The integrity of the Catholic Church is being severely tested today, and at times tragically damaged. Its moral integrity, its doctrinal integrity, its spiritual integrity: all aspects of the Church's life are under tremendous social, political, ideological and cultural pressure. This pressure obviously comes from the outside, but also from within, from the community of the (not always) faithful. This double assault on faith, moral and Tradition to match them with worldly standards, dangerously fragilizes the ecclesial edifice and compromises (or at least complicates) God's plan of Salvation for our time.
The result is serious failures, not only in the moral behaviour of Christians, but also in their theological understanding of the faith, and above all in their spiritual life, which is dreadfully lethargic sometimes. Weakened by a series of scandals, the conflict between progressives and conservatives, and the loss of the sense of God (which comes from an absence of contemplative life), the Church struggles to remember where she comes from, what she is and where she is going. By taking too much interest in the distracting noises of the world, she has unlearned to listen to the whispering voice of God.
Too often, she looks like a sheep sent out in the midst of wolves (see Mt 10:16) who hears only the howling of the pack and is tetanized by fear. Unless she gets overtly excited about all sorts of social and political projects that have too little to do with her primary mission, to the point of squandering her meager resources in battles that are not primarily hers. Her alienation sometimes goes so far that she contributes to political projects that are posing a threat to her very existence (e.g. the Marxist utopia, during the 60’s and the 70’s).
Towards Renewal
Catholics who share this view have been trying for decades to find a solution to this seemingly desperate situation. The first and most important solution proposed so far is the one put forward by all our Popes since the Second Vatican Council. This solution has two complementary components, a contemplative one and an active one. On the one hand, it implies a renewal of our spiritual life through a new Pentecostal experience, and, on the other hand, a renewal of our missionary life through the implementation of a new evangelization project.
There is no doubt that the new Pentecost has happened, and continues to happen, where Christians do not hesitate to invoke the Holy Spirit. The entire history of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal proves this point brilliantly. Through it, Jesus has been casting fire upon the Earth. This renewal has had, of course, some regrettable drifts, but there is nothing surprising about that. Where God manifests Himself with power, the spiritual battle to be fought for His glory is merciless... and we sometimes lose it.
But where we are successful, that is to say, where missionaries remain small and humble before the work of salvation carried out in them and through them; where the joy of being saved leads to renewed zeal for evangelization; where divine charity is poured into distraught hearts in search of fulfillment; where souls are given this grace of encountering Jesus who makes himself mysteriously present, mysteriously alive, mysteriously active in the depths, the Charismatic Renewal fulfills its role adequately.
The Charismatic Renewal's greatest contribution to the life of the Church has been this: it helped us rediscover the third person of the Trinity, which had been somewhat forgotten by a breathless Christendom. Through a new outpouring of the Spirit, that is, a renewed invocation and welcoming of the Spirit, we are given the most precious gift: that of a living relationship with God. And through this relationship, the whole Christian life is transfigured. The longing for God, for great liturgies, for lectio Divina, the compassion for the poor, everything is rekindled.
A Few Books Recommendations
Just as the zeal for mission and the willingness to proclaim the Good News are rekindled. A renewed missionary impulse is the second part of the pontifical and ecclesial response to the crisis we are going through. But in this time of preparation before the feast of Pentecost, it is fitting to dwell on the first aspect: renewal in the Spirit. A good way to do this is to revisit the early years of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, by reading one of the books that have accompanied the development of this movement. Here, then, are some book recommendations.
The Catholic Charismatic Renewal was originally influenced by the one which occurred in the Pentecostal Movement. One book in particular caught the attention of Catholics seeking revitalization: The Cross and the Switchblade (1963), by Pastor David Wilkerson. Once the revival began in the American Catholic Church (at Duquesne University (Pittsburgh) in 1967), testimonies and studies of the phenomenon started to hit the shelves. Among them, Catholic Pentacostals (1969), by K. and D. Ranaghan, is worth mentioning.
The Church’s hierarchy very quickly showed an interest in this new surge of fervour. So much so that, in 1974, a book by L.-J. Cardinal Suenens entitled Une nouvelle Pentecôte? is released in France (English translation: A New Pentacost? (1975)). Finally, mention must be made of Émilien Tardif’s stunning testimony, Jésus a fait de moi un témoin (Jesus Lives Today!), published in the early 80’s. This book is really like a new Gospel, full of miracle accounts. It is therefore an excellent therapy for those who "suffer" from acute rationalism.
And what about you? Do you have any books recommendations to help us (re)discover the vivid beginnings of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal?
The result is serious failures, not only in the moral behaviour of Christians, but also in their theological understanding of the faith, and above all in their spiritual life, which is dreadfully lethargic sometimes. Weakened by a series of scandals, the conflict between progressives and conservatives, and the loss of the sense of God (which comes from an absence of contemplative life), the Church struggles to remember where she comes from, what she is and where she is going. By taking too much interest in the distracting noises of the world, she has unlearned to listen to the whispering voice of God.
Too often, she looks like a sheep sent out in the midst of wolves (see Mt 10:16) who hears only the howling of the pack and is tetanized by fear. Unless she gets overtly excited about all sorts of social and political projects that have too little to do with her primary mission, to the point of squandering her meager resources in battles that are not primarily hers. Her alienation sometimes goes so far that she contributes to political projects that are posing a threat to her very existence (e.g. the Marxist utopia, during the 60’s and the 70’s).
Towards Renewal
Catholics who share this view have been trying for decades to find a solution to this seemingly desperate situation. The first and most important solution proposed so far is the one put forward by all our Popes since the Second Vatican Council. This solution has two complementary components, a contemplative one and an active one. On the one hand, it implies a renewal of our spiritual life through a new Pentecostal experience, and, on the other hand, a renewal of our missionary life through the implementation of a new evangelization project.
There is no doubt that the new Pentecost has happened, and continues to happen, where Christians do not hesitate to invoke the Holy Spirit. The entire history of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal proves this point brilliantly. Through it, Jesus has been casting fire upon the Earth. This renewal has had, of course, some regrettable drifts, but there is nothing surprising about that. Where God manifests Himself with power, the spiritual battle to be fought for His glory is merciless... and we sometimes lose it.
But where we are successful, that is to say, where missionaries remain small and humble before the work of salvation carried out in them and through them; where the joy of being saved leads to renewed zeal for evangelization; where divine charity is poured into distraught hearts in search of fulfillment; where souls are given this grace of encountering Jesus who makes himself mysteriously present, mysteriously alive, mysteriously active in the depths, the Charismatic Renewal fulfills its role adequately.
The Charismatic Renewal's greatest contribution to the life of the Church has been this: it helped us rediscover the third person of the Trinity, which had been somewhat forgotten by a breathless Christendom. Through a new outpouring of the Spirit, that is, a renewed invocation and welcoming of the Spirit, we are given the most precious gift: that of a living relationship with God. And through this relationship, the whole Christian life is transfigured. The longing for God, for great liturgies, for lectio Divina, the compassion for the poor, everything is rekindled.
A Few Books Recommendations
Just as the zeal for mission and the willingness to proclaim the Good News are rekindled. A renewed missionary impulse is the second part of the pontifical and ecclesial response to the crisis we are going through. But in this time of preparation before the feast of Pentecost, it is fitting to dwell on the first aspect: renewal in the Spirit. A good way to do this is to revisit the early years of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, by reading one of the books that have accompanied the development of this movement. Here, then, are some book recommendations.
The Catholic Charismatic Renewal was originally influenced by the one which occurred in the Pentecostal Movement. One book in particular caught the attention of Catholics seeking revitalization: The Cross and the Switchblade (1963), by Pastor David Wilkerson. Once the revival began in the American Catholic Church (at Duquesne University (Pittsburgh) in 1967), testimonies and studies of the phenomenon started to hit the shelves. Among them, Catholic Pentacostals (1969), by K. and D. Ranaghan, is worth mentioning.
The Church’s hierarchy very quickly showed an interest in this new surge of fervour. So much so that, in 1974, a book by L.-J. Cardinal Suenens entitled Une nouvelle Pentecôte? is released in France (English translation: A New Pentacost? (1975)). Finally, mention must be made of Émilien Tardif’s stunning testimony, Jésus a fait de moi un témoin (Jesus Lives Today!), published in the early 80’s. This book is really like a new Gospel, full of miracle accounts. It is therefore an excellent therapy for those who "suffer" from acute rationalism.
And what about you? Do you have any books recommendations to help us (re)discover the vivid beginnings of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal?