The Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Davao: The Pentecost Lives On

THE CHARISMATIC RENEWAL: IN BRIEF

Renew your wonders in this our day, as by a new Pentecost.
Grant to your Church that,
being of one mind and steadfast in prayer with Mary, the Mother of Jesus,
and following the lead of Blessed Peter,
it may advance the reign of our Divine Saviour,
the reign of truth and justice,
the reign of love and peace.
Amen

So went the prayer of Blessed John XXIII, in his opening statement for the Second Vatican Council in the year 1962. There was a time when Churches were likened to mausoleums, houses for the dead- edifices of lifelessness. And so, there was a clear need for revival, a clear need to make the Church come alive again. Hence, the prayer was a prayer asking, begging for renewal, as alive as a new Pentecost.

If one cares to look into what happened at Pentecost, without a doubt he or she shall come upon the empowering experience of the Holy Spirit, experienced by the Apostles. In the same way, then, all of us are called to experience the Holy Spirit, to be empowered by the Holy Spirit, so much so that we shall be moved and made willing to commit our whole selves to God and to the building of His Kingdom.

And the people were indeed empowered by the Holy Spirit to respond, to act for the fulfillment of the prayer. One concrete response was marked by the birth of the Catholic Charismatic Movement, in that same period.Later into the century, more and more Charismatic groups were founded, and they eventually made their way into the Philippines. A few years into it, and then it entered the Davao area.

CHARISMATIC RENEWAL IN DAVAO

It began in the Diocese of Tagum, Davao del Norte, in the early 1970s, and later picked up by several parishes in the Diocese of Davao City. With this, there was a gradual but sure growth in the number of movements and their respective members. People were inspired to take part in the said Catholic Charismatic Movement because it was a whole new way of establishing and experiencing an authentic personal relationship with the Lord, a relationship that is filled with the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit.

The prayer meetings continued, and the movement continued to bloom. Of course, like many, if not all, growing, blooming movements, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal was not exempt from harsh criticism. Some prejudices were that these people who sing and dance for the Lord, do so under the risk of being considered crazy. But of course, one could not just reduce the Lord’s workings to mere human reason. And so despite these judgments thrown against the Charismatic Catholics, they persisted, they survived, and they were blessed beyond imagination.

COORDINATING COUNCIL FORMED

With these unfolding events and with the mushrooming of innumerable communities, a major decision had to be made; a major leap had to be taken. Thus, 1979 saw the formation of the coordinating body of all the Catholic Charismatic Communities of the Archdiocese, where lay leaders, coordinators, and spiritual directors were appointed.

CHRIST THE KING FORMATION CENTER: HOME FOR THE CHARISMATIC RENEWAL IN DAVAO

All of the Communities were scheduled to meet every third Sunday of the month. Needless to say such a body would need a home where they could gather for their activities, where they feed their hungry spirits with the presence of the Lord. In response to such a need, Sr. Marie Beaumonth, a Canadian Missionary of the Immaculate Conception, was appointed as project coordinator for the building of the Christ the King Formation Center, a four-thousand square meter-lot donated by the generous hearts of Mr. and Mrs. Faustino Samson, with the support also of Bishop Patricio Alo and Msgr. Burlaza.

At present, the Christ the King Formation Center stands proud- a strong reminder of how alive the Church truly is, empowered by the Holy Spirit.

The Charismatic Communities continue to meet every third Sunday of the month, conduct seminars for various parishes, and provide trainings and workshops for aspiring leaders, speakers, musicians, worship leaders, and many more- all at the Formation Center. The Coordinating Council is now called the Archdiocesan Service Committee- Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Davao.

AS IN A NEW PENTECOST

May 19, 2013- the day when the whole Roman Catholic Church shall celebrate Pentecost, the descent and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles. On that day, the whole Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Davao shall also come together at the San Pedro Cathedral, and as one body in Christ, celebrate, not just the Pentecost that happened to the Apostles, but the Pentecost that they themselves have lived out and are continuing to live out, every single day.

Indeed, the Pentecost lives on.

By Duane Allyson U. Gravador