Monday, February 2, 2009

Is the Charismatic Movement Truly Catholic? - Part 2

Regarding its search of extraordinary signs and wonders:
1. Risk of illusion: "And I greatly fear what is happening in these times of ours: If any soul whatever after a bit of meditation has in its recollection one of these locutions, it will immediately baptize all as coming from God and with such a supposition say, 'God told me,' 'God answered me.' Yet this is not so, but, as we pointed out, these persons themselves are more often the origin of their locution." (St. John of the Cross: The Ascent of Mount Carmel. Book II Ch. 29) (1)


2. Possession by the devil: "Through the desire of accepting them one opens the door to the devil. The devil can then deceive one by other communications expertly feigned and disguised as genuine. In the words of the Apostle, he can transform himself into an 'angel of light' (II Cor. XI:14). (...) Regardless of the cause of these apprehensions, it is always good for a man to reject them with closed eyes. If he fails to do so, he will make room for those having a diabolical origin and empower the devil to impose his communications. Not only this, but the diabolical representations will multiply while those from God will gradually cease, so that eventually all will come from the devil and none at all from God. This has occurred with many incautious and uninstructed people." (St. John of the Cross: The Ascent of Mount Carmel. Book II Ch. 11) (1)


Regarding its suspicion of the Church's Hierarchy:
The Hierarchy of the Catholic Church is seen as a stifling human institution:
"In so far as the ecclesiastical institution is constructed in the form of a hierarchical and closed juridical structure, in so far as it is organised, not according to the spirit of charism but by coopting clergy monopolising the resources, the knowledge, the power and the initiative in the Church, the Charismatic thrusts have been stifled." (Fr Laurentin, Ibid.) Now this hierarchy derives from God Himself: "He said therefore to them again: 'Peace be with you. As the Father hath sent Me, I also send you.' " (John XX 21) "And I say to thee: Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church. And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matth. XVI 18)


Regarding its ecumenism:
"Originating from Protestant families, I was baptised a Protestant. Today, I know that God wants me to be a Protestant. I have gradually felt that I must not separate myself from my Protestant Church but to bring myself closer to it." (Testament of a young girl in the Bethany Community, in Revue Tychique, No. 52, p.10) "There will not be a real Judeo - Christian dialogue until the return of the Lord, except when Christians are truly Christian and the Jews truly Jewish." (Brother Ephraim, Founder of the Community of the Beatitudes, in Cahiers du Renouveau, No. 64, p.13)

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