence and work on someone during ministry time. That is when I saw it. It was there since the beginning but I had overlooked it. As we called upon the Holy Spirit again, her face began to show small spasms which varied in intensity. I asked her if she was feeling something, " Yes, my face is moving, and my teeth is also moving inside.". She looked at me, puzzled, and asked Lisette and I, "Esce que c'est la magie?" 

I then realized, the Spirit was moving in her but like the patriarch Jacob, I had not recognized his presence. Now, Lisette and I became more fervent recognizing that the Master was there and hard at work, just in a different manner.

With the 2nd person we prayed for, we noticed different reactions popping up. He started with tears coming down within what seems less than 60 second, he was visibly moved. I asked him why he was crying, " I do not know ". We continued praying for him and now he started losing balance, Lisette and I caught him to prevent him to go down. He was heavy but we managed to keep standing as he kept crying. By the time we reached our third person, Alpha team, Delta-Force, Bravo team and Sigma had already piled up body count in excess. 

We were slow as each person took a long time to pray for as I was trying to understand what was also happening to them. The 3rd person was a woman who felt nothing initially. She stood motionless while Lisette and I prayed for what seemed to me 10 to 20 min. She then started crying but for no specific reason, then it stopped. At a loss for what else to say, I continued in tongues, hoping for guidance. Nothing was coming, so I wanted to let her go back to her seat but she continued standing there her eyes closed. I had no choice, I stood there with Lisette trying to murmur all type of prayers we could think of. Suddenly, I had an impression of a curse. I then ventured to say, "I break this curse in Jesus ' name," she reacted violently, clutching her right side in pain. I asked what is happening, " It is hurting " she complained. Does this happened to you sometimes? "No" she said with her eyes half closed as she grimaced with pain. Lisette and I now were revived in our enthusiasm and prayed for her fervently and BANG ... She was thrown down, and strange noises came from her, accompanied by unusual facial expressions. Her eyes started bulging out of her eye socket. She gasped for air as if she was suffocating in real time, while letting out a terrible sound.

Dr. Thierry, sensing the situation turning into a real drama, quickly joined us after the person he was praying for fell down. Bruno also joined us from the back, and so did Father Raphael, Michel and Ruti. We were facing our first case of exorcism of the day.

As the Avenger team assembled for this final battle with my 3rd case, the ladies from Delta-force and Bravo team walked away and went to attend the last person Dr. Thierry had prayed for and who was still on the ground being prayed for by Teta. This part I did not see it but I heard it. As we focused on customer no. 3, I overheard an explosive laughter coming from the side of the ladies. I didn't at first wondered about it since the voice was totally unfamiliar to me. In addition we had a serious case of exorcism going on. After a while, I realized that people in the room were converging toward the source of the explosive laughter. I stood up to see what was going on, and I realized someone was being powerfully visited by the Holy Spirit, but this time again in a manner totally different from everything he had done so far in the night. I later learned that Joelle from Bravo Team joined Teta, and innocently said "More Holy Spirit " to the person who was lying down, and the person exploded in an eternal laughter of the highest possible decibel. I knew with all my heart that it was not natural because he laughed at the same level of strength for a good 20 minute as per my estimation. Father Raphael even closed the 2nd day session of the retreat in Prayer and I gave a communiqué while his laughter was still resonating throughout the vast auditorium. Tigana finally approached the person since no one was able to control him, laid his hand on his head and kept calling the peace of God to come upon him. He repeated that same prayer incessantly until the person suddenly stopped laughing - 1 to 2 minutes after.

As we ended Day 2 , we looked at each other, wondering exactly what had just happened. We were talking to and over each other, with no one able to finish a sentence or provide a coherent account of their emotions or experiences. We kept stumbling over each other’s words, dans la joie, truly, shaking our heads in absolute astonishment and amazement. It felt as if we were in the twilight zone.

Was today’s event an exception because our Master-Chief, Dr. Thierry, needed help, and God took some of the Spirit that was in him and spread it on us? Or was it the beginning of something new for us, independently of Dr. Thierry and Br. Nesbert?

I knew that I would find out for sure on Day 3 - the last day of the retreat. On day 3, there was no formal plan to pray specifically for the Holy Spirit to fall on people, only for physical healings and other needs (which could have included the baptism of the Holy Spirit on a case by case basis) . So if a power encounter occurred then as well, I’d know with a high degree of confidence that this grace was to stay with us, beyond Centre Christus. So I anxiously looked forward to Sunday, the Lord's Day!

SUNDAY

It was quickly becoming an agitated environment, reminiscent of the Wild West. Father Raphael had just dismissed the assembly and concluding the 3rd Day of the Retreat , but participants lingered in the conference room, waiting for the rain to pass. At the front, prayer ministry was underway, drawing the amazed attention of onlookers. I had invited those in need of prayer—for illness or personal issues—to approach the ministry team. Dr. Thierry and Michel were busy ministering at the front, while Br. Nesbert was attending to people at the back.

I was speaking with a few retreat participants to get their feedback on the now-concluded three-day retreat. Their responses were overwhelmingly positive. As I engaged in conversation, I was distracted by a small commotion at the front. Glancing over, I noticed someone had collapsed near Michel. In Catholic charismatic circles, this phenomenon is referred to as "Resting in the Spirit" (See more the works of Francis McNutt, Overcome by the Spirit). Those who come from a Pentecostal background, might have called it being " Slain in the Spirit. " Given the ecumenical nature of this Catholic retreat, however, a neutral term like " Sacred Swoon ," coined by Harvard laureate Professor Candy G. Brown in her work, "Global Pentecostal and Charismatic Healing" (Oxford University Press, 2011. Page 347), feels most appropriate.

Moments later, another person, being prayed for by Dr. Thierry, gently fell into a sacred swoon, tears streaming down their face. I turned back to my interlocutor, who was visibly captivated by the scene. Her eyes stayed fixed on what was happening at the front as she attempted to speak to me. Recognizing her desire to draw closer to the ministry team, I stepped aside and encouraged her to go forward. Finally, I, too, moved closer to assist with the prayers.

I prayed for five people in turn. Each seemed to have a meaningful encounter with the Spirit of the Lord, though their experiences varied. One case stood out. Michel had finished praying for his group, leaving Dr. Thierry with a growing crowd of people eager for his ministry. As we discussed the situation, I was asked to pray for a few individuals who desired a greater grace for a life of intercession. One of them boldly requested to receive "a greater portion than anyone." Smiling, I invited her forward.

Placing my hand on her shoulder, I prayed for her, asking the Lord to grant her this grace. True to my custom, I did not rush and soaked her in my insistent prayers. After a moment, Her face began to show subtle signs that something was happening. Curious, I asked if she was experiencing anything. Hesitant, she tried to suppress a laugh before admitting, "I feel like laughing." She restrained herself, even as the urge persisted. Romans 8 came to mind, where the Spirit intercedes with "inexpressible groanings". Though often associated with speaking in tongues in Pentecostal traditions, I felt this Scripture might also apply to her sudden eagerness to laugh.

As I continued praying, another woman joined in. The first recipient suddenly exclaimed, "I’m burning! It’s too much!" and began removing her scarf. Her earlier urge to laugh gave way to an overwhelming heat on her upper back. As her discomfort grew, struggling with the sensation, we helped her to her feet, but the burning persisted. Michel joined us, and together we prayed for her. She fanned herself with her scarf, attempting to cool  but not no avail. Now the heat was also on her feet. Another lady touched her back and exclaimed, "She’s burning hot!"

This is how the 3rd Day ended for us. We were still moving in the grace and power of the Holy Spirit. Clearly, the grace to collaborate with the Holy Spirit as co-workers was carried from the Saturday explosive night to the Sunday afternoon prayer time. Later that evening, during a closing supper with Br. Nesbert and Dr. Thierry, we shared notes on the retreat. We marveled at God’s grace and the diverse ways people experienced His presence and all sort of visitation including a healing of long term health issue. I confided in Dr. Thierry about the unusual manifestations during my prayers—two cases even pointed to a need for deliverance from evil spirits. I went back to my room both joyful and thinking, wondering if the Lord was calling me to delve deeper into deliverance ministry, as I had done with healing ministries over the past four years. Only time will tell if this intuition is correct, but one thing was certain: God’s grace had been profoundly evident during this retreat.

Nota Bena : I must confess though that the preparation for this retreat was unlike anything we’d done before. Previous retreats had been bathed in prayer and fasting by the immediate L’Équipe St. Dominique organizing committee—Father Raphael, Tigana, and myself—along with our guest speakers: Dr. Thierry, Br. Nesbert, and Sr. Olivia. My close friends from " There is More " also supported us in prayer. But this time around, we tried something new, something different. Though uncertain of what the outcome would look like, I hoped it would yield something extraordinary. The mindset was god big or go home, type of thinking. To fully appreciate what went into this retreat preparation, I’d have to take you few months back to give you an insider look at the spiritual preparation and sacrifices.

"Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." By this [Jesus] meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive." - John 7:38-39

The Future of Christianity: Charismatic Unity and Doctrinal-Moral Dis-Unity

 

1) "what do you think Christianity will look like in the future?"

Christianity is growing and spreading across continents and cultures. We can also note that Christianity in its different facets is fast becoming more charismatic in its expression regardless of which theological obedience a particular Church tradition falls in, Catholic, Protestants, and Orthodox. The statistics shared in the book section 'The New Shape of World Christianity' by Mark Noll bears witness to it, Pentecostals & Charismatics are the fastest growing section of Christianity, far surpassing Evangelicals in all continents in numeric numbers (Millions : Mio) except in Oceania where Evangelicals accounts for 4.4 Million and Pentecostals / charismatic, 4.3 Million (see page 22). In all other continents, traditional Evangelicals Churches are being surpassed by Pentecostals/Charismatic Churches, Africa (69.6 Mio vs 126 Mio); North America (43.2 Mio vs 79.6 Mio); South America (40.3 Mio vs 141.4 Mio); Asia (31.5 Mio vs 134.9 Mio); and Europe (21.5 Mio vs 37.6 Mio).

All protestant's denominations are being swept by the Charismatic phenomenon which was once reserved to the Pentecostal denominations and Catholicism. Even Catholicism that has always had room for the miraculous and supernatural in its doctrinal grid, has undergone a popularization of the Charismatic phenomenon since the 1960's. I therefore think that the Church as a whole will grow more in tune with its historical Charismatic nature. One can only hope that it will also grow closer in unity with each others too.

2) "What will be the major issues and challenges?"

The major issue that Christianity face is division. And this is accentuated by the fact that a growing segment of the Church population is considered to be independent and hence disconnected to their historical origin within the Holy Catholic Church and hence freeing themselves from the bounds of normative doctrinal orthodoxy. This will make dialogue and understanding of each others more difficult as each groups develop their own language to express their faith. Misunderstandings are bound to abound in Christian dialogues if the trend continues and is not rectified.

A typical example is found in the book, "Testing Prayer" by Dr. Candy Brown, (Harvard University Press), in which she noted the following, reflecting a continuous suspicion between Christians which maintain alive the division, even within the pentecostal-charismatic system: 

"Certain Protestant respondents acknowledged that they were healed through the prayers of Catholics while simultaneously revealing an anti- Catholic bias. A woman from Imperatriz noted that “I had a balance disorder from an ear infection. I was very dizzy and could not stand on my feet for too long. I would fall from side to side. One day a Catholic sister prayed for me. I had a lot of faith and independent of her religion I was cured.” From this woman’s perspective, healing did not validate the beliefs of the person praying but instead reflected God’s compassionate response to the faith of the person seeking intercession." (Page 189)

Another issue I see is in the realm of morality. As different ideological influences search to make their peculiar morals or ethical practices enshrines within denominational systems, this will create more factions and defections within the protestants churches and orthodox churches. As for the Catholic Church, having a central head, the Pope, and a living teaching authority (the magisterium of the Church) that preserve the unity of the faith, morals and the revealed tradition, stability is expected to remain within its corridors. Nevertheless, dissenting voices within will continue to trouble the faithful by obscuring the authoritative position of the Church on questions related to morals and else. And this will continue to create discontent among uninformed Catholics and be the cause of possible schismatic behaviors if not formal schismatic acts.

Hence unity is the biggest challenge of Christianity in all its current expression now and in the foreseeable future.

A Year In Review: Book Reading List 2023

We finally crossed the year 2023 over to 2024. Last year was an intense year for me on many fronts and I am glad to have survived it. As I have done each year, I have continued my regular weekly Bible studies with the Living Word Association (LWA) which is an inter-denominational association which strive at understanding the Bible and practice its precepts. This year marked an important shift in our bible study protocol. A new study method was introduced that has enriched everybody's learning curve. The method is coined, C.O.C.A. This acronym stands for Context, Observation, Comprehension, Application. Yes, it is easy to remember and even easier to apply. This method was introduced into our local scenery by Father Raphael Manikiza, the Dominican Vicar Provincial of the Provincial Vicariate of Rwanda and Burundi. 

This method, COCA, was initially introduced in our monthly Bible Study at the Dominican Chapel where I have been honoured to work alongside with Father Raphael and the lay theologian Tigana Birasa as we offered our reflection on the Gospel of Matthew for the Liturgical Year-A to the Community. For 2024, we will continue our study and focus on the Gospel of Mark.

Half a dozen year ago, I went into a quest to better understand my Christian faith as a Catholic and I have come enriched and better for it. After completing the reading of the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, I turned to the official teaching documents of Vatican II. I have made a slow inroad this last year, after reading the 4 Dogmatic constitutions (Lumen Gentium, Dei Verbum, Sacrosanctum Concilium and Gaudium et Spes) and read the 3 Declarations of the council Vatican II:

1. Gravissimum Educationis, it is the Declaration on Christian Education
2. Dignitatis Humanae, it is the Declaration on Religious Freedom
3. Nostra Aetate*, it is the Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions (this one was read the year prior*).

I also started reading the list of Vatican II Decrees. So far, I have read two of them and I am slowly going through the rest:

1. Apostolicam Actuositatem, it is a Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity
2. Ad Gentes, it is a Decree on the Mission Activity of the Church

As I said in my last review, "reading what the Church says in its own words is so refreshing and so encouraging and it sounds at time quite different from what people out there says about the Church teaching", I would now add, it is also so different from what some Catholic clergies have said about the Church teaching, 100% different. I remember in the year 2000 and 2001 when I had first read my whole bible systematically from Genesis to Revelation, I was in shock. The initial shock was not what I found but what I didn't found in it. Things I have heard so many times in popular platform, TVs, Radio, Conferences, etc., about what "the bible say's" but were nowhere to be found in the Bible. Neither did I find them in my second reading, nor the third time I read it. It became clear there are many things' people passes for biblical teaching which can't be found in the Bible itself. It is the same with the official Church teachings. I will dare, even challenge, anyone who has an issue with the Catholic Church teachings to first stop and ask themselves, where did I get these views about the Catholic Church teachings? And then after such honest introspection, I invite you to read the Church OFFICIAL teachings for yourself, either doctrinal or moral or social and find out the truth for yourself. You ought it to yourself!

For example, in Gaudium et Spes, I was gladly surprised, two years ago, to see that the Church takes her evangelistic mission seriously to the point of including it into one of its 4 Constitutions. And this aren't a unique occurrence, similar texts can be read in its Declarations and Decrees:

"It is necessary never to lose sight of the fact that the objective of the Church is to evangelize, not to civilize. If it civilizes, it is for the sake of evangelization." - Footnote Part II, Chapter II, No.7. 

In the same effort to strengthen my understanding of Christianity, I completed a Certification course with Harvard Divinity School on "Christianity through Its Scriptures". There are many reasons I pursued such endeavour, and one of them was to get a neutral view about my faith and to be challenged, and it was challenging to say the least. In our introduction, the professor clearly let us know that we would be studying the Christian sacred scriptures from a standpoint of Academia and not from a Devotional starting point. The message was clear, and we found out soon enough that not only we studied the Canonical texts found in our Bibles, but the Academic view of the Christian scriptures included also other early writings not found in the Bible such as the Gnostic writings of the earlier Centuries. We read them and made dissertations about them. Overall, it was a stimulating intellectual experience, and inadvertently despite the exposure to other competing writings presented to us as Scriptures, I came out of it more convinced of the Christian faith as it is articulated in its orthodoxy.

There is one important item that I should add to my list of memorable activities, namely 'The Strength of Witnesses' conference. It was a 3-day Charismatic Conference organized and hosted at the St. Dominique Parish ahead of the Feast of Pentecost and it was animated by our guests, Dr. Thierry Luhandjula, Sister Olivia Jani and Brother Nesbert Muzamba. This was followed by The Philip Course, a 3-day retreat in October 2023 at the Convent of the Dominican Sister, this retreat delved deeper into the meaning of the Christian Life. It was animated by Brother Nesbert Muzamba and Brother Giovanni Valerio Svegliati. These two events have left participants with no voice and deeply moved both emotionally, spiritually and in some cases bodily. We have come out of these events, better Christians, and more committed as Christians. It is hard to properly describe what transpired without causing misunderstanding so I would simply recommend for a better understanding of what was experienced by participants, both Catholic and non-Catholic Christians, please do refer to Encounter Ministries which is the Catholic apostolate which was our inspiration in the design of this charismatic event.

I will end with my yearly tradition which consist in sharing the list of books I read during the previous year. Each book comes with a scoring metric. This scoring doesn't necessarily mean that the book was either perfect or poor. It simply reflects my enthusiasm at the moment of reading it based on the book content and the appeal of the writing style. These are the books that I read in 2023: 

Religious Books

Catholic Authors

1. "Hostile Witnesses: How the Historic Enemies of the Church Prove Christianity" by Gary Michuta (5/5)
2. "Introduction to Spiritual Life: Walking the Path of Prayer with Jesus" by Brant Pitre (4/5)
3. "Supernal Saints: A School of Ministry from the Saints" by Patrick Reis (4.5/5)

Protestant Authors

1. "Why I Am Still Surprised by the Voice of God: How God Speaks Today through Prophecies, Dreams, and Visions" by Jack Deere (4/5)
2. "Why I Am Still Surprised by the Power of the Spirit: Discovering How God Speaks and Heal Today" by Jack Deere (4/5)
3. "Are Miraculous Gifts for Today? - Four Views" - Edited by Stanley N. Gundry and Wayne A. Grudem (4/5)
4. "The Case for Miracles: A Journalist Investigates Evidence for the Supernatural" by Lee Strobel (5/5)
5. "Investigating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ: A New Transdisciplinary Approach" by Andrew Loke (4.5/5)

Non-Religious Books

1. "Global Pentecostal and Charismatic Healing" by Candy Gunther (Oxford University Press) (5/5)
2. "Reconciliation Is My Lifestyle: A Life's Lesson on Forgiving and Loving Those Who Have Hated You" by Antoine Rutayisire (5/5)
3. "Even in Our Darkness: A Story of Beauty in a Broken Life" by Jack Deere (5/5)

Note: These last 3 books can hardly be labelled as religious books even though their authors may be known for their religious convictions.

...

The year 2023 was an intense year both in my workplace and in my family with its share of challenges. My family has known series of illnesses with different degrees of intensity, from major surgery for my boy earlier in the year to a medical trip at the end of the year. Sickness and Illness became a permanent feature of our household from the beginning of the year to the end. So much so that my wife once told me with an aggravated tone that pharmacists in our neighbourhood now know who we are. It is a miracle that with all these health constraints and intense workload in my job, I was able to read this much and done so much in my community. I guess it comes with the territory, I aggressively attacked the kingdom of darkness, and it expectedly struck back. 

Nevertheless, in all these, I praise the Lord that my wife and I never went through this fire alone. The Lord was always there comforting my family during those long sleepless night with kids fighting with uncontrollable fevers, bizarre diseases and those long hours at the hospitals' queues. 

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, stand firm and immovable, devoting yourselves completely to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." - 1 Corinthians15:58

My personal healing testimony

Couple of week ago, Michael Lofton from Reason & Theology had requested to his audience to send what they consider credible testimonies of the supernatural they have themselves witnessed not something that was reported to them. I found the invitation attractive and I decided to send him my testimony. I thank him for having given me the opportunity to share my story.  See below what I sent him, I hope you find it encouraging to your faith too and may the Lord Jesus be glorified for it.

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Dear Lofton,

Greetings. As you requested in your show, please see one of my recent testimonies which I attribute to God's intervention.

 

Recent Testimony:

On the morning of April 7, 2020 - I received instant healing from my left shoulder sharp pain. I had spent the whole night in personal prayer and spiritual education. I watched a lot of Damian Stayne youtube videos and practiced on my shoulder each time he asked people in his audience to check if anything changed. Nothing happened. So I went from videos to videos, watching all the practical healing ministries including videos from the renown Catholic apostolate, Encounter ministries. By the time I reached the morning hours, I was tired and still in pain but not frustrated though. I had already learned about God's sovereignty so I didn't wonder why it didn't happen to me. I thought, maybe it would be for another day. As I was ending my personal night prayers, I decided to watch one more video, however, this time not a video on healing or miracles. Just something simple that I could relate with, maybe some apologetics. 

There was a video by Father Mathias Thelen titled, 'The Power of the Word of God'. I clicked on it expecting the usual reassuring doctrine about the importance of Holy scriptures or Bible study. I was playing a video game on my phone as I was listening to the 6 month old video by Father Thelen's expository preaching (I do not know if the preaching happened 6 months prior to my listening to it or was it posted on youtube 6 months earlier). 

Very quickly I realized that the video was about the Word of God being spoken through the 'word of knowledge' and the power it carries. Midway through his message, Father Thelen announced that 'Encounter ministries' has received an unusual 'anointing' to pray for people who have among other issues, pain in the left shoulder. When I heard that, my ear peaked. I paused my phone's game and became more attentive. Then he added, 'and people almost always get healed'. That's where he got my undivided attention. So he stopped his sermon and asked people in the audience to pray for each other by following his instruction. Since I was alone (my young family was still asleep), I laid my right hand on my left shoulder and followed the instruction. After the prayer, he asked the audience to test if the pain had either gone totally or alleviated to an 80% level. I tested, and my pain was still there! I thought, 'nice try, but I should have known, I tried it all night nothing happened'. So I went back to my phone's game while still listening to the first wave of testimonies from the audience. 

After the testimonies, he asked again that the audience repeat the exercise. I was happy to oblige. I stopped the video game, stood up in front of my laptop, and repeated every word of command he gave, just like the first time. Then he asked the audience to test if their pains were gone. That's when it happened. I moved my arm slowly as usual due to my acquaintance with the pain, but it was there I felt NO pain. I moved it again the second time to do a complete rotation and I felt NOTHING. I stopped, shocked but not sure if I did my rotation incorrectly. I did it again. NO PAIN. Then I kept rotating my arm in all directions searching for that sensation of pain I had become so accustomed to for the past 1 year due to a series of bad decisions I had made when I was doing weightlifting. Still NO PAIN. 

My pain used to be at about level 70% hurt and it was gone leaving me maybe with a level 5% pain. It wasn't a 100% pain removal. But a 5% pain was almost unnoticeable to me given that I was living with a 70% level of pain for a year.

That is how I got healed of my sharp pain on my left shoulder. I have testified it all around me here in Rwanda and some of my Christian friends in the USA and I also tried to pray for other people so that the Lord may heal them. I didn't encounter the same level of success at each turn though but I am glad the Lord was merciful to me. It was my first healing ever. At least one that I can testify without second guessing myself of its authenticity. 

Note: For me this counts as supernatural pain relief. I have maintained my healing since then and I have returned to some level of intense muscle building, but I am more careful now not to make the same bad decision as the first time.