CHARIS and the communities of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal
CHARIS, according to its Statute, is “The new single service for all expressions of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal” (Art. 2, §1.) In particular, this means that CHARIS is at the service of communities by promoting “Cooperation among communities born from the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, with the vision of making available the experience of single communities for the good of all” (Art. 3e.).
A Community is made up of a group of people who recognise either a founder or a group of founders, who commit themselves to the same founding charism, the same commitment to the Lord and to one another, in a stable fraternal life, either residential or not. The charim, the mission, the rights and duties of the members, the ways of governing are described in the statutes recognised by the competent ecclesistical authority. The community offers a programme of formation to all it members. The community can include different states of life. The statutes require a periodical renewal of the government.
What is CHARIS’ proposal for communities?
1 – Within the International Service of Communion, there is a specific commission for charismatic communities called Communities Commission. This commission has the task of promoting communion among all the charismatic communities registered in CHARIS. In particular, it organises events at international, continental and national level in favour of communities with the aim of building bonds of friendship and communion, as well as offering opportunities for continuous formation. In order to be able to serve according to the Statute, CHARIS proposes, to all the communities that wish to do so, to register.
2 – In CHARIS the communities do not become members but have the possibilities to be registered. The Statute of CHARIS promotes “the ecumenical dimension of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and encourages the commitment to serve unity of all Christians” (Art. 3f.)
Requirement for registering a community:
- To identify oneself as part of the current of grace in the CCR, starting from the esperience of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.
- To have Nihil obstat, or approval – recognition or letter of the competent authority of the Church or to have undertaken the process to obtain it. .To be in communion with either the CHARIS National Service of Communion in one’s country or the local coordination bodies.
- To live the specific charism with a common commitment and to support each other.
- To live a communitarian life.
- To be committed to evangelisation.
3 – CHARIS is committed to all communities that have registered to provide information and to offer opportunities of consultation and assistance when required.
4 – CHARIS encourages all communities to take initiatives at local level to promote communion among them. It supports and encourages the emerging communities with a special care for those in the developing Countries.
5 – CHARIS recognises the autonomy of local communities and their freedom to develop supporting relationships with other communities and networks.
6 – CHARIS opened a direct line for communities: communitiescommission@charis.international. Leaders with particular needs or problems can contact it. CHARIS will provide them with the best possible help also thanks to the collaboration of other communities in the spirit of subsidiarity as indicated by the Statute: “making available the experience of single communities for the good of all” (Art. 3e.)
Here you will find a list of the charismatic communities which have registered with CHARIS in order to manifest their communion with the whole Charismatic Renewal and their desire to receive the services of CHARIS or to collaborate in these services. The registration of each of these communities in CHARIS does not in any way constitute ecclesial recognition which only the competent authorities of the Church can grant.
⚠️ Map under update ⚠️
Communities Commission
communitiescommission@charis.international
