What is the Catholic Charismatic Renewal International Service (CHARIS)?
What is the Catholic Charismatic Renewal International Service (CHARIS)?
CHARIS is the international service that oversees all the realities/expressions of Catholic Charismatic Renewal e.g. prayer groups, charismatic communities worldwide.
CHARIS’ peculiarity is that it is not a public association of lay people, but a body established by the Holy See, through the Congregation for the Laity, Family, and Life endowed with public juridical personality.
But it is time to get more concrete and see what the new life in the Spirit consists of, how it is manifested, and thus what genuine “renewal” is. We rely on St. Paul, and more precisely on his Letter to the Romans, because it is there that he sets forth its constitutive elements almost systematically (Romans 8:1-2).
The Catholic Charismatic Renewal began in the USA in 1967 and in Uganda in 1973 and at Christ the King Church in 1990. The lives of over 100 million Catholics have been touched and transformed worldwide. It is now found in most countries, dioceses, and parishes worldwide. In the opinion of many church leaders, “it is a very powerful current of grace, valid for every Christian”! St. Pope John Paul II said “The vigour and fruitfulness of the charismatic renewal certainly attest to the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit at work in the church in these years after the Second Vatican Council.
Is it Catholic?
Yes, it is in the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church with full recognition by the Holy See.
Why call it charismatic?
The word “charismatic” is from the word “charisma” which means gifts of the Holy Spirit. It also refers to elements of the Christian life associated with Pentecost.
Why renewal?
Renewal is part of life. We renew licenses, agreements, structures, etc. St Paul urges us Christians not to conform ourselves to the standards of this world, but to be transformed through the Spirit (Romans 12:2). The renewal is to bring back those values that may have been or are being lost over time. In short, it is a move of the Holy Spirit in the Catholic Church, emphasising a personal relationship with and a recommitment to Jesus Christ, beginning a transformation that gradually manifests itself in a positive contribution to the growth of the church and society.
What do people get from the renewal?
What comes out of this personal encounter with Christ among others are:
- A life of joy and peace in Christ even when in difficulties thereby leading to a victorious life.
- A deep conviction of the reality of God’s love and His faithfulness.
- Appreciation of Christ’s presence in the Eucharist and other sacraments.
- A new eagerness to learn the Word of God through scripture reading and to share it with others.
- Experiencing the Holy Spirit and witnessing Christ’s power.
- A sense of oneness and fellowship with one another as the body of Christ through prayer meetings.
- A renewed ability to love, forgive, and bring others to appreciate and enjoy this blessing of Jesus Christ.