The Vatican officially launched a new international service to serve the ministry in its commitment to communion and service. CHARIS is an abbreviation for Catholic Charismatic Renewal International Service. It is the request of His Holiness, Pope Francis that there should be one charismatic service organism for all expressions of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. The Catholics belonging to the charismatic renewal gathered in thousands in Rome on the Pentecost weekend. Rose petals were showered from the ceiling of the Pantheon, a Pentecost tradition in Rome to symbolise the descent of the Holy Spirit.
Auxiliary bishop of Portland, Oregon, Peter Smith has been in the charismatic renewal since the late 1970s. CHARIS was launched under the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life. Currently, His Excellency is serving on the leadership team as one of the two representatives for North America. Bishop Peter Smith said that with the creation of CHARIS, the pope sees the charismatic renewal as a much broader thing, as reported by CNA.
His Holiness Pope Francis saw around 3,000 or more Catholics of the charismatic renewal on June 8 in the Vatican’s Pope Paul VI hall. The Pontiff told them that with the start of CHARIS – a new stage begins on this journey.
“A stage marked by communion among all the members of the charismatic family”, in which “the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit is manifested for the good of the whole Church.” His Holiness Pope Francis said he expects the movement to share Baptism in the Holy Spirit with everyone in the Church. It is the grace that you have received. “Share it! Do not keep if for yourself!”
The Pontiff also asked them to serve the unity of the body of Christ and to serve the poor. “The three things: Baptism in the Holy Spirit, unity of the Body of Christ and service to the poor, are the necessary testimony for the evangelization of the world, to which we are all called for our Baptism,” he remarked.
As reported by CNA, His Excellency Bishop Peter Smith said that the heart of the charismatic movement is a profound encounter with Christ and the Holy Spirit. this leads to a deeper infusion of the Holy Spirit into our lives that transforms us. His excellency Bishop Smith expressed, It deepens people’s lives of faith significantly. There are an estimated 100 to 112 million active members of the charismatic renewal worldwide, mostly in parts of Africa and Asia. Bishop Peter Smith described, the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the context of Confirmation, stating, “it is a gift of a deeper experience of the Holy Spirit and just like any gift one receives, it is worthless unless you do something.”
His Excellency explained, God in his mercy gives us the Holy Spirit, which makes Christ present in us in a much deeper way and strengthens us with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, that we can live as he calls us to.
Source: CNA
