Photo Caption: Annie Karto and Father Richard McAlear, OMI, will address the theme of “Jesus Christ, Our Only Hope” at the conference, a one-day gathering at the Embassy Suites, East Peoria.

EAST PEORIA — It will be just one day this year, but the annual Catholic Charismatic Renewal Conference will still be filled with opportunities for prayer, enrichment and healing on Saturday, July 26.

There is also a change of venue due to renovations at Four Points by Sheraton in downtown Peoria, which has hosted the conference for several years. The new location is the Embassy Suites East Peoria Hotel and Riverfront Conference Center, 100 Conference Drive.

“Jesus Christ, Our Only Hope” is the theme for the day and will be addressed by Father Richard McAlear, OMI, of Tewksbury, Massachusetts, and Annie Karto of Treasure Island, Florida. Praise and worship music will be provided by the Pete Buncher Band.

Ordained in 1970 for the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Father McAlear became involved in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in 1972 and entered into the healing ministry in 1976. He has been a member of the Association of Christian Therapists since 1977. His ministry has taken him to every part of the United States and around the world.

Karto, an award-winning Catholic singer and songwriter, belongs to the Eucharistic Apostles of the Divine Mercy, an outreach of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception of Stockbridge, Massachusetts. They promote eucharistic adoration and form small faith groups called cenacles to pray for vocations and an end to abortion, and to study Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the diary of St. Maria Faustina.

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Registration begins at 8 a.m., which is when the prayer room, eucharistic adoration and bookstore will open. The conference starts with praise and worship at 9 a.m.

Father McAlear will celebrate Mass at 4 p.m. The day will end with a healing service at 7:30 p.m.

The registration fee is $65 for adults and $25 for full-time students (high school through college). Lunch and dinner are available for an additional $30.

Clergy, women and men religious, deacons and seminarians must register, but just pay $30 for meals.

Only registrations postmarked by July 12 will be eligible for meals. Forms may be downloaded and printed from ccr-cdop.org. Mail completed forms and checks made payable to CCR (Catholic Charismatic Renewal) to CCR Registration, 1301 N.E. Glendale Ave., Peoria, IL 61603.

For more information, contact Jan at (309) 274-3543 or jrbroers@gmail.com.

To make hotel reservations, call Embassy Suites directly at (309) 694-0200 and state that you are with the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Conference. Special conference rates are good until July 12.