“The Upper Room. Praise & Worship Community” is The Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa’s Charismatic Prayer Group. We held our first meeting on November 5, 2019, and 19 people showed up. It is led by a very devout and spirit-filled priest, Fr. Rafal Walczyk, OSPPE. Normally the meetings are held every Tuesday evening at 7 PM in the conference room at the Shrine.
Since we began, we have been continually growing in numbers and in relationship with Jesus. At each meeting more and more people would come, ranging in ages from teens to grandparents. Participants bring their friends and family; people hear about it on Catholic Radio or at the Healing Masses Fr. Rafal would hold at the Shrine on the First Friday of each month. We have more than doubled our size since we first began and look forward to it continuing to grow and bear fruits!
The Holy Spirit is so alive! He is so present with us at our meetings. We praise and worship Him with prayer and lots of joyful singing and guitar playing. There is the visible sharing of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Each week we grow stronger in our faith and our relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. We get filled with the power and charisms of the Holy Spirit, we witness healings and learn more about our faith by sharing with each other and with Bible readings and reflections. At our meetings, we host to guest speakers, like Ryan Mahle from “Encounter Ministries”, Maria Vadia from “The Glory Of God” Ministry or the polish evangelist Marcin Zielinski, from the “Voice of God” Praise and Worship community to talk to us about prophecy, healing and other gifts of the Holy Spirit.
It is such a blessing to have a place where we can go to share this beautiful, joyful experience of praising Jesus and experiencing the Holy Spirit in a community of believers!
Rejoice always! Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophetic utterances
1 Thessalonians 5:16-20
We would like to begin sharing testimonies – stories of how God has touched people’s lives with a transformative experience. Please prayerfully consider sharing your testimony as a source of hope, faith, and inspiration for others. You may want to share an experience of healing? That is awesome. Tell us how your life has changed! Our goal is to share several testimonies every month on our website.
For more information please call our Shrine office at 215 345 0600 or email Fr. Rafal rafal@czestochowa.us
Find more about Catholic Charismatic Renewal
I just wanted to share with you, what a beautiful and inspiring meeting this was. Maria is a gift from God. I felt the Holy Spirit within me tonight. At times I’m very afraid. I own a small business and I don’t know what is going to happen with everything. Maria gave me so much courage and acceptance that Jesus is in control of our lives. Whatever happens I must not lived in fear and terror. I have to surrender everything to the Lord and let Him lead my way. I had apply for a small business loan and today got notice that there was no more funding available. What a perfect timing for this inspiring meeting. Jesus spoke to me through her. I thought was important to share this. I felt like a big burden was lifted from my mind.
You noticed at the last prayer meeting that I was being really quiet and was kind of out of it. I had actually had surgery earlier that day to take out a larger area of the spot on my leg that had tested positive for cancer.
After waiting nearly two weeks (including spending Christmas night in the ER when my stitches appeared infected and swollen), a nurse from the office called a few hours ago today to tell me that the margins all came back clear and that the tissue just appeared to be atypical cells. I asked her to clarify and if there had been cancer and should I follow up with the oncologist, and she said there were no notes in the report about cancer, malignancy or oncology and that the dermatologist (who was also one of the doctors who read the original biopsy as well!) wanted me to just follow up with him in 6 months. I am going to call the oncologist next week anyway, but at this point, assuming I understood correctly, there is no evidence of cancer whatsoever ever having been there! What a change from October 29 th when I was told I had Stage 4 Metastatic Cancer that originated somewhere else in my body! I am going to inquire about if and how to get my records for the Shrine as well.
I hadn’t really mentioned this part before, but on the day we originally saw the oncologist, my mother asked him if there was any way the first biopsy report could be wrong. I remember holding my breath waiting for the answer, but the doctor looked at us almost with pity and said “I suppose it could be possible, but multiple pathologists looked at this and they are among the best in the nation, so it really isn’t probable.” A few days later when someone with “unspecified cancer” was being healed at the 11/1 healing mass, I just knew knew KNEW that was for me. I won’t say that it has been an easy 2 ½ months and there were times I had to really work very hard to remain positive and push away the fear. However, I prayed for Mary’s intercession every day, spent a lot of time at the St. Peregrine candle altar at the Shrine (especially when I discovered that his wound appeared on the same spot and the same leg as mine in all of the imagery I could find). I could feel the peace come over me, even if only until my next fear appeared, but it always comforted me. I might now have a pretty visible scar, but I see it as a badge of pride. I’m not worried about how it looks because whenever I see it or whenever I look at it, I will be able to be reminded and tell about the miracle that happened. I’m also relieved that we can finally tell my grandmother – I’ve felt we’ve been lying to her by keeping it from her, but we were worried about her if she knew.
God amazes me more and more each day!!!
Last evening I participated in charismatic prayer meeting via Zoom from the Shrine of our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown, PA
The prayer meeting was lead by Fr. Rafał Walczyk and guest speaker Maria Vadia.
I have been suffering from chronic sinus problems since a young age, tried everything without much effect. After slipping on the ice and hitting my nose hard on the ground my sinus disease was exacerbated even more. So last night, after Fr. Rafał had a word of knowledge stating “ Our Lord wants to heal sinus disease “ without hesitation I took the healing in faith.
During worshipping, I physically felt my sinuses unblocked and was able to breathe through my nose with no problem. I just finished my 12 hr nursing shift wearing a face mask and enjoying the ability to breathe through my nose … I am so happy… and want to dance in thanksgiving.
God healed my sinuses. He is the Best doctor !!!
Thank you Lord , continue to heal the sick and suffering. I pray this in Jesus Name. Amen.
It was wonderful. I got a healing and still feeling good. When Maria said God is healing someone with a foot problem I raised my arms and I felt intense heat in my left foot. It stayed for long while and and gradually cooled down. Praised be to God, I have been walking normally every since! Even up and down the stairs first thing in the morning!!!!
I wanted to share with you that I had a healing last Tuesday at our prayer group with Maria Vadia! I have been having large amounts of hair loss for a few months now. My doctors have been unsure what the cause has been and I have just been hoping it would stop. Before our meeting last week I had just showered and washed my hair and was feeling very upset because of the large amounts of hair that had been coming out. Every time I washed or brushed my hair I was feeling very worried/ upset about what was going on. Well, that night, during the healings Maria asked if someone was feeling anxious and upset because they were losing their hair! I couldn’t believe she said that. I received the healing and could feel the Holy Spirit! Since Tuesday I have not seen any hair loss except TWO pieces from when I brushed it after a shower! I am so amazed! I can’t stop smiling! It is a miracle. Thank you Jesus, Thank you Holy Spirit, thank you Lord God! Amen! I wanted to be sure to share this with you Father. We have the most wonderful loving Lord.️
First, I praise the Holy Spirit for entering into my life at this time, so actively. I had healing last evening as Father Rafal`s friend, the young evangelist, Marcin was praying for us. When he finished praying, the swelling in my left toe was gone. I had this problem since I had complete knee surgery last May. I have been very aware of the pain but afraid of more surgery told to me from a foot surgeon, that I needed it also to be addressed. I am so grateful for the healing, thank you Holy Spirit. How awesome is our God, may He be praised. Christine
My name is Antoinette Guerra. Tuesday night (April 28) was amazing and Holy Spirit is really working. I was in pain with my back and neck and having some kind of skin allergy along with stomach issues last 4 days. I also was scheduled for bunion and foot surgery on 4-15 which was cancelled because of covid19. Last week, Maria had word of knowledge about bunion and foot pain. Yesterday, you and the guest also had word about feet. I didn’t feel heat but felt a coolness that went to my feet. My lower back stopped hurting almost immediately and my stomach is totally fine. The constant skin irritation and itching is also gone. Last night was the first night in weeks I slept like a baby. The coolness in my feet is similar to when you dangle your feet in a pool and it feels really refreshing. The feeling remained until I fell asleep.
I recently joined the Zoom group two weeks ago. Like many with this quarantine and missing Daily Mass my faith really needed a jump start. I am a convert to the Catholic faith of eight years and came from a church that had praise and worship so how wonderful to find it again in the context of the One Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. I love being embraced so completely by the presence of the Holy Spirit and this group has helped me go back to basics- prayer and the Bible and away from so many things that are causing anxiety right now in our world. I hope to keep up with this group on Zoom and please God in person when we can meet again in public. Come Holy Spirit! Come by the means of the power of the Flame of Love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary! God bless you Father Rafal and I look forward to where the Holy Spirit will lead us!
My name is Maryanna. Last night, July 7th, I went to a charismatic prayer meeting called “The Upper Room.” at Our Lady of Czestochowa Shrine. I went because my older sister Gianna had been attending regularly and told me that some people had experienced healings. For those that are not aware, I injured my right ankle playing basketball eleven months ago last August. Unfortunately, it turned into a serious medical condition called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome that has caused me to experience excruciating nerve pain every day since. Although numerous PT sessions helped my foot become functional again, off crutches, and even able to run on it a little bit, my pain level always remained the same, that is, until last night.
Toward the end of the meeting, the priest, Fr. Rafal, asked for anyone who wanted healing or wanted to be prayed over to come up. I went up, and I stood waiting because a lot of other people went up too. When Fr. Rafal came to me, he asked what he should pray for, and I told him that I had nerve pain in my ankle for eleven months. He immediately knelt and started to pray in tongues over my ankle. He stood up and asked if I felt any difference. I told him no. He then knelt again and prayed over my foot a second time. Now, when he stood up, I could feel that the pain had gone down significantly but was not all the way gone. However, he knelt AGAIN and prayed over my foot a third time. This time, I could feel an incredible heat all over my body, especially in my foot. It was all tingly. He stood up, and I could feel no pain! None! It was completely gone! All I could feel was the warmth in my foot. The next amazing thing that happened was that he looked at me and said, “You play sports, don’t you? Basketball, right? I can see you running on the courts.” It was so incredible because I had not told him anything other than I had nerve pain. He had the gift of healing and could sense things I did not even tell him. Gianna said she could tell that he could sense I would be healed because he spent the longest time with me. He kept trying and praying over my foot. I felt so blessed. He gave me a hug, and I walked back to my seat WITHOUT LIMPING!!! I am so grateful and happy! It was literally a miracle!!!
My name is Agnieszka Conor, by the power of God, at the shrine, I stumbled upon the Charismatic Renewal Conference 2020. Pandemia, riots, rising deaths. I was depressed for months. Maria Vadia shouted, ” Stop speaking death on yourself and your surroundings… Fight the enemy and put him at your feet, he is just a bully. Speak life!” I couldn’t stop crying. God was healing me. I surrendered my life to God again, the power of the Holy Spirit filled me with hope, peace and joy.I wanted more. On Tuesday, at the Charismatic meeting, Jesus reminded me that He will never leave me. I felt loved. Thank you Jesus.
Last Friday, February 5, 2021, I was at the healing Mass. You had those who had shoulder problems stand. I did. My friend laid hands on me, both shoulders. They loosened while the healing prayers were being said throughout the service. Now I have very little pain. Alleluia. God is so good. Also the muscles in my legs are much looser. Alleluia.