Charismatic Roman Catholicism

[Deacon_Ed_B]

I have stopped posting here because it is useless, my questions are never answered, but I do need to say something to someone who posted earlier,
Even though, CS Lewis was a protestant, many consider his writings to be those of a Catholic. He was best friends with Tolkien who was a Catholic, and so much of what Lewis wrote was very Catholic, so don’t point to Catholics using CS Lewis as an argument that those Catholics are protestant, because CS Lewis is often considered a Catholic in his writings, even though he never made the official step.

This is a good point Marguerite. I do see however, that you have been following. It is always easier to start by exploring what two people have in common and then addressing differences one at a time, instead of being hit with a barrage of disagreements and trying to sort through them. Unfortunately that is at times a natural response for us all when its like no one is seeing or understanding what is being said, but merely waiting for you to stop before they start in again. Of this we are all guilty at times. This is where prayer comes in.
Prayers & blessings
Deacon Ed B

 

[DebChris]

Thank you for the nice, warm welcome Deacon Ed B!
I am just shocked at this thread. Imagine someone calling telling me that I’m above everyone else because I’m Charismatic and I did not say I speak in tongues, I pray in tongues, and YES! it’s the Holy Spirit praying thru me.

I’m astounded with all the negativity here - The Charismatic Movement is approved by the Catholic Church, I shared my story, I don’t believe that all those priests and nuns in my life are wrong, and I’ve experienced a lot since going to the Prayer Meetings. Not healings, I’m not talking about healings, I’m saying that I’ve gotten alot more out of the Mass since then. What I shared with you is my experience and you cannot say that isn’t true. My spiritual life has much improved and that’s a good thing, right?

I don’t believe for one minute about that anti-charismatic link you posted. I won’t even go into it. All negative! Nothing positive.
I’m new here, and only one of you welcomed me.
But one already was not nice - saying what was said is not true.

This is my 2 cents worth. Again, Thank you, Deacon Ed B for the warm welcome, and for sticking up for me.
Here I was excited to come to this thread, now I’m thinking that was a mistake.

It is true that this thread has become increasingly negative in the past week with allegations that were addressed much earlier in the thread.
There is a different thread for fellowship without the negative attaacks.forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=153858

 

[gloriajean]

DebChris, how can I thank you enough for directing me to that thread! I believe that’s where I belong! You are so sweet and kind!
God bless you!
Gloria

 

[una_fides]

Thank you for the nice, warm welcome Deacon Ed B!
I am just shocked at this thread. Imagine someone calling telling me that I’m above everyone else because I’m Charismatic and I did not say I speak in tongues, I pray in tongues, and YES! it’s the Holy Spirit praying thru me.

I’m astounded with all the negativity here - The Charismatic Movement is approved by the Catholic Church, I shared my story, I don’t believe that all those priests and nuns in my life are wrong, and I’ve experienced a lot since going to the Prayer Meetings. Not healings, I’m not talking about healings, I’m saying that I’ve gotten alot more out of the Mass since then. What I shared with you is my experience and you cannot say that isn’t true. My spiritual life has much improved and that’s a good thing, right?

I don’t believe for one minute about that anti-charismatic link you posted. I won’t even go into it. All negative! Nothing positive.
I’m new here, and only one of you welcomed me.
But one already was not nice - saying what was said is not true.

This is my 2 cents worth. Again, Thank you, Deacon Ed B for the warm welcome, and for sticking up for me.
Here I was excited to come to this thread, now I’m thinking that was a mistake.

I would like to say that I understand your situation and from where you are coming as I too was involved in the same charismatic movement, only within the denomination that spread it to the catholic church, the charismatic episcopals. My earlier post shares more of my story.
You know I tried to share the Catholic faith with a fundamentalist friend of mine, and her reaction was similar to yours. She said she would never read anything that was Catholic or from a Catholic because she thought it was bad. The problem with this thinking is that it looses its objectivity and will not look for truth outside of its own experiences. It is extremely beneficial for us to always remember that we are human and can be easily deceived, as you would likely agree that my fundamentalist friend was because she believed teaching about Christ and his Church that were lies and originated from Satan, who wishes us to trust in ourselves and our own experiences rather than to seek God’s truth, which exists outside ourselves. I think the most positive thing we can do is to say yes to God and yes to his truth, continuously praying “not my will, but Thy will be done.” This prayer will get us there if we humbly pray it and seek God’s truth openly.
Welcome to the forum and God bless you on your journey.

 

[una_fides]

It is true that this thread has become increasingly negative in the past week with allegations that were addressed much earlier in the thread.
There is a different thread for fellowship without the negative attaacks.forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=153858

If by negative you mean a sincere desire to know the truth that God revealed through humble prayer and study, then yes, I think we would be guilty as charged. True “negativity” however is when one embraces their own experiences and feelings and closes their minds to the fullness of truth that exists outside of themselves. God’s truth and our truth are not always one in the same, and we must be always aware of that. Let us pray for humility and seek the truth. If we truly claim to be Catholic, we should research first what the Catholic Church has been faithfully been teaching prior to Vatican II before we jump on an emotional bandwagon and plunge ourselves into what may feel right but which ultimately results in leading many many Catholics away from the Church.

 

[una_fides]

We went through a Life in the Spirit Seminar. It was taught by a nun who worked out of the Chancery office for our archdiocese. We also have priests in our diocese,who work with the renewal who are approved by our Archbishop. I have attended many Charismatic conferences and all are most orthodox in teaching with concentration on Mass, Sacraments, Eucharistic Worship, Prayer, etc. Many EWTN regulars have been speakers at these seminars. People like Fr Pablo Straub Fr. Groschelle (sp), Fr Mitch Paqua. There have been bishops giving talks. During the entire conferences, there are priests available in large numbers for confessions to be heard. I can assure you there is nothing Protestant about it at all. The fruits of these conferences are great. People coming back to the Church, People entering classes for RCIA to become converts. There are several Catholic Universities here in this Archdiocese which have prayer groups. Most diocese/archdiocese have someone in the Chancery who works with this and there is a Charismatic Center in my archdiocese. Wherever you may be, call your chancery and see what they say. Inquiry through the Chancery wil prevent you from ending up with a splinter group. Are there any, Yes, obviously. If you say this reflects on the Charismatic renewal itself, before you assert this, think of the Protestant reformation itself. Did this mean that the Catholic church was not the true Church? What I am saying is inquire with discernment. Don’t simply attack based on hearsay information. Find out for yourself through proper channels and use discernment. It is not for everyone. That does not make you any less Catholic than any who are Charismatic. We are all one body.
Prayers & Blessings
Deacon Ed B

You cited the protestant reformation as a demonstration of how people got Catholicism wrong, and you used this as an attempt to make the connection to the charismatic movement among Catholics to those who deviate from that practice and form their own splinter groups. I must therefore ask you, where and how did the charismatic catholic movement originate? Was it not from the same groups who were already separated from the Catholic Church?

 

[una_fides]

We went through a Life in the Spirit Seminar. It was taught by a nun who worked out of the Chancery office for our archdiocese. We also have priests in our diocese,who work with the renewal who are approved by our Archbishop. I have attended many Charismatic conferences and all are most orthodox in teaching with concentration on Mass, Sacraments, Eucharistic Worship, Prayer, etc. Many EWTN regulars have been speakers at these seminars. People like Fr Pablo Straub Fr. Groschelle (sp), Fr Mitch Paqua. There have been bishops giving talks. During the entire conferences, there are priests available in large numbers for confessions to be heard. I can assure you there is nothing Protestant about it at all. The fruits of these conferences are great. People coming back to the Church, People entering classes for RCIA to become converts. There are several Catholic Universities here in this Archdiocese which have prayer groups. Most diocese/archdiocese have someone in the Chancery who works with this and there is a Charismatic Center in my archdiocese. Wherever you may be, call your chancery and see what they say. Inquiry through the Chancery wil prevent you from ending up with a splinter group. Are there any, Yes, obviously. If you say this reflects on the Charismatic renewal itself, before you assert this, think of the Protestant reformation itself. Did this mean that the Catholic church was not the true Church? What I am saying is inquire with discernment. Don’t simply attack based on hearsay information. Find out for yourself through proper channels and use discernment. It is not for everyone. That does not make you any less Catholic than any who are Charismatic. We are all one body.
Prayers & Blessings
Deacon Ed B

Deacon Ed B, if you get a chance, I would like for you to read my personal testimony earlier as to my experience with the charismatic movement and share your thoughts on it.

I would also like to point out that yes there are some bishops and dioceses that support the charismatic movement, but just to be fair and honest, I think you would admit that that fact in and of itself does not prove the movement to be legitimate. For example, at one point in the Church’s history, the majority of bishops believed, taught, and promoted the Arian heresy that Jesus was not God! I am not equivocating these two, but I am simply citing this fact as an example that we should first be critical as to new teaching and make sure they fall in line with the Traditional teachings of the Church before we start embracing them. Truth is more important than experience. Wouldn’t you agree?

 

[Plain_Catholic]

The replies from Deacon Ed and DebChris are quite edifying. Indeed, I too, have noted that there seems to be a great deal of negative commentaries based upon hearsay in quite a few threads. These comments are reactionary and often perseverate a negativism that was addressed earlier in a topic which obviously was not read by said poster.

Let us pray for those who are so hostile and pray in support of each other.

 

[palmas85]

We went through a Life in the Spirit Seminar. It was taught by a nun who worked out of the Chancery office for our archdiocese. We also have priests in our diocese,who work with the renewal who are approved by our Archbishop. I have attended many Charismatic conferences and all are most orthodox in teaching with concentration on Mass, Sacraments, Eucharistic Worship, Prayer, etc. Many EWTN regulars have been speakers at these seminars. People like Fr Pablo Straub Fr. Groschelle (sp), Fr Mitch Paqua. There have been bishops giving talks. During the entire conferences, there are priests available in large numbers for confessions to be heard. I can assure you there is nothing Protestant about it at all. The fruits of these conferences are great. People coming back to the Church, People entering classes for RCIA to become converts. There are several Catholic Universities here in this Archdiocese which have prayer groups. Most diocese/archdiocese have someone in the Chancery who works with this and there is a Charismatic Center in my archdiocese. Wherever you may be, call your chancery and see what they say. Inquiry through the Chancery wil prevent you from ending up with a splinter group. Are there any, Yes, obviously. If you say this reflects on the Charismatic renewal itself, before you assert this, think of the Protestant reformation itself. Did this mean that the Catholic church was not the true Church? What I am saying is inquire with discernment. Don’t simply attack based on hearsay information. Find out for yourself through proper channels and use discernment. ** It is not for everyone.** That does not make you any less Catholic than any who are Charismatic. We are all one body.
Prayers & Blessings
Deacon Ed B

Not for everyone? For who then?

 

[palmas85]

Thank you for the nice, warm welcome Deacon Ed B!
I am just shocked at this thread. Imagine someone calling telling me that I’m above everyone else because I’m Charismatic and I did not say I speak in tongues, I pray in tongues, and YES! it’s the Holy Spirit praying thru me.

I’m astounded with all the negativity here - The Charismatic Movement is approved by the Catholic Church, I shared my story, I don’t believe that all those priests and nuns in my life are wrong, and I’ve experienced a lot since going to the Prayer Meetings. Not healings, I’m not talking about healings, I’m saying that I’ve gotten alot more out of the Mass since then. What I shared with you is my experience and you cannot say that isn’t true. My spiritual life has much improved and that’s a good thing, right?

I don’t believe for one minute about that anti-charismatic link you posted. I won’t even go into it. All negative! Nothing positive.
I’m new here, and only one of you welcomed me.
But one already was not nice - saying what was said is not true.

This is my 2 cents worth. Again, Thank you, Deacon Ed B for the warm welcome, and for sticking up for me.
Here I was excited to come to this thread, now I’m thinking that was a mistake.

Maybe what was a mistake was something else entirely. As far as negativity goes, I think it pretty negative when a group of Catholics had to go outside of the true Church in order to get close to the Holy Spirit. By implication, the Church wa lacking something that we could only receive from the protestants, which is what happened.

I personally don’t believe that the Holy Spirit would abandon the Church, bless the pentecostals, who reject the Church, and then use them to bring Catholics back to Him.

I don’t see it, I don’t think it happened and I really think you guys are deluding yourselves. protestants use these methods because of one salient and unalterable fact.

They have nothing else, period. We have the Eucharist, they don’t. They need to believe that they have something special, something unique some link to the God they threw away when they ditched the Church. So they came up with this. And all of you who for some reason could not get close to Christ in the Mass fell for it hook line and sinker.

How many posters I’ve seen here complain that they never truly experienced the Mass until the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The question I have and it is a real one is why not?

What was so missing in your life that you need the gimmick that they use because they have nothing else?

I’d really like to know.

 

[Deacon_Ed_B]

You cited the protestant reformation as a demonstration of how people got Catholicism wrong, and you used this as an attempt to make the connection to the charismatic movement among Catholics to those who deviate from that practice and form their own splinter groups.

The example of the reformation was simply to show that those who broke off were not a true reflection of what was Catholic. Just as those Charismatics who broke off did not reflect the true meaning of the Charismatic renewal.

I would also like to point out that yes there are some bishops and dioceses that support the charismatic movement, but just to be fair and honest, I think you would admit that that fact in and of itself does not prove the movement to be legitimate.?

None of the popes supported Arianism. Popes since Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI support the charismatic renewal. If it is good enough for them, its good enough for me.

Not for everyone? For who then?

Just as a particular religious vocation, devotion or way of life is not for everyone so too with the renewal. You may choose to be part or not to be part. This is no reflection on one’s spirituality whatsoever. Thats all I am saying. Nothing implied.

By implication, the Church wa lacking something that we could only receive from the protestants, which is what happened.

With the history of the saints produced by the Church, nothing could be further from the truth.

I personally don’t believe that the Holy Spirit would abandon the Church, bless the pentecostals, who reject the Church, and then use them to bring Catholics back to Him.

No one ever said the Holy Spirit left us nor was it implied.

We have the Eucharist, they don’t.

And this is the central focus of the Charismatic renewal

How many posters I’ve seen here complain that they never truly experienced the Mass until the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The question I have and it is a real one is why not?
What was so missing in your life that you need the gimmick that they use because they have nothing else?
I’d really like to know.

The only reason for a greater experience with the mass is the renewed focus on the Eucharist.
Prayers & Blessings
Deacon Ed B

 

[DebChris]

The Holy Spirit has never abandoned the Church. Before His Ascension, Jesus told his disciples that He would send an Advocate, that we would not be orphaned.
A woman gave a simple testimony of how her prayer was answered. Although new to the forums, her experience was attacked as somehow making her “better than the rest of us.”
None of those who have been given these extraordinary graces has made that claim.
In a time when there is a shortage of priests, many of the young men answering this divine call are charismatic. Gloriajean shared how members of her family, all charismatic, have entered religious life. I have often noted how many from one family become priests and religious while the rest of our families contribute nobody. The father of Therese de Lisieux is being considered for sainthood because he gave all his daughters to the Carmelites.
Each of us has been given the Holy Spirit. We have not left the Church. We believe in the true Presence available in the Eucharist. Our faith does not stop at the doors of the Catholic Church. We are called to live our faith, to take it into the world. The Holy Spirit makes this possible. Our lives become the witness to the Holy Spirit working within us.
If our faith was lukewarm before the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, it is the fault of the individual, not the Church. We have a marvelous God willing to reawaken the faith of even the most tepid. Don’t be afraid to open the gifts.

 

[Deacon_Ed_B]

The Holy Spirit has never abandoned the Church. Before His Ascension, Jesus told his disciples that He would send an Advocate, that we would not be orphaned.
A woman gave a simple testimony of how her prayer was answered. Although new to the forums, her experience was attacked as somehow making her “better than the rest of us.”
None of those who have been given these extraordinary graces has made that claim.
In a time when there is a shortage of priests, many of the young men answering this divine call are charismatic. Gloriajean shared how members of her family, all charismatic, have entered religious life. I have often noted how many from one family become priests and religious while the rest of our families contribute nobody. The father of Therese de Lisieux is being considered for sainthood because he gave all his daughters to the Carmelites.
Each of us has been given the Holy Spirit. We have not left the Church. We believe in the true Presence available in the Eucharist. Our faith does not stop at the doors of the Catholic Church. We are called to live our faith, to take it into the world. The Holy Spirit makes this possible. Our lives become the witness to the Holy Spirit working within us.
If our faith was lukewarm before the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, it is the fault of the individual, not the Church. We have a marvelous God willing to reawaken the faith of even the most tepid. Don’t be afraid to open the gifts.

is was a beautiful and straight forward expression of your feelings about the Church and the renewal. This is one of the major differences between men and women. Women can verbalize feelings much better. Whereas we men tend to reply in other ways, not always the best. Thanks
Prayers & Blessings
Deacon Ed B

 

[DebChris]

is was a beautiful and straight forward expression of your feelings about the Church and the renewal. This is one of the major differences between men and women. Women can verbalize feelings much better. Whereas we men tend to reply in other ways, not always the best. Thanks
Prayers & Blessings
Deacon Ed B

I think it was Abbot Garrett who gave the talk at the Marian House of the Lord about how difficult it is for “a man to become a bride.” The Church is the Bride and we, all its members, are the Church.

 

[una_fides]

I think it was Abbot Garrett who gave the talk at the Marian House of the Lord about how difficult it is for “a man to become a bride.” The Church is the Bride and we, all its members, are the Church.

Just to clarify, “we” (meaning the faithful) are Church to the extent that we conform ourselves to the authority of the Church. One falsely trusts that he is in the Church if he holds to beliefs or teachings contrary to the Church’s Magisterium. The laity and the beliefs of the laity do not define the teachings of the Church. The Church, ruled by its hierarchy, is the true Church of Christ, outside of which there is no salvation.

 

[una_fides]

None of the popes supported Arianism. Popes since Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI support the charismatic renewal. If it is good enough for them, its good enough for me.

Actually many people at the time thought that Pope Liberius actually officially endorsed Arianism, which was arguably the greatest heresy the Church has ever had to deal with. I again, however, would not come close to equating Arianism with pentacostalism (or whatever it’s “ism” is formally called).
To my knowledge there is no publication in which Paul VI, JP2, or Benedict XVI have actually formally endorsed specific doctrines promulgated by pentacostalism, such a “baptism of the holy spirit,” “speaking in tongues,” or being “slain in the spirit.” And even if they were to have formally done so does not prove that they are correct. Popes are not infallible in every day matters at all, and they themselves could easily have made imprudent judgment calls in any support they may have seemed to make.

In addition, you said “if it is good enough for them, it’s good enough for me.” Have any of these popes (or any popes, outside of the 1st century) ever spoken in tongues? Have any been slain in the spirit? Have they ever actively participated in such services and demonstrated reception of such “supernatural gifts”? I think any support they have given is likely directed towards the results more than towards the doctrines that are being promulgated that cannot be found practiced through the history of the Church. Certainly, to the extent that the charismatic movement makes people interested in God and his truth, then that is a good thing. However, to the extent that it replaces the foundation of truth with experience and any new doctrines, then that can be nothing but disastrous in regards to holding to the truth.

Lastly, since you seem to be a strong promoter of the movement, I am interested in your answer to some of the questions I posed earlier. Thanks.

 

[una_fides]

I have several questions for anyone on this thread who is a part of the charismatic renewal:

1. If these extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, which characterize the charismatic movement (i.e. tongues, prophecy, and slain in spirit) are so beneficial to the Church, then why would these gifts remain dormant since the first century of the Church until Protestants then brought them into the Catholic Church?
2. Since we know definitively from infallible Church teaching that all graces flow from and through the Catholic Church, how then could such graces of extraordinary charismatic spiritual gifts emerge from those separated from the Church and then somehow flow in reverse back into the Church?
3. Why would the Holy Spirit choose Protestants, who can only be saved if they are invincibly ignorant of the Catholic faith, in order to communicate grace to the Catholic Church? And is that consistent with how the Spirit has worked at any time in the past?
4. Does the charismatic movement in general (in its initial Protestant manifestation) lead more people to the Catholic Church or away from it?
5. Throughout history when extraordinary supernatural gifts were most prominently demonstrated on a large scale (i.e. first century Church), what was the purpose? Why do you think the extraordinary charismatic gifts (i.e. tongues, etc) cannot be found in history after the first century? And why would they only now be again manifesting themselves?
6. Are the gifts of tongues practiced exactly as they were in the days of the apostles (i.e. spoken in discernible languages to prove to unbelievers the legitimacy of the message (1 Cor 14:22))? Or are they manifestations of emotions into languages that are no where spoken on this earth?
7. Do charismatic masses follow the rubrics exactly or do they deviate? Is one more or less likely to see liturgical abuses in charismatic masses or more traditional ones? Can liturgical abuses, which disobey the legitimate authority of the Church, ever be good?
8. Does and has the movement brought unity in the body of Christ, the Catholic Church, or more division?

These are questions that I cannot figure out reasonable answers for in support of the charismatic movement. I am open to thoughtful answers.

 

[DebChris]

God desires to have an intimate relationship with all people.
It requires faith to respond to God’s revealing word and to perceive the divine action in history. There are those who do not have faith or who consciously reject living in faith. They cannot or will not perceive God’s presence or action in the world and sometimes scoff at or ridicule those who do.
One aspect of evangelization, the proclamation of the Gospel to all people assumes that we first must be evangelized ourselves, calling each other to an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
These words, taken directly from Ch. 2 of the United States Catechism for Adults are at the heart of the Charismatic Renewal.

The Catechism lists 6 steps of evangelization composed by Fr. Alvin Illig (p.137) which includes (5) “Build on faith experiences. Empathize with people’s love of beauty, music, and art. Note this in the popular religion of ethnics and immigrants–and the faith experiences in Cursillo, Marriage Encounter, charismatic renewal.”
Prayer groups such as those sponsored by Charismatic Renewal, Cusillo, Marriage Encounter, and Teens for Christ have both a strong liturgical foundation as well as a vibrant devotional component.(p.297).
Parish missions, retreats, and spiritual movements such as Cursillo and Charismatic Renewal have helped many to begin the journey of prayer and have led people onward to meditation and contemplation (p.477).
“In the longstanding tradition of the Church, prayer is centerred upon God. It is an emptying of oneself not for its own sake, but for the sake of being filled with God and entering into a deeper relationship with him.”

 

[stmaria]

=una fides;3653302]**
4. Does the charismatic movement in general (in its initial Protestant manifestation) lead more people to the Catholic Church or away from it? **
Apparently the Holy Spirit is leading some folks AWAY from the One True Church.

Changing Faiths: Latinos and the Transformation of American Religion pewforum.org/surveys/hispanic/

Religious expressions associated with the pentecostal and charismatic movements are a key attribute of worship for Hispanics in all the major religious traditions – far more so than among non-Latinos. Moreover, the growth of the Hispanic population is leading to the emergence of Latino-oriented churches across the country

Most significantly given their numbers, more than half of Hispanic Catholics identify themselves as charismatics, compared with only an eighth of non-Hispanic Catholics. While remaining committed to the church and its traditional teachings, many of these Latino Catholics say they have witnessed or experienced occurrences typical of spirit-filled or renewalist movements, including divine healing and **direct revelations from God. **Even many Latino Catholics who do not identify themselves as renewalists appear deeply influenced by spirit-filled forms of Christianity

The study also shows that many of those who are joining evangelical churches are Catholic converts. The desire for a more direct, personal experience of God emerges as by far the most potent motive for these conversions. Although these converts express some dissatisfaction with the lack of excitement in a typical Catholic Mass, negative views of Catholicism do not appear to be a major reason for their conversion

Nearly one-fifth (18%) of all Latinos say they have either converted from one religion to another or to no religion at all. Conversions are a key ingredient in the development of evangelicalism among Hispanics. Half of Hispanic evangelicals (51%) are converts, and more than four-fifths of them (43% of Hispanic evangelicals overall) are former Catholics"

 

[DebChris]

una fides–Your post #718 seems less confrontational than earlier posts. Your questions cannot all be answered at one time.
It will take a while to search the scriptures for some of the points I had wanted to make earlier. The first comes from Exodus when the Israelites were concerned about those outside the camp who were filled with the Holy Spirit. It was when Moses delegated people to help him judge the Israelites. His reply was “that all would be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
The Apostles also confronted Jesus when somebody “not of their party” began preaching. Jesus replied, “He who is not against us is for us.”
I do not often have the opportunity to attend a charismatic Mass (#7). Every one that I have attended conformed to the rubrics of the Roman rite.
So what is different? Praise and Worship used at prayer meetings may be included. Everybody sings (as we are called to do at any Mass). The gifts may (or may not) be expressed.
The last time I attended a charismatic Mass, as shared earlier, was a healing Mass.The musicians (no guitars) play before Mass ever begins as we prepare ourselves for the celebration of the Mass. After the Mass, several members of the prayer group took up stations near the altar to pray over those who came forth.
Before that Mass, the parish pastor received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. He concelebrated with the visiting priest, part of the Charismatic Renewal for a long time. The prayers of the two priests plus the deacon that was with them was extremely powerful. Yes, people were “slain in the Spirit” as they prayed over them.
When I read the Little Flowers of St. Francis**, there were stories of the friars appearing as dead for several days. I have never seen or experienced it lasting longer than minutes. St. Ignatius was arrested because “women fainted” as he walked by.
Others, who have greater opportunity to attend Charismatic Masses may be able to tell you more. Do not be afraid that what you witness, if you choose to attend a Charismatic Mass, will somehow lie outside the normal rubrics of the Roman rite…