Mike, Nick and I just completed an exhausting 5,000+ mile road trip giving parish renewals in five USA parishes, in five different states: CT, MA, SC, MD and VA.  Overall, in our presentations we try to incorporate Scripture in ways that meet our spiritual hungers and quests that are a common part of our contemporary culture. So many sincere Catholics as well as Christians of different denominations have had few opportunities in their adult lives to update their faith. Our team affords participants a chance to ask probing questions and seek private spiritual guidance if needed. It is amazing that following the renewal, spoken and written evaluations often reveal comments such as “In 70 years of living, I have never felt the kind of peace as I felt after the renewal.” Or “I have come to understand my faith as never before.” Or ” I wish we had this opportunity more often in our church.”  Our team’s observation is that the spirit of Pope Francis is taking hold. There is a marked difference in enthusiasm, participation, and a new optimism for the future of our church.