Pope John Paul II Affirms
the Charismatic Renewal
Commissions Her to Renew the Church
Audience with Cardinal Suenens and the Council Members of the International
Charismatic Renewal Office.
This quote is from the special hour and a half audience with the Pope in
Vatican City on December 11, 1979:
This is my first meeting with you, Catholic charismatics . . . I have
always belonged to this renewal in the Holy Spirit. . . . I am convinced that
this movement is a sign of his action. The world is much in need of this action
of the Holy Spirit, and it needs many instruments for this action. . . . Through
this action, the Holy Spirit comes to the human spirit, and from this moment we
begin to live again, to find our very selves, to find our identity, our total
humanity. Consequently, I am convinced that this movement is a very important
component in the total renewal of the church, in this spiritual renewal of the
church."
Audience with Participants of The Sixth International Conference for
Catholic Charismatic Leaders
This quote is from the Pope's private audience on May 15, 1987.
"Dear Brothers and Sisters:
"In the peace and joy of the Holy Spirit I welcome all of you who have come
to Rome for the Sixth International Leaders' Conference of the Catholic
Charismatic Renewal. I am very happy to meet with you today and I wish to assure
you that your love for Christ and your openness to the Spirit of Truth are a
most valuable witness in the Church's mission in the world. . . . This year
marks the 20 th
anniversary of the charismatic renewal in the Catholic Church. The vigor and
fruitfulness of the renewal certainly attest to the powerful presence of the
Holy Spirit at work in the Church in these years after the Second Vatican
Council. . . . The charismatic renewal is an eloquent manifestation of this
vitality today, a bold statement of what 'the Spirit is saying to the churches'
(Revelations 2:7) as we approach the close of the second
millennium. For us, the Spirit of the Lord is upon us, each one of us, who have
been born anew in the saving waters of Baptism. The Spirit prompts us to go
forth in faith 'to preach good news to the poor' the poor in material things,
the poor in spiritual gifts, the poor in mind and body."
Audience with the National Charismatic Service Committee of Italy and the
National Council of Rinnovamento nello Spirito.
Here is an extract from the private address the Holy Father granted on
Saturday, April 4, 1998:
"This is a year which you, the members of the Renewal,
are called to live with special intensity and commitment. . . . How can we fail
to give thanks for the precious spiritual fruits that the Renewal has produced
in the life of the Church and in the lives of so many people? How many lay
faithful—men and women, youth, adults, and older people—have been able to
experience the amazing power of the Spirit and His gifts in their lives! How
many people have rediscovered their faith, a desire for prayer, the power and
beauty of the Word of God, which is expressed in generous service for the
mission of the Church! How many lives were deeply changed! For all of this I
wish to praise and thank the Holy Spirit with you today. . . . I thank you for
what you are doing, and I ask you to persevere in your
commitment."
Cf.
"Open the Windows: the Popes and Charismatic
Renewal", Edited by Fr. Kilian McDonnell, OSB., South Bend, IN:
Greenlawn Press, 1989.
Come Holy Spirit
1 comment:
The Holy Spirit makes your Baptism come alive. Then, like St. Paul, you can say, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Galatians 2.20).
"It's exciting when that happens. Jesus becomes everything for you."
Fr. John Randall
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