Gift of Tongues

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I’m Catholic and I’ve just finished watching a Father Groeschel EWTN program about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and of course one of the gifts is that of tongues (believed by both Catholics and Protestants) and specialised in by charismatic groups.
Personally I believe the gift of tongues was the ability to speak a foreign language (other than your mother tongue) which you couldn’t speak before. The tongues spoken in charismatic groups in my view is simply gibberish which neither the listener nor the speaker understands. I once attended a charismatic group meeting and was acually a bit offended by the attitude of some members. I was told that if I don’t understand tongues then it means the holy spirit is not in me because tongues is the only way to communicate with the holy spirit. They also said only tongues can be used to really perform an exorcism. I spoke to a priest afterwards and he told me that was nonsense what they said.
However their attitude reminds me of what St Paul said in 1 Cor. 14:1-40 about people who speak in tongues build themselves up whereas people who prophesy build up the church and it is far better to prophesy. Several priests I have talked to are sceptical about tongues and even some priests who do believe told me tongues is the least of the gifts, albeit this opinion does not seem to be shared by charismatics.
Is there an official Church position on Tongues?
 
There was a Healing Mass at our parish and although I wasn’t fully convienced it was a great way to go to Mass-so I went. As I stood at the Alter there was a man and a woman known as catchers, in case you fall, in front and in back of me. The Priest put his hands on my cheeks and looked into my eyes-powerful peace happened and I heard a singing high tone and low tone, I knew it was the catchers but I did not know what they were singing, it was just pleasant. I asked the man and woman after mass if they were talking in tongues and they both said yes, I said “Thank you, that was beautiful.” Forgot about it , worked with pleasure as an hourly captain for our Perpetual Adoration Chapel. The first time I knealt in our Chapel and closed my eyes, I heard the instant replay of that song-like I had a radio phone in my ear. I knew I was where the Lord wanted me. Could all be my subconscious desire, but it happened.
 
Personally I believe the gift of tongues was the ability to speak a foreign language (other than your mother tongue) which you couldn’t speak before.
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Acts 2 :1-13 explains the gift.
Yes, it is the ability to speak a spoken language that you have no previous knowledge of.
Anything else is nonsense because it has no purpose; that purpose being to teach the good news.
 
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catsrus:
Acts 2 :1-13 explains the gift.
Yes, it is the ability to speak a spoken language that you have no previous knowledge of.
Anything else is nonsense because it has no purpose; that purpose being to teach the good news.
Click to expand...
This makes more sense to me than speaking in gibberish. Really, what’s the point of it? It’s also much easier to authenticate. Anyone can speak gibberish, it’s truly a miracle if you start speaking Chinese when you’ve never heard the language before. I’m not saying I definetly don’t believe, but I’m a little sceptical about the whole thing.
 
If we study Acts and the letters of Paul we can find there are several types of “Gift of Tongues”.

At Pentacost, it is the charism which allowed Peter and the other Apostles to speak in their own language yet be understood by all. Later, and I cannot give you the reference right now, but there is the ability to speak in a language that is foreign and unknown to the speaker.

Later in Corinthians, Paul talks about the gift of “Tongues” most of us are familiar with, the gift where someone begins to speak in un intelligble language, either during a liturgical setting or someone is moved by the Holy Spirit just to praise God in this unique way. Also associated with this type, is the Charism given to another individual(s) to interpert what is being said.

Sadly, in a way, I think we reflect too often the Church of Corinth that Paul writes about. In his letter, he explains that this is a gift of the Holy Spirit, but as a gift it is meant for theedification of the community, not the glorification of the individual - it doesn’t mean the individual who speaks in Tongues is any better nor more holy than another. It simply means that the Holy Spirit chose to give His gift to that person for the benefit of the Community.

I have attended Charismatic Masses and prayer gatherings, and I do believe that this gift does exist and is practice. I have a very close friend who I know has the gift of interpertation and he’s the last person you would think would have a gift of any kind. But I have witness the division, like at Corinth, this charism seems to attract. Therefore, I think for us to remember it is a gift from God to build the Community of the Church.
 
HOw much of the gift of tongues is that gut deap prayer that is vocalized when we have no words left to pray? Is that weping or or souls prayer in conjunction with the holy spirit?
 
Most do not understand the difference between prayer tongues (me to God) and speaking in tongues (God to me for the benefit of the community).
The Charismatic gifts are alve in the church, but so is ignorance about them.
Consider getting tapes from Father John Hampsch, or Robert de Grandis, or Robert Faricy SJ -and other reliable sources such as the Southern California Renewal Conference (SCRC) run by Dominic Berardino.
God Bless.
jdemelo.
 
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catsrus:
Acts 2 :1-13 explains the gift.
Yes, it is the ability to speak a spoken language that you have no previous knowledge of.
Anything else is nonsense because it has no purpose; that purpose being to teach the good news.
Click to expand...
Isn’t his passage saying that there were people gathered from all different areas that all spoke different languages? If so there was only one person speaking but each heard him speaking their language. Am I reading it wrong? It is like if I (American), an Spanish speaking person, and a Russian speaking person were all together and a Chinesse person started speaking normally we would all be dumbfounded. But according to this passage we would all have heard his voice in our own language simaltainiously.
 
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TOME:
If we study Acts and the letters of Paul we can find there are several types of “Gift of Tongues”.

At Pentacost, it is the charism which allowed Peter and the other Apostles to speak in their own language yet be understood by all. Later, and I cannot give you the reference right now, but there is the ability to speak in a language that is foreign and unknown to the speaker.

Later in Corinthians, Paul talks about the gift of “Tongues” most of us are familiar with, the gift where someone begins to speak in un intelligble language, either during a liturgical setting or someone is moved by the Holy Spirit just to praise God in this unique way. Also associated with this type, is the Charism given to another individual(s) to interpert what is being said.

Sadly, in a way, I think we reflect too often the Church of Corinth that Paul writes about. In his letter, he explains that this is a gift of the Holy Spirit, but as a gift it is meant for theedification of the community, not the glorification of the individual - it doesn’t mean the individual who speaks in Tongues is any better nor more holy than another. It simply means that the Holy Spirit chose to give His gift to that person for the benefit of the Community.

I have attended Charismatic Masses and prayer gatherings, and I do believe that this gift does exist and is practice. I have a very close friend who I know has the gift of interpertation and he’s the last person you would think would have a gift of any kind. But I have witness the division, like at Corinth, this charism seems to attract. Therefore, I think for us to remember it is a gift from God to build the Community of the Church.
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How does speaking gibberish build up the community of the Church when nobody in the community understands it? Paul said it doesn’t. He clearly and unambiguously said speaking in tongues only builds up the person speaking but prophesising is what builds up the Church.
Therefore I am unclear why you think speaking in tongues builds up the Church when Paul said it doesn’t.
 
Thistle, first as I wrote there are several “Gift of Tongues” through out the NT however I think your focus is on what is commonly understood as this gift. As for Paul saying it was about Tongues being for personal edification remember the context in which he was writing (the conflist and division within the Church of Corinth). Also, there is the gift of interpertation that compliments the gift of tongues. Finally, yes, there are those whose spirituality is so deep that words cannot be used. I’ve read and heard the Pope John Paul II would be in such deep prayer people would hear grunts and groans etc from him - perhaps this is a type of speaking in tongues Paul mentions. If that is the case then, as I see it, this gift is more of another aspect of the person’s entire spirituality which in itself helps to builds up the Church.

Finally, it is a Charism of the Holy Spirit which has to be, by it very nature, for the benefit of the Church.
 
Many years ago I was going through a very difficult time of rejection. I felt that the world was against me (and, lest you think I am just paranoid, I know the hate stare and have been spat upon) and withdrew into myself. After a time, I began to come out of this state through prayers and the sacriments. As my first journey back into society, I joined a charismatic prayer in my parish. I participated in its programs for two or three years and became a well-known and popular presence (on one occasion the priest asked me to distribute the Sacred Blood at Mass although I was not a Eucharistic Minister).

In time, my group came to the point of receiving the ‘baptism of the spirit.’ The priest went down the line (I was last) praying over each of us. After he prayed over a person he or she would begin to speak in tongues (gibberish) and the larger goup would show approval in various ways. I could speak in gibberish as well as the next person but I believed that speaking in tongues, if it means anything, comes from the Holy Spirit and is not ‘manufactured.’ When the priest prayed over me, I (and everybody else) waited to see what would happen - and nothing did!

From that point on, the attitude of the group towards me changed. They were polite and concerned but it was clear that they felt I had failed in some way. I eventually left the prayer group but, by the Grace of God, was not swayed in my Faith by their treatment of me. I knew the extent of the miracle God had wrought in my heart to bring me back to the world of men and even closer in my Faith in Him - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I pray for these people, and many others who treated me much worse, every day.

My point is that the gifts of the Spirit are real and need to be respected. Respect for these gifts means, among other things, to not counterfit them. The priest in my group used certain gibberish phrases when he was 'speaking in tongues. I noticed that the others in the group used many of those same phrases. It’s my belief that the ‘tongues’ became a kind of a secret handshake that showed you were part of the group. When I didn’t follow along, I was considered unworthy.

So, if the Spirit takes control of your voice while in prayer consider yourself blessed. But do not ever give voice to nonsensical sounds which you know you have formulated in your own mind as this is from the evil one.

Keep the Faith,
Curtiss
 
I’m taking in RCIA class. But I actually attended the Assemblies of God’s seminary, and so I learned a lot about the gifts of the Holy Spirit there. I also grew up Pentecostal, so I thought I"d add my two sense in.

There is a prayer language and then there is the gift of tongues which is for proclamation. The proclamation is for the public use, and this most be interperted.

I grew up around speaking in tongues so to speak, so since i was a little girl I was basically “speaking in tongues.” I never felt like anything came over me or anything, (except for one weird moment.) It’s just a private prayer language. Although I never made up any words in my mind, or anything like that. I like to use my prayer language to myself in my own private time with God. I know when I’m around people who believe in it, sometimes we will all prayer in our prayer languages out loud, or we would do it quietly in agreement while someone else prayed in English.

I think tongues needs to be used carefully myself. It’s one thing for a group of people to pray out loud in their many prayer languages when they around people who believe in this kind of thing and its done quietly. It’s another thing to do so when the person doesn’t know anything about the prayer langauge type thing. Honestly, though I have actually used my prayer language less when I was praying in groups (out loud) because i found when I was quiet and just listened, the Lord would tell me what to pray. (Even if it was just one word.) But still tongues are nice when you really don’t know what to pray. (The groans Paul talked about.)

My personally opinion is that the gifts must be done in order. God is not a God of division. If your in a group of people who might not be open to this gift or are questionable, don’t use it. Paul expresses it pretty well when he says it can turn off unbelievers and those who are new Christians and ungifted. The gifts also must never be an end to and of themselves. Frankly I also think “Seek the gift of prophecy!” Better to speak in words that can edify then to speak in a language no one understands. If no one understands it, then you should really keep it to yourself.
 
I’m not sure where to start, so I’ll just use my regular form of gibberish. I’m best at that.

I became involved with my parish Charismatic group after I attended a Life in the Spirit seminar during Lent. I have had prior exposure to a Charismatic group when I was a child and experienced a miraculous healing, so please, anyone, please don’t take anything I say to mean disapproval towards the movement.

But in regards to tongues…I am also skeptical.

The way I see it, these people who pray/sing in tongues do so to praise God. There is nothing harmful in praising God. I have gone before the Lord in tears time and time again, had no prayers, but rather just knelt in his presence and cried my heart out. I don’t see tongues any differently, with the exception that there is less emotion in tongues!

When we go before God and offer ourselves, even in gibberish, he reads our hearts, not our lips, not our eyes…he sees us truly, not matter what.

For Charismatics, they have this “gift” which enables them to relate to and speak to the Lord in a certain way. OK, fine. There is no reason to condemn this. I know that for the most part, the group at my parish is very devoted to Mass, adoration, and orthodoxy in general.

But what turned me off was this:

This last summer I was a group leader and a speaker at the seminar. (nothing major). The seasoned group leader in my small group was talking about how she had sat down with another woman and basically told her they weren’t going to sleep until the other spoke in tongues.

In my experience, that would be termed “pressure”. In just listening to this I felt pressured. This woman, and other women in the group, stated that they saw tongues as the “gift” that opens one to the rest of the workings of the Holy Spirit. Please forgive me for this parallel, but in essence, tongues are, to the gifts of the Holy Spiritm like pot to other drugs…it is a “gateway”.

I just find that to be rubbish. By that logic, the Holy Spirit would have to be bound, and we all know that he is not and he can and does bestow gifts at will. There is no such thing as a gateway.

Their logic is that if God can get you to babble like a baby, he can get you to do anything. But who says God has to get you to babble in order to obtain a response?

I love these people, but I don’t want to speak in tongues unless God gives them to me. The closest I ever came was when praying for someone the words “In nomine domini” continued to come to me over and over again…and I hadn’t been to a Latin Mass! The phrase came out of the blue…and you know what? It drew me back to the adoration chapel, not to “tongues”.

At the Life in the Spirit seminars, they recommend practicing phrases which will “trip” into the tongue…and recommended “Alleluia”. I have to say “In nomine domini” can have that effect as it just rolls off the tongue and when I suggested this phrase (as this is what I would pray at times) they would say it’s Latin, therefore isn’t a real “tongue” :eek:

WHAT?! I don’t speak Latin! Although I understand that phrase (IN the name of the Lord), it is still a tongue as is Spanish and French! And it came to me unbidden, without context…yet becasue I understand the phrase, it is somehow not a true “tongue”

So as far as I’m concerned, they can go on praising God in gibberish as, truly, that is what they are really trying to do. Sometimes words cannot express what we want ot say and sometimes even tears are not enough. Who can disagree with this? So let them speak in tongues.

As far as tonuges to build up the community…well, if they are praising God on behalf of others, they are then building up the community. I really think that some of these parishoners are not praying for attention, they are praying for the benefit of others.

To say that their prayers are not building up the community is like saying that the prayers of each individual, stated whether in public or private, in any language or form is not building a community. Tongues is just another form of prayer…and if the intent of the individual is to offer that prayer to the Lord on behalf of the Church or whatever intention, then it is building the community. Otherwise the same accusation could be held against those who sign up for Perpetual Adoration hours…does this build up the individual, the Church…or both maybe?

Maybe not all groups are like the one I was associated with, but if not, then discern their true intent, their true attitude, and go from there.

Sorry to be so long winded, yet again. If I ever get control of this and actually become a good Catholic and get canonized, I’d be teh partron saint of the long-winded! :o (PS…I’m not much of a saint… :o )
 
The first time I was exposed to any of the gifts was when my wife started talking strangely, and the room we were in filled with the nicest aroma I had ever smelled. She started saying over and over again “I love you;” I somehow knew that she wasn’t talking to me, but at the time, I didn’t understand what was happening. This went on for about a half hour, then she said, “Open up your heart, and let my light shine.” At the time this happened, I didn’t know my wife had the gift of tongues, much less the gift of interpretation of tongues. After about two years, I was also given the gift of tongues, and Jesus used this gift to teach me. I would have a question for Jesus, and then get a tongue, and my wife would interpret the tongue, which would be the answer to my question. One night, Jesus let me know that He didn’t want me to depend on this method as my primary means of communicating with Him, so He told me to pray to be sensitive and open to His touch and word all day long.
Robert
 
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JCPhoenix:
I’m not sure where to start, so I’ll just use my regular form of gibberish. I’m best at that.

I became involved with my parish Charismatic group after I attended a Life in the Spirit seminar during Lent. I have had prior exposure to a Charismatic group when I was a child and experienced a miraculous healing, so please, anyone, please don’t take anything I say to mean disapproval towards the movement.

But in regards to tongues…I am also skeptical.

The way I see it, these people who pray/sing in tongues do so to praise God. There is nothing harmful in praising God. I have gone before the Lord in tears time and time again, had no prayers, but rather just knelt in his presence and cried my heart out. I don’t see tongues any differently, with the exception that there is less emotion in tongues!

When we go before God and offer ourselves, even in gibberish, he reads our hearts, not our lips, not our eyes…he sees us truly, not matter what.

For Charismatics, they have this “gift” which enables them to relate to and speak to the Lord in a certain way. OK, fine. There is no reason to condemn this. I know that for the most part, the group at my parish is very devoted to Mass, adoration, and orthodoxy in general.

But what turned me off was this:

This last summer I was a group leader and a speaker at the seminar. (nothing major). The seasoned group leader in my small group was talking about how she had sat down with another woman and basically told her they weren’t going to sleep until the other spoke in tongues.

In my experience, that would be termed “pressure”. In just listening to this I felt pressured. This woman, and other women in the group, stated that they saw tongues as the “gift” that opens one to the rest of the workings of the Holy Spirit. Please forgive me for this parallel, but in essence, tongues are, to the gifts of the Holy Spiritm like pot to other drugs…it is a “gateway”.

I just find that to be rubbish. By that logic, the Holy Spirit would have to be bound, and we all know that he is not and he can and does bestow gifts at will. There is no such thing as a gateway.

Their logic is that if God can get you to babble like a baby, he can get you to do anything. But who says God has to get you to babble in order to obtain a response?

I love these people, but I don’t want to speak in tongues unless God gives them to me. The closest I ever came was when praying for someone the words “In nomine domini” continued to come to me over and over again…and I hadn’t been to a Latin Mass! The phrase came out of the blue…and you know what? It drew me back to the adoration chapel, not to “tongues”.

At the Life in the Spirit seminars, they recommend practicing phrases which will “trip” into the tongue…and recommended “Alleluia”. I have to say “In nomine domini” can have that effect as it just rolls off the tongue and when I suggested this phrase (as this is what I would pray at times) they would say it’s Latin, therefore isn’t a real “tongue” :eek:

WHAT?! I don’t speak Latin! Although I understand that phrase (IN the name of the Lord), it is still a tongue as is Spanish and French! And it came to me unbidden, without context…yet becasue I understand the phrase, it is somehow not a true “tongue”

So as far as I’m concerned, they can go on praising God in gibberish as, truly, that is what they are really trying to do. Sometimes words cannot express what we want ot say and sometimes even tears are not enough. Who can disagree with this? So let them speak in tongues.

**As far as tonuges to build up the community…well, if they are praising God on behalf of others, they are then building up the community. I really think that some of these parishoners are not praying for attention, they are praying for the benefit of others.

To say that their prayers are not building up the community is like saying that the prayers of each individual, stated whether in public or private, in any language or form is not building a community. Tongues is just another form of prayer…and if the intent of the individual is to offer that prayer to the Lord on behalf of the Church or whatever intention, then it is building the community.** Otherwise the same accusation could be held against those who sign up for Perpetual Adoration hours…does this build up the individual, the Church…or both maybe?

Maybe not all groups are like the one I was associated with, but if not, then discern their true intent, their true attitude, and go from there.

Sorry to be so long winded, yet again. If I ever get control of this and actually become a good Catholic and get canonized, I’d be teh partron saint of the long-winded! :o (PS…I’m not much of a saint… :o )
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It was actually St. Paul who said a person speaking in tongues only builds up that individual and not the community of the church. Who am I to argue with a saint!
 
Greetings and peace unto you all,

I’m glad I stumbled upon this thread I had wanted to speak about this subject. I’ve recently begun the RCIA so I wouldn’t know yet what is the RCC teaching about speaking in tongues. But prior to me coming home, I’ve always understand speaking in tongues meant to speak in different languages. I would alway go to Acts chap 2 to show the when the disciples received the Holy Spirit they spoke in the languages the people understood.

Also regarding 1st Cor. 14, I would pretty much explain it the same way I did Acts 2. I would always point out that 1st Cor 14 proves people weren’t speaking gibberish because someone had to be there to interpret what was being spoken. But as I read through this thread, a few things became clear to me.

First, I see that in Acts 2, the disciples weren’t speaking in all the different languages of the people present. And it was quite a long list of different nationalities. But instead what came out of their mouths was their own language, and when it came into the ears of the people present, those people heard it in their different native languages (tongues). I don’t believe the scripture is saying the disciples were speaking mutliple languages at the same time.

Now in 1st Cor. 14, I’ve realized that it’s not correct to associate this to Acts 2. My reasons for this is because in Acts 2 the people present understand what was being spoken in their own language without an interpreter. Whereas in 1st Cor. 14 it’s speaking about having an interpreter there to edify the people.

Whether that language that’s being referred to in 1st Cor. 14 is what many call gibberish, as of now really I don’t know, were as before I would definately say no. If in Acts 2 the disciple received the gift to be understood in different languages without an interpreter, why does Paul here in 1st Cor 14 talk about having an interpreter when speaking in tongues? It does seem like there’s a difference, I didn’t see this before but now I do.

Lastly, does anyone know what is the official RCC teaching about the understanding of these scriptures and whether it acknowledges the charismatic groups claims of speaking in tongues (languages) not known to man. I want to read some facts, for the most part all us, myself included, have been giving our interpretation of these scriptures and the subject matter.

God Bless You All,

Nelson
 
Could someone who is a proponent of ‘tongues’ explain to me why, when this was almost unheard of in the church for over 1800 years, even among the saints throughout history, it is now ok? No one did this in the church until the late 60’s and 70’s. It came from heretical sects. Yet now it is supposed to be just fine for Catholics. I just honestly want to know what is the reason given as to why the ‘Holy Spirit’ is doing this and if this is the same Spirit, why He did this in heretical sects first, and how could the Holy Spirit, the spirit of TRUTH, be doing the same things, in both churches. And finally how does this help the Church? All I can see if does is bring more confusion, especially for converts.

I also question these “healings”. The devil can also bring about ‘healings’ too, but there is always a corresponding spiritual damage. Ask any older missionary. I had yet to see one verifiable healing like those found at Lourdes. Wouldn’t they be screaming it from the rooftops and showing the ‘proofs’ if these were really happening?

These are the reasons I am very leery of it and I’ve yet to hear anyone answer these questions fully and honestly. I’ve heard all about people’s “experiences” and “feelings” and even “healings” but no answers to these questions. I am not trying to criticize, I just truly don’t get it…and want some answers. thanks
…
 
Hello all,this has been interesting reading all have had to say about the gift of tongues.To my knowledge i’ve never had the gift of tongues.I do know that God will speak to us in a words of his own makeing.We will understand him as he wants us to.We are not here to judge each others gifts,only to recieve them if he will s it to be.I hope this makes sense to all.Love,hugs,God Blessings,freshwater :bible1:
 
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thistle:
I’m Catholic and I’ve just finished watching a Father Groeschel EWTN program about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and of course one of the gifts is that of tongues (believed by both Catholics and Protestants) and specialised in by charismatic groups.
Personally I believe the gift of tongues was the ability to speak a foreign language (other than your mother tongue) which you couldn’t speak before. The tongues spoken in charismatic groups in my view is simply gibberish which neither the listener nor the speaker understands. I once attended a charismatic group meeting and was acually a bit offended by the attitude of some members. I was told that if I don’t understand tongues then it means the holy spirit is not in me because tongues is the only way to communicate with the holy spirit. They also said only tongues can be used to really perform an exorcism. I spoke to a priest afterwards and he told me that was nonsense what they said.
However their attitude reminds me of what St Paul said in 1 Cor. 14:1-40 about people who speak in tongues build themselves up whereas people who prophesy build up the church and it is far better to prophesy. Several priests I have talked to are sceptical about tongues and even some priests who do believe told me tongues is the least of the gifts, albeit this opinion does not seem to be shared by charismatics.
Is there an official Church position on Tongues?
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I have been to the so called Charismatic meetings twice. The way it looked to me is that if you did not utter an unintelligible sound the Holy Spirit was not with you.

I thought about this and my answer, probably not completly right, is that talking in tongues is an act of the subconcious self to show to others that the individual had indeed the Holy Spirit within.

If I remember St. Paul correctly he said tal;king in tongues was a self edifying experience but understanding them was a gift from the Holy Spirit. I have not gone to one of their meetings in years
 
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