• My wife, Mary Lou, and I were among the first group baptized in the Spirit at Notre Dame in 1967. Along with many of the early responders to the move of the Holy Spirit we expected a powerful renewal of the church. We had observed how the Liturgical Movement of the early 20th century had prepared the way for Vatican II to establish renewed worship for the whole church. We thought that the same thing should happen for the Charismatic Renewal—integration of the Pentecostal experience throughout the worldwide Catholic community.
  
  Well, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR) has had a powerful effect on the church, but in ways we did not anticipate. The Lord did it his way, not our way. Here’s what has happened. At the outset of the Renewal tens of thousands of people were baptized in the Spirit in hundreds of prayer groups. The core results in their lives were common: they entered an intimate relationship with Jesus, they experienced his presence daily, they began to live an enriched life in the Spirit, the Spirit activated his seven gifts and fruit of the Spirit for them and they grew in holiness.
  
  Being baptized in the Spirit has also meant, for most, learning how to receive and use spiritual gifts for serving the Lord and the church. Just as rain sustains a great diversity of plants, grasses, vegetables, flowers, and trees, so the Holy Spirit showers his magnificent diversity of spiritual gifts among us. He gives some prominent charisms like healing, prophecy, miracles and the like. Others he equips with gifts such as evangelization, teaching, encouragement, administration, care for the sick.
  
  Now after five decades many have decided to invest their gifts in some parish or other ministry service. They still identify as charismatic, but they devote themselves to a Spirit led calling. You will find them in parish RCIA programs, in the permanent diaconate, teaching in local schools and colleges, working in programs to house the homeless, serving in national and local ministries and so on. They are bringing renewal to the Church God’s way.
  
  More than 120 million Catholics worldwide have been baptized in the Spirit. Many millions more hunger and thirst for a full life in the Spirit. We all must share our experience of the Spirit with joy to draw others to seek baptism in the Spirit, to share in the amazing grace the Lord is giving in the charismatic renewal.
  
  

  By Bert Ghezzi. Reprinted with permission from Pentecost Today Summer 2017