Posted on 05/22/2010 1:05:22 PM PDT by Teófilo
Folks, the Feast of Pentecost is upon us and I wanted to share with you this piece from Catholic Online about my alma mater of the Spirit, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.
Yep, still some people find it shocking, but I am a so-called “charismatic”. And let me witness to you, that day of my “Baptism in the Spirit” when I was 15 years old was Anno Domini Primus for everything that has followed since in my life, Deo Gratias, all glory and honor to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, in Triune Glory for Ever and Ever, World Without End.
Renewal for the Springtime of the Church
God sovereignly drew many Duquesne University students into the chapel at The Ark and Dove Retreat Center. Some were laughing, others crying. Some prayed in tongues, others (like me) felt a burning sensation coursing through their hands. God had planned it in the Upper Room Chapel. It was the birth of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal!
Come Holy Spirit and fill the hearts of the faithful.
WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - The Catholic Charismatic Renewal finds its roots at a retreat for Duquesne University's Chi Rho Scripture Study group in February, 1967. The retreat was held at The Ark and the Dove Retreat House, just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
During the retreat, Patti Gallagher-Mansfield and others had a special encounter with the Holy Spirit. I will let her explain it in her own words:
In the Spring of 1966, two Duquesne University professors were ASKING, SEEKING and KNOCKING. They had pledged themselves to pray daily for a greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit in their lives using the beautiful Sequence Hymn of Pentecost. In the midst of this time of prayer, some friends gave them two books: The Cross and the Switchblade and They Speak With Other Tongues. Both books describe the experience of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. The men from Duquesne realized that this Baptism in the Spirit was precisely what they were searching for.
In January 1967, four Catholics from Duquesne attended their first interdenominational charismatic prayer meeting - the Chapel Hill meeting - in the home of Miss Flo Dodge, a Spirit-filled Presbyterian. Interestingly enough, a few months before these Catholics came, the Lord led Flo to read Isaiah 48 where He announces that He is about to do "a new thing".
We were planning for our retreat in February and the professors suggested a new theme: "The Holy Spirit." In preparation for the retreat, they told us to pray expectantly, to read The Cross and the Switchblade, and to read the first four chapters of the Acts of the Apostles.
A few days before the retreat, I knelt in my room and prayed, "Lord, I believe I've already received your Spirit in Baptism and Confirmation. But if it's possible for your Spirit to be more at work in my life than He's been up until now, I WANT IT!" The dramatic answer to my prayer was soon to come.
On Saturday a member of the Chapel Hill Prayer Group came to speak on Acts, chapter 2. All we were told was that she was a Protestant friend of our professors. Although her presentation was very simple, it was filled with spiritual power. She spoke about surrendering to Jesus as Lord and Master. She described the Holy Spirit as a Person who empowered her daily. Here was someone who really seemed to know Jesus intimately and personally! She knew the power of the Holy Spirit like the Apostles did. I knew I wanted what she had and I wrote in my notes, "Jesus, be real for me."
Saturday night a birthday party was planned for a few of our members, but there was a listlessness in the group. I wandered into the upstairs chapel...not to pray but to tell any students there to come down to the party. Yet, when I entered and knelt in the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, I literally trembled with a sense of awe before His majesty.
I knew in an overwhelming way that He is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. I thought, "You had better get out of here quick before something happens to you." But overriding my fear was a much greater desire to surrender myself unconditionally to God.
I prayed, "Father, I give my life to you. Whatever you ask of me, I accept. And if it means suffering, I accept that too. Just teach me to follow Jesus and to love as He loves." In the next moment, I found myself prostrate, flat on my face, and flooded with an experience of the merciful love of God...a love that is totally undeserved, yet lavishly given. Yes, it's true what St. Paul writes, "The love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit."
My shoes came off in the process. I was indeed on holy ground. I felt as if I wanted to die and be with God. The prayer of St. Augustine captures my experience: "O Lord, you have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they rest in You." As much as I wanted to bask in His presence, I knew that if I, who am no one special, could experience the love of God in this way, that anyone across the face of the earth could do so.
I ran down to tell our chaplain what had happened and he said that David Mangan had been in the chapel before me and had encountered God's presence in the same way. Two girls told me my face was glowing and wanted to know what had happened.
Within the next hour God sovereignly drew many of the students into the chapel. Some were laughing, others crying. Some prayed in tongues, others (like me) felt a burning sensation coursing through their hands. Yes, there was a birthday party that night, God had planned it in the Upper Room Chapel. It was the birth of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal!
The experience of the "Duquesne Weekend" quickly spread to other campuses, such as the University of Notre Dame and those serving in campus ministry at Michigan State University in Lansing, Michigan.
The Word of God, an evangelistic outreach at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI ...
Please, continue reading here.
Read also:
Happy Pentecost, FRiend.
Although I haven't been active in the ongoing CCR, I retain the deep faith and the spiritual boldness that was released in me on that exciting day.
Consequently, it was very saddening to see the movement infiltrated by New Age, Gaia-worshipping speakers and charlatans who managed to distract and derail the movement in many places with their hocus-pocus and touchy-feely pseudo-religious cant.
I am sure that the strong core of the movement has remained pure to this day, so I still believe the Catholic Charismatic Renewal can be a powerful force for good in this needy world.
i guess you’re aware that Ralph Martin passed away-he’ll be misssed.
Do you remember when “NEW COVENANT” the magazine first came out ?
i guess you’re aware that Ralph Martin passed away-he’ll be misssed.
Do you remember when “NEW COVENANT” the magazine first came out ?
Hmmm... Very interesting. I, too, received the “Baptism in the Spirit” at age 15. And it has made a great difference in my life.
I was in my early 30s; think I was expecting Sally at the time, which would be like 1999. I lose track of this stuff.
I’m not active in a prayer group here, but I consider all my experiences in the Charismatic Renewal valuable.
I agree with all you’ve said, Redhead. Happy Pentecost to you and Praised be Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who founded our Catholic Church on this blessed day.
-Theo
OH, my! I am so sorry to hear that. God love him! He was awesome. Yes, I remember New Covenant. I had a subscription for many years. Excellent reading.
Place marker.
BTTT.
THX.
I didn't know that! I'm reading his Fulfillment of All Desire
Praised be Jesus, Ralph has fulfilled his!
-Theo
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