Speaking in tongues

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alliWantisGod

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Hi everyone.

This is my second thread so far. Anyways I’m a young catholic growing in my faith and I have come across another issue and am looking for more experienced Catholics to help me answer my issue.

I have a friend who attends a non-denominational charismatic Christian movement, and he invited me to one of their services. Now I was a bit startled and puzzled because the pastor was calling on to God to send the holy spirit down on the people. People were falling on the ground, and were dancing and singing, and they were crying and such. I was a bit startled because I thought they were possessed. The people started to blurt random words that never made sense to me which was called speaking in tongues.(Now I am not trying to offend anyone because I simply don’t understand what was going on, so im looking for knowledge on this so called “speaking in tongues” so I can understand it more). I was at the churches bible study once and the pastor claimed that he prayed for a lady’s deformed leg to grow in Jesus’s name, and he said a new leg grew. I’m not sure if I can fully believe that. The people were nice to me and such, but they claimed that they were able to prophesize to me about how my life will be with God. They wanted me to try to do these prophecies to the other people in the bible study, but since I didn’t know anyone i told them that I couldn’t do it, since I would be making things up in my head to say, but they told me that those thoughts in my head are from God. I’m pretty sure that its me consciously thinking of things. So I am confused. I know there are charismatic Catholics, so is speaking in tongues from God? I thought the apostles spoke in tongues such as other languages, not random words?
 
Personally, I would steer clear of charismatic movements. To me, speaking in “tongues” is speaking in other languages. The apostles spoke in tongues, and foreigners understood them. Where it creates confusion and chaos rather than understanding, I think that comes from the enemy.

I also would avoid churches that claimed to predict the future almost like these who look into a crystal ball. If God wants us to know something, we will know it in his time, not ours.

We are to avoid psychic phenomenon (them telling you to go ahead, predict the future).
 
ClearWater said:
Personally, I would steer clear of charismatic movements. To me, speaking in “tongues” is speaking in other languages. The apostles spoke in tongues, and foreigners understood them. Where it creates confusion and chaos rather than understanding, I think that comes from the enemy.

I also would avoid churches that claimed to predict the future almost like these who look into a crystal ball. If God wants us to know something, we will know it in his time, not ours.

We are to avoid psychic phenomenon (them telling you to go ahead, predict the future).
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Spot-on. 👍

Also, beware of “healings.” Yes, miracles have happened not only in the Bible, but likely elsewhere (as is the case with many saints), but we cannot really know. 🤷
 
My mother and sister went to healing mass many time, many Catholics there do speak in tongue. that was years ago. Nowadays i have no idea. 🙂
 
alliWantisGod said:
Hi everyone.

This is my second thread so far. Anyways I’m a young catholic growing in my faith and I have come across another issue and am looking for more experienced Catholics to help me answer my issue.

I have a friend who attends a non-denominational charismatic Christian movement, and he invited me to one of their services. Now I was a bit startled and puzzled because the pastor was calling on to God to send the holy spirit down on the people. People were falling on the ground, and were dancing and singing, and they were crying and such. I was a bit startled because I thought they were possessed. The people started to blurt random words that never made sense to me which was called speaking in tongues.(Now I am not trying to offend anyone because I simply don’t understand what was going on, so im looking for knowledge on this so called “speaking in tongues” so I can understand it more). I was at the churches bible study once and the pastor claimed that he prayed for a lady’s deformed leg to grow in Jesus’s name, and he said a new leg grew. I’m not sure if I can fully believe that. The people were nice to me and such, but they claimed that they were able to prophesize to me about how my life will be with God. They wanted me to try to do these prophecies to the other people in the bible study, but since I didn’t know anyone i told them that I couldn’t do it, since I would be making things up in my head to say, but they told me that those thoughts in my head are from God. I’m pretty sure that its me consciously thinking of things. So I am confused. I know there are charismatic Catholics, so is speaking in tongues from God? I thought the apostles spoke in tongues such as other languages, not random words?
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What you experienced is about 83 miles from the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.

My first suggestion is for you to read chapter 14, Gospel of John. You can use your own bible or this link. usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/index.cfm
What do you learn about the Holy Spirit? What have you already learned about the Holy Spirit?
 
I am a cradle Catholic who married a charismatic Pentecostal Christian who is now Catholic. I, too, thought the things going on in his church strange. I learned that there are two distinct types of ‘tongues’ phenomenon, one is a prayer language between a person and God. The other is a message that needs an interpretation. I prayed in tongues to God. I did witness a miraculous healing. Our neighbor was paralyzed from the neck down, he was a firefighter and a ceiling collapsed on him. Doctors said he would never walk again. I saw him jumping rope in his backyard after his pastor prayer over him.

But, I witnessed many things that I knew where not of God, the dancing, running, screaming and disorder.

Take heed of grannymh’s advice and stick with the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. There is order there.
 
Some Pentecostal assemblies deny the trinity - so which spirit is really moving them? As well, if someone is speaking in tongues, they build only themselves up. There must be translators or else only a single person benefits. But who asks for translators? Who wants to be a translator?
 
The Catholic Charismatic Renewal pays attention to both 1 Corinthians chapter 12 and chapter 14. Thus, there are two separate Holy Spirit gifts which employ the use of Tongues.

The common gift is praying in Tongues directly to God. Prayers to God do not need an eavesdropper interpreter. The second separate gift which uses Tongues is when a person speaks God’s message to the assembly. In order for the assembly to learn God’s message, there has to be an interpreter. The two gifts using Tongues can be described as the first going up to God and the second God speaking down to us.
 
Years ago , I was invited to a service such as you went to,
I thought I joined in a looney bin celebration ,
I could be convinced a hand full of people are perhaps gifted with speaking in tounges ,
But I can’t be convinced that 400 people in one big room would be that blessed ,
I just wanted to run away , but thought that would offend those that invited me,
I never returned , do yourself a favor ,and just open the bible at a random page and read for 5 min ,you will get a lot more out of that,
 
I attended a Pentecostal church for a while, the “Open Bible” denomination to be specific. I still pray in tongues, but it usually happens on its own when I am in deep, fervent prayer. As to speaking in tongues; I’ve seen a lot of it, and very little of it seemed real. Quite often there is no interpretation given, and when there is it’s always the person who spoke in tongues giving the interpretation, at least what I have witnessed. Sometimes it’s a message that’s hard to argue with, but not really revealing, such as, “We must turn back to God and walk in His paths” or reiterating scripture. Other times it was obvious that it was the person’s own views which were being touted; though, I’m sure they thought that their views came directly from God.

When the Apostles spoke in tongues they didn’t need an interpreter because everyone understood, but later the gift of tongues was specifically supposed to always have an interpreter, unless it was private praying in tongues.

Too often these days I see it used as showmanship on YouTube videos and television. Saint Paul called it the “least of the gifts” of the Holy Spirit. If one is really filled with the Holy Spirit, one is humble.

I’ve been trying to find the Catholic Charismatics in my area, but they may not have a group here nor any masses nearby. My county is large, but sparsely populated.
 
Mother Angelica, founder of EWTN, experienced a healing. during the days following her death, they were showing many films on her and of her. her healing was filmed.
 
As a Catholic, you already have a life with God through the sacraments; Baptism, Holy Eucharist, Confession, Confirmation, Marriage, Sacrament of the Sick, Holy Orders. They don’t have to predict how your life with God will be, you have one now. God is living in you now.

Your life with God is not based on feelings, emotions or dancing, If you love God, you will take up your cross and follow Him. You will pray, attend Mass, receive the Sacraments, do good deeds and avoid sin.

Be at peace. God bless you.
 
There is a charismatic group in my parish, and my parents used to take me there. They spoke in tongues but it was peaceful, if that makes sense, I didn’t feel uneasy or anything.

In my confirmation camp, there is a part where a couple of people will pray over you, while speaking in tongues, calling god to bless you and feel the holy spirit. Idk what the process is actually called, if someone can tell me, please do! But basically a couple of people were slain, some cried (not hysterically), some felt a sensation. I felt my heart burning (my friends there did too). Other churches (catholic) had the same thing

But at the end of the day, it was a peaceful experience, nobody looked possessed imo

The people in that church you are talking about sounds…shady…
 
Just to clarify, the two healings which Mother Angelica personally experienced in her life were not centered on the charismatic movement:

Her first cure at the age of 19 came on the last (9th) day of a novena she was praying to St Therese of Lisieux .

Mother’s second cure came while she was praying the Rosary ; during the fourth decade of the Glorious Mysteries.

In the first instance when Rita Antoinette Rizzo (Mother Angelica) was 19 years old, - on January 8, 1943,a sympathetic friend had brought her to an Ohio mystic and stigmatic named Rhoda Wise. Rhoda Wise was the one who recommended that Rita Rizzo make a novena seeking the intercession of St. Therese of Lisieux.

In the second instance, Mother had been invited by the visiting purported mystic- Paola Albertini , to pray a Rosary together. In response to this second healing , Mother Angelica remarked:
“I think we forget that the Rosary is powerful.”
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catholicculture.org/news/features/index.cfm?recnum=6838

mysticsofthechurch.com/2015/05/mother-angelicas-two-miraculous-cures.html

Personally, I discovered that the Catholic charismatic movement wasn’t really my cup of tea after I’d attended 7 meetings of a group in my parish some years ago. The movement itself * does *serve a need and a purpose in the Catholic Church, but it sometimes needs to be purified of certain exaggerations or distortions which may arise.

It was actually an exaggerated focus on speaking in tongues which turned me away from that particular group in the first place. The group leader had been telling everyone to make noise. . . to “Just open your mouths and make a sound - don’t worry about what you are saying ; just make a sound and let the Holy Spirit form your words.”

That typifies a particular error warned against in EWTN’s Charismatic Renewal - General . . . when we end up seeking the gift , rather than the* Giver of the gift*.

Neither have I ever understood a need to speak to God privately in tongues, when we can get as up close and personal as we could ever desire - speaking with him intimately in the Holy Eucharist - be it in Holy Communion or Adoration.

The holy Catholic Church has always had mystics and always had healings - we even have 2 sacraments of healing. All of this healing is accessible to us in the everyday life of the entire Church. It isn’t something somehow exclusive to a particular group.

.
 
Hatikvah said:
Spot-on. 👍

Also, beware of “healings.” Yes, miracles have happened not only in the Bible, but likely elsewhere (as is the case with many saints), but we cannot really know. 🤷
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Yes, but even Jesus warned us that many false prophets would come and deceive many people, so this implies that some of them are actually healing, its not all fake, like most people assume.

Ive never understood why so many folks are skeptical of ‘tent revival type healings’, when the bible tells us such things will truly happen.

To be a ‘real’ false prophet, they must do some things that no one else can do, I mean, thats the whole point, to deceive, if everything they did was just fake or hoaxed, Im not sure you could call them false prophets… they would be ‘fake false prophets’.

Plus if majority of people thought their healings were fake to begin with, they would not be that great of a false prophet!

When I was with the Pentecostals, I saw and heard many people speaking in tongues, it is NOT all jibberish, it is a language, although I could not understand it, I did recognize similar words/ phrases among those who were speaking in tongues, Plus some of the time, I noticed the tone of their voices changed, it was really eerie, you could just tell it was not something they were doing or had any control over.

The fact that Ive never once seen anyone in a catholic service speaking in tongues has had me wondering at times too.
 
Found this while I was researching this.

How Pope Francis Reacted to 50,000 Charismatics Praying Over Him, Speaking in Tongues

The pope has not always been a friend of the charismatic movement. On June 1, he remarked that, years ago when the Catholic Spirit-filled movement began, he “did not have much love for charismatics.”

But meeting with more than 50,000 Catholic charismatics in Rome’s Olympic Stadium, the pope willingly knelt onstage as those present prayed for him with singing and speaking in tongues, according to Catholic News Service.

Pope Francis admitted he was uncomfortable, but he let the charismatic multitude carry on.

As he knelt on the stage, the crowd prayed for the Holy Spirit to fill the pontiff and sang with hands raised in his direction. When the song ended, many kept their hands up, singing and continuing to pray in tongues.

Over time, the pontiff has come to see the benefits that they have brought to the church.

Yet the pope also had some words of rebuke in one speech he gave, warning those within the movement not to attempt to control God’s Spirit, but rather serve as His conduits.

“Be dispensers of God’s grace, not controllers. Don’t be the Holy Spirit’s customs agents,” Pope Francis remarked.

For some, putting “Catholic” and “charismatic” in the same sentence is an oxymoron. But since the charismatic Catholic renewal began in 1967 in Pittsburgh, it has purportedly grown to 119 million followers worldwide.

charismanews.com/world/44200-how-pope-francis-reacted-to-50-000-charismatics-praying-over-him-speaking-in-tongues
 
Thanks for the advice everyone. I just found it confusing. People acted hypnotized. Also, faith in God shouldn’t be based on an emotional high, faith has no emotion regardless. I did go to a church service like this before a few years back with an ex girlfriend, and the prophetic minister was touching people’s heads and they broke down crying, but when he touched my head nothing happened. He also claimed that he cured a person in Russia of demonic influence, and a spider came crawling out of the possessed person’s mouth. Everyone chanted “Amen!” But I found it a bit too far fetched
 
grannymh said:
The Catholic Charismatic Renewal pays attention to both 1 Corinthians chapter 12 and chapter 14. Thus, there are two separate Holy Spirit gifts which employ the use of Tongues.

The common gift is praying in Tongues directly to God. Prayers to God do not need an eavesdropper interpreter. The second separate gift which uses Tongues is when a person speaks God’s message to the assembly. In order for the assembly to learn God’s message, there has to be an interpreter. The two gifts using Tongues can be described as the first going up to God and the second God speaking down to us.
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Grannymh, thank you for pointing the light on this distinction. 🙂 Between you and me here, and this light post, I just read chapter 12 thru 14, and I appreciate what Paul is saying, but I think he may be taking it a little bit to the extreme when he says not to speak in tongues in public unless it will be interpreted. I understand his point, that being that it should be done for edification, but given the second distinction which you noted - going up to God; I think it is very edifying when done with the guidance of a priest. The experience serves to edify as people witness those who have been given the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues pray to God. It is a magnificent thing to witness, it’s like the voices go up to heaven but are mixed with voices of saints in heaven that join in the prayer in tongues. Truly extraordinary.

It reminds me of an experience I had in church when I smelled flowers, although there were none in sight. It was a spiritual experience. Father Corapi once said that he had that experience and so he knew exactly what people meant when they said they smelled lilac in church; but I would describe it more as smelling a billion flowers and roses and this aroma is enjoyed by the soul. Similarly, when the Holy Spirit is present when people are speaking in tongues; I see it as a billion voices, a billion languages etc… its beautiful.

Now, I am not one to easily disagree with Paul, this would be a first, so allow me to ask you; am I missing something in what he is saying?
 
phil_at_dayboro said:
Years ago , I was invited to a service such as you went to,
I thought I joined in a looney bin celebration ,
I could be convinced a hand full of people are perhaps gifted with speaking in tounges ,
But I can’t be convinced that 400 people in one big room would be that blessed ,
I just wanted to run away , but thought that would offend those that invited me,
I never returned , do yourself a favor ,and just open the bible at a random page and read for 5 min ,you will get a lot more out of that,
Click to expand...
I had a similar experience. Decades ago, I went with neighbors to their pentecostal church and I was freaked out when they all started jumping around and even falling to the floor. I did not see any spiritual motivation in their behavior, but it was as though they were just doing this behavior. Weird. I wanted to leave but I did not want to be rude. So, I stayed as much as I could and casually left - to never set foot in the place. This false group behavior gives a bad name to the true gifts of the Holy Spirit.

This is not to say that only faithful, pious, Catholics receive gifts from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is generous and gives to sinners and non-believers alike. Those who truly have a gift from the Holy Spirit did not earn it, but almost as if randomly the Holy Spirit gives.
 
grannymh said:
What you experienced is about 83 miles from the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.

My first suggestion is for you to read chapter 14, Gospel of John. You can use your own bible or this link. usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/index.cfm
What do you learn about the Holy Spirit? What have you already learned about the Holy Spirit?
Click to expand...
Agreed.

I don’t know where you got 83 miles from, 🙂 but, it sure is a long, long, long way from home.
 
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