In his new book, “Word, Sacrament, Charism: Risks and Opportunities of a Synodal Church,” Cardinal Marc Ouellet challenges the Church to worry less about creating something new, and more about treasuring what is already there.
“The Church is experiencing a moment of listening to the Holy Spirit,” Ouellet told journalists during a presentation of the book, soon to be translated into English, on 24 September. The cardinal was referring to the synod on the theme of synodality, a three-year-long project that has involved all members of the church, from faithful to pastors and bishops.
Ouellet’s new book hopes to offer a new perspective for synodal discussions by suggesting that the church should promote and enable charisms, intended as gifts by the Holy Spirit that are given to every baptized Catholic. “My book would like to reawaken the interest in charisms in the church,” Ouellet said, “but they often don’t find the space to develop because they are not valued and recognized.”
“A clerical culture doesn’t leave much space for charisms,” said Ouellet, adding that there is a “generalized mentality by faithful who don’t see the work of the Holy Spirit among all the people of God.” The Vatican’s Code of Canon Law isn’t equipped to address the needs of charismatic movements, the cardinal said, adding that if the law “is applied rigidly there is a risk that charisms will be extinguished.”
Loosening the grip on charismatic movements would allow these groups to thrive and evangelize, the cardinal said. “Not just the visible and spectacular ones,” he said, “but also humble and discreet charisms of service: listening, welcoming, compassion, visiting the sick and the poor, catechists and reconciliation operators.”
Pope Francis has shown the way to do this in the church, Ouellet said, by allowing lay men and women to hold positions of power and influence in the church. In his 13 years at the head of the Vatican congregation overseeing bishops, Ouellet said he saw first-hand how the contributions of everyday faithful and their charism could be easily discarded. He also praised the Synod on Synodality’s inclusion of laity and lower-level clergy — one-quarter of the participants were not bishops — which he said teaches the bishops how to work closely with other faithful in the church.