Catholic Charismatic Friendly Discussions

[robertaf]

Hi Mysty

Great to see you .
None of us older Charismaniacs have experienced a really good Prayer Group that thrived, without Pastoral participation. Those Pastoral gifts are so important. I really advise any of you to do your best to get either a Priest or Deacon to join in, at least some of the time.

 

[Mysty101]

Yes, our Pastor joins us most weeks, and we have a healing Mass one evening a month, and a healing service one afternoon.

Our meetings are also in the Church and the Blessed Sacrament is exposed. The is very helpful in keeping the focus on prayer.

 

[robertaf]

Good Morning Church

Good Morning Mysty

Our first Charismatic Mass will be on June 24th. Father has chosen not to do a Healing Mass the first time out but a Praise and Worship type.

Our Parish has not had a Prayer Group. Past Priests were not comfortable with the Charismatic Renewal and discouraged it (very strongly). The new Pastor is very supportive and the young associate Priest is a Charismatic. He, the associate, will be celebrating Masses to begin with, at least.

Many folks in our Parish are quite “Traditional” (how I hate labels) and not at all familiar with Catholic Charismatic worship. I would guess many have developed negative opinions, which is pretty common, I think. Father and the rest of us are very respectful of thier feelings and we plan to proceed carefully.

We are very excited because another neighboring Parish in our area (of three parishes) has a new Priest who is Charismatic as well. They are moving out in the Holy Spirit there, too.

We have visions of a Conference down the road one day.

 

[Mysty101]

Wonderful!!!

I will mention your group on the prayer line, which also includes many members of the SI Conferrence as well as the Archdiocesean & TriDi organizations.

It is so great to hear of a budding conference in this time of waning----our conference is not nearly as active as when it began 25 years ago. Unfortunately we lost 5 members of the Service Team through death and moves last year, and no one has replaced them. (the team is only 10-12 members) We are trying to activate the Steering Committee, which will be at least one member from each prayer group to sit in on the Service Team meetings.

 

[TheRam]

Ahhhh, how wonderful, i envy you the gift of getting this done.

Prior to the change of Priests in our parrish 7 years ago, we had a charismatic priest…after his 4 years, he was asked to leave by the older members that threatened to leave…$$$$$$

Any ideas of how to aproach an Irish Priest, sense of humor, kind, and loves hunting and gardening. Then up on the pulpit, he reads his sermons, lessons and examples to us in a monotone voice with very few things that come from the heart it seems. All music is the same, all about farming, and not at all uplifting or joyful. If the song is, it is sung slower and it has as little life in it as possible.

I know the Lord is there, as i feel him. As for the service, i feel God trying to interject, but not invited to do so…It is frustrating. I have found that the changes in the 7 years he has been there is in funraising, getting things for the church, the gardens, etc. And we have no group of prayer, no spiritual foundation from the congrigation. It is an old town, and do not like change, and $ talks and the lost sheep are never attended.

Thrice i have gone, desperate, and was listened to, not helped or steered in any direction besides given the address of a church 45 min away, that is really good at that. But they do not know me, and my church is 3/4 of a mile from me!

I have gone less and less and i want this life back, but watching this makes me feel like their are strangers in Gods house…that can not see him, or are ignoring him…it is very very sad!

Any ideas?

 

[Mysty101]

That is tough.

Since your priest has a sense of humor—try to work that angle. Make him laugh, and then try to suggest some new music. This is the best way to get some life into the worship.

It will be much easier if you have others who also want more enthusiastic and Spirit filled worship.

Pray for an outpouring of the Spirit and His gifts.

 

[JCPhoenix]

For charismatic orders, check out the Intercessors of the Lamb
www.bellweatheromaha.org

–
I recently became involved with the charismatic group at my parish, after a Life in the Spirit Seminar. God has been doing a lot of things in my life and I really just felt drawn to go.

I tend to lean towards the “Traditional” or “Orthodox” and I wear a headcovering at mass, tend to worship in more of a contemplative versus charismatic style. I do not speak in tongues but I can tell you the Holy Spirit has sent me other gifts.

Anyway, there is currently a priest associated with our group and he tries to at least stop in every week, even if he can’t stay. He is an Indian priest from the area of Kerala, and highly highly educated. (and currently is my SD).

I feel so blessed that he took me on.

Anyway, it is my respect for him that drew me more to this group, although of course I am benefitting from the spiritual growth and hopefully I bring something there for them as well.

The format they use is this:

They sing (w/ guitar) some music which is very old and (in my opinoin) out of date for the first half hour. Some contemporary Christian praise songs heard on the radio, but a lot of older stuff I really can’t relate to at all. As I work late and am always rushing I usually skip this part and spend the time in the Adoration chapel where I really need to be to help me seperate myself from work to being able to focus completely on God.

Then is time for reflection, Bible reading and if someone recieves a “prophesy” (which is not a future-oriented event, but a message from Jesus, etc.) An example : “My people, come to me, trust me and let me show you all the gifts I have for you if you would only open your hearts to my mercy.”

Afterwards there is a scheduled teaching, whether part of a series or a particular topic. Recently we discussed the psalms, and Christian maturity.

The last part is prayer where we lift up those in our lives in need of prayer or special intentions of our own.

 

[serendipity]

JCPhoenix:

For charismatic orders, check out the Intercessors of the Lamb
www.bellweatheromaha.org

Thanks JC. I tried the link, but it seems to down. I hope it’s not permant, but just a temprorary misfunction. I have been searching on general vocation sites, but nothing seems to come up. I am very interested in taking the Life in the Spirit seminar, or something similar as well, but have not been able to find one yet. I will be moving soon, so I hope meeting new people might mean more opportunities.

 

[JCPhoenix]

serendipity:

Thanks JC. I tried the link, but it seems to down. I hope it’s not permant, but just a temprorary misfunction. I have been searching on general vocation sites, but nothing seems to come up. I am very interested in taking the Life in the Spirit seminar, or something similar as well, but have not been able to find one yet. I will be moving soon, so I hope meeting new people might mean more opportunities.

go to www.spiritdaily.com

I may have posted the first link incorrectly but you can find it under “Intercessors of the Lamb” if you page down. It’s listed alphabetically. Otherwise try a google search and that should get you there.

God Bless!

 

[Mysty101]

JCPhoenix:

.
They sing (w/ guitar) some music which is very old and (in my opinoin) out of date for the first half hour. Some contemporary Christian praise songs heard on the radio, but a lot of older stuff I really can’t relate to at all. As I work late and am always rushing I usually skip this part and spend the time in the Adoration chapel where I really need to be to help me seperate myself from work to being able to focus completely on God.

Hi JC—
I am glad you did resolve your concerns & found benefit from the Prayer group, and a good SD.
Do you ever participate in the singing? Contemplative Prayer is wonderful, but we also do benefit from lifting our voices in song. This is part of the frormat, and really does help to open us to the Spirit. Praise is the most beneficial form of prayer, and also the most neglected. And song is the best way to praise.

I once attended a conference in Philadelphia—The main theme was the importance of praise.

Rev 4 8] “And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all round and within, and day and night they never cease to sing, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

This scripture tells of the importance of Praise—we MUST praise God with joyful enthusiasm every day. This theme was emphasized over and over through the Revival conference by Msgr Walsh and Fr Tom Di Lorenzo. God does not need our praise, we need to praise Him–it is very uplifting to us. There were some manifestations of Holy Laughter, but not as many instances as I had remembered from other prayer meetings I had attended there. There was, however an abundance of Spiritual joy which was manifested in the wonderfully exuberant Praise Tongue.

 

[JCPhoenix]

Mysty,

I actually sing all the time, and I have gone to that part of the prayer meeting…and found myself so turned off by the bad music that I could not focus. I’m also not really comfortable with all the singing in tongues.

I find that if I fist spend time with the Lord in adoration and then go I’m far more at ease and open to the Spirit than if I attend the first half hour.

You don’t understand…the music is BAD. I am a musician and I can’t handle bad music. I just cringe the entire time.

That was my only complaint with the Life in the Spirit seminar as well…the music. Nothing wrong with the singers or the guitars…just the music.

The young adults group at my parish (Frassati Society) is hoping to set up a seminar especially for us with more updated music we can all get into.

I won’t say anythign to the musicians in the group as they clearly love the music they are singing and I am not going to ruin that for them. I do not consider myself to be a charismatic Catholic so I don’t really expect to be around for very long within that group, but we’ll see what the Lord leads me to do as time goes on.

 

[Mysty101]

Oh, I see----

I certainly do understand dislike of bad music, or even good music that is just not my taste in music.

It is good that you can see the benefit of the Charismatic group, even if your worship style preference is different. Charismatics are called to be a part of the traditional Church, while attempting to help the rest become more open to the Spirit and His gifts.

I would say you are very Charismatic.

 

[PJR]

Hey Everyone,

Thanks for the names Suz. I remember Fr. Lou from our youth group trips to Stuebenville several years ago. Great priest. I know some people who are still close to him and I can find out what he’s up to.

Fr. Charles said a Mass in a teaching format once for the kids. It was the finest explanation of the offertory and Real Presence I have ever heard. My kids were actually paying attention. I can’t remember everything he said but in his homily he used grapes and wheat and explained how and why these symbols were used as our offering and how they represented all of ourselves that we were placing on the altar. It was wonderful.

He has a great voice too. He sang Ave Maria with me once at a Mass. I’ll have to find out more about his CCR involvement.

Hey JCPhoenix, what kind of music or which songs do you like the best? What sources do you prefer?

Hey Ram, hang in there and work on that Irish priest’s sense of humor. I will pray for you to be an on fire tool of the Holy Spirit.

Love and prayers, Paula

 

[robertaf]

Greetings Church

Hi JC,

You know, I have been a Charismatic for a long long time and I tend to agree with you about the music. At least I do about some of the Contemporary stuff. I find a lot of it hard to sing and waaaayyyyy to repetitive. I usually end up going silent after repeating the same things half dozen times.

I don’t think it is true of all the Charismatic music and definately not of some of the older songs.

The one nice thing about music, though is it is contiually changing.

Another thing I am noticing, not only the music has changed but some of the Praise.

In the old days we sang worship TO the Lord, not ABOUT the Lord. Lot of the songs now are not true worship but tell about God.

We also use to lift much of our worship up to the Holy Spirit. I notice now, a lot is lifted up to Jesus. I love to worship Jesus but if we are looking for the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, the GREAT AND WONDERFUL manifestation of the Gifts and the Fruits, we need to increase our worship to the Holy Spirit.

 

[misericordie]

robertaf:

Misericordie,
I promise to pray for you. In fact, tomorrow night is our Prayer Meeting, and I will put you in prayer there, I plan a fast this week, I will offer that fast for you and I will lift you up in Communion. Ya don’g get a lot better than that.
However, I will do one more thing. My adopted Patron Saint is St. Martin de Porres, I will ask him to join me in these prayers.

Lord, starting right now, I lift up Miseridordie to you for your healing touch and your abundant Blessings. I ask you to touch him in every cell of his being and every corner of his life and Bless him.

St Martin de Porres, please pray for this internet friend.

Amen

Thank you so much robertaf. THIS means so much to me and I ask that PLEASE, you continue to pray for me, and my whole life in general. Blessings.

 

[misericordie]

robertaf:

Greetings Church

Hi JC,

You know, I have been a Charismatic for a long long time and I tend to agree with you about the music. At least I do about some of the Contemporary stuff. I find a lot of it hard to sing and waaaayyyyy to repetitive. I usually end up going silent after repeating the same things half dozen times.

I don’t think it is true of all the Charismatic music and definately not of some of the older songs.

The one nice thing about music, though is it is contiually changing.

Another thing I am noticing, not only the music has changed but some of the Praise.

In the old days we sang worship TO the Lord, not ABOUT the Lord. Lot of the songs now are not true worship but tell about God.

We also use to lift much of our worship up to the Holy Spirit. I notice now, a lot is lifted up to Jesus. I love to worship Jesus but if we are looking for the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, the GREAT AND WONDERFUL manifestation of the Gifts and the Fruits, we need to increase our worship to the Holy Spirit.

robertaf, hello. I just sent you a privae message.
Blessings, misericordie

 

[JCPhoenix]

robertaf:

Greetings Church

Hi JC,

You know, I have been a Charismatic for a long long time and I tend to agree with you about the music. At least I do about some of the Contemporary stuff. I find a lot of it hard to sing and waaaayyyyy to repetitive. I usually end up going silent after repeating the same things half dozen times.

I don’t think it is true of all the Charismatic music and definately not of some of the older songs.

The one nice thing about music, though is it is contiually changing.

Another thing I am noticing, not only the music has changed but some of the Praise.

In the old days we sang worship TO the Lord, not ABOUT the Lord. Lot of the songs now are not true worship but tell about God.

We also use to lift much of our worship up to the Holy Spirit. I notice now, a lot is lifted up to Jesus. I love to worship Jesus but if we are looking for the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, the GREAT AND WONDERFUL manifestation of the Gifts and the Fruits, we need to increase our worship to the Holy Spirit.

I really am not sure of all the new/vs old. I don’t mind “Change my heart Oh God,”, “Spirit of the Living God” (actually had a very powerful dream I have discerned w/ my SD in which that song had a strong presence), “Come Holy Spirit Let your Fire fall” (not sure of the actual title)…but there’s a lot of stuff I know is old and it is just repetetive, tuneless and boring. It does nothing for me I tried to sing and I choked on the music AND the words which were completely without spirit. Obviously my feelings differ from those who are choosing the music and they have been involved for a long time.

Of course, I’m pretty much one of the youngest members of the group…I’m 30 and they’re all 50’s and up.

The CCR needs not only a major musical renewal, but a facelift! (Not referring to age…just the rut they seem to be stuck in). It’s realy no different than the issues those who like the “traditional” hymns versus Haas/Haugen/Joncas. I just feel that the CCR is in somewhat of a time warp.

I actually like the more contemporary Christian songs they incorporate, but they don’t use many of those and the ones they use tend to be a little on the uninspiring side. Maybe it’s just that it doesn’t go well with guitars. I’m not really sure.

I do listen to a lot of Contemp. Christian music and I will turn it up and belt it out. Last week I went to adoration completely “jamming” to one song I could not get out of my head…so I offered it to Jesus and “jammed” with him. I had a sense that he was entertained by this experience of mine.

I’m also not comfortable with the tongues. I know people who share my own personal devotional spirituality (maybe more Auguistianian), and they have had the gift of tongues come to them in prayer. They wrote the words down, spelling as well as they were able and foudn through spiritual directors or others the origin and meaning of the words…in one case they were Aramaic, in another case I think Sanskrit, in another Latin. None of which any of them had the prior knowledge of.

I see the tongues in the prayer group as a personal devotion and personal gift but there is a general attitude that this is for “everyone”. Yet my own personal devotion of wearing a mantilla to mass was actually attacked on Friday evening by a member of this group.

That’s another story so I won’t go on.

I’m just trying to discern to where the Lord is calling me and it seems that I am finding nothing but conflict wherever I go!

 

[Deacon_Tony560]

TheRam:

Ahhhh, how wonderful, i envy you the gift of getting this done.

Prior to the change of Priests in our parrish 7 years ago, we had a charismatic priest…after his 4 years, he was asked to leave by the older members that threatened to leave…$$$$$$

Any ideas of how to aproach an Irish Priest, sense of humor, kind, and loves hunting and gardening. Then up on the pulpit, he reads his sermons, lessons and examples to us in a monotone voice with very few things that come from the heart it seems. All music is the same, all about farming, and not at all uplifting or joyful. If the song is, it is sung slower and it has as little life in it as possible.

I know the Lord is there, as i feel him. As for the service, i feel God trying to interject, but not invited to do so…It is frustrating. I have found that the changes in the 7 years he has been there is in funraising, getting things for the church, the gardens, etc. And we have no group of prayer, no spiritual foundation from the congrigation. It is an old town, and do not like change, and $ talks and the lost sheep are never attended.

Thrice i have gone, desperate, and was listened to, not helped or steered in any direction besides given the address of a church 45 min away, that is really good at that. But they do not know me, and my church is 3/4 of a mile from me!

I have gone less and less and i want this life back, but watching this makes me feel like their are strangers in Gods house…that can not see him, or are ignoring him…it is very very sad!

Any ideas?

We had a healing Mass at our church and a local Charismatic group from a nearby town came. Maybe your pastor might be open to this.

 

[TheRam]

oooo that sounds devine!

What was involved, as far as our parrish is concerned…

The priest saying mass?
Blessings, and laying of hands?
Worship?
Singing…lot’s i hope?
inviting an other group in to show us how it is done?

I want to go in with the right information when presenting it to the Priest, as well as already asking the carismatic group from the outer township.

Thank you Deacon Tony!!
God bless!!

 

[robertaf]

JCPhoenix:

Of course, I’m pretty much one of the youngest members of the group…I’m 30 and they’re all 50’s and up.

The CCR needs not only a major musical renewal, but a facelift! (Not referring to age…just the rut they seem to be stuck in).

…I’m also not comfortable with the tongues. I know people who share my own personal devotional spirituality (maybe more Auguistianian), and they have had the gift of tongues come to them in prayer. …

Yet my own personal devotion of wearing a mantilla to mass was actually attacked on Friday evening by a member of this group. …
QUOTE]

Sorry to chop your post up!!!
I am pretty much one of the oldest one in our group. I will be 69 in August.
I also happen to be a contemplative and have been since 1982. I often pray in tongues for awhile in order to get into deep contemplative prayer, so you are right it can be a very personal type prayer. However, if you have read many of the posts in Charismatic threads, you will have found out there are more than one type of tongues.
I am very respectful of any sort of devotion that brings one closer to God. If that be wearing a mantilla, great! I come from a time when we all wore head coverings, mantillas and lace chapel caps as well as hats and scarves. Believe it or not, back then, ladies were so hung up with the fact that they HAD to cover their heads in Church, they were known to use hankies and even Kleenex. I can’t tell you how many times back then I would see a hankie with smudges of lipstick on them. I think there is nothing prettier than a white lace mantilla that is spotlessly clean and pressed or worse looking than a wrinkled or soiled one.
As I remember it, we didn’t cover our heads as a sign of devotion but a rule of the Church. I was converted back then and took classes and it was presented as a rule. The change only made covering ones head optional. Funny how “rules” come about, isn’t it?