Renewal Ministries. (Lay Movements XVIII).

Renewal Ministries is a lay association started in 1980 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, by Ralph Martin. Shortly afterward it was formed in Canada under the direction of Bishop Faber MacDonald of St. John, N.B. Its purpose is to renew Catholic life and ministry, which is does through television, radio, conferences, and rallies, evangelization schools, books, tapes, and worldwide mission trips.

A weekly program, The Choices we Face, is broadcast on TV and radio by EWTN in the United States and on TV by VISION in Canada. And a weekly radio program, Food for the Journey, is broadcast in 31 countries on four continents since 1991. The Lift Jesus Higher rally in Toronto each year draws crowds of more the 6,000 from Canada and the U.S. And conferences have been held in Vancouver, Winnipeg, Mississauga, Ottawa, Montreal, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland.

Bishop MacDonald, the chairman of the Canadian Board of Directors, says that "The Choices we Face and the conferences have made a significant impact in Canada."

Volunteers are welcome on the local level to help with the rallies and conferences. For more information contact P.O. Box 400, Station U, Toronto, ON, M8Z 5Y8, phone [phone], or the U.S. Headquarters at P.O. Box 1426, Ann Arbor, MI 48106, phone [phone]. The website is <www.renewalministries.net>.