For charismatics - what's the appeal?

[Nevarlander]

Whenever I write a thread about different forums of spirituality, there’s always snarkiness by people not part of the spirituality I’m writing about. So, as Thumper’s mom taught him, if you can’t say something nice, please don’t say anything at all.

I think this is the right forum for this thread.

Catholic charismatics, what is it that brought you to the charismatic movement? I don’t know much about it. Also, how does charismatic spirituality differ from regular old Catholic spirituality?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I am not a charismatic, but I have friends who are. To me, it doesn’t differ from “regular” Catholicism in anything but expression and a sort of emotional abandonment that some might think excessive. The charismatics I know are very, very orthodox in belief; certainly more so than “cafeteria Catholics” of whom there are a great number.

 

[water]

The Holy Spirit grants us different gifts as He pleases. Therefore, charismatic gift or ordinary gift given to us is to build the Kingdom of God and for us to grow closer to God.

I once was brought to the movement through a seminar that my mother wanted me to attend. It is the seminar where I started to have a heart conversion. However, I am back out of the movement and gone back to the regular way.

To me, there is way too much information that I don’t know about the movement, and way too much concentration on praying in tongue. I am more comfortable with all the prayings that come out of a book in English or my mother language.

Praying one rosary per day is already taking a lot out of my effort, and there are many great novenas and devotions that I still want to pray.

 

[nkmeck]

Whenever I write a thread about different forums of spirituality, there’s always snarkiness by people not part of the spirituality I’m writing about. So, as Thumper’s mom taught him, if you can’t say something nice, please don’t say anything at all.

I think this is the right forum for this thread.

Catholic charismatics, what is it that brought you to the charismatic movement? I don’t know much about it. Also, how does charismatic spirituality differ from regular old Catholic spirituality?

This is a loaded question, and a fun one, so let me give my $.02.

I’ve been a “Catholic Charismatic” for about a year and a half, but I do have to say that I’m not fond of the label. As for the difference between Charismatic and “regular old” spirituality, I guess the charismatics are just more excentric. The fact of the matter is, as Catholics, we center our lives around encounters with Christ. He actually left us 7 ways to experience him in the sacraments, with the Eucharist at the center. BUT WE WANT MORE!!! So in our day to day lives we find ways to experience him there. Some will find it in silence, through a walk in the woods, through living out a marriage, through the Rosary, through praise and worship, or praying in tounges. None of these should define us as CATHOLICS but should make us more Catholic, by increasing our love and knowledge of Christ in the Eucharist. So am I a Charismatic Catholic? No, I’m a Catholic, but some times I got to charismatic prayers meetings and pray in tounges.

As for what brought me to the Charismatic movement, well that’s a long story. But you know a tree by its fruits. Through the experience of certain prayer meetings I have fallen in love all over again with the Church. I was a luke warm Catholic, and making it to Sunday mass depended on the level of my hangover. But over the past year the good God delivered me from that. If it wasn’t for my “Charismatic Spirituallity” i wouldn’t have spent the New Year kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament, I wouldn’t be discerning the preisthood, and I probably wouldn’t be hear enlightening all of you uninformed souls (The Lord is currently teaching me humility . But know that last sentence was said in jest.). If it’s taught me anything it’s that I serve a big God and He can do whatever He wants. So to God be the Glory.

I think alot of people fear the Charismatic movement because the church really doesn’t have a structured teaching on it. It’s alittle to “up in the air” or “move by the Spirit” for people. Which is understandable. We as Catholics love our structure. And we get nervous or anxious when people deviate from that structure. I mean think about it. Don’t you feel weird and uncomfortable when the priest accidently skips the penitential rite? Or don’t you spend a few prayers trying to get over the fact that Mrs. Stein only said 9 Hail Mary’s in the last decade of the Rosary when you’re praying in a group? Maybe it’s just me, but I think you know what I’m talking about. What it comes down to, as I mentioned earlier, that we do things that will bring us closer to God, and closer to Christ in the Eucharist. And for me, now, at this point in my life, maybe it’s by being a Charismatic.

Hoped this helped.
God Bless,
Nate