Between 1895 and 1903, Sister (now Blessed) Elena Guerra, foundress of the Oblate Sisters of The Holy Spirit in Italy, wrote 12 confidential letters to Pope Leo XIII, asking that he foster devotion in the church to the Holy Spirit. As a result, the Pople published his encyclical on the Holy Spirit "Divinum Illud Munus" in 1897. He also sent a private letter to all bishops, prescribing that the Novena for Pentecost be prayed at the dawn of the New 20th Century.
Pope Paul VI
“Nothing is more necessary for such a world, more and more secularized, than the testimony of this ‘spiritual renewal’, which we see the Holy Spirit bring about today in the most diverse regions and environments. Its manifestations are varied: deep communion of souls, close contact with God in faithfulness to the commitments undertaken at Baptism, in prayer that is often community prayer, in which each one, expressing himself freely, helps, supports and nourishes the prayer of others, and, at the basis of everything, a personal conviction. This conviction has its source not only in instruction received by faith but also in a certain experience of real life, namely, that without God, man can do nothing, that with him, on the contrary, everything becomes possible. […] How then could this ‘spiritual renewal’ not be ‘a chance’ for the church and for the world? And how, in this case, could one not take all the means to ensure that it remains so?”
Address of Pope Paul VI to participants in the Second International Leaders’ Conference of Charismatic Renewal Rome, 19 May 1975
Pope John Paul II
"For this reason, I also say to you: 'Open yourselves with docility to the gifts of the Holy Spirit! Receive with gratitude and obedience the charisms that the Spirit does not cease to offer! Do not forget that all charisms are given for the common good, that is, for the benefit of the whole Church!"
(From an Address to the International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Office)
The Catholic Charismatic Renewal has helped many Christians to rediscover the presence and power of the Holy Spirit...and this rediscovery has awakened in them a faith in Christ filled with joy." 1998
Open yourselves meekly to the gifts of the Holy Spirit! Accept with gratitude and obedience the gifts that the Spirit does not cease to give! Do not forget that each charism is given for the good, in other words for the benefit of the Church!" 2004
"Thanks to the Charismatic Movement, a multitude of Christians, men and women, young people and adults have rediscovered Pentecost as a living reality in their daily lives. I hope that the spirituality of Pentecost will spread in the Church as a renewed incentive to prayer, holiness, communion and proclamation." May 29, 2004
“The Catholic charismatic movement is one of the many fruits of the Second Vatican Council, which, like a new Pentecost, led to an extraordinary flourishing in the Church’s life of groups and movements particularly sensitive to the action of the Spirit. How can we not give thanks for the precious spiritual fruits that the Renewal has produced in the life of the Church and in the lives of so many people? How many lay faithful — men, women, young people, adults and the elderly — have been able to experience in their own lives the amazing power of the Spirit and his gifts! How many people have rediscovered the faith, the joy of prayer, the power and beauty of the Word of God, translating all this into generous service in the Church's mission! How many lives have been profoundly changed! For all this today, together with you, I wish to praise and thank the Holy Spirit.”
Address of the Holy Father Pope John Paul II to leaders of Renewal in the Spirit in Italy Rome, 4 April 1998.
Cardinal Ratzinger
"...and the Charismatic Renewal...I think this is a sign of the Springtime and of the presence of the Holy Spirit, today will give new charisms and so on. This is for me really a great hope that not with organization from authorities, but really it is the force of the Holy Spirit present in the people."
Pope Benedict XVI
As I have been able to affirm in other circumstances, the Ecclesial Movements and New Communities which blossomed after the Second Vatican Council constitute a unique gift of the Lord and a precious resource for the life of the Church. They should be accepted with trust and valued for the various contributions they place at the service of the common benefit in an ordered and fruitful way. Your current reflection on the centrality of Christ in preaching is very interesting as well as on the importance of ‘Charisms in the life of the particular Church’, referring to Pauline theology, the New Testament and the experience of the Charismatic Renewal. What we learn in the New Testament on charism, which appeared as visible signs of the coming of the Holy Spirit, is not a historical event of the past, but a reality ever alive. It is the same divine Spirit, soul of the Church, that acts in every age and those mysterious and effective interventions of the Spirit are manifest in our time in a providential way. The Movements and New Communities are like an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the Church and in contemporary society. We can, therefore, rightly say that one of the positive elements and aspects of the Community of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal is precisely their emphasis on the charisms or gifts of the Holy Spirit and their merit lies in having recalled their topicality in the Church.”
Address of His Holiness Benedict XVI to participants in a meeting organized by the Catholic Fraternity of Charismatic Covenant
Pope Francis
Pope to the Catholic Charismatic Renewal: “Tell Them I Love Them”
Rocio Lancho Garcia, Zenit April 30, 2013
On Saturday, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization, celebrated the Eucharist that ended the second day of the Rimini Fair of the 36th National Assembly of Catholic Charismatic Renewal. After the sign of the cross, Archbishop Fisichella gave an unexpected message, which was received with joy by the 15,000 present: an affectionate greeting from Pope Francis.
“Before beginning this celebration, I bring you a greeting. Before I left this morning, I was with Pope Francis, and I told him: “Holy Father, I have to leave soon. I’m going to Rimini where there are thousands upon thousands of faithful of the Charismatic Renewal: men, women and young people.” With a great smile, the Pope said: “Tell them that I love them very much!” Upon leaving the Holy Father, Archbishop Fisichella recounted, the Holy Father added: “Look, tell them that I love them very much because I was responsible for Charismatic Renewal in Argentina, and that’s why I love them very much.”