Charismatic Gifts for All Catholics

Does God desire to release the charismatic gifts to everyone or just a select subgroup? Well, to everyone of course. God is generous. But it's amazing how many Roman Catholics have difficulty releasing their charisms. This page might help.

Typically these Catholics view the charisms as a legitimate work of God, but also as something that's not for everyone. To counter that thinking here are some things to keep in mind.

What is the History?

The sacrament of Confirmation traces its roots way back to biblical times, to what charismatics call the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. In earlier centuries during times when charismatic experiences became less frequent, extra prayers were added to the sacrament to give it more meaning so that today Confirmation encompasses the Baptism in the Holy Spirit plus other things. However, today when members are confirmed they should be releasing gifts of the Holy Spirit, but often don't because the celebrant and the recipient are often unaware that this should be experienced. In fact, in the early church becoming a Christian and being baptized in the Holy Spirit were together part of one initiation into Catholicism!

Cardinal Suenens, a close collaborator with Pope John XXIII and a major architect of Vatican II Council said:

To interpret the [Charismatic] Renewal as a movement among other movements is to misunderstand its nature; it is a movement of the Spirit offered to the entire Church and destined to rejuvenate every part of the Church's life. The soul of the renewal—Baptism in the Spirit—is a grace of Pentecostal refreshment offered to all Christians.

Pope Francis: "Baptism of the Spirit remains the key uniting factor with Catholics and Protestants."

Many Catholic leaders encourage

• Pope Francis - Watch him in this historic video to team with Pentecostals
• Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa - JP2s hand-picked personal homilist
• Pope Benedict XVI - is especially fond of the Renewal (source: EWTN)
• Pope John Paul II - given the title St.
• Peter Kreeft - Master apologist and popular Catholic speaker/author

Hear Dr. Kreeft's YouTube Audio on Supernatural Gifts for Everyone?

Below is encouragement from Pope John Paul II to release the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost 5/30/98),

Whenever the Spirit intervenes, he leaves people astonished.  He brings about events of amazing newness; he radically changes persons and history.  This was the unforgettable experience of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council during which, under the guidance of the same Spirit, the Church rediscovered the charismatic dimension as one of her constitutive elements...  The institutional and charismatic aspects are co-essential as it were to the Church's constitution.  They contribute, although differently, to the life, renewal and sanctification of God's People.  It is from this providential rediscovery of the Church's charismatic dimension that, before and after the Council, a remarkable pattern of growth has been established for ecclesial movements and new communities.

Today, I would like to cry out to all of you gathered here in St. Peter's Square and to all Christians:  Open yourselves docilely to the gifts of the Spirit!  Accept gracefully and obediently the charisms which the Spirit never ceases to bestow on us!
  

You can also hear the intriguing conversation on the
Charisms (Dr. Peter Kreeft with Dave Nevins)
and
charismatic.peterkreeft.com