Nurturing the Spiritual Gifts
As Catholics who express our praise and worship of God using the Charismatic gifts we want to nurture an environment in which our children can grow in these gifts as well. The Catholic Charismatic Renewal in Australia has now been around for
over forty years and that means there are some children of the Renewal who are finding themselves married and raising children of their own in faith. We asked them about their experiences of being nurtured in the gifts of the Holy Spirit
and have gleaned some of this wisdom from their beautiful stories.
As you read these remember that we can teach and nurture our children in the faith but God is the one who touches their hearts and they choose to respond. It is not our journey, but theirs, and we can do no more than Christ himself has shown us... to hold out the invitation and pray that our children will have the grace to respond.
Remember also, with gratitude, the gift of the person who was courageous enough to first share the message of Jesus with you, the first person who prayed with you etc. For those who’ve shared here, it was their Mum and Dad.
Be models of Christians who pray
“Seeing my parents have daily prayer times and worship [nurtured my faith] and [I would] copy them speaking in tongues.” Emma
“I think that our parents' witness was the major influence for me. I remember my parents praying together each morning, and dad would pray over us kids each night before we went to sleep, before we went on a trip etc. It taught me that praying to God was a normal thing and that God was always accessible.” Melissa
“I know we had a weekly family worship time where I also heard Mum and Dad praying in tongues.” Christine
“My first memory of praying in tongues when I was about five-ish and I did it because my Mum was praying over me that way and I just joined her. I also remember my foster brother raising his arms in worship when he was little as he watched and copied Dad.” Chantale
“My parents were authentic examples of people who worshipped expressively, they were real, that nurtured me.” Alex
Be part of a worshipping community
“My experience in community and a charismatic family nurtured my faith in general as a young kid, and opened me to personal faith”. Luke
“When I was really little I remember taking my pillow and falling asleep to the sound of my Mums prayer group worshipping with music and singing in tongues, it was like being bathed in worship.” Chantale
“We were "exposed" to prayer nights and gathering etc on a constant basis we met with and spoke with and felt loved by people who lived this life daily. It was a powerful witness” Mark
“As a young child I think I just soaked it all in. I have great memories of standing under the mantle as Dad worshipped [during the community gathering] when I was very little and just feeling so safe and nurtured.” Christine
“As a child I remember feeling the unity that I felt when people worshipped together, differences seemed to be put aside and I felt a part of it all. It was powerful.” Alex
Bring your kids alongside you in mission and ministry
“My experience of the retreats my parents helped to run that really formed me and at the age of ten I experienced a "baptism of the Holy Spirit" during a time of praise and worship during adoration.” Christine
Be encouraging, be inviting
"The other thing that helped was that my mum was always praying over visitors in our lounge room and we would all be encouraged to lay hands from an early age. So I guess I was a passenger in the process for a while before using gifts
myself.” Paul
“I think the most important thing I remember experiencing was no pressure.” Mark
“We were also encouraged to pray ourselves in our own words - I even remember telling God jokes that I learnt at preschool!” Melissa
“I don’t remember first using the gift of tongues - I just always have. I remember sitting with Mum in her prayer time when I was very small and her encouraging me to just let the Holy Spirit speak in my heart.” Beth
“I remember being constantly drawn in by the worship music played in our home, either on a tape (old school – later CD’s) or Dad strumming away on the guitar, singing and praying. It was like a magnet for me and I have many memories of family jam sessions that became times of worship.” Chantale
Take time to explain
"I still remember my first word of knowledge and prophesy. My mum explained that it was a word or sentence that might come into my mind whilst praying. That it doesn't have to make sense to me and to not fear sharing it even if I thought it
dumb." Paul
“When we prayed both when I was very little and later as I got older Mum would say, "so what did Jesus say to you?" With no fanfare, just simply expecting that ‘of course he would’. And then if it was something that seemed for everyone. She would simply say that that is something that Jesus wants us all to know today when you share that with others that is called prophecy” Beth
“It seemed a little odd and different/special to me initially (particularly in comparing it to our parish mass), so having people take the time to explain it and provide age-appropriate opportunities made all the difference.” Melissa
over forty years and that means there are some children of the Renewal who are finding themselves married and raising children of their own in faith. We asked them about their experiences of being nurtured in the gifts of the Holy Spirit
and have gleaned some of this wisdom from their beautiful stories.
As you read these remember that we can teach and nurture our children in the faith but God is the one who touches their hearts and they choose to respond. It is not our journey, but theirs, and we can do no more than Christ himself has shown us... to hold out the invitation and pray that our children will have the grace to respond.
Remember also, with gratitude, the gift of the person who was courageous enough to first share the message of Jesus with you, the first person who prayed with you etc. For those who’ve shared here, it was their Mum and Dad.
Be models of Christians who pray
“Seeing my parents have daily prayer times and worship [nurtured my faith] and [I would] copy them speaking in tongues.” Emma
“I think that our parents' witness was the major influence for me. I remember my parents praying together each morning, and dad would pray over us kids each night before we went to sleep, before we went on a trip etc. It taught me that praying to God was a normal thing and that God was always accessible.” Melissa
“I know we had a weekly family worship time where I also heard Mum and Dad praying in tongues.” Christine
“My first memory of praying in tongues when I was about five-ish and I did it because my Mum was praying over me that way and I just joined her. I also remember my foster brother raising his arms in worship when he was little as he watched and copied Dad.” Chantale
“My parents were authentic examples of people who worshipped expressively, they were real, that nurtured me.” Alex
Be part of a worshipping community
“My experience in community and a charismatic family nurtured my faith in general as a young kid, and opened me to personal faith”. Luke
“When I was really little I remember taking my pillow and falling asleep to the sound of my Mums prayer group worshipping with music and singing in tongues, it was like being bathed in worship.” Chantale
“We were "exposed" to prayer nights and gathering etc on a constant basis we met with and spoke with and felt loved by people who lived this life daily. It was a powerful witness” Mark
“As a young child I think I just soaked it all in. I have great memories of standing under the mantle as Dad worshipped [during the community gathering] when I was very little and just feeling so safe and nurtured.” Christine
“As a child I remember feeling the unity that I felt when people worshipped together, differences seemed to be put aside and I felt a part of it all. It was powerful.” Alex
Bring your kids alongside you in mission and ministry
“My experience of the retreats my parents helped to run that really formed me and at the age of ten I experienced a "baptism of the Holy Spirit" during a time of praise and worship during adoration.” Christine
Be encouraging, be inviting
"The other thing that helped was that my mum was always praying over visitors in our lounge room and we would all be encouraged to lay hands from an early age. So I guess I was a passenger in the process for a while before using gifts
myself.” Paul
“I think the most important thing I remember experiencing was no pressure.” Mark
“We were also encouraged to pray ourselves in our own words - I even remember telling God jokes that I learnt at preschool!” Melissa
“I don’t remember first using the gift of tongues - I just always have. I remember sitting with Mum in her prayer time when I was very small and her encouraging me to just let the Holy Spirit speak in my heart.” Beth
“I remember being constantly drawn in by the worship music played in our home, either on a tape (old school – later CD’s) or Dad strumming away on the guitar, singing and praying. It was like a magnet for me and I have many memories of family jam sessions that became times of worship.” Chantale
Take time to explain
"I still remember my first word of knowledge and prophesy. My mum explained that it was a word or sentence that might come into my mind whilst praying. That it doesn't have to make sense to me and to not fear sharing it even if I thought it
dumb." Paul
“When we prayed both when I was very little and later as I got older Mum would say, "so what did Jesus say to you?" With no fanfare, just simply expecting that ‘of course he would’. And then if it was something that seemed for everyone. She would simply say that that is something that Jesus wants us all to know today when you share that with others that is called prophecy” Beth
“It seemed a little odd and different/special to me initially (particularly in comparing it to our parish mass), so having people take the time to explain it and provide age-appropriate opportunities made all the difference.” Melissa