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The Catholic Charismatic Renewal: Marking 50 Years of a New Pentecost
For Our Church

Brenton Cordeiro 
Faith & Life | Public | Worship   01/06/2017

Don’t be surprised if you hear in the coming days that a few hundred
thousand people are making their way to Rome. They’ve all headed there to
mark the 50th anniversary of the charismatic renewal in the Catholic Church,
a phenomenon that is estimated to have impacted the lives of more than 120
million Catholics in over 200 countries.

The Catholic Charismatic Renewal traces its origins to a weekend retreat for
college students at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in
February 1967. At the retreat, the participants had a powerful encounter with
God, one that came about after they had spent a considerable time in prayer,
asking God to allow them to experience the grace of both Baptism and
Confirmation. Word of this unique and transformative event spread quickly
throughout the United States and abroad. Many people all over the world who
began to pray for a similar experience of the Holy Spirit had the same
encounter further fueling the growth of this movement.

To me at least, it’s hard to see it as a coincidence that the Catholic
Charismatic Renewal began just a few years after Pope John XXIII famously
prayed for “a new Pentecost” in preparation for the Second Vatican Council.
And since its inception, the Church has been very affirming of the Catholic
Charismatic Renewal. Pope John Paul II called it “one of the many fruits of
the Second Vatican Council”, because of the way it was touching the lives of
countless people and helping them to rediscover their faith, the joy of prayer,
the power and beauty of the Word of God, and subsequently moving them to
serve the Church in different ways. Pope Paul VI, who was the Pontiff at the
time the movement began, said “nothing is more necessary to such an
increasingly secularized world as the testimony of this ‘spiritual renewal,’
which we see the Holy Spirit bringing forth today in the most diverse regions
and environments.”

Fifty years after the now-famous ‘Duquesne weekend’, the Church is marking
the golden jubilee in style. The main celebrations are planned in locations
across Rome from May 31 to Pentecost Sunday, June 4. The highlights of
the program in Rome will be the Pentecost Vigil on the evening of June 3 and
the Pentecost Mass on June 4, both being led by Pope Francis.

It’s interesting that these events are being led by Pope Francis, given his
own past misgivings about the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. By his own
admission, he said he previously didn’t care too much for charismatics
because they reminded him of a “samba school”. Yet, as the years passed,
he came to embrace this movement. Today, he believes that the Catholic
Charismatic Renewal has reminded the Church of the need and importance of
the prayer of praise, because it is through praise that we recognize the
Lordship of God over us and over all creation.

To be sure, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal has its fair share of critics.
The movement isn’t one single organization, rather, it is a loose collection of
individuals, associations, covenant communities, and so on. As such, a few
misguided groups have sometimes given the overall movement a bad
reputation because they introduced certain practices that distracted from, or
in extreme cases, even departed from authentic Church teachings and
traditions. In particular, the emphasis on creating an emotional and
heart-warming worship experience contributed to some Catholics even opting
for these events over attending Mass.

This is undoubtedly unfortunate because the Catholic Charismatic Renewal is
not of human origin, but is the work of the Holy Spirit, pouring new life into the
Church to renew it. Leaders in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal have
consistently expressed their fidelity to the Catholic Church and have echoed
the words of Pope John Paul II, who said that the institutional and
charismatic aspects are co-essential to the Church, because they together
contribute to the life, renewal and sanctification of the People of God. Anyone
who calls themselves ‘charismatic,’ should be open to the ways, gifts and
promptings of the Holy Spirit. But these are all granted to us to draw us
deeper into the fullness of the love, power and presence of Christ, which is
most tangibly present, in this world at least, in the sacraments, and especially
in the Eucharist.

What’s more, is that the Catholic Charismatic Renewal has opened doors to
further ecumenical dialogue between the Catholic Church and other
Protestant groups. The style of prayer used by charismatics, often called
‘praise and worship’, is similar to the worship services of many other
Christian communities. Many Pentecostal and Evangelical communities are
also often founded on a desire to be led by the Holy Spirit, which is similar to
the vision of many Catholic charismatic organizations. Thus, the Catholic
Charismatic Renewal is helping many of our Christian brethren see how there
is a lot more that unites us, rather than divides us.

Following the lead of the Holy Spirit, as well as both ministering and praying in
a way that uses the gifts and charisms of the Holy Spirit is not something that
belongs in the domain of Protestants. It is wholly Catholic! We see evidence
of Spirit-led prayer and ministry in numerous passages in the Acts of the
Apostles that proves that the early building blocks of the Catholic Church
were laid by people who, in our day and age, we would call ‘charismatic’. As
Fr. Michael Scanlan, the former president of Franciscan University of
Steubenville, once wrote, “The Charismatic Renewal does not purport to offer
the Church anything new; it contends only that God is calling attention to what
was in the center of the life of the Church for centuries, but which has been
overlooked or greatly undervalued in the modern church.”

Yet, it’s amazing how some people within the Catholic Church still dismiss the
Renewal movement, despite every recent Pope backing it. In fact, Pope
Benedict XVI reminds us of how any action of the Holy Spirit is not a
historical event of the past, but is a reality that’s always alive: “At a moment
of weariness in the Church, at a time when we were hearing about ‘the winter
of the Church’, the Holy Spirit (is) creating a new springtime, awakening in
young people and adults alike the joy of being Christian, of living in the
Church.”

Thus, the golden jubilee of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal is hugely
significant. We should be thankful that though we live in an age often
considered to be filled with darkness, we are starting to see glimmers of hope
because of movements like the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, which is
playing a vital role in the new evangelization efforts of our Church.
 

Watch a four minute video on YouTube.com (3:48 long)  
 

About Brenton Cordeiro:

Brenton Cordeiro has written 9 posts in this blog.
I was born and raised in Goa, a small state on the west coast of India. I
worked for several years as a reporter, before finally mustering the courage
to follow God's call to pursue the priesthood. I'm currently a seminarian with
the Companions of the Cross, and I study at the seminary in Detroit. My
dream is to one day be able to preach on all seven continents, including
Antarctica.

 

PROPHECY FOR THE 2017 CCR CONFERENCE
Through Linda Short on 10/08/2017 

Oh My People of Love - Fear not, I am with you always.  It is not by choice but loving prayer that you chose this theme, for I am Jesus, Lord of your life; the same Jesus Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, Forever more in Love.  
 
Know that I am Leading, Blessing, Teaching, through all My children that serve Me well from their deep heart of love, unseen by many.  Heart to Heart I lead and you follow in Faith.  
 
This gathering of all My people will be like a refreshing waterfall of My love, direction and guidance for all who seek My will be done.  My love is ever flowing like a river of faith and faithfulness. you feel, but do not always see, accept with your Eyes of Faith.  Many lost souls seeking to be found will know My encompassing love and touch upon their soul and lives.  
 
My Gift of Faith will pour down like a waterfall of grace upon all who enter.  Say," Yes Lord, Yes" and be refreshed in your spirit of faithfulness and your life you live as you place your willing heart, to Me, your Jesus.   

This is a time of Joy and strengthening of Faith.  Peace I give you.  Look not to the world for your answers but through the heart of love that serves and says," Yes Lord, Yes."  Relax, My children, and smile more and touch others with your love and faith in Me, your Lord and Savior.  
 
This is a time of new beginnings.  Trust your hearts and souls to Me your Lord and Savior, God of love and rejoice and say," Yes Lord, Yes",  Thank You Lord, Thank You, I love you Lord, I love you, and My peace will engulf you and create a new joy in your heart and Spirit of Love.  

I go before you always, come follow Me and I will give you rest.