Catholic Charismatic Friendly Discussions

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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!!
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Everything that you mentioned. But we found our own priest, who had a charism of healing and was willing to come to our parish. He was a priest that traveled around giving retreats and was not connected to any parish. You might need to have a fund raiser to cover the expenses of the priest and any musical group you might want. We needed the pastor’s permission, but the pastor did not have to do anything, so he did not mind. Our Spanish Prayer Group paid a Charismatic priest to come from Mexico for a whole weekend of prayer and and song Etc. ending with a Mass on Sunday. Again, they only needed the pastor’s permission. The group met in our hall and had Mass after the regular Sunday Masses in the church.

Good luck. May God bless you as you seek to offer praise to him, in this way.
 
robertalf:
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?
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Chop away! 🙂

I’m sorry, I try to keep my mind open but the “tongues” used in the prayer group I just don’t find supported in the Bible. One woman at the Life in the Spirit seminar oiffered her suggestion, “If God can make you babble like a baby then he can get you to do pretty much anything.”

OK, fine…so I accept the “tongues” representing no acutal known languages as their method of prayer and praise. Although since I don’t possess that particular charism it gets a little uncomfortable. I actually spoke to a friend of mind about this…he is an Evangelical pastor, and he shares my feelings on this.

HIs caution from his own experience is that if I don’t eventually manifest this charism those in the group will wonder what’s wrong with me. I told him that I don’t expect that to occurr, but I have to admit I wonder.

On Pentecost my church had an all-city Charismatic mass, and it was good to be a part of it, but it just wasn’t to my taste. I like quiet music at mass and I could not focus after communio for all the noise from the band. People sang in tongues when prompted and I also foudn this to be disruptive. I know this is just not my style of worship.

The presiding priest was my SD (is my SD, rather) and he looked so happy on the altar…it was great to see! But even so, as much as I respect him, this just isn’t my spirituality.

I don’t know why God has drawn me to this group…maybe to help me better express myself spiritually? I know there are benefits and I’ve been told that I add to the group…although I really have no idea exactly waht.

Maybe I’m just somewhat discouraged by the animosity I discovered on Friday evening perpetuated by a member under the guise of a “warrning” that I was being disobedient to the magesterium by daring to cover my head during mass.

I actually feel guilty because at the Pentecost mass, some of the members of the group were introducing me to other members of other charismatic groups as a “new member” and I really feel like a hyprocrit as I really don’t share their devotion as they do. I’m really just an unlikely tourist.

I really wish I understood what God is doing!

BTW, I like all the people involved and they are very good, devout Catholics.

Sorry to go on…I’m just conflicted and you’ve given me a chance to try to sort all this out with people who are within the CCR!
:o
 
Thank you Deacon Tony…

I aam going to start with finding a way for the out of town group could come to us as a visitor to share in spreading the chrisms (sp?)…as hiring one for a weekend is going to be expensive. I wonder if there is anyone besides me that feels this? Scarry to look into, being shy…at first that is!

I never thought that having loved it so, that i would feel such a loss with it’s absense!

Again, i will try, and get back to you in a few weeks on the topic…but i’ll still be here…

TheRam…actually, the lost ram…
 
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TheRam:
Thank you Deacon Tony…

I aam going to start with finding a way for the out of town group could come to us as a visitor to share in spreading the chrisms (sp?)…as hiring one for a weekend is going to be expensive. I wonder if there is anyone besides me that feels this? Scarry to look into, being shy…at first that is!

I never thought that having loved it so, that i would feel such a loss with it’s absense!

Again, i will try, and get back to you in a few weeks on the topic…but i’ll still be here…

TheRam…actually, the lost ram…
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You could ask your pastor if you could circulate a sign up sheet for those that might be interested in hearing about Charismatics. If you find some others interested, then you could invite the Charismatic group to put on an Information Night. Good Luck!
 
Lily, thanks for posting that link!

How cool is that! Apologetics in Spanish! (I need that for an El Salvadoran cafeteria Catholic I know!) !Que’ Padre ye que Dio te lo pague!. 🙂
 
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JCPhoenix:
I really wish I understood what God is doing!

BTW, I like all the people involved and they are very good, devout Catholics.

Sorry to go on…I’m just conflicted and you’ve given me a chance to try to sort all this out with people who are within the CCR!
:o
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There are many reasons why God does something, and i aplaude the ability to discern that you are not comfortable in everything, but that there must be a purpose. And there will be a time when the light comes on and so much more will be clear to you. I sugest continueing, as god places nothing before you without a plan…it would be sad to miss the lesson!

On another note, i too was so uncomfortable with the group i was in…but after awhile, just like when back in grade school, we find our nitches. There is something you are giving them, and vise versa. Maybe they think worship is only one kind…fast and riled up. Well there are as many ways, as there are emotions. Just maybe while peacefully in your blissful calm with your eyes shut, a quiet eye will wonder and crave for the peace he sees on your face. Be confuident in your specific talent, as no two are the same. We do not order, or practice these charisms, we are gifted so that we use and share something god has chosen to share with you. How blessed can that be?

Mine was discernment…and i was so happy that it was not a more boisterous one, as i am terribly shy in a group. I try to participate to improve my life, and my childrens, I normally do not like to be noticed or looked at. This makes being here much easier.

I love hearing honesty, thought provolking sweetness hits my ears, as then i recognise what my fears are aswell, but have not put them forward yet. This read was inspiring…Thanks!
 
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TheRam:
Mine was discernment…and i was so happy that it was not a more boisterous one, as i am terribly shy in a group. I try to participate to improve my life, and my childrens, I normally do not like to be noticed or looked at. This makes being here much easier.

!
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I tend to be more introverted as well, and I was painfully shy as a child. Yet I do have a “bubbly” personality as has been described to me by others. What an odd mix!

I don’t really fit into any box outwardly, but inwardly I need peace and quiet.

So here I am with this group and maybe God has me here to help draw me out of my shell and help me to find the courage to speak up that he must have given me somewhere. I tend to be very opinionated and I’ve been very militant for the faith as of late.

I don’t even like leading the rosary,I tend to prefer praying with the group, or alone is even better. Yet it’s nice to have a group to go to with my prayer intentions…such as job troubles, an aunt suffering from recently diagnosed and very serious cancer…etc. I didn’t have that before.

When all is said and done I do hope to look back on this experience and encourage others along this path.

One prayer I have (if you could all pray with me) is that our priest, my SD and the advisor to the group, is leaving to go back to his own parish. I pray that God provide another charismatic pastoral advisor as I am just not at all comfortable without one!

I’ve been a sheep without a shepherd for too long and I really NEED to be somewhere with a shepherd I can trust. Trust is a huge issue for me and I pray that God provide as he always does.
 
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JCPhoenix:
I’m sorry, I try to keep my mind open but the “tongues” used in the prayer group I just don’t find supported in the Bible. One woman at the Life in the Spirit seminar oiffered her suggestion, “If God can make you babble like a baby then he can get you to do pretty much anything.”
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Hi again,
I understand if you do not wish to get into this again, but would you just answer one question?
You don’t see the Romans quote as supporting praying in Tongue?
Rm 8:26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.
Tongues is listed as a gift of the Spirit
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Mysty,

I understand what you are saying but I see that particular verse as the Holy Spirit interceeding for us, speaking FOR us, not THROUGH us. Just as the Saints intercede…they do not speak through their mouths but use their own words in praying to God on our behalf.

I’m not saying I don’t believe and I don’t criticize those with this particular charism…I’m just not personally comfortable with it. I see that they are praising God in their way and I think it’s perfectly fine just as long as I am not pressured to follow suit.
 
It is ok not to feel comfortable with some of the gifts that are manifested at a Charismatic Prayer meeting. My husband still does not have the gift of Tongues and still feels uncomfortable abour receiving them.

He still goes to prayer meetings and enjoys much of the other forms of worship.

I doubt if anyone is going to change their minds here in this forum. I, personally am not going to try to get you to. That is the purpose of teaching at Prayer Group and the Life in the Spirit Seminars.

I hope we don’t get into deep discussions in this thread that might lead to debate. If we do, I can almost guarantee this thread will not last very long.
 
Someone mentioned earlier that charismatic prayer groups were getting elder in age.

I just wanted to point out that there are some places where the spirit is alive and well in the youngin’s!

I’m one of three leaders at my prayer group; I’m 21. We have two regular members who are 18, and a handful of sporadic members ages 13,15,16,17, and 18 (off the top of my head.)

Praise the lord for rising up again in the youth!

Josh
 
Wow!

This is terrific to see you young folks getting more involved. Great to see you are in Portland.

Which parish are you in?

I was based in Portland as a flight attendant about 7 years ago. I had an apartment in Vancouver and went to a prayer meeting just outside of there.
 
I everyone. I would consider myself a neo-traditionalist (I love the tridentine mass as the divine liturgy), but I’m open to the gifts of the spirit. I, as a former charismatic protestants, have a deep appreciation for charismatics, but I’m not sure I fully understand the way the gifts are to function.

Are there any official teachings on how the gifts are to be used? Is there some kind of formal instruction online? Because I’m beginning to think that maybe the gifts functioned differently in the early church than it does in the modern day.

-Jason
 
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robertaf:
This is terrific to see you young folks getting more involved. Great to see you are in Portland.

Which parish are you in?
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Lol… interesting question. My parochial time is dispersed among Holy Rosary (Portland), St. Mary’s (Mt. Angel), and St. Thomas Aquinas (Camas). The prayer group I was specifically referring to is at Holy Rosary Mission (Crooked Finger).

So how did all the young folks start coming to prayer group? I supposed this is a good time for a little testamony.

I joined the CCR when I was 15. When I was 19, the HS told me to start attending the prayer group at Holy Rosary Mission.
At this point in time, the prayer group, like many, had dwindled down to a couple members. Then I started getting Words that our prayer group was going to grow large again, and I even had a couple dreams where I was driving car loads of people up to it.

I mentioned these to the other members of the prayer group, and they said they had been recieving words of increased membership as well, and that it was going to start with the youth of the community.

I thought they were nuts. No way you were gonna get highschoolers to start coming to a charismatic prayer group. Not in vast numbers.

But not wanting to doubt the Holy Spirit, I went home after prayer group and prayed, “Lord, you can bring whoever you want to the prayer group. And if you desire to do this through me, as these dreams have shown, reveal to me one person to invite.”

And at that moment I thought about a girl in the parish who was an acquaintance of mine (she was in RCIA with my Godson a few years back) So I decided that if I saw her at mass the coming Sunday, I would invite her up to prayer group.

Well, she was there. And the power of the Holy Spirit blest me to not realize how ridiculous “Hey, are you doing anything on Friday night? Would you like to come to prayer group with me?” was about to sound. So I asked her. And then almost hit myself when I realized I sounded like I was asking her out.

Well, Holy Spirit blocked that aspect of it for her to, so she said she would come. Fell in love with the prayer group, was baptised in the spirit a few months later. She proceeded to invite her friends, who invited their friends, and now I have a carload of people who go up with me every week.

Oh, and a year later, she ended up being my girlfriend anyway. Funny how God works.

Josh
 
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chosunhoon:
I everyone. I would consider myself a neo-traditionalist (I love the tridentine mass as the divine liturgy), but I’m open to the gifts of the spirit. I, as a former charismatic protestants, have a deep appreciation for charismatics, but I’m not sure I fully understand the way the gifts are to function.

Are there any official teachings on how the gifts are to be used? Is there some kind of formal instruction online? Because I’m beginning to think that maybe the gifts functioned differently in the early church than it does in the modern day.

-Jason
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Hi Jason,

I had written something or revival (which is a little different than CCR) a while back, and perhaps it might be helpful
SUE’S THOUGHTS
by Suzanne Zisblatt

Ecclesiastes 1:9 states “What has been, that will be.–Nothing is new under the sun.”

It would then follow that the gifts of revival are not new. They were either unmanifested or manifested differently. I believe it may be the intense presence of the Spirit and will be manifested in whatever way is needed at the time.

It is so exciting how the fire and laughter soar and the peace ebbs and flows. When I attended the Philadelphia meeting I was so drenched in the Spirit that I could not move or speak. When I was prayed over at our prayer meeting I did receive laughter, and was very vocal and outwardly joyous. Now I just go back and forth, but the joy of God’s love and spirit are always with me whether or not it is outwardly manifested. It is funny how I feel the joy even when I am sad. Previously, when we cried for no apparent reason we sometimes considered this the Spirit. It is far more logical to me to have our tears turned to joy and experience a joyous Spirit. We sure need that!!!

Spiritual Love is the intense desire for benefits to the beloved. It is the absence of all hostility.
Spiritual joy is an intense peace and awareness of God’s Love. It is the absence of anxiety and depression. It is outwardly manifested in the exuberance of Holy Laughter, but once bestowed it is always present even in our sorrow. It is Spiritual–not emotional.

Some are fearful of this new fire (many charismatics too) I find it very incongruous that many of those who were so intolerant of traditionalists who wouldn’t accept renewal won’t accept revival, but as with all else-- it is a gift and cannot be forced on anyone. The Spirit promises to bless us in a way we will understand—all things in due time.

I belong to Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish in Staten Island, N.Y. Our pastor, Msgr Jeff Conway has introduced revival here, initially to the prayer group. He brought the prayer teams to Msgr Walsh’s meeting and plans to bring more members of the prayer group. We will expand as the fire spreads.

We hold a monthly healing Mass. The presence of the spirit is becomming intensified—far more so than previously. There is a tremendous outpouring of love. This month many rested in the Spirit and did receive the peace. I believe I did see more joy although I didn’t hear any laughter. I was blessed with the presence of the Spirit so intense that I didn’t (or couldn’t) move for an extended period of time (I lost track) It is a life changing experience. Could this be the beginnings of Mystical Prayer? That possibly the Spirit is grabbing our attention with the laughter and then drenching us so in His presence that His love will just flow through us?
 
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threej_lc:
… So how did all the young folks start coming to prayer group? I supposed this is a good time for a little testamony.

I joined the CCR when I was 15. When I was 19, the HS told me to start attending the prayer group at Holy Rosary Mission.
At this point in time, the prayer group, like many, had dwindled down to a couple members. Then I started getting Words that our prayer group was going to grow large again, and I even had a couple dreams where I was driving car loads of people up to it.

I mentioned these to the other members of the prayer group, and they said they had been recieving words of increased membership as well, and that it was going to start with the youth of the community.

I thought they were nuts. No way you were gonna get highschoolers to start coming to a charismatic prayer group. Not in vast numbers.

But not wanting to doubt the Holy Spirit, I went home after prayer group and prayed, “Lord, you can bring whoever you want to the prayer group. And if you desire to do this through me, as these dreams have shown, reveal to me one person to invite.”

And at that moment I thought about a girl in the parish who was an acquaintance of mine (she was in RCIA with my Godson a few years back) So I decided that if I saw her at mass the coming Sunday, I would invite her up to prayer group.

Well, she was there. And the power of the Holy Spirit blest me to not realize how ridiculous “Hey, are you doing anything on Friday night? Would you like to come to prayer group with me?” was about to sound. So I asked her. …

Well, Holy Spirit blocked that aspect of it for her to, so she said she would come. Fell in love with the prayer group, was baptised in the spirit a few months later. She proceeded to invite her friends, who invited their friends, and now I have a carload of people who go up with me every week.

Oh, and a year later, she ended up being my girlfriend anyway. Funny how God works.

Josh
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Thanks for this awesome story. I have shared it with our core group and a youth minister friend and everyone else I knew would enjoy it.

I would sure enjoy other folks sharing experiences like this, especially ones with young people.
 
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robertaf:
Thanks for this awesome story. I have shared it with our core group and a youth minister friend and everyone else I knew would enjoy it.

I would sure enjoy other folks sharing experiences like this, especially ones with young people.
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That’s a great idea! Why don’t we start sharing some stories, any stories, about when God’s made his presence very known at prayer groups, etc. We are blest as Catholics and as Charismatics to have a renewed awareness of the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives. So lets just share some with eachother!

I don’t want to hog this forum just with my experiences, but I’ll share one more that happened recently.

I was praying in my prayer language, when one of the members next to me turned and said, "Why did you just pray, “You are the God of fire?’ The Holy Spirit has been giving me that prayer all day today!” I just kind of stared at her and was like, “Uhh… I was just praying in my prayer language.” She responded “Umm… I distinctly heard, ‘You are the God of fire.’”

First case I’ve ever seen of a full interpretation of tongues.

Josh
 
I think the Gift of Interpretation of Tongues is fairly rare. I haven’t seen it all that often, in the years I have been a Charismatic.

We have a lady in our prayer group that has a Gift I have never ever seen before. She receives words in Tongues and immediately after gets interpretation of that tongue, herself. It happens on a regular basis. The funny thing is that although I have only once had interpretation when folks had a “word” in a tongue, I have heard the same interpretation in my head as she spoke the tongue and she would then speak out precisely what I heard. This has happened to me twice but it has happened with a few other folks in our Prayer Group. I have learned not to put the Holy Spirit or His Gifts in a box. It just doesn’t work this way.

I do want to remind everyone that his is a place for friendly discussion not for debate. I hate to discuss Tongues in these forums because it usually invites trouble.

Please do refrain though, even if it means you open up another thread on a given topic so you can debate. I just beg you not to do it here.
 
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