Last Updated: Tuesday - 01/04/2011

Behold the Lamb spreads God's word

Collins commissions 9 more to 'make disciples of all nations'

EDMONTON — It was just a vision in 1996. Now Behold the Lamb Ministry is holding parish missions, retreats or simple talks with both young and adult.

Members of the Radway-based ministry share prayer time, testimonies, talks about the Catholic faith, games and fun times with other youth.

Archbishop Thomas Collins commissioned nine new team members at St. Joseph Basilica Sept. 2.

"We try to touch on different aspects to share the Gospel message," Kerrie Gould, 31, told the WCR.

Inspired by God through her prayer time, Gould felt God was calling her to start a ministry for young people.

"I felt the call to fulfill the command that Jesus gave us to go make disciples of all nations," Gould said.

"Sharing the living reality of Jesus Christ through retreats," is the mission statement of the ministry.

Janice Babych, 39, felt the same call. The two women went ahead and asked for the blessing of Bishop Raymond Roy. They started gathering young people to volunteer as soon as they received the green light from Roy, who was then the bishop of St. Paul.

"The years have been challenging but I have seen the hands of God at work and how God provided from day one when we started," Babych told the WCR.

"When we had very little, God kept blessing us to do this," said Babych, who is originally from Vancouver.

Gould, who is from Edmonton, said, "retreat skills can always be taught but having a heart for Jesus needs to come with anyone interested in being part of this ministry."

Behold the Lamb accepts a lot of students to its team who did a year or two of formation at the John Paul II Bible School.

This year, the ministry has two teams composed of five members each.

Mike Landry, 20, of St. Albert spent three years at JP II Bible School as a student and staff member before he joined Behold the Lamb.

"I know a lot of people I went to school with who don't know Jesus," said Landry.

"They are struggling with a lot of things like alcohol and relationships, and I wanted to be able to share with them about Jesus and what he has done in my life."

Landry hopes that this ministry will help to bring about a new springtime which the pope talks about.

Anne Gauthier, 24 is from North Bay, Ont. She moved West when she attended the Bible school. After a year there she joined Behold the Lamb.

"We all have the baptismal mission to spread the Word. (This ministry) provides me the way to do it," said Gauthier, who has been involved with the group for three years.

She treasures the support of team instead of doing ministry on her own. "It's a fun way to do it," she said. "Living in a community made my faith grow stronger," Gauthier added.

For Gauthier, seeing a teenage boy crying at the foot of the cross and a little child giving his heart to Jesus makes all her effort worth it.

"It's a life-changing event whether they know it or not," Gauthier said.

"Young people may not see anything, feel anything, but no matter what God is going to change their lives," she said.

Danielle DeRoo, 20, said, "It's amazing to see how God works through our weaknesses and inabilities."

"I just heard God telling me, 'Apply! Apply!'" said DeRoo, who has been involved in the ministry for a year. In reply she said, "Yeah God if you want me there, I will be there."

One of her significant experiences was journeying with a skeptical teenager, who questioned the authenticity of the Bible.

DeRoo tried to explain Catholic teachings to the student. At the end of prayer time the teenager was crying and saying, "God if you're real, show me."

"God did something to show her, I don't know what. At the end of the day, she was telling everybody that she believes in God," said DeRoo.

DeRoo expects a lot of struggle. "It's always a struggle to live in community, working with the team but I expect more God experience in my ministry and in my prayer time," she said.

For Matthew Ramsay, 19, preparing for the ministry was a lot of work.

"But I know God has always been there helping us out," said Ramsay, who is from Humboldt, Sask.

"I really felt that it was God's will for me, after I've done the Bible school," Ramsay said.

Like other team members of Behold the Lamb, he claims his mission as a baptized and confirmed Catholic is to spread the Word.

"I will go out to do whatever God wants me to do," said Ramsay.

In January 2002, Behold the Lamb will go on a mission trip to Scotland.

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