An Article On Charisms & Religious Orders

[Luigi]

Here's an article (not terribly long, but it'll take some time to read) on what charisms are, followed by some explanation of the charisms of four major religious orders - Benedictines, Dominicans, Franciscans, and Jesuits. 

 

I know we've had some questions about charisms on this board recently, so I thought this might answer some of them. 

 

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/column.php?n=3077

Edited January 12, 2015 by Luigi

[BarbTherese]

Shorter version:

 

Catholic Catechism:

http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p123a9p2.htm#801

 

Charisms 

799 Whether extraordinary or simple and humble, charisms are graces of the Holy Spirit which directly or indirectly benefit the Church, ordered as they are to her building up, to the good of men, and to the needs of the world.

 

800 Charisms are to be accepted with gratitude by the person who receives them and by all members of the Church as well. They are a wonderfully rich grace for the apostolic vitality and for the holiness of the entire Body of Christ, provided they really are genuine gifts of the Holy Spirit and are used in full conformity with authentic promptings of this same Spirit, that is, in keeping with charity, the true measure of all charisms.253

 

801 It is in this sense that discernment of charisms is always necessary. No charism is exempt from being referred and submitted to the Church's shepherds. "Their office [is] not indeed to extinguish the Spirit, but to test all things and hold fast to what is good,"254 so that all the diverse and complementary charisms work together "for the common good."255