CATHOLIC CHARISMATIC RENEWAL

At The Heart Of The Church
by Charles Whitehead

(President of the International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services [ ICCRS ] Council) I am totally convinced that there is nothing to compare with being part of this mighty move of the Holy Spirit which we have called the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. So I am an enthusiast, but I hope a realist too, always seeking a better understanding of its place in the Church, its particular call, the effects it has had in the last twenty-five years, and open to whatever the Lord may have in store for tomorrow. I believe that this grace of Pentecost is for each and every Christian man and woman. It is to be received without conditions, and to be lived out spiritually and practically day by day. This is the background of faith and experience against which I am writing.

A SOVEREIGN WORK OF GOD

No grass-roots movement in the Church has ever travelled as fast or as far as this one. But it was and still remains unlike any other movement in the Church, for there is no inspired human founder, no universal programme of initiation or formation. It is simply, powerfully and uniquely a sovereign work of God through his Holy Spirit, which touches the lives of men and women in many different settings and circumstances, bringing new faith and setting them on fire with love and zeal to serve him and his people. In the words of Cardinal Suenens: "To interpret the Renewal as a 'movement' among other movements is to misunderstand its nature; it is a movement of the Spirit offered to the entire Church and destined to rejuvenate every part of the Church's life. The soul of renewal - Baptism in the Spirit - is a grace of Pentecostal refreshment offered to all Christians." What this says to me is that the Charismatic Renewal is a channel of grace to individual men and women. Our calling is to promote a personal openness to this grace, a lively renewal of individual faith, a more radical commitment to the Church and her mission. When people ask me about the view of the Charismatic Renewal on this or that question, I reply that there is no such thing as "the Charismatic Renewal's view" on anything. The ICCRS Council may have a view, I may have a view - but it will always be a matter of individuals and groups holding these views. Charismatics will have a variety of ideas and emphases, but our basic views should always be in accord with those which are defined by the Church and held by commited Catholics........

AT THE HEART OF THE CHURCH

So the ecumenical beginnings must never be disregarded, but at the same time it was to be expected that the Charismatic Renewal would find its own place and identity in the life of the Catholic Church, brining with it a call to seek a continuing outpouring of the Holy Spirit and a radical conversion to Jesus Christ. Its place at the heart of the Church has been secured, and the Catholic Charismatic Renewal has been warmly welcomed by Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II, by the Pontifical Council for Laity, and the Bishops' Conferences throughout the world. It has been recognised as a special gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church, with a significant role to play in the re-evangelisation of society.
May 1995.
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EL SHADDAI
By Lyrics by Michael Card, Music by John Thompson

牋 El Shaddai, El Shaddai,
El-Elyon na Adonia,
Age to age You're still the same,
By the power of the name.
El Shaddai, El Shaddai,
Erkamka na Adonai,
We will praise and lift You high,
El Shaddai.

牋 Through your love and through the ram,
You saved the son of Abraham;
Through the power of your hand,
Turned the sea into dry land.
To the outcast on her knees,
You were the God who really sees,
And by Your might, You set Your children free.

牋 El Shaddai, El Shaddai,
El-Elyon na Adonia,
Age to age You're still the same,
By the power of the name.
El Shaddai, El Shaddai,
Erkamka na Adonai,
We will praise and lift You high,
El Shaddai.

牋 Through the years You've made it clear,
That the time of Christ was near,
Though the people couldn't see
What Messiah ought to be.
Though Your Word contained the plan,
They just could not understand
Your most awesome work was done
Through the frailty of Your Son.

牋 El Shaddai, El Shaddai,
El-Elyon na Adonai,
Age to age You're still the same,
By the power of the name.
El Shaddai, El Shaddai,
Erkamka na Adonai,
I will praise and lift You high,
El Shaddai.

牋牋 El Shaddia: God all mighty
El-Elyon: God most high / God most merciful
Na Adonai: Oh Lord
Er kamka: We will love you
This is a beautiful song masterfully sung by Amy Grant.

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