Stockton minister re-elected as Vatican representative to Catholic countries

Healing minister Robert Canton of Stockton was unanimously re-elected to his third term as member of the Vatican-based International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services (ICCRS) to the North and Central America as well as the Caribbean countries.

The election was during the council’s most recent meeting in Bethlehem, Holy Land on November 18 to 23.

Canton is one of the 14 members of the council. They represent ICCRS to many continents in the world that are active in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, a movement within the Roman Catholic Church which emphasizes the Baptism in the Holy Spirit as a way to enhance their faith. This Ecclesial Movement has been enthusiastically endorsed and supported by Pope Paul V1, Pope John Paul ll, Pope Benedict XV1, and Pope Francis.

Canton was born and raised in Cebu City. He came to the United States in 1973 after obtaining his Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from the University of San Carlos in Cebu City. He took an early retirement from his job as senior auditor-appraiser from the State of California in 2008 to devote full time to his ministry.

“It is only by the grace of God and by the power of His Holy Spirit that I am able to serve the Lord and His people in this capacity in spite of my many limitations and I pray that the Lord will be glorified in whatever we say and do in His Name,” Canton said after his re-election.

He founded the Robert Canton Ministries, a non-profit organization whose aim is to evangelize “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” His followers call him “Brother Bob.” His website says he has been active in the healing ministry since 1996.

The ICCRS was established in the Vatican in 1973 as an information and communications center serving the Catholic Charismatic Renewal worldwide as well as the link between the Renewal and the Vatican. It meets regularly with the Holy See for consultations while keeping them informed on the growth within the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. ICCRS estimates some 130 million Roman Catholics have received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit in 230 countries.

Canton was first elected to ICCRS in 2007, and has served in the Finance and Newsletter Committees. In September 2010, he facilitated the first North American ICCRS-sponsored International Leadership Training Course which was held at Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio. He was one of the few invitees to attend the Vatican-sponsored Colloquium on the Charisms of The Holy Spirit in 2008 and the Colloquium on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit in 2011. Mr. Canton has also traveled to many countries as an ICCRS speaker, the latest one in Brazil in July 2013.

Aside from his duties as ICCRS council member, Canton is the head servant leader of the Children of God Prayer Community of St. Luke’s Parish in Stockton.

He is married to registered nurse Chita Romero from Pangasinan. They have two daughters, a practicing dentist and a psychologist.