Charismatic?

[BigJon16]

What is a "Charismatic"? Saw the thread, but I'm not sure what a Charismatic is?


Thanks in advance!

[Brother Adam]

To directly answer your question the common understanding of "a charismatic" in Catholic circles is a person who practices a spirituality that is founded in the Charismatic Renewal in the Catholic Church. Both Blessed John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI approve of the renewal. To flesh it out a bit, the renewal is built up through the charismatic gifts which the catechism speaks of:

[quote]Grace is first and foremost the gift of the Spirit who justifies and sanctifies us. But grace also includes the gifts that the Spirit grants us to associate us with his work, to enable us to collaborate in the salvation of others and in the growth of the Body of Christ, the Church. There are [i]sacramental graces[/i], gifts proper to the different sacraments. There are furthermore [i]special graces[/i], also called [i]charisms [/i]after the Greek term used by St. Paul and meaning "favor," "gratuitous gift," "benefit." Whatever their character - sometimes it is extraordinary, such as the gift of miracles or of tongues - charisms are oriented toward sanctifying grace and are intended for the common good of the Church. They are at the service of charity which builds up the Church. - [i]Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2003[/i].[/quote]

The renewal in the Church is distinctive than Protestant charismatic Christianity.


[quote]At the heart of a world imbued with a rationalistic skepticism, a new experience of the Holy Spirit suddenly burst forth. And, since then, that experience has assumed a breadth of a worldwide Renewal movement. What the New Testament tells us about the Charisms - which were seen as visible signs of the coming of the Spirit - is not just ancient history, over and done with, for it is once again becoming extremely topical. - [i]Cardinal Suenens[/i], 1983[/quote]

Common groups within the renewal include Franciscan University of Steubenville who have a particular call to the practice of the renewal through Father Mike Scanlon. At the heart of the summer youth conferences which serve some 40,000 teens is Eucharistic Adoration where the Holy Spirit is judged to give many attendees special gifts of healing, forgiveness, peace, rest, tongues, etc. The clergy and religious have a special role of discernment. There are also Life In the Spirit seminars throughout the nation, special healing Masses with charismatic priests, and local parish groups that practice a charismatic spirituality.

Distinctive of the renewal is a loyalty to the faith and teachings of the Catholic Church, a devotion to the Sacraments, and a focus on spiritual formation leading to right living and perfection through the grace of God. Many self-avowed Catholic charismatics also have a significant attachment to the Traditional practices of the faith such as the rosary, Extraordinary Form of the Mass, Adoration, and chant as well as newer forms of non-liturgical worship. And of course there is the devotion to the Holy Spirit, stronger than most forms of spirituality.

Significant books for today to better understand the renewal include Ralph Martin's [i]The Fulfillment of All Desire[/i], Dr. Alan Schreck's [i]Your Life in the Holy Spirit[/i], and [i]Sober Intoxication of the Spirit[/i] by Father Cantalamessa.

In some way we are all called to be charismatic in the sense that we remain open to the gifts of the Holy Spirit and renew our relationship with the Third Person of the Most Holy Trinity, while we may not be members of the renewal or practice their distinctive spirituality. It cannot be contested that the fruits of the renewal are significant, especially in the call to conversion, expression of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life, and production of Catholics who are practice a strong fidelity to Church teaching.