Miracles happen. One sees the seemingly impossible come to pass, and one sees God stepping in to provide in remarkable ways. The person with this gift is willing to take risks and to take steps into the unknown, knowing that God’s assistance is available. One’s prayer life deepens and there is an increase in the belief that one can accomplish their God-given mission in life. There may be some doubts; there may be some hesitation, but the charism of Faith carries one through the most difficult of situations.

The charism of Faith enables Christians to live joyful life-style of exceptional trust in God’s provident care. This does not mean that the Christian should quit his/her job and let God take over to provide for the family. This is not a risk that God expects. God wants one to work to meet the needs of the family in an ordinary fashion, expecting that God is near but that God wants one to do one’s part in a common sense manner. The charism of Faith at times calls the Christian to tackle big issues with no complete assurance of having the means of supporting the project. A financial risk is not out of the question. One’s Faith can be stretched at such times, but through confident prayer one knows that God will not let one down.

St. Maximilian Kolbe (see charism on Mercy) had the freedom to give his life in place of a father of a family. This was a risk he could take because of his deep Faith, his abiding trust in God’s provident care. Because her Faith was so strong, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini could come to America to establish schools, orphanages, and hospitals for immigrants and prisoners. When things seemed impossible, Frances knew God was about to spring a tremendous surprise on her, which God often did.

John Bosco Boumier S.J. was a man of Faith. He was born in Brazil in 1917, and died in 1976. After his ordination, he dreamed of an overseas mission. Instead he was placed in an administrative post in the Jesuit central offices in Rome for nine years. He considered this period a waste of his time, so eager was he to be in the "real world." Finally in 1966 when the frontier region of Mato Grosso in Brazil was open to developers, Father John was assigned to this region where landless Indians were held in the bondage of clearing the land for the rich. Father John saw this mission as an opportunity of reflecting on the true meaning of Faith in the light of the social reality surrounding him. Because of his great confidence in God, he was willing to take risks for his poor. He studied the Gospel in an area where life seemed so cheap and he taught the Indians that the Gospel has meaning for them. He knew his mission was to represent the interests of human dignity and justice, and to make it clear that God was not indifferent to the fate of the poor.

Father John believed so completely in the strength of his God that he was willing to give completely of himself. Along with his bishop, the two went to a certain village where on October 11, 1976, two peasant women were being held and tortured in a local jail. The two confronted the police, demanding that the women be released. Father John was killed in the scuffle that ensued.

This is the inscription on Father John’s tombstone: "He died like Christ, offering his life for our liberation."