Ask a Question - or - Return to the Faith and Spirituality Forum Index

Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Baptism in the Holy Spirit	Leon	Monday, February 1, 2010
Question: Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa in his article Baptism in the Holy Spirit says: The Baptism in the Spirit is not a sacrament, but it is related to several sacraments. The Baptism in the Spirit makes real and in a way renews Christian initiation. At the beginning of the Church, Baptism was administered to adults who converted from paganism and who, made on the occasion of Baptism, an act of faith and a free and mature choice. Today it is substituted instead by intermediary parents or godparents. In this situation, rarely, or never, does the baptized person ever reach the stage of proclaiming in the Holy Spirit "Jesus is Lord". And until one reaches this point, everything else in the Christian life remains out of focus and immature. Miracles no longer happen and we experience what Jesus did in Nazareth: "Jesus could not perform many miracles because of their lack of faith" (Mt.13.58). The Baptism in the Spirit's effectiveness in reactivating baptism consists in this: finally man contributes his part -- namely, he makes a choice of faith, prepared in repentance, that allows the that allows the work of God to set itself free and to emanate all its strength. It is as if the plug is pulled and the light is switched on. The gift of God is finally "untied" and the Spirit is allowed to flow like a ftragrance in the Christian life. 1) How does one receive this "Baptism in the Holy Spirit"? 2) Why is it that most catholics (except for charismatics) are not aware of this "Baptism in the Holy Spirit" OR have not experienced it? God Bless, Leon
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Leon: We are Baptized in the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Baptism and the Sacrament of Confirmation. There is no other "Baptism" in the Holy Spirit, properly so-called. The suggestion that the Charismatic experience is needed to be a focused and mature Christian is arrogance and contrary to Church teaching. One can reach a point of saying "Jesus is Lord" and have a mature and spirit-filled Christian life without ever having any Charismatic experience. One might note that most of the Saints never experienced a "Baptism in the Spirit" as practiced by the Charismatic Renewal. The term “Baptism of the Holy Spirit” was invented by Protestant Pentecostals. The Pentecostals do not believe in the Sacrament of Confirmation and thus when they read the passages in the Book of Acts concerning this, they could only interpret it as some experience that is extra-sacramental that happens at some future date in life. This is false. The passages in the book of Acts about laying on hands for the coming of the Holy Spirit is about the Sacrament of Confirmation. As mentioned above, we are baptized in the Holy Spirit at water baptism and at confirmation. The so-called “baptism of the Holy Spirit” in the Charismatic community is not a baptism at all technically, it is rather an experience where a person, perhaps for the first time, realizes the power of the Holy Spirit that is already within him. It is a "filling" not a "baptism" of the Holy Spirit. I would suggest everyone read the essay, Charism Gifts Building Up the Church (pdf file). This essay details the pros and cons of the Charismatic Renewal, and explains the “Pentecostalisms” that have contaminated the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. This essay quotes many experts, popes, and bishops. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Baptism in the Holy Spirit

Leon

Monday, February 1, 2010

Question:

Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa in his article Baptism in the Holy Spirit says:

The Baptism in the Spirit is not a sacrament, but it is related to several sacraments. The Baptism in the Spirit makes real and in a way renews Christian initiation. At the beginning of the Church, Baptism was administered to adults who converted from paganism and who, made on the occasion of Baptism, an act of faith and a free and mature choice. Today it is substituted instead by intermediary parents or godparents. In this situation, rarely, or never, does the baptized person ever reach the stage of proclaiming in the Holy Spirit "Jesus is Lord". And until one reaches this point, everything else in the Christian life remains out of focus and immature. Miracles no longer happen and we experience what Jesus did in Nazareth: "Jesus could not perform many miracles because of their lack of faith" (Mt.13.58). The Baptism in the Spirit's effectiveness in reactivating baptism consists in this: finally man contributes his part -- namely, he makes a choice of faith, prepared in repentance, that allows the that allows the work of God to set itself free and to emanate all its strength. It is as if the plug is pulled and the light is switched on. The gift of God is finally "untied" and the Spirit is allowed to flow like a ftragrance in the Christian life.

1) How does one receive this "Baptism in the Holy Spirit"?

2) Why is it that most catholics (except for charismatics) are not aware of this "Baptism in the Holy Spirit" OR have not experienced it?

God Bless,
Leon

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Leon:

We are Baptized in the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Baptism and the Sacrament of Confirmation. There is no other "Baptism" in the Holy Spirit, properly so-called.

The suggestion that the Charismatic experience is needed to be a focused and mature Christian is arrogance and contrary to Church teaching. One can reach a point of saying "Jesus is Lord" and have a mature and spirit-filled Christian life without ever having any Charismatic experience. One might note that most of the Saints never experienced a "Baptism in the Spirit" as practiced by the Charismatic Renewal.

The term “Baptism of the Holy Spirit” was invented by Protestant Pentecostals. The Pentecostals do not believe in the Sacrament of Confirmation and thus when they read the passages in the Book of Acts concerning this, they could only interpret it as some experience that is extra-sacramental that happens at some future date in life. This is false.

The passages in the book of Acts about laying on hands for the coming of the Holy Spirit is about the Sacrament of Confirmation. As mentioned above, we are baptized in the Holy Spirit at water baptism and at confirmation. The so-called “baptism of the Holy Spirit” in the Charismatic community is not a baptism at all technically, it is rather an experience where a person, perhaps for the first time, realizes the power of the Holy Spirit that is already within him. It is a "filling" not a "baptism" of the Holy Spirit.

I would suggest everyone read the essay, Charism Gifts Building Up the Church (pdf file). This essay details the pros and cons of the Charismatic Renewal, and explains the “Pentecostalisms” that have contaminated the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. This essay quotes many experts, popes, and bishops.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum