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Canon Law Understanding Charism PDF

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50 views2 pages

Canon Law Understanding Charism PDF

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Francisco Elvis Rodrigues Oliveira
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Understanding Charism

F
requently, the word "charism" is used in ref- • The example of the founder's holiness or the
erence to the spirit or gifts of a particular reli- pattern of God's wisdom and power exemplified
gious institute. The word does not appear in in human experience
the Code of Canon Law or in the spell-check * A constant renewal and desire to be con-
mechanism of computer dictionaries. Instead, formed to Christ
we find the words "charismas," "chrism" or • Ecclesial awareness in serving the mission,
"czarism." Webster's dictionary defines charism responding with genuine creativity
as "an extraordinary power given a Christian by • Openness to discernment and confirmation
the Holy Spirit for the good of the church." 1 by the church
Where do we get our direction for understanding
the term properly in the ecclesial sphere of reli- Christifideles Laid provides a parallel concep-
BYSR.MARLENE gious institutes and their works? tual framework for authenticity of charism.4 It
WEISENBECK, FSPA, A recent Vatican document Starting Afresh includes the primacy given to the call of every
Ph.D., JCL From Christ2 aptly gives meaning to the word Christian to holiness, the responsibility of pro-
Sr. Weisenbeck "charism" by summarizing concepts from the fessing the Catholic faith, the witness to a strong
is president and previous church documents Mutuae Relationes, and authentic communion in relationship to the
chairwoman, 11 and Vita Consecrata, 37: pope, conformity to and participation in the
leadership coun- church's apostolic goals, and a commitment to a
cil, Congrega- Consecrated life, like all forms of Christian presence in human society.
tion of the life, is by its nature dynamic, and all who From time to time, new groups form with an
Sisters of the are called by the Spirit to embrace it must intent to carry out a mission and apply to bishops
Third Order constantly renew themselves in growing for recognition or a decree of approval. A dioce-
of St. Francis toward that perfect stature of the body of san bishop looking at a new foundation should be
of Perpetual Christ. It came into being through the cre- considering some or all of the following:
Adoration, ative prompting of the Spirit who moved
La Crosse, founders and foundresses along the Gospel • A willing action to build up the body of
Wis. path, giving rise to an admirable variety of Christ
charisms ... Their experience of the Spirit " Having a purpose to do something together
must not only be preserved by those who fol- that an individual cannot do alone
low them but must also be deepened and • Doctrinal integrity in its full content and as
developed ... instilling the courage of inter- currently taught
dependence and inventiveness needed to • Financial responsibility and viability
respond to the signs of the times.
The bishops of France, in their circular letter
Earlier, Evangelica Testificatio3 stated that a on associations, give four criteria for the evalua-
charism arises not from an impulse of flesh and tion of new charisms:
blood or one derived from a mentality, which
conforms itself to the modern world, but is the • They are not the fruit of personal efforts or
fruit of the Holy Spirit, who is always at work analyses, but are received in faith
within the church. The following seven indica- • They are given for the common good
tions make it possible to form criteria by which a • They are subject to renewal under the guid-
charism can be recognized: ance of the Holy Spirit
• They are in harmony with other charisms
• A dynamic prompting and experience of the given for the entire community 5
Spirit
* Fidelity in witnessing to some aspect of the Charism can be understood as the original
Trinitarian Mystery inspiration of the founders embodying the grace
• The evangelical intentions of the founders of unity. St. Francis, for example, was always

1 6 • NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2008 HEALTH PROGRESS


The distinction between charism riottsville, Md., speaks of a charism of compas-
sion, healing and liberation. The Sisters of Mercy
and mission or ministry is crucial. refer to their charism of mercy. Other institutes
claim reconciliation or peacemaking as charismat-
A ministry may be an expression ic indicators of authenticity in their apostolates.
Countless references are available in this jour-
of the charism, but is not the nal and in Catholic Health World that speak of
"charism in action," [the ministry] as "integral
charism itself. part of the charism," ministries "embracing the
charism," "lending cultures and charisms" and
watchful to preserve among his followers the sponsorship as "guardian of the charism." While
bond of unity.6 Theologian Bernard Lee, SM, Vatican documents use the term sparingly, reli-
suggests that charism is about "the deep story" of gious institutes and their lay partners have
community, which defines a group identity. It is embraced it and have vigorously taken up the
viewed as a relational event that has a specific and call to fidelity. •
social context. As such, a charism is not transmit-
ted to a later historical context. Fr. Lee said in HMD
order to bring a charism into a future period of
C o m m e n t on this column
history, persons must identify with the "deep
at www.chausa.org/hp.
story" as they respond to a new social context
with the essential spirit of the charism.7
The distinction between charism and mission
or ministry is crucial. A ministry may be an
expression of the charism, but is not the charism N O T E S
itself. Pope John Paul II in Vita Consecrata sug-
gested that, rather than speaking of the "founder's 1. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition
charism" as in Evangelica Testificatio, it is more (Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, July 2003).
2. Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and
accurate to speak of the "founding charism,"
Societies of Apostolic Life, Starting Afresh From
because as long as the institute is alive, it is in a Christ: A Renewed Commitment to Consecrated Life
state of "founding." 8 This concept helps to move in the Third Millennium (Rome: The Vatican, May 19,
beyond the notion of a stable charism as identi- 2002), 20. Also available online at www.vatican.va.
fied with a specific ministry and allows ministries 3. Paul VI, Evangelica Testificatio (Rome: The Vatican,
June 29,1971), 11. Also available online at www.vati-
to evolve with the needs of the time. can.va.
In establishing a new public juridic person for 4. John Paul II, Christifidelis Laid (Rome: The Vatican,
the sponsorship of health care, the new entity December 30,1988), 30. Also available online at
builds its identity or bond of unity upon the www.vatican.va.
5. Conference Des Eveques de France, "L'apostolat des
founding spirit of the institute(s) that now inspire laics. La libre association des fideles en vue de l'apos-
the contemporary expression. It informs or influ- tolat," La Documentation Catholique 96 (1999): 1053-
ences the way the ministry is performed. 1060.
In the case of my institute, we speak of "adora- 6. Regis J. Armstrong, J.A. Wayne Hellman and William J.
Short, Francis ofAssisi: The Saint: Early Documents,
tion" or "presence" as a way in which we give vol. 1 (New York: New City Press, 1999), 223.
character or a unique quality to the work of 7. Bernard Lee, "A Socio-Historical Theology of Charism,"
health care, education, or spiritual development. Review for Religious 48 (January-February 1989): 124-
Adoration of the exposed Blessed Sacrament is a 135. Also see Bernard Lee, The Beating of Great
prayer form that provides symbolic meaning to Wings (New London, Conn.: Twenty-Third Publica-
tions, 2004), 16-35.
the way we are present in ministry outside and 8. John Paul II, Vita Consecrata (Rome: The Vatican,
beyond the adoration chapel. Similarly, the Bon March 25,1996), 63. Also available online at
Secours Health System headquartered in Mar- www.vatican.va.

HEALTH PROGRESS NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2 0 0 8 • 17

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