Charismatic Renewal Leaders
Convene
1,000 from Around the World Meet to Reflect on Holiness
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, SEPT. 22, 2003 (Zenit.org).-
Father Raniero Cantalamessa, Papal Household preacher, is giving a
spiritual retreat on holiness to a thousand leaders of Catholic
Charismatic Renewal from 72 countries.
The retreat started last Saturday and runs until Thursday at Castel
Gandolfo, south of Rome. The retreat, in the Mariapolis Center, was
preceded by two days of reflection on the present state of Catholic
Charismatic Renewal and the challenges it faces.
Charismatic Renewal arose in the U.S. university world in 1967. The
movement spread rapidly around the world, reflected in the rediscovery
of the faith and the action of the Holy Spirit in the lives of
Christians. Recognized by the Pontifical Council for the Laity, the
movement has 120 million Catholic followers.
Over a 12-day period, participants will attend meetings and go on
pilgrimages around Italy. Cardinal James Stafford and Bishop Stanislaw
Rylko, president and secretary, respectively, of the Pontifical
Council for the Laity, are among those joining in the meetings.
Also expected to attend are guests of other Church entities, such as
Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare Movement, and Andrea Riccardi,
founder of the Community of Sant'Egidio. Members of Christian
denominations are also expected.
Commenting on the challenges facing Catholic Charismatic Renewal,
Oreste Pesare, director of the Vatican-based International Catholic
Charismatic Renewal Office (www.iccrs.org),
said that "ecclesial maturity does not necessarily mean
institutionalization."
"Speaking of ecclesial maturity, John Paul II said that he wants
the laity and, therefore, among them Charismatic Renewal, to give
fruits of unity and commitment. He does not mention structures at
all," he added.
"Structure, institutionalization, should be a necessary fruit of
the a movement's growth, of course, but it must not be harmful to the
movement's principal call or, as in our case, to a current of
grace," he said.
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