Slain in the Spirit and speaking in tongues

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Deborah_Kloos

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Hi!! I would like to know more about Charismatic Catholicism. What happens when a person speaks in tongues? Does someone have to translate it? What does the person experience when they speak in tongues?? Do they remember?? Do they feel different??

I also want to understand the concept of being slain in the Spirit- falling down when someone prays over you. What does it feel like?? Why does this happen???

Thank you
 
Speaking in tongues is a gift of the holy spirit . Its meant for the edification of your own spirit and for others . However in the bible it teaches that speaking in tongues shouldnt been done in church unless you or someone there is able to interpet the tongue for the listeners for there own ediifcation.

To Receive this gift you must be in the state of grace. Then you simply ask the Lord Humbly for the gift of tongues for help in your faith . Then open your mouth…and speak it.

Ive never been slain in the spirit but ive seen people slaiin in the spirit and know people who have. From there accounts they just feel overwhelmed in Gods Presence…they have a very powerful revelation of his Glory and Love.

Whys it Happen? Because the Holy Spirit is the heart and Soul of the Church. Only in him and through him can we do anything. Its through his power and his wisdom that we can live a holy life, not in our own power.

God bless
 
Speaking in tongues is a special gift or charism of the Holy Spirit. The person speaks in a language he doesn’t know but someone who is present is able to translate or interpret it. Speaking in tongues is for the benefit of the group and is less common than praying in tongues.

Praying in tongues is another gift of the Holy Spirit that is more often experienced in Charismatic prayer groups. It is used to praise God and to benefit the person praying. The person who wants to receive it should be earnestly trying to put God at the center of his life. He asks the Holy Spirit who he received in Baptism and Confirmation to become more active in his life. And asks to receive this gift.

Often the person is prayed over by a priest and/or the whole group. But you can ask for this gift while praying at home. Sometimes he is moved to open his mouth and spontaneously begins to speak what seems to be nonsense syllables but within himself he is feeling that thanks and praise are flowing out of him to God. However, it is more usual that praying in tongues comes little by little as we learn to relax and speak out. Praying in tongues can be very helpful as part of our private prayer life and for intercessory prayer when we are unsure how to pray for someone.

Both speaking and praying in tongues are under the person’s control. God may urge us but doesn’t force us to speak.
 
Thank you for your responses. I am very interested in finding more out about this because there is a prayer group at our church where people speak and pray in tongues. I am not very comfortable with it because it is unfamiliar to me but I am very open to learning more about it and having an open mind.
 
Deborah_Kloos said:
Thank you for your responses. I am very interested in finding more out about this because there is a prayer group at our church where people speak and pray in tongues. I am not very comfortable with it because it is unfamiliar to me but I am very open to learning more about it and having an open mind.
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We used to have such a prayer group in my parish. I was a member. My first experience of a Catholic Charismatic Prayer group felt really weird. I knew the leader very well and he suggested that I come back at least three times before dropping it from my life. He was correct, I ended up staying for at lest a decade and didn’t leave it until the group folded.

I noted in another thread that a person went to a celebration of the EF and was very confused about it all. Another poster suggested attending at least five times before giving up. It is a good idea. First impressions are not always positive or true to the situation.
 
I would like to narrate one incident that I had heard of.

A Jewish woman asked a preacher to pray over her. He began praying in tongues. At the end of it she said, “Oh brother, I didn’t know you speak Hebrew so well!”.

He was amazed and told her he didn’t know Hebrew! Both were amazed!
 
This was recently discussed at length.
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=235141
I would never go. If the tongues that are being spoken are real languages then there may be something to it. However if it is nothing more that gibberish that no one can understand, no one can interprete then that seems dangerous to me.
 
iaskquestions said:
I would like to narrate one incident that I had heard of.

A Jewish woman asked a preacher to pray over her. He began praying in tongues. At the end of it she said, “Oh brother, I didn’t know you speak Hebrew so well!”.

He was amazed and told her he didn’t know Hebrew! Both were amazed!
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Wow!!! That is a miracle!!!
 
I have to say that I shy away from some of that. I am not a fan of charismatic prayer groups only bc I have seen what has happened to my husband and his prayer life. I just suggest that if there is any type of charismatic prayer group…it should be lead by a priest. Sometimes those groups go overboard. That has just been my experience and my husbands.
 
This was recently discussed at length.
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=235141
I would never go. If the tongues that are being spoken are real languages then there may be something to it. However if it is nothing more that gibberish that no one can understand, no one can interprete then that seems dangerous to me.
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Just want to clarify something I think could be misunderstood.

“Real languages” may not be understood by anyone present either. Being a real language or being understood isn’t enough to know if the gift of tongues is of the Holy Spirit. OTOH “gibberish” will be understood by someone with the gift of interpretation.
 
Not everyone has the gift of interpertation either…I agree…I do think that the charismatic movement is not for everyone…I think some people like to push their interpertation and misuse their gift at times…that is why I think a priest should be present at these types of prayer groups…to help guide the interpertations…
 
theresekay said:
Not everyone has the gift of interpertation either…I agree…I do think that the charismatic movement is not for everyone…I think some people like to push their interpertation and misuse their gift at times…that is why I think a priest should be present at these types of prayer groups…to help guide the interpertations…
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Unless the priest has the gift of interpretation I don’t think it would make a difference. I’m not sure what you mean by “guide”. What would stop a priest from pushing his interpretation or agenda?

I totally agree that the charismatic movement is not for everyone. 👍 No matter what one’s apostolate is it is important to remember that it is not for everyone.

ETA: What is people’s understanding of Interpretation? Do you think people are just listening and saying, in effect, “I think this person is saying ______ in their prayer language”? Otherwise how would an interpretation be pushed?
 
Bruised_Reed said:
Unless the priest has the gift of interpretation I don’t think it would make a difference.
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I am not sure how you think about this, but because of similar thinking, some groups that I know of had rejected advices and guidiance from their own pastors. That is a big problem.
 
I can only speak from the Pentecostal perspective.

However, the Pentecostal faith has really turned me off towards the gifts of the Holy Spirit. However, I have never attended a Charismatic Mass or Prayer Meeting within the Catholic Community, yet… I hope to one day though.

I have the gift to pray in tounges and received that gift when I came up out of the water at my baptism which was in the Pentecostal church, who would’ve “thunk” it?!

Anyways, I’ve noticed that I only pray in tongues whenever there is a dire need or I’m at a loss for words during prayer, or I’m in warfare and after I’ve prayed to St. Michael.

As for being slain in the Spirit, it’s a refreshing experience but in the Pentecostal church they tend to push down hard until you fall. There has been times when no one was there to catch me and I hit the floor but was not in pain. Which the Holy Spirit allowed me to hear the pastor say, “He’s ok… when the Holy Spirit allows you to “faint” in the Spirit and even if there’s no one there to catch you, you’ll be ok.”

I don’t know how all this works in the Catholic Church but I cannot wait to see how it does… the Holy Spirit is just awesome! :extrahappy:
 
water said:
I am not sure how you think about this, but because of similar thinking, some groups that I know of had rejected advices and guidiance from their own pastors. That is a big problem.
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I want to respond to your post but I don’t have time to properly answer you. Back tomorrow night at the earliest.
 
Okay …prime example…for instance…someone would say…" The Holy spirit told me to tell you that you should buy the baby grand piano for the church…" True example that happened to my husband’s sister…Whom by the way was just newly married and barely on their feet…I understand that their is a gift of interperation…but there are many abuses and manipulation that goes on in some of those groups…not all…but I am very protective of sending anyone to these groups. My husband grew up in it and around it…there never was a choice…and it truly is not for everyone and damaged not just his spiritual life…but others that had been a part of that group. There is a lot of healing that needs to take place…and picking up the pieces…I know many very devote catholics who are charismatic…but it is not for everyone… I agree too also about the priest thing…however not the average priest has the gift of interpertation…I just think there is a lot of room for abusing the holy spirit power…and manipulation that goes on in those groups…
 
Deborah_Kloos said:
What happens when a person speaks in tongues? Does someone have to translate it? What does the person experience when they speak in tongues?? Do they remember?? Do they feel different??

I also want to understand the concept of being slain in the Spirit- falling down when someone prays over you. What does it feel like?? Why does this happen???
Click to expand...
Anything that happens, (if it is from God), happens for the glory of God, and for the edification of the person praying, or the person being prayed over. There is no requirement for someone to be there to interpret. I have not experienced the gift of tongues, but I have been prayed over in tongues, and my prayer partner was fully conscious, but I don’t really know if they know what it is they’re saying.
Being slain the the Spirit, or sleeping in the Spirit is a very relaxing feeling. It’s not that God knocked me out, but perhaps just suggested that it would be nice to lay down.
So, a word of caution now. If you pray for a gift of the Holy Spirit, you will get one, but it might not be tongues/interpretation/tears/laughter/anything visible. You might just wake up in Africa next year 😉 😉 😉 In fact, I would encourage you not to ask or seek a visible gift, simply because they are the smallest gifts. St. Paul goes to great lengths to tell us what he is if he does not have love. Ask for a virtue. But of course, pray about it first.
May God bless you awesomely.
theresekay said:
Okay …prime example…for instance…someone would say…" The Holy spirit told me to tell you that you should buy the baby grand piano for the church…" True example that happened to my husband’s sister…Whom by the way was just newly married and barely on their feet…I understand that their is a gift of interperation…but there are many abuses and manipulation that goes on in some of those groups…not all…but I am very protective of sending anyone to these groups. My husband grew up in it and around it…there never was a choice…and it truly is not for everyone and damaged not just his spiritual life…but others that had been a part of that group. There is a lot of healing that needs to take place…and picking up the pieces…I know many very devote catholics who are charismatic…but it is not for everyone… I agree too also about the priest thing…however not the average priest has the gift of interpertation…I just think there is a lot of room for abusing the holy spirit power…and manipulation that goes on in those groups…
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for anyone who wishes to learn more about the Catholic Charismatic Renewal here is a good site, but like this one requires registration to join discussion forums. I see some of our user names over there as well, so you won’t be alone
ccc.garg.com/
 
theresekay said:
Okay …prime example…for instance…someone would say**…" The Holy spirit told me to tell you that you should buy the baby grand piano for the church…"** True example that happened to my husband’s sister…Whom by the way was just newly married and barely on their feet…I understand that their is a gift of interperation…but there are many abuses and manipulation that goes on in some of those groups…not all…but I am very protective of sending anyone to these groups. My husband grew up in it and around it…there never was a choice…and it truly is not for everyone and damaged not just his spiritual life…but others that had been a part of that group. There is a lot of healing that needs to take place…and picking up the pieces…I know many very devote catholics who are charismatic…but it is not for everyone… I agree too also about the priest thing…however not the average priest has the gift of interpertation…I just think there is a lot of room for abusing the holy spirit power…and manipulation that goes on in those groups…
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That doesn’t sound like interpretation, but gift of knowledge/word of knowledge. If I had the gift of interpretation I wouldn’t hear tongues (or only tongues), I would hear/understand English (because that’s what I understand) instead. There isn’t a lot of room to push an agenda.

And in that vein the gifts of knowledge and prophesy are confirmed by someone with the gift of discernment or another person with that same word or prophesy.

If someone were to tell me something like that in your first paragraph I would, of course, pray about it. But if I’m always praying and seeking God’s will I would probably already have a prompting to do that or know soon if that was in fact God’s will for me. Or not.

I do know of people who do that sort of thing that you described and I don’t think a person has to have the gift of discernment to know what they are saying is not from the Holy Spirit.
 
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