Events

Father Mark Cherry grew up in Halifax, NS and is the eldest of eight children. Growing up, sports was number one in his life, until at the age of fifteen when he was diagnosed with Lupus erythematosus, which caused his withdrawal from all sporting activities. At the age of

eighteen, while attending the University in Guelph, Ontario, Fr. Mark encountered an evangelical Christian who began to speak to him about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This caused him to begin to reflect on his own Catholic faith and what it really meant to be a Christian. In the fall of 1976, Father Mark had a powerful conversion to Christ, coming to know His love and forgiveness in a personal way. In February of 1978, while attending a healing service he experienced a miraculous healing from Lupus.

As Providence would have it, Father Mark would spend 20 years in Evangelical Christian community before returning to the Catholic Church in 1996. In the fall of 1998, after a prayer meeting at St. Thomas Aquinas Church hall he was asked whether he had ever thought about the priesthood. Further discernment led to him entering St. Augustine’s Seminary in Toronto in January 2000. Fr. Mark was ordained to the priesthood on April 30, 2005 at St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica.

Over the past 14 years, in addition to his duties as a parish Priest, he has ministered as a Parish Mission speaker, a Conference speaker, and a Retreat leader and conducted Healing Masses. As well, he serves as Spiritual Chaplain for the Weekend of Grace for Women Conference, Halifax Chapter Magnificat Women’s Ministry and the Empowered: Catholic Men’s Conference. In the 2011, he completed the teaching series entitled Understanding the End of the Age which seeks to give wisdom and understand concerning the times we live, and God’s plans and purposes as we approach the end of the age.

On June 01, 2019 Archbishop Anthony Mancini appointed Father Mark to a new full-time ministry of evangelization through Parish Missions, Retreats, Conferences and Healing Masses in the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth and beyond. Father Mark has a passion for sharing the life transforming love and power of Jesus Christ through anointed preaching and teaching of God’s Word. His desire is to see hearts set free, healed, lifted up and empowered by the Holy Spirit to live out their Divine Mission.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for He has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. 

He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see,

that the oppressed will be set free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” –Luke 4:18

In 2013, Andi had the privilege to attend the International Prophetic Consultation gathering of leaders in the Renewal in the city of bread (Bethlehem, Israel), where she had a profound experience as she prayed in the Upper Room with leaders from all over the world for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  As a result of Andi’s Upper Room experience, she has answered the call to share with others the gift of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, which she does with great passion. She has also since written two well received books –  Extravagant Praise: Our History, Heritage and Hope, and Mary’s Life in the Holy Spirit: A Model For Us.

 Although Andi’s first ministry is to her family, and a teacher by training, she has a true gift of hospitality to those she meets through ministry. She and her husband often welcome international clergy into their home for refreshment and fellowship with the wider Body of Christ.  This true love for caring for others and her desire to share the love of the Lord has led Andi to speak at many local events throughout Louisiana.  Andi led her first international retreat in Nova Scotia, Canada in April 2016.

 Andi’s love of Scripture and her enthusiasm to learn about the things of God motivate her to continue to grow in her own faith journey.  She is an avid reader and holds a Master’s Degree in Administration and Supervision in the field of education. The fire that burns within Andi is contagious, the transformative presence of the Holy Spirit palpable when she speaks. Pope Benedict has said, “Let us rediscover…the beauty of being baptized in the Holy Spirit” (May 11, 2008). Pope Francis exhorted, “Share with all in the Church the grace of baptism in the Holy Spirit” (June 1, 2014). Andi is being used powerfully to do exactly this, to help renew the church by the grace of the Holy Spirit. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to hear Andi speak and to be touched by the transforming power of God’s immense love!