A New Pentecost

Pope John Paul II – Pentecost Sunday 1998 

The Charismatic Renewal of New Orleans (CCRNO) is an expression of the Catholic Charismatic Movement which began in the Catholic Church in February 1967 when a group of college students from Duquesne University made a retreat at the Ark and the Dove Retreat House outside Pittsburgh. On this retreat God acted sovereignly, poured out His Spirit on the students, and began giving them charismatic gifts such as those listed in l Corinthians 12-14.

The Catholic Charismatic Renewal of New Orleans (CCRNO) is a self-supporting office of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. It began in 1969 under the leadership of Fr. Harold Cohen, S.J., and has pioneered Charismatic Renewal activities in this region since then. CCRNO sponsors weekly, monthly and annual events designed to promote the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Catholics throughout the Gulf South. Al and Patti Mansfield serve as liaisons to Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond on behalf of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.

Catholic Charismatic Renewal of New Orleans

Baptism in the Holy Spirit

Central to the experience of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal is what is known as “Baptism in the Holy Spirit.” This is not viewed as some kind of “eighth sacrament” but rather as a renewal in the Holy Spirit already received in Baptism and Confirmation. Many Catholic charismatics testify to a greater sense of the presence and love of God, a greater taste for prayer and Scripture reading, a desire to witness to others and the experience of one or more of the charismatic gifts.

What the Pope says about the Charismatic Renewal

The Charismatic Renewal has been warmly welcomed in the Church by Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis. Pope Paul addressed some 10,000 Catholic charismatics in St. Peter’s Basilica in May 1975 and called the Charismatic Renewal a “chance”, an “opportunity” for the Church and the world. Pope John Paul II met with members of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and their leaders on numerous different occasions. At an audience in May 1987, Pope John Paul said, “The Charismatic Renewal is an eloquent manifestation of the continued youthful vitality of the Church today, a bold statement of what ‘the Spirit is saying to the Churches’ (Rev. 2:7) as we approach the close of the Second Millennium.” When Pope Francis met with members of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal on June 1, 2014, he said, “Your movement’s birth was willed by the Holy Spirit to be a ‘current of grace’ in the Church and for the Church.’ This is your identity: to be a current of grace.”

In 2019, CHARIS based in Rome, Italy, began “a new single service for all the expressions of the Charismatic Renewal” (art. 2, §1) in 2019. CHARIS is led by a Moderator assisted by the International Service of Communion. They function to promote “the work of unity in the Body of Christ; to ensure good communication between the ecclesiastical authorities and Catholic Charismatic Renewal worldwide, and in particular with the Holy See through the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life…”  https://www.charis.international/

The National Service Committee of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal also represents the Renewal to the hierarchy in the United States and promotes Baptism in the Spirit nationally through the efforts at Chariscenter, USA.