Flores de Mayo-history and origin we need to understand
2013 The King's Men
1. T H E K I N G ’ S M E N
M A L V E R N R E T R E A T H O U S E
M A Y 1 9 – 2 0 , 2 0 1 3
Changing Water Into Wine
Becoming the Person God Created You To Be
2. Lord Jesus Christ,
We thank you for having called us together here.
We offer you what we are about to undertake,
everything we think, do and experience
during these coming days in your honor.
We also offer you the fatigue of the past week,
and from the various events of this day,
because this – too - is our “daily bread.”
Grant that we may begin this retreat
with a spirit of hope and anticipation
That you will feed our hearts and souls in the time ahead...
in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
3. Pathway – Sunday Evening
BIG PICTURE - Us, The Church
& the New Evangelization:
New paradigms !
Sacred vs. Secular
Office vs. Talent vs. Charism
Call & Mission & The “Affirmative Way”
Examining the Inventory
4. Pathway – Saturday
Charisms, Personalities and
Discernment
Signs of Charisms
Evaluation
Additional Resources
Next Steps
5. Why is this important ?
Through our charisms:
God wants to love & care for others
God wants to be revealed to others
Knowing Charisms helps avoid:
Burn out
Frustration
Ineffectiveness
Knowing our charisms enables us to:
Make good decisions
Not judge ourselves
Not judge others
7. New Evangelization Challenges Us..
To see the world in a new light
To see the Church in a new light
To see ourselves in a new light
8. VATICAN II
Changed view of the laity:
From being simply disciples …
Merely receive the spiritual gifts of the Church
“Pray, Pay and Obey”
“Meet my friend Sherri. She’s not ordained.”
(…with no context i.t.o. her as disciple/apostle)
…To disciples AND apostles (people who are sent)
9. VATICAN II
If sent, you need to know:
Where you are sent.
To whom you are sent
What to do once you get there.
10. SACRED VS. SECULAR
Church was place we went to:
Hide from the world
Rest from the world
Problem is when “secular” (area of the laity)
is seen in opposition to the world.
11. SACRED VS. SECULAR
John Paul II:
“Secular” is theological term
The place to where we are sent
Locus where we achieve holiness
Laity possess “secular character” (cf charism)
12. NEW EVANGELIZATION
Grace flows through us in exactly the way
God has made you.
Sharing your “faith experiences” with others by:
Simply being who you are, and….
Using your gifts in a natural way.
13. NEW EVANGELIZATION
Paradigms are shifting:
In terms of Church Paradigm:
Not just the parish area…
From model where campus, rectory, convent, etc…
support the church building and the school..
Moving into the home, workplace, university, entertainment
centers …
14. NEW EVANGELIZATION
In terms of Personal Paradigm:
From street corner, testimonial, Bible thumping
To Pope John Paul II’s “New Humanism.”
Exactly what you are, who you are, what you do naturally ,
what you do well, where you are.
Bringing Christ to others in a redemptive way.
Confer Gabe Lyons, “Next Christians.”
15. AM I REALLY ALLOWED TO DO THIS ?
OFFICE VS. CHARISM
17. AUTHORITY
Ability to act:
In the place of Jesus or..
In the place of the Church
Priest by nature of Sacrament
of Ordination
Laity by nature of Sacrament
of Baptism
18. POWER
Practical ability to do something and get something done.
To do the job for which you have been sent.
19. JURISDICTION
A setting, occasion, arena or an area of life…
..in which power and authority are exercised.
Example:
Parents (not the Archbishop) have jurisdiction over the
household.
Pastor (not the parents) has jurisdiction over the parish.
Principal (not the Pastor) has jurisdiction over the school.
20. LAY JURISDICTION
Temporary or Permanent?
Examples:
Parents’ jurisdiction over
their children (permanent).
Counseling a friend about a
relationship, job or vocation
(temporary).
21. LAY JURISDICTION
Let’s say…someone seeks Christ in some way.
Your call to act is NOT VAGUE. It is specific!
You have been chosen, called and sent:
To that particular person/group,
In a particular situation/moment,
With your particular charism(s),
For a particular mission.
22. LAY JURISDICTION
If you do NOT act,
The person may be lost or,
May have lost the opportunity to encounter Jesus
in that particular moment.
23. “OFFICIAL” LAY JURISDICTION
Vatican II and reform of Canon Law
First half of new Code talks about laity:
Rights
Responsibilities
Duties
Obligations
Jurisdiction
Mandate to Act
24. THUS LAITY HAVE OFFICIALLY
BEEN GIVEN AN OFFICE
BY THE CHURCH!
“OFFICIAL” LAY
JURISDICTION
25. CONSECRATION AND MISSION
From Yves Congar, O.P.
With Baptism,
You have been consecrated (“set apart”)
For something or for someone.
26. The “Affirmative Way”
ALL Catholics are consecrated for mission.
Catholics find themselves in the world,
Directed towards and for the world,
And achieve holiness within the world.
Spiritual transformation..
In the midst of loving the world,
..and being in the midst of the world.
27. The “Affirmative Way”
The world is the “agent” of your holiness.
Bishops and priests provide the tradition
Narrow focus
The laity take it, and apply it in the world
Broad focus
From Catherine of Siena to Palestrina.
28. The “Affirmative Way”
St. Francis of Xavier on the shores of Japan
Had a mission, a mandate…
Didn’t have a CLUE on what to do.
Takes vision, creativity and imagination.
A LONG WAY from “pray, pay and obey.”
29. WE WILL NOT CHANGE THE
STRUCTURES OF SOCIETY ACCORDING
TO SOME PRESCRIBED BLUEPRINT.
The “Affirmative Way”
31. THIS IS NOT A USER FRIENDLY WORLD VIEW
The “Affirmative Way”
32. BUT IT IS A SCRIPTURAL WORLD VIEW
The “Affirmative Way”
33. Charisms in Scripture
Examples:
Romans 12
I Corinthians 12
Ephesians 4
Elsewhere ..
34. Signs of Charisms
Christians are to expect that charisms are to be present.
Scriptural basis of what it means to be “Catholic.”
This has not been the case/experience of most Catholics.
Exceptions – Charismatic Renewal, Cursillo, Marriage Encounter
Beginning to manifest itself as fewer priests/sisters available.
35. Changing Water Into Wine
Becoming the Person God Created You To Be
The King’s Men Retreat
Malvern Retreat House
May 10–11, 2013
40. The Inventory IS NOT
Discernment
Just the start of the process.
First - need to pray about this.
Then, go out and:
◦ Actually “do” the charism,
◦ Test to see whether it is true,
◦ Note the results (“fruit”),
◦ Have a conversation,
◦ …and another,
◦ …and another,
◦ .. …and another conversation with someone else
about it.
41. Discernment
Discernment = “to cut away”
In decisions you cut away aspects that
are not useful or relevant.
42. Discernment – Initial Questions
What Does A Charism Look Like?
What Does A Charism Feel Like?
How Does a Charism Work?
What Happens When I Start to
Exercise a Charism?
43. To Discern – examine …..
Your Experiences
Your Effectiveness
Outside affirmation.
44. To Discern – ask questions:
Do others think or say I have it?
Does it “flow?”
Does it energize me (or does it take energy
away?)
Do I feel enthusiastic?
Is it fun?
Does it give us a sense of
accomplishment?
Am I effective?
45. Discernment - Try it out!
Charisms are tested by doing
Admitting to negative experiences is
fine, necessary and healthy.
47. Discernment …(Nope)
Just as important to know,
acknowledge and own what your
gifts are not!
Some have an ANTI-charism.
◦ “I REALLY don’t do well in that arena!”
◦ (“OK. So don’t work or minister in that
arena”)
48. Discernment
This does the following:
◦ Allows us to focus on what we have and are.
Leading to focus on what we can do.
◦ Helps us relax.
Releases us from pressure to be something that we
are not …
50. “Gift Projection”
You might have charism:
◦ Find it easy to do
◦ Often receive affirmation.
You might think you’re ordinary person:
◦ Nothing / no one special.
Thus everybody should be able to do this “if they
just had faith.”
51. “Gift Projection”
BUT - Not everyone is:
◦ Called to this.
◦ Even capable of doing this.
◦ Can be crushing to other person,
◦ Especially someone with an “Office” but not the
“Charism.”
52. Charism vs. “Office”
Example: Healing
◦ Priest has “Office” of Healing (Sacrament of
Anointing)
◦ Priest might not have “Charism of Healing”
55. Gifts of the Holy Spirit are: A Charism is a:
Supernatural
Given by God TO you…
Given by God FOR you
For your sanctification
Natural gift
With supernatural power
Given by God TO you…
…for OTHERS!
For their consolation
Used by God
For supernatural purpose.
Signs of Charisms
56. Signs of Charisms
Through a charism:
People are called to conversation,
And a closer relationship with Jesus Christ
57. Signs of Charisms
Seen by others:
Believers inside and outside of church
Non believers
Discerned (Benedictine Spirituality):
From “above”
From someone in authority
From “below”
People around you
Recipients of your charism
58. Signs of Charisms
God is inexhaustible !
Inventory only covers 24 most common
Example reconciliation/peace making not included
59. Signs of Charisms
Some charisms given in concert with others:
Example:
Healing with Gift of Discernment and Intercessory Prayer.
60. Signs of Charisms
Some charisms given to groups/communities:
Benedictines – Hospitality
Dominicans (“Office of
Preachers”) - Preaching,
Teaching, Spiritual Direction.
61. Habitual vs. One-Time Gifts
Some charisms given “habitually” (all of the time)
Long-term
Can be developed / deepened
Larger effects in the community
62. Habitual vs. One-Time Gifts
Some charisms given only once
Example – A prophetic word
Remember: God does not “change his mind.”
Particular time / particular situation in our lives that
calls for it - then goes away.
Discernment in this case critical.
63. Charism vs. “Talent”
Just because you have a “talent” does not mean you
have an anointed charism.
You might have a talent..
But through it people are not called to a deeper relationship
with Christ.
vs. when something beyond your control is occurring,
Something beyond what could be expected through mere
human activity
64. Attitude Towards the Charisms
You don’t “ask” (i.e. demand or expect) a particular
charism.
“I’m here to get the gift of prophesy!”
You might not have it, get it.
Might not use it A.M.D.G.
You can “ask” for a charism in humility.
Ask for “laying on of hands.”
65. WHY IS ALL OF THIS IMPORTANT ?
Summary Statements
66. How God Works
God does not act alone.
Charisms - Signs of God’s will and purpose in our lives.
Charisms - Signs that:
God exists,
God desires a relationship with his people,
God is concretely reaching out to his people,
God is concretely reaching out through his people.
67. What is a Martyr/Witness?
Where does the power come from?
Charisms bear fruit beyond our natural ability.
Have a force/power beyond our “talents.”
To live in such a way that your life would not make
sense if God did not exist.
68. Mission To Others
No MISSION without a CALL,
No CALL without a GIFT.
If there’s a charism – there is a mission:
God has purpose for you in your life for sake of the kingdom.
God intends to reach our neighbor incarnationally through
YOUR charism.
69. Help for You
Easier to make decisions about what we are called to
be involved in.
70. Help for You
Also easier to make decisions about what we are
NOT called to be involved in.
Helps us avoid frustration and ineffectiveness.
Being out of God’s will – to act in an arena:
To which we have NOT been called,
For which we have NOT been equipped.
Set up for failure –SIGN that you do NOT have the call here!
71. Help for You
Reduces conflict
Helps reduce need to judge ourselves,
Helps reduce need to judge others:
They’re not malicious
They’re simply channeling their particular time/resources
into their particular call
72. USING YOUR CHARISMS
You’re not trying to “fix them..”
You’re not seeking something from them.
Not trying to make yourself feel good, useful, special..
You’re seeking something FOR them.
Actually you’re seeking someONE for them
You’re seeking their fulfillment
75. 1. Daily Prayer
2. Read / Study D.C. workbook ----->
3. Two hours / week deliberately
experimenting with one charism
4. Involving others in discernment process
Next Steps - Individuals
76. Next Steps - Groups
Introduction and Inventory
One-on-One Discernment and
Trying Out One Gift
Small Group Discussion & Support
78. Initial Discernment for Small
Groups
C&G I for first 5 weeks ($35)
C&G II for remainder ($39)
Or complete version ($80)
Includes:
Called & Gifted Workshop 4-CD set
Catholic Spiritual Gifts Inventory
Small Group Leader's Guide
Called & Gifted Small Group Participant's
Guides I & II
79. Workbook: “Discerning
Charisms”
Written version of “gifts interview.”
Guidance on “designing” an effective
gifts experiment.
Making your experiment a prayer.
Mining patterns buried in your
experiences.
Comprehensive Key to the Charisms:
Classic signs of each charism.
Interplay between charisms and seven
“Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Recommended books and websites for
exploring further.
$10.00
80. Spiritual Gifts “Resource
Guide”
For each charism:
Scripture & Catechism references
List of patron saints
Catholic men and women who
demonstrated charisms in their lives
Books relating to each charism
Possible uses of each charism in
your own life.
$8.00
81. Spiritual Gifts Inventory
120 questions.
Examine work, relationships, and spiritual
experiences in light of 24 most common gifts
of the Holy Spirit.
Includes:
Beginners guide to discernment
Description of 24 common charisms
Explanation of Church teaching on charisms
Experience of saints / Catholics throughout history.
$10.00
86. What it is NOT
• It’s an “inventory,”
▫ This is NOT a test.
▫ There are NO wrong answers.
▫ You cannot FAIL.
87. What it is NOT
• The inventory is NOT discernment.
• Meant to tease out some information based on
your life experiences.
• Where you might begin discerning what the
Lord is doing in your life.
88. What it is NOT
• Nothing significant in the numbers themselves.
• Scoring high in one area doesn’t mean you’re:
▫ Better
▫ Holier
▫ Smarter
▫ More gifted
▫ (Perhaps just have more experience in this area)
• So don’t compare your score with others !
▫ …(Although everybody does it anyway)
89. Instructions and Tips
• On page lO
• Everybody will put a “O” next to something.
▫ That’s not failure…
▫ That’s being honest; that’s being human.
• Don’t agonize over a question
▫ Go with initial “gut” reaction.
• If married and a question concerns being single,
▫ Just put a “O” there and move on.
90. Instructions and Tips
• Read and answer the questions LITERALLY!
• If question seems outlandish, fine. Put a “O” there and go on.
• Don’t answer:
▫ What you wish were true
▫ What you think should be true
▫ What you hope will be true (someday)
▫ Answer what IS true, in YOUR life, at THIS time.
91. Instructions and Tips
• When done, should be five numbers across the page.
• Add up five columns ACROSS answer sheet.
• Put total under column “total.”
• Highest you could get adding across is “15”
92. Instructions and Tips
• At the end, circle your TOP 6.
• If there are “tie scores” you might have top 7 or 8, that’s fine.
• Just because you score high in a category does NOT mean
you have the charism..
▫ It only means that this is a place for further discernment
94. Personalities - Introverts vs. Extroverts
Life experiences, emphases and approaches can be
different between introverts and extroverts.
Thus, introverts and extroverts generally exhibit
different types of charisms.
95. Extroverts
Extroverts often score higher in more categories:
They are constantly engaging more people.
Thus they receive more data (…sometimes).
But more feedback does NOT = a charism.
96. Introverts
Introverts receive feedback but:
Don’t care about it
Not interested in it
Not aware of impact on others or,
Minimize impact on others
Discernment:
Might take longer
Might require a second “stab at it.”
97. Introverts vs. Extroverts - Results
Can be encouraging to a community as you test,
discern, support and learn about each other.
Differences can be exciting and great fun !
107. PASTORAL CHARISMS
Mercy:
Respond with concrete, hands-on deeds of
compassion
Mother Theresa
Encouragement:
Respond to distress verbally
Physical presence and conversation
Counseling / Spiritual Direction
108. PASTORAL CHARISMS
Hospitality
“Bridge gift” between community and individuals.
Food, shelter, clothing, warmth, friendship
Charism of healing
Often associated with a place.
109. PASTORAL CHARISMS
Pastoring:
Fostering relationships and nurturing spiritual
gifts:
Of a group
Long-term
Distinction between “office” and “charism” of
pastoring.
110. PASTORAL CHARISMS
Everyone called to (for example) “help the
poor”
With “Pastoring”
Effectiveness is well beyond human powers
and normal leadership skills.
Results have supernatural power.
Especially effective in smaller groups (up to
200 people).
111. PASTORING
Exodus 18:13-27. Moses, his father-in-law
and delegation of leadership
Therefore larger parishes need numerous
people with this charism.
114. Desire to proclaim gospel to others.
Key is results:
Lives are changed
People come to or come back to Christ…
..on basis of person with the Charism
Often not in the central activities of the parish
Done outside of parish structures
115. Channel of God’s truth and wisdom
Others discern what is God’s calling for them.
Different from “Office” of teaching.
116. Signs:
Personal connection with the person across from
you.
Someone learns in a way that has remarkable
and profound effect in their life.
They get a personal urgency to learn even more.
Might not be about divine or religious subjects.
117. An effective channel of God’s love
Nurturing others through his/her presence..
..and words of comfort, encouragement and
counsel.
St. Baptist de LaSalle (inventor of Grade School)
118. Communicating a present message of God,
..to a particular person or group,
..about a particular topic or situation
Communicated through:
Word
Song
Image
Poetry
119. Experienced as coming from beyond oneself
Received as coming from beyond the person
speaking.
A particularly strong intuition or strong
“burden” does not mean:
You have charism or
What you’re saying is prophetic
Prophesy; Non-Prophesy; False Prophesy
120. Spoken - then let go.
Not the first-in-a-series-of steps,
Or what response to prophesy should be next.
121. Danger of self-importance.
Not infallible – needs to be discerned by
others (Authority such as Scripture, Tradition,
Magisterium, practical experience and fruit).
Prophesy is always directed at authority to
check its validity.
124. Charism of Giving
Giving materials
With special sense of generosity
and joy
To accomplish God’s purposes in
the world
125. Charism of Service
Ability to recognize “organizational gaps”
..
..that are preventing something good
from happening.
To do YOURSELF what it takes,
To solve the problem and meet the
need.
126. Charism of Service
Often multi-talented
Able to put their hands on – and bring
together - numerous resources.
Have prophetic vision
See, want to, begin to address needs before we’re
even aware of them.
Can make people angry (They are made to feel
ignorant or put down)
127. Challenges of Service
Mistaken for “Leadership”
Pushed into leadership role, position or “office”
Especially in “vacuum-based” organization.
Signs:
Leadership skills then seen lacking; situation is
simply not coming together.
Because they’re uncomfortable in planning and
setting overall vision and direction.
They like to do it THEMSELVES. They do NOT like to
delegate.
They’re hands-on (“Give me something to do!”)
128. Able to efficiently conceive, organize and lead plans
so that individuals, teams or large organizations
can achieve goals.
Charism of Administration
129. Charism of Administration
But - goals that reflects the purposes of God.
Presence of God felt in midst of exercise
They cut through chaos!
A channel
In a stewardship model
To offer provision
Where God is needed
St. Vincent de Paul; Florence Nightingale
130. Charism of Administration
Charism of Administration is:
Seeing an issue,
Breaking it up into smaller pieces,
Identifying the problems,
Delegating the problems,
Bringing the pieces and solutions together to
solve the problems.
131. Charism of Leadership
Leaders are God’s catalysts.
Leadership is setting the VISION.
Leaders see something better.
See a better world
Leaders draw people into the better - more
hopeful - vision.
132. Charism of Leadership
People with the Charism of Leadership:
Might not be in leadership positions …
or have leadership training, background or
experience.
They simply see the world with new eyes.
See the connections; articulate the
connections where people say “Yes! I see
and understand that now.”
133. What It’s Not
Administration is NOT Leadership
Leaders might not have Charism of Administration.
Leaders don’t pay attention to the details
(That’s Charism of “Administration”)
Charism of Leadership and Charism of
Administration go together.
Need each other for project to be successful.
134.
135. • “Ministry” of Healing;
• Related to an “Order” or vocation (like nurse or priest)
•vs. “Charism” of Healing
136. Intercessory Prayer
God seldom acts unilaterally.
God typically acts I an “incarnational way”..
..through gifts, talents and charisms of believers.
..and the assent and collaboration of God’s sons and
daughters.
137. Intercessory Prayer
Person (and their prayers) are used as instruments of
God’s presence, healing and love in dramatic, concrete
and often visible ways.
Their idea of a “good time!”
Can pray for hours; they don’t get tired; they don’t find
it boring.
138. Intercessory Prayer
They don’t tell God what to do.
They discern first then pray according to the “word”
that they receive.
Not unusual to be awakened in the middle of the night
with a “prayer burden:”
Sometimes very specific.
Sometimes for someone they don’t even know.
141. Through study and intellectual activity - channel of
knowledge of God, the creation and ourselves.
142. Not just information:
It’s about the whole picture, broad vistas, visions
and the whole principle of an idea.
Not just religious things:
Also concepts and ideas of the world.
143. Fruit – when these people explain something,
others have “a-ha” moment.
They gain a more hopeful, enlivened,
enthusiastic relationship with God.
144. Particular and profound insight into a specific
situation or person.
Thus a sound decision can be made.
Teachings of the church applied ..
..and another person’s decision or discernment is
aided to a profound degree.
Charism ofWisdom might happen infrequently
or only once.
145. Knowledge is focused on BIG ideas and
concepts
Wisdom is focused on a very narrow, specific
situation or person.
146. The “Charism of Discernment” is not the same
as the “Process of Discernment.”
147. Immediate or intuitive grasp of a presence.
Person able to perceive spiritual link of a
particular situation or behavior.
Also detect positive / demonic presence of a
particular person, place or situation.
Highly unusual charism.
150. According to St. Benedict:
Success – towards pleasing man (Talent)
Excellence- towards pleasing God (Charism)
A form or prayer or spiritual exercise.
Has an impact which brings people closer to
God in a way beyond what a normal talent
would seem to be able to do.
It “baptizes” the imagination.
151. Orders the world around us in such a way
that it manifests God’s provision.
Arts of “Living” (cooking, needlepoint, sowing,
tailoring)
Arts of “Recreation” (fine art, sculpture,
painting)
152. The musical tradition of the Church has a
greater role than the other creative charisms
(Catechism).
Augustine: “Who sings well, prays twice.”
153. J.R. Tolkein: “Hamlet is a play written by a
man who, if he had had more talent, would
have written a fairy tale.”
Tolkein and “Lord of the Rings.”
Deals with basic human truths like conversion,
and sin and suffering and redemption and the
fight between good and evil.
158. FAITH
Offers remarkable freedom to act.
Enables one to be effective agent of God’s purpose.
Can drive the planning/control types crazy.
159. MISSIONARY
Ability to use one (or several charisms) in a “foreign
culture.”
Might not even have language aptitude.
Delight in entering and thriving in a new
environment and culture.
160. VOLUNTARY POVERTY
Ability to identify with Jesus in the poor.
Cheerful, voluntary simplicity
Especially enlivens, animates, energizes and empowers
the other charisms.
161. VOLUNTARY POVERTY
Make distinction between:
Involuntary (difficult financial situation)
Voluntary (charism freely chosen).
An adventure to see what God is going to provide.
