Dear Catholic Exchange:
Receiving a gift of the Holy Spirit as significant as, say, speaking in tongues or healing seems to me to be proof of one’s piety and method of worship. To me, such gifts signify that a person is “on the right track.” So, what if the person who received that kind of “validation from God” isn’t a member of the Catholic Church? If God wanted that person to be Catholic, wouldn’t the “tongues” (or at least the heart) be telling him that? It makes me wonder.
Thanks,
Tari
Dear Tari,
Peace in Christ! A gift from God is simply that: a gift. God does not necessarily disperse gifts on the basis of a person’s spiritual life and maturity, method of worship, or goodness. So, if God gives a person outside the Catholic Church a gift, whatever else He may be doing in His goodness, He is not “validating” that person. He is giving a gift, which is what our Father does. God our Father, as Creator of all humanity, even gives gifts to the non-baptized. This is why the presence of a gift should not be considered as a “validation” of the person’s ministry, maturity, or worship. Jesus worked miracles and performed signs and wonders as a validation of His Messianic anointing. From this, it does not follow that gifts are always and only for the purpose of validation. Is it not interesting that Paul’s writings to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 3:1-3) have much to say about the presence and active use of spiritual gifts, yet the Corinthians were still babes in Christ who spent a lot of time in jealousy and division?
Charismatic gifts and the charismatic renewal in general have been recognized by the Church as a sign of vitality and good for the Church. Anyone, however, who has had any experience with charismatics, Catholics or otherwise, knows that such gifts are easy to abuse or misuse. One common abuse and error is to suppose that a gift of the Spirit endows one with authority over another or in some way validates their worship. In other words, “validates” the person who has the gift. Yet, gifts that give one authority are gifts that proceed from Christ’s ascension to His throne at the right hand of God, where all authority in Heaven and earth was given to Him.
What one might call “ascension gifts” are gifts of authority. Paul refers to these gifts and their purpose in Ephesians 4:8-16. The ministry of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers is carried on through apostolic succession in the bishops and, thereby, in the ordained ministry of priests and deacons. Their job is to preserve and teach the Deposit of Faith as handed down from Christ and the apostles—that is to say, the objective teaching of Christ taught by those endowed with authority through Him and the apostolic succession. This is what “validates” authority in the Church, not the presence of a gift. In fact, gifts themselves must be judged and discerned by legitimate authority (cf. 1 Cor. 14:37-40).
The gifts that were given when the Holy Spirit descended, one might call “descension gifts.” Though the Holy Spirit is a consubstantial member of the Trinity—that is to say, He is God—His role in the “economy” of salvation, i.e., its administration—is subservient to Christ. The Spirit is sent to the Church by the Father in Christ’s name (Jn. 14:26). And when He comes, Jesus said, He will not speak on His own authority, but that which He hears, and He will glorify Christ (Jn. 16:12-15). Because the role of the Holy Spirit is not one of authority with regard to carrying out the work of the Kingdom, His gifts are not gifts that endow one with authority, but are for the purpose of day-to-day work in the Church. These gifts must be used properly by those who have them and always under the authority of the Church.
In conclusion, the presence of gifts outside the Catholic Church does not validate the person’s religious life or affiliation. The disciples forbade a man they found casting out demons in Jesus’ name because the man was not among them (Mk. 9:38-41). Jesus said not to forbid the man, implicitly acknowledging the legitimacy of the man’s power to cast out demons. Nonetheless, it was upon the company of apostles alone that Christ built His Church, with Peter as the head of the apostolic college. The authority of Christ in the Church is only acknowledged by union with the successors of the apostles (the bishops) in union with the successor of St. Peter.
I hope this answers your question. If you have further questions on this or would like more information about Catholics United for the Faith, please contact us at 1-800-MY-FAITH (693-2484). Please keep us in your prayers as we endeavor to “support, defend, and advance the efforts of the teaching Church.”
United in the Faith,
David E. Utsler
Information Specialist
Catholics United for the Faith
827 North Fourth Street
Steubenville, OH 43952
800-MY-FAITH (800-693-2484)
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