Father Brian T. Mullady of the Homiletic & Pastoral Review.

"The Charismatic Renewal"

Saint Augustine on harvesters expressing happiness in tongues:

"They burst into a simple sound of joy and jubilation.

"Such a cry of joy is a sound signifying that the heart is bringing to birth what it cannot utter in words...

"Now, who is more worthy of such a cry of jubilation than God himself...

"...whom all words fail to describe?"



Some random snippets from this publication, edition of April 2010.


"Question:


"My daughter has a very active prayer life but has recently been highly by the charismatic renewal. She ends our family evening prayers speaking in tongues, which I consider gibberish. Several priests have told me that though people spoke in tongues in the apostolic period there is no current tradition for this. Others have said that the last three popes have approved of it. What is an authentic Catholic position on this?"


"Answer:


"The Catholic charismatic renewal has been very influential in the past few decades.

"Catholicism and charismatic spirituality do appear compatible, as the last three popes have indeed encouraged the Catholic charismatic renewal.

"They have done so with cautions to avoid extremes and to stay faithful to Catholic teaching, while at the same time acknowledging that the movement brings people into a scriptually based, active prayer life.

"Some early attempts at the current movement were influenced by Protestant Pentecostal theology, which does have aspects that are in conflict with Catholic teaching.

"At this point, however, almost all dioceses have taken steps to counteract problems by assuring guidance to the movement from knowledgeable priests acting as chaplains, as well as training lay leaders.

"Some clarifications are needed to more properly base this guidance on a proper understanding of the doctrine of grace..."


Fast forward 300 words plus to Saint Augustine!


"Spontaneous praise is when one is so filled with the experience of God that he breaks into spontaneous expressions of joy.

"The Liturgy of the Hours describes such an experience in a discourse on the psalms by St. Augustine used for the feast of St. Cecilia."

Now, in St. Augustine's own words:

"You must first understand that words cannot express the things that are sung by the heart.

"Take the case of people singing while harvesting in the fields [...]

"Although they begin by giving expression to their happiness in sung words, yet shortly there is a change.

"As if so happy that words can no longer express what they feel, they discard the restricting syllables.

"They burst into a simple sound of joy and jubilation.

"Such a cry of joy is a sound signifying that the heart is bringing to birth what it cannot utter in words.

"Now, who is more worthy of such a cry of jubilation than God himself, whom all words fail to describe?"

Now, Father Mullady again...

"This rejoicing in the presence of God is what is most commonly called tongues in charismatic spirituality.

"This is not, however, the gift of tongues which is described in the New Testament..."

Indeed, it's not!

Our own Saint Mary Magdalene's Catholic Renewal here refuses to either even believe this last statement or to even accept it -- at least they don't as a group.

Our own fed - up current pastor apparently has long since turned them loose to wander aimlessly about the theological landscape with no sense or guidance.

Indeed, if their local leaders assure them of the necessity of the Virgin Mary's receiving both the Baptism of the Holy Spirit along with the Gift of Tongues in order to complete her own salvation -- Dr. Don Smith -- then the rank and file will tend to accept this with the same groveling docility with which they accept the declaration of one deacon's assertion -- Dr. Joe Goebel -- that Mary's salvation likewise depended on her being saved after Jesus' birth and by being baptized by water.


The issue jointly raised here -- by Dr. Don Smith & Dr. Joe Goebel, Deacon -- is simply this:


If either -- or both -- Dr. Don Smith and the Rev. Mr. Joe Goebel, Deacon, are correct, then Jesus had one awesomely flawed mother, and thus could Himself never be truly divine.. :)