Service Team

The Service Team is made up of nine members, including the Liaison to Cardinal Francis George,
Archbishop of Chicago. The Service Team is entrusted with the ministry of pasturing the Charismatic
ministries and affiliated Prayer Groups of the Chicago Archdiocese and the surrounding greater
Chicagoland area by discerning the needs for growth, setting direction, and communicating vision.

Fr. John Harvey is the Liaison to Cardinal George. He was ordained a priest in 1986, and is currently the pastor of St. Mary Queen of the Apostles Church in Riverdale, IL. He previously served as associate pastor at St. Felicita’s and St. Benedict the African-West parishes. Fr. John says, ”I have been involved in the Charismatic Renewal for all of my priesthood. I believe profoundly in the work of the Spirit in our times, and I believe that the Renewal is an answer to the crisis of the lack of participation in our church today. I also have a strong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. After all our salvation came from the union of the Holy Spirit with the womb of Mary. May God bless the Charismatic Renewal and the Marion Movements in our church.”

God has raised up the following individuals to serve on the Renewal Service Team, along with Fr. John Harvey:

Deacon Lou Ricco has been actively involved in the Charismatic Renewal since 1976. For twenty years
he dedicated himself to the CCRCC as a service team member. After a three year sabbatical, he is back
on the job. This year marks his 13th anniversary in the Deaconate Program of the Archdiocese of Chicago.
Lou has served as deacon to the CCRCC and St. Theresa’s Parish in Palatine, IL. He also serves on the
council for the National Service Committee of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. Lou says, “My vision for
the Renewal is that the whole church will be enriched and invigorated by the fullness of the Holy Spirit.”

Peg DeWilkins has actively been involved in the Charismatic Renewal since 1977. In 1987, she
completed a two year Archdiocesan Lay Ministry Program. She has been an active member of
St. Damian’s Prayer Group in Oak Forest, IL. for over 20 years serving on the leadership team, assisting
in planning and coordinating prayer meetings, providing teachings, and serving in the prayer ministry.
Peg says, “Because the Charismatic Renewal has shaped my spirituality, I am grateful for the opportunity
to foster this gift in others. I have a strong desire for all Catholics to experience the fullness of the Holy
Spirit in their lives, in order that God’s kingdom will be as visible on earth as it is in heaven.”

Lauretta Froelich came into the Renewal in 1983 when she attended a Life in The Spirit Seminar which
became St. Peter’s Prayer Group, and also an ecumenical group, known as People of the Resurrection.
She has actively been involved in the Charismatic Renewal, parish ministry, and a prayer group at
St. Luke’s parish in River Forest, IL; she also is one of the organizers of WOW Ministries with annual
Praise Conferences in the United States and Africa. In 1987, Lauretta completed a two year Archdiocesan
Lay Ministry Training Program. Lauretta says, “Supported by a fabulous Catholic education at home,
church, and school, I received a spiritual healing at a mass presided over by Fr. Dennis Kelleher. The
Charismatic Renewal saved my life. I love Jesus in the richness of his church and his sacraments.
Submission to the Spirit in the Charismatic Renewal is the heartbeat of the Church, pulsating new life
into it and empowering all to know Christ in His fullness.”

Maryse Gregoire was born in Haiti. She moved to the United States in 1971. She was introduced to the
Renewal in 1991, during a personal crisis in her life. In response to God’s grace and mercy she became
the leader/co-founder of the Spirit of Love Prayer Group at St. Mary’s Church in Evanston. Maryse says,
“God has allowed me to use my gifts of intercessory prayer, healing, and prophecy in the Renewal. I
have had the honor to serve on the CCRCC service team and in the word gift ministry. My vision for
the Renewal is that we would go forth and witness the love and forgiveness of God to all the world.
By reading the word of God daily, and applying it to our lives, we will become the light of Christ in this
dark world.”

Stephen Leigh has been involved in the Charismatic Renewal since 1995 when he was baptized in the Spirit. He served on the CCRCC Youth Service Team from 1996 to 2003 serving as music minister at conferences, prayer groups, and healing masses. He has provided teachings and led discussion groups at retreats, conferences, and Life in the Spirit seminars. He attends St. Theresa’s Prayer Group in Palatine.

Stephen has served outside the Renewal in many roles: in the Happening in Christianity and Kairos retreats, both Cursillo-based retreats for young adults and teens. He was a parish choir director for eight years and a high school Religion teacher for seven years. As a father of four young children, Stephen wishes to encourage entire families to praise the Lord together in Charismatic prayer groups.

Russell Klimowski came into the Renewal in 1973 in Seoul, Korea. Upon returning to the Chicago area in 1974, he became a member of the Cenacle Prayer Group where he has served on the leadership team, prayer ministry team, and participated in presenting Life in the Spirit Seminars. Russ has also assisted at many CCRCC conferences, healing services, and other functions. He has also been active in parish life serving on various boards and leading a Christ Renews His Parish Retreat.

Russ says: “ The Lord has and continues to bless and provide for me beyond my hopes and dreams. The greatest lessons I am continuing to learn in the Renewal is to develop a close personal relationship with Jesus and to keep my eyes on Jesus and pray to discern his will. Through my work on the Service Team, my desire is that the Lord uses me to encourage others to develop and deepen their personal relationship with Jesus and that the Renewal can become a more integral part of parish life.”

Bill White has been in the Renewal since 1980, He first attended  a prayer meeting at Holy Name Cathedral. He went through the Life in the Spirit Seminar and became involved in the prayer room ministry, an intercessory prayer group, and later served on the core team. He also regularly attended Notre Dame Conferences and various leadership conferences.

Bill has been involved in the Light of the Risen Christ Prayer Group at St. Peter’s in Skokie for the last 17 years. Here he has  served as prayer meeting leader, prayer team, and on the leadership team. He is currently a retired teacher. As a teacher he has been able to witness to his catholic faith in many difference ways through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Bill says: “The Renewal is the most important thing in my life and I thank Jesus for all He has done to see me through all the major issues in my life. My greatest hope is to bring Jesus to all those whom he has put in my life”