One of the ways the Holy Spirit is outpoured upon the Church is through Charisms. When a person has a charism, supernatural grace is given to lead others to experience the healing power of Jesus’ love. The charisms are associated with specific activities of service that build up the Body of Christ. By God pouring out excessive grace on each member in service to others, amazing things happen with each member playing a key role (cf 1Corinthians 12).
1. Doing our charism energizes us and helps us avoid burnout and frustration.
2. We experience joy and feel like we have a purpose and have found our place.
3. We are effective and fruitful, and are able to witness beautiful moments of grace.
4. Confidence is bestowed so that we know what to do in a given situation.
5. Gratitude replaces judgement and jealousy as we discover the gifts of others.
6. We can work as a team/Body of Christ, each having a special role to play.
The Catherine of Siena Institute has identified 24 of the most common charisms and provide resources for discernment. Here is a list:
PASTORAL CHARISMS
Focus: nurture of individuals & community
Encouragement; Hospitality; Helps; Pastoring; Mercy
COMMUNICATION CHARISMS
Focus: transforming lives through communicating truth
Evangelism; Prophecy; Teaching
ORGANIZATIONAL CHARISMS
Focus: meeting structural needs of organization/group
Giving; Leadership; Service; Administration
CHARISMS OF HEALING
Focus: being a channel of God’s healing & restoration
Healing; Intercessory Prayer
CHARISMS OF UNDERSTANDING
Focus: understanding the ways of God and humanity
Knowledge; Wisdom; Discernment of Spirits
LIFESTYLE CHARISMS
Focus: distinctive lifestyle and freedom for unusual ministry
Celibacy; Faith; Missionary; Voluntary Poverty
CREATIVE CHARISMS
Focus: creative activity that orders and beautifies
Craftsmanship; Music; Writing
Every baptized person has at least one charism and most have 2 to 4 charisms. What is yours? In Confirmation, God pours out the Holy Spirit upon us so that we may carry out the mission of the Church, namely to bring others to Jesus. What is the unique way God desires you to bring others to Himself? This process is called discernment, which means it involves paying attention to how God works in your life.
Step 1: Attend a parish workshop on charisms or walking through the process with someone from the parish. You will learn about the various charisms and how to find out which one you might have.
Step 2: Do an interview to help determine which charism to start discerning. The interview usually takes about an hour and uses the inventory taken in step 1.
Step 3: Experiment with one charism and see what happens. This involves taking 1-2 hours/week actually doing the activity associated with the charism. You should notice in 4-6 weeks that unexpected graces began to consistently happen indicating you have the charism or that the accompanying signs do not happen and you do not have the charism.
St. Catherine of Siena Institute
Ideas for practicing charisms at Holy Spirit Catholic Parish
Prayer for Community Discernment of Charisms
Call the office or check the bulletin for more details.
Lord Jesus, you are the life of our community.
You save us and lead us in right paths.
You established the Church to be your body in the world
to carry your work forward and bestow your grace
through the sacraments. Holy One, you are Lord of the Gifts.
Today we ask you to revive and unleash the power
our parish has received so often in the sacraments.
We ask that the charisms you have given to members of our
community would emerge and become visible,
That you help us support and nurture each other as we discern
and exercise our spiritual gifts.
That together with you, we may become a channel of God’s mercy and
love for the individuals, the neighborhood, the town, the city, and
the nation in which you have placed us.
When you called, even Lazarus awoke. Call our community, Lord,
and unite us to your loving purposes. Amen.