Charismatic movement?

RileyG said:

Anyone here involved with the Charismatic Catholic Renewal movement? I am definitely interested in the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

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May I ask why you are interested?

RileyG said:

Anyone here involved with the Charismatic Catholic Renewal movement? I am definitely interested in the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

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There used to be some posters here that had experience with it. @eastcoast_bsc was one.

RileyG said:

I'm interested in the gifts of the Holy Spirit and how we can connect it to Catholicism.

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I do not really understand your statement. We already experience gifts of the Holy Spirit in Catholicism. Why do we need to connect them to Catholicism when they are already there? We claim to hold the fullness of Faith.

RileyG said:

Yes, we have the fullness of the truth. I'm just interested in Charismatic movement to help me spiritually. If that makes sense. I think I worded my response weird.

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Yes it makes sense. I was confused by the way you phrased it. No worries!

Been around it.. yes amen! Love it

RileyG said:

Yes, we have the fullness of the truth. I'm just interested in Charismatic movement to help me spiritually. If that makes sense. I think I worded my response weird.

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We all have the fullness of Truth in potency - not necessarily in actuality. We have the Life of the Holy Spirit in us - given in Baptism - in potency - not necessarily experientially, in actuality. We have supernatural Faith, and supernatural Hope, and supernatural Charity in us - given in Baptism - in potency, not necessarily experienced in actuality. Just as a helpless infant has the fullness of a mature human person in him in potency - given the moment of conception - not, certainly not, is the infant a mature human person in actuality. The infant needs to grow and to cooperate with the needs of his human mind and body to reach maturity in actuality. So too the spirituality of the newly Baptized.

The growth of the spiritual organism toward maturity is only indirectly effected by the presence or absence of a charism. A person can grow, or can fail to grow, spiritually - toward spiritual maturity - whether he has a charism or not, whether he wants a charism or not, whether he has ever heard of a charism or not. Charisms, if given by God to a human person, are not given to help him spiritually. Charisms are given to a person, if in fact they are given by God, for others, not for the person having received the charism.

The person who has been given a charism is "helped" himself, in his own spiritual life, if and only if he uses the charism for others as God intends - not selfishly but humbly in holy Charity, when and where God calls him to use it. A charism does not "belong" to the one having been given it, to use when and where and for whom he chooses. The charism is given to be used as God directs.

Therefore, it is wise - it is prudent - IMHO not to seek a charism, but rather to leave it to God to give or not to give such a gift to "me" - a member - for the Church. It is much more prudent, IMHO, to seek to grow in Sanctifying Grace, in Faith and Hope and Holy Charity (all given in Baptism in potency)- so as to grow toward spiritual maturity - so as to mature in the prudence, fortitude, humility, obedience and patience needed to use any charism given by God only when and where and for whom God calls us to do so.

I am afraid, the way charisms are being promoted in the Church today, that the searches for "one's own charism(s)" are opportunities for temptations by the evil one to distract believers away from humbly and patiently growing in the Interior Life of Grace - and instead seeking the exciting, the dramatic, as in "Look over there! Look at that bright shiney object over there!" "Look! Miracles! Look! Unknown tongues! Healings! Wow! Folks dropping unconscious at a touch!" etc. etc. Or at the other extreme, "charisms" are used as badges to get parishioners into mundane works (excuse me - "ministries") of the parish, to keep them busy to the relief of the Pastor. Meanwhile few are actually growing in the Spirit in things eternal - eternal Truth, eternal Love.

I realize the way the current is flowing today! I realize "charisms" are all the rage in some circles today. But I am sorry to say, they are circles. Charisms really exist! - but most of what we are seeing today is a long way from the tradition of the Church and the teaching of, for example, John of the Cross and others concerning the Interior Life - the Life of the Spirit - in my humble judgment.

I have found this very helpful for people beginning to get serious about growing in the Life of the Spirit:
The Ordinary Path to Holiness.

RileyG said:

Anyone here involved with the Charismatic Catholic Renewal movement? I am definitely interested in the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

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I was involved with a group of charismatic Catholics years ago.
(Were there to be a group local to me now, I would consider looking them up again.)

The key, in my opinion, is to associate with a charismatic group that is spiritually 'balanced'.
By that I mean, a group that has persons in it that actually have Biblical knowledge, understanding, and maturity in the spiritual gifts.

Without spiritual maturity and discernment, one can find themselves being deceived in the area of spiritual gifts.
This is an area where persons can confuse emotional experience with what they think are spiritual gifts.
And the enemy can use our emotions to lead us astray ...

In my experience, charismatic Catholic groups are usually hard to find; they usually don't get "advertised" much.
(Think it may partially depend upon how much open support they are being given from the Bishop/Archbishop within their diocese.)

Ever heard of Renewal Ministries? Ralph Martin, Sr. Ann Shields, Peter Herbeck?
Theirs is a Catholic ministry where persons appear to operate in the spiritual gifts.
Especially Peter Herbeck. He has printed materials and books available on both their website and Amazon.

So here are some links to their resources ...