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CajunRick
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
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| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Wed Jul 4th, 2007 05:24 pm |
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Don't be afraid of charismatics, leaders tell their fellow Catholics
By Patricia Zapor
Catholic News Service
SECAUCUS, N.J. (CNS) -- Mention that you're attending a charismatic renewal event to most American Catholics and they may take a cautious step backward, as if they expect you to lay a hand on their foreheads and pray over them, unbidden.
In a world where being Catholic can seem countercultural, being a charismatic Catholic often adds one more layer of popular misunderstanding. Terminology like "slain in the Spirit" and "speaking in tongues," hand-waving, dancing and enthusiastically expressed joy are images of charismatics that make other Catholics more than a little uncomfortable.
But by one estimate, 14 percent of North American Catholics -- nearly 10 million people -- fall under the broad umbrella of the charismatic renewal. The fastest growing portion of the U.S. church, Latinos, are five times more likely than their Anglo counterparts to be a part of charismatic activities.
The U.S. church is becoming more charismatic, whether or not other American Catholics feel awkward around charismatic practices.
Speaking with Catholic News Service during a 40th anniversary Conference of the Charismatic Renewal in New Jersey in late June, a bishop who has long been a part of the charismatic movement and three other leaders told the stories of how they came to be involved in it.
Walter Matthews, executive director of Chariscenter USA, described being in a prayer group in Manhattan after college when he had a profound experience of the Holy Spirit.
Msgr. Joseph Malagreca, pastor of Ss. Joachim and Anne Parish in Queens Village, N.Y., was a senior in college when he said he was "overwhelmed by the Spirit" during a seminarian's witness story.
For Father John Gordon, a Newark archdiocesan priest, it was August 1975 during a prayer meeting at a parish where participants prayed for what is called "baptism of the Holy Spirit."
And for Bishop Sam G. Jacobs of Houma-Thibodaux, La., it was in September 1969, five years after his ordination, at a gathering of 15 fellow priests when he first experienced the sense of spiritual renewal that has drawn him to the charismatic movement for nearly 40 years.
The four explained the origins of the Catholic charismatic renewal -- a student retreat at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh in 1967 -- and its rapid spread, first across college campuses and soon around the world. From its beginning the movement has had strong support at high levels of the church.
As early as 1969, a U.S. bishops' Committee on Doctrine report about the charismatic renewal noted its "strong biblical basis" and legitimate theological reasons for existence. The report said the movement should be allowed to develop and gave recommendations to bishops about how to guide it.
The late Belgian Cardinal Leo Jozef Suenens was an early proponent of the charismatic renewal, and Popes Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI have all supported it in various ways. At one point, every U.S. diocese had an official liaison to the charismatic renewal.
Father Gordon said that, although the very physical, very emotional expressions of charismatics often are more associated with Pentecostal Protestants, since the early days of the church Catholicism has been a part of the Spirit-filled approach to faith.
"For Catholics it's not a big leap," said Father Gordon. "We expect the Holy Spirit to be active in our lives. Our experience of worship is very physical. It involves all the senses," through incense, candlelight, the Eucharist and song.
Among the typical characteristics of charismatic experiences are the "gifts of the Holy Spirit." Some people are overcome with a physical feeling of warmth and well-being, sometimes called "baptism of the Spirit." Some find they can "prophesy" or relate to others a message from God.
Other people shout or dance, sometimes without control over their actions, falling to the floor in what is called being "slain in the Spirit." Others may simply raise a hand high, swaying along with a song. What is called "speaking in tongues" is traditionally the ability to speak in a language unknown to the individual, but may be heard as a phrase such as "Jesus is Lord" or something indecipherable, repeated over and over like a mantra.
Defining who is a part of the charismatic renewal is even harder to quantify.
News stories about what was called Catholic Pentecostalism in the 1970s described massive gatherings: 20,000 at a 1973 conference at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana; 10,000 in 1975 at the Vatican; 600 priests -- about 1 percent of all priests in the country at the time -- praying together over three priests with medical problems at a healing service in Steubenville, Ohio, in 1975.
Today, no one organization keeps track of who is involved in the many practices, groups and events that might be described as charismatic, such as Life in the Spirit seminars, Life Teen, covenant communities, healing ministries, retreat programs and parish missions.
The Council on Faith in Action, a Latino evangelical organization, estimates there are 3 million charismatic Catholics in the United States. The International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services cites the World Christian Encyclopedia in estimating there are 9.7 million charismatic Catholics in North America and more than 119 million in 235 countries worldwide.
There's little doubt, though, that as the U.S. church becomes more predominantly Hispanic, the percentage of charismatic Catholics will grow.
A recent study by the Pew Hispanic Center and the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life found that 62 percent of Catholic Hispanics at least occasionally attend Masses that have "displays of excitement and enthusiasm, such as raising hands, clapping, shouting or jumping."
Among non-Hispanic Catholics, only about 12 percent consider themselves charismatics, the study found.
Bishop Jacobs believes the way to ensure that more people come to at least accept, if not participate in, the charismatic renewal is to "bring people into a relationship with Jesus Christ and God will convert their hearts." He suggested activities that have helped people find such a personal connection to God, including Life in the Spirit seminars, retreats and Marriage Encounter.
Father Gordon said he would like to encourage other Catholics "not to be afraid" of the Holy Spirit working in ways that seem strange to them.
The above article is reposted from the Catholic News Service.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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CajunRick
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
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Posted: Wed Jul 4th, 2007 05:24 pm |
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For the record, Bishop Sam Jacobs, mentioned in the article above, is the bishop of my home diocese.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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BettyBoopToo
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| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Camas/Washougal, Washington USA |
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| First Name: | Betty | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Fist Baptist/Calvary Babtist/Secular Confusion/ Roman Catholic |
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Posted: Wed Jul 4th, 2007 08:22 pm |
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CajunRick wrote: For the record, Bishop Sam Jacobs, mentioned in the article above, is the bishop of my home diocese.
Rick
Is the Charismatic Renewal very popular in your area???
I think I've mentioned it before, but I have attended a couple of the "Life in the Spirit Retreats" and really enjoyed the events, they did the prayers and such for my baptism in the spirit, I like having people lay their hands on me and pray.
I have heard some of the people pray in tongues, but I've never felt so inclined. I just always feel like the lord would give gifts to whomever he wants and I'm just not one of those people.
I've never seen anyone in our chrismatic group get loud or anything unusual. I have been at a special
The people in our parish that are very involved are the same faces you see at daily mass, AM rosary, twice daily praying the hours with father and every activity & function. Father seems to support their efforts too.
I sometimes get the feeling from others that their may be some controversy over their actions or that they may be adrift from church teaching for some reason. Is it my imagination or has there been any trouble with the Renewal?
Once before I went to look up information on the Renewal and found this at the Vatican web-site.
Link to Vatican web site
Just curious
Betty
Edited to shorten link
Last edited on Wed Jul 4th, 2007 08:50 pm by
____________________
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"Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you, remember Christ crucified and be silent."
St. John of the Cross
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CajunRick
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
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Posted: Wed Jul 4th, 2007 08:54 pm |
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BettyBoopToo wrote: Is the Charismatic Renewal very popular in your area???
I guess it depends on how you define "popular". There are Charismatic masses and prayer services, retreats, a covenant community, Cursillos.etc., and they've been available for decades.
I sometimes get the feeling from others that their may be some controversy over their actions or that they may be adrift from church teaching for some reason. Is it my imagination or has there been any trouble with the Renewal?
There have been "fringe elements" that have been problematic, but you can say the same thing about the Blue Army, traditionalists, etc. The mainstream practitioners of the Charismatic movement fit well within the overall Church, just like those who express their faith in any other valid way.
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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Pani Rose
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| Joined: | Fri Oct 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | Irondale, Alabama USA |
| Posts: | 528 |
| First Name: | Rose | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Ruthenian Byzantine in a Melkite Greek Catholic Parish, raised ... |
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Posted: Wed Oct 10th, 2007 08:07 pm |
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ZE03092610 - 2003-09-26
Permalink: http://www.zenit.org/article-8271?l=english
No Need to Fear Charismatic Renewal, Says Papal Household Preacher Interview With Father Raniero Cantalamessa
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, SEPT. 26, 2003 (Zenit.org).- Baptism in the Spirit makes the Catholic Charismatic Renewal a formidable means willed by God to revitalize Christian life, says the preacher of the Papal Household.
Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa made that point Thursday as a gathering of more than 1,000 delegates of Catholic Charismatic Renewal from 73 countries drew to a close.
The delegates had gathered for a spiritual retreat and to reflect on holiness in light of John Paul II's apostolic letter "Novo Millennio Ineunte." Father Cantalamessa was the retreat master.
Taking into account Protestant, evangelical and Pentecostal denominations, and some members of the Orthodox Church, it is estimated that 600 million Christians have had the charismatic experience.
Given his knowledge of the "charismatic" experience, ZENIT interviewed Father Cantalamessa just before the conclusion of the meeting.
Q: There are those in the Church who think that "baptism in the Spirit" is an invention of the charismatics, and that a name has been given to an experience that is not "catalogued" in the Church. Could you explain, from your own experience, what baptism in the Spirit is?
Father Cantalamessa: Baptism in the Spirit is not a human invention; it is a divine invention. It is a renewal of baptism and of the whole of Christian life, of all the sacraments.
For me, it was also a renewal of my religious profession, of my confirmation, and of my priestly ordination. The whole spiritual organism is revived as when wind blows on a flame. Why has the Lord decided to act at this time in such a strong way? We don't know. It is the grace of a new Pentecost.
It is not about Charismatic Renewal inventing baptism in the Spirit. In fact, many have received baptism in the Spirit without knowing anything about Charismatic Renewal. It is a grace; it depends on the Holy Spirit. It is a coming of the Holy Spirit which is manifested in repentance of sins, in seeing life in a new way, which reveals Jesus as the living Lord -- not as a personage of the past -- and the Bible becomes a living word. The fact is, this cannot be explained.
There is a revelation with baptism, because the Lord says that whoever believes will be baptized and saved. We received baptism as children and the Church pronounced our act of faith, but the time comes when we must ratify what happened at baptism. This is an occasion to do so, not as a personal effort, but under the action of the Holy Spirit.
One cannot say that hundreds of millions of people are in error. In his book on the Holy Spirit, Yves Congar, that great theologian who did not belong to Charismatic Renewal, said that, in fact, this experience has changed profoundly the lives of many Christians. And it is a fact. It has changed them and initiated paths of holiness.
Q: How do you carry out your ministry as Papal Household preacher given your experience in Charismatic Renewal?
Father Cantalamessa: For me, everything that has happened since 1977 is the fruit of my baptism in the Spirit. I was a university professor. I was dedicated to scientific research in the history of Christian origins. And when I accepted this experience, not without resistance, I then had the call to leave it all and be available for preaching.
My appointment as Papal Household preacher also came after I experienced this "resurrection." I see it as a great grace. After my religious vocation, Charismatic Renewal has been the most marked grace in my life.
Q: From your point of view, do the members of Charismatic Renewal have a specific vocation in the Church?
Father Cantalamessa: Yes and no. Charismatic Renewal, it must be said and repeated, is not an ecclesial movement. It is a current of grace that is meant to transform the Church -- preaching, the liturgy, personal prayer, Christian life.
So it is not a spirituality as such. The movements have a spirituality and emphasize a particular aspect, for example, charity. First of all, Charismatic Renewal does not have a founder. No one thinks of attributing a founder to Charismatic Renewal because it is something that started in many places in different ways. And it does not have a spirituality; it is Christian life lived in the Spirit.
However, it can be said that as the people who have lived this experience are, socially, a reality -- they are people who do certain gestures, pray in a certain way -- then a social reality can be identified whose role is simply to be available so that others can have the same experience, and then disappear.
Cardinal Leo Jozef Suenens, who was the great protector and supporter of Charismatic Renewal in its beginnings, said that the final destiny of Charismatic Renewal might be to disappear when this current of grace has spread throughout the Church.
Q: As you are about to finish preaching a retreat attended by 1,000 Charismatic delegates from all over the world, what message would you like to give believers who do not know the Renewal?
Father Cantalamessa: I want to say to the faithful, to bishops, to priests, not to be afraid. I don't know why there is fear. Perhaps, in some measure, because this experience began in other Christian confessions, such as Pentecostals and Protestants.
However, the Pope is not afraid. He has spoken of the ecclesial movements, and also of Charismatic Renewal, as signs of a new springtime of the Church, and he often stresses the importance of this. And Paul VI said it was an opportunity for the Church.
There is no need for fear. There are episcopal conferences, for example in Latin America -- this is true of Brazil -- where the hierarchy has discovered that Charismatic Renewal is not a problem. It is part of the solution to the problem of Catholics who have left the Church because they don't find in it a living word, a lived Bible, the possibility of expressing the faith in a joyful manner, in a free way, and Charismatic Renewal is a formidable means that the Lord has given the Church so that one can live an experience of the Spirit, Pentecostal, in the Catholic Church, without the need to leave the Church.
Nor should Charismatic Renewal be regarded as an "island" where some emotional people get together. It is not an island. It is a grace meant for all the baptized. The external signs can be different, but in its essence, it is an experience meant for all the baptized.
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