Catholic charismatic renewal movements should support parishes by helping and guiding everyone involved in their activities and communities, a lay leader said Saturday.
Addressing the participants at the opening of the first National Charismatic Leaders Conference in Cebu City, CHARIS Philippines coordinator Fe Barino urged them to remain in service to the Church.
“We do not lose our identity; we remain to have our own identification and community, but we must be connected to the parish to serve as a current of grace for and within the Church,” Barino said.
“There are many situations in different parishes and dioceses, but it’s important to realize that we are journeying together, whether you are charismatic or non-charismatic,” she said.
More than 1,200 participants joined the two-day meeting, organized by the national CHARIS to foster greater collaboration among charismatic communities in the country.
Pope Francis desired to see charismatic renewal to reach a new level of unity in order to bring about one unified service.
As a result, the Vatican established CHARIS through the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life in 2018 as the new and only international service for the entire charismatic renewal, with “public juridical personality”.
In the Philippines, many bishops have appointed spiritual directors and diocesan coordinators in order to promote what the pope would like CHARIS to be in the whole Church.
“We must recognize, everybody must be recognized no matter how small the community or the prayer group is,” said Barino, who is also one of two Asian representatives to CHARIS’ 18-member international council.
“CHARIS is for everyone and is inclusive, regardless of expression or reality. We are one family, journeying together as one. No one should exist outside or alone from the Church,” she added.
The meeting in Cebu, which ended on Sunday afternoon, brought together participants from 53 of the country’s 86 dioceses.
Before the event, the CHARIS coordination team and youth leaders also met in Cebu to plan the Asia-Oceania programs.
In October this year, thousands of participants are expected to gather again in Cebu for the first CHARIS National Conference.
