Western Oregon
Catholic Charismatic Renewal
The Catholic Charismatic Renewal is critical to the Church and to each of its members. The Renewal enables us to learn about the Spirit -- our Advocate -- and to accept his leadership in our lives.
We receive the Spiritual Gifts of the Holy Spirit through the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. However, we are not always aware of the works of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is one way for us to reinvigorate our awareness of the Holy Spirit and his mission to draw us closer to Jesus and the Church. As we become aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit and the intimate relationship we can have with Jesus, the Spiritual Gifts of the Spirit are showered upon us and Jesus wills.
St. Paul wants all of us to be aware of our personal spiritual gifts. At baptism we begin a special relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit which grows every day.
When Jesus was about to ascend into heaven, he said: "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you." -- The New American Bible (NABRE), 2011, John 14:16-18
Some may wonder about who is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity. He reigns with Our Father and Jesus Christ. This belief was expressed from the earliest days of the Church in the prayer titled: The Apostles Creed. It professes faith in the Holy Trinity — Father, Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit .… "I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, …" -- Apostles Creed>
Most of us have heard about the Holy Spirit and most of us have learned about the Holy Spirit, but many times that is as far as our experience has gone. The Holy Spirit is a real person, a part of the Blessed Trinity just like Jesus and the Father. We receive the Holy Spirit through the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. Through what is called the baptism in the Holy Spirit, a personal conversion experience, the power that is the Holy Spirit is released within us.
There is a difference between a seven week LIS seminar and one that is on one day. The Doctrinal Commission of the International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Service (now known as CHARIS) provides the following discussion: "The Life in the Spirit Seminar was originally designed to be a seven-week program, modeled on the seven weeks of prayer and expectancy that Jesus’ disciples, including his mother Mary, lived from the Resurrection until Pentecost. On the fiftieth day, “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4)."
There are several steps you can take to open yourself to refreshment by the Holy Spirit. Please see it one or several of these work for you. Read about the first encounter the Duquesne University students had with the Holy Spirit in 1967. Study the Spiritual Gifts of the Holy Spirit and see if you can identify which ones are active in your life today. Then acknowledge those Fruits and build on those Gifts and Charisms Read about the Holy Spirit and the Catholic Charismatic Renewal on this website.
Thank you for your interest in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. This is a wonderful beginning. Here are some things you can explore: Pray and ask our Lord what he desires for you. If you are prompted by the Lord and want to pursue a greater experience in the Renewal, the please read and pray over the testimony of Patti Gallegar Mansfield -- the first to experience the power of the Holy Spirit.
Pope Francis spoke to this topic in his May 22, 2021 Pentecost message, to an ecumenical audience. He concluded his speech with the following message: “Let us be changed by the Holy Spirit so that we can change the world. God is faithful, He never reneges on His promise."
