God does NOT give Charisms to All the Baptized! (He does give all that is needed.)
Yes, consider the above spoken strongly and loudly. I hope that some of the many who were taught otherwise, will hear me, read this, and rethink it. Many were and are still being taught, by educated teachers, lay and clergy, that “the Church teaches that all the Baptized are given at least one charism.” This is wrong. I hope in this essay to demonstrate that the Catholic Church teaches that God – the Holy Spirit – gives some of the baptized special graces called graces gratis datae, or graces freely given, or charisms. Some – not all.
As one example of the contrary, this is a Question/Answer on the website of a widely received ministry promoting charisms among clergy and laity:
Question: Are all Baptized Christians given charisms?
Answer: Yes. According to Catholic teaching, it is the faith of the Church that you possess one or more of the charisms (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 951).
1) The Catechism.
Note Catechism 951 does not exactly say that, but rather:
Catechism 951 – Communion of charisms. Within the communion of the Church, the Holy Spirit “distributes special graces among the faithful of every rank” for the building up of the Church. Now, “to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”<1 Cor 12:7>
“Among the faithful of every rank” is not the same as, “among every one individually of the faithful of every rank.” Further, St. Paul in 1 Corinthians does not say “to each is given a charism of the Spirit…” but rather “to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit…”. Consider, when one who has been given a charism of healing exercises that supernatural grace and one or more people are healed, then all – each one – of those involved, the healer and the healed, have been given “the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” This is the way that every charism is intended to bless and to build up the whole church, for the common good. To some are given charisms, to bless and help build up the many others, so that to each and all the love of God in the Spirit has been manifested.
2) Catholic Teaching.
Recently our current Pope Francis said this (emphasis added by me):
The charisms are special graces, given to some for the good of many others. .… In particular, these spiritual gifts further the sanctity of the Church and her mission. (1)
“Given to some” is certainly not the same as “given to all” – “given to all” is an error still being spread.
A Pope of several centuries ago, Pope Benedict XIV (1675-1758) in a study of charisms among those canonized by the Church (2), saw that some of the canonized servants of God did – and some did not – show any record of supernatural charisms in their lives on earth, but all were found holy and were canonized. Note this study gathers understandings on this issue from several theologians and saints:
[Francisco] Suarez [S,J.,1548–1617] adds, that graces gratis datae [charisms] are bestowed on the just, though not upon all, because it is not necessary for the general good of the Church that all the just should minister to others, or that they should be raised up by a special grace to work for the good of others, as may be seen in the place referred to, where he alleges the illustrious authority of St. Augustine (3) who says, “These are not given to all the saints, lest the weak should be deceived in a most fatal error, thinking that greater blessings consist in them [in the charisms] than in works of justice, by which eternal life is obtained.”
It seems, then, to be a good conclusion to draw from this, that silence is not to be imposed on the cause of a servant of God, in which graces gratis datae are not proved, provided there be proof of virtues in the heroic degree. Therefore, St. John Chrysostom, after saying that it was necessary to bestow them when the preaching of the gospel commenced, thus continues: ” Let us fear, then, beloved brethren, and bestow great pains on the ordering of our life; and let us not think that we have less, because now we do no miracles. We shall receive no more on account of miracles, as we shall not receive less because we perform none, if we apply ourselves to all virtues. We are not debtors to miracles, but for a good life and good works we have God for our debtor.”
And this so much the more, for in no Bull of canonization, or Report of the Auditors of the Rota, is omitted the mention of virtues and miracles after death; some speak of graces gratis datae, but in others there is profound silence on the subject; from this it may be argued that some canonizations have been decreed, although the servants of God and the blessed, during their lifetime, received no graces gratis datae [charisms]from God.
3) Conclusion
If “the servants of God and the blessed, during their lifetime, received no graces gratis datae [charisms] from God” (following the writing of Pope Benedict XIV) along with the support of Theologian Francisco Suarez, S.J., and along with the Saints and Doctors of the Church Thomas Aquinas, Augustine and Chrysostom, and we have heard our own Pope Francis tell us the same thing – if all these say that charisms are given to some and not all, I think we can say, charisms are given to some but not all.
Furthermore, I hope we can all see God’s wisdom in ordering matters of grace this way. It seems to be God’s way, to choose and bless the few, and then send them to bless the many. In this way God chooses to provide for and to serve us all, especially those poor, whom He loves, to gather them/us into His own.
To clarify further, there are addressed here two kinds of grace: first, sanctifying grace given at Baptism for our justification, sanctification and salvation. Sanctifying grace makes us a member of His Body, a participant in His Life. Then, second, there can be the grace of a charism, given (if given) in God’s time, for God’s purpose, when and if He chooses to give it, and until when or if He chooses to remove it. A grace of charism is given to a recipient for a need in the Church – a need in another to help him in his path to Christ. A charism cannot give salvation to another, but it can point him to the One who can give Him salvation: Jesus Christ.
Of these two kinds of grace, the first – in possession and in importance – is sanctifying grace, and this must be and remain our first in attention, our priority. Sanctifying grace begins the life of Christ in a human person, and is ordered to growth in Christ, to maturity in Christ, to fruitfulness in Christ! To neglect our own life in Christ to be preoccupied with the needs of others, is to be like busy Martha and not like her wise, prudent and prayerful sister Mary:
Now as they went on their way, he entered a village; and a woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”
But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42)
If a Christian becomes overly concerned with what he can do for Christ, and becomes unconcerned with who he is in Christ and what he lacks of Christ, then he, like Martha, remains anxious and troubled – and remains too much in himself. As John the Baptist learned, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (Jn 3:30). This dying to self and living to Christ is possible only in the essential activity of sanctifying grace, and the virtues of supernatural faith, hope and holy charity, and the seven supernatural infused and abiding gifts of the Holy Spirit given “in seed form” at Baptism:
Catechism 1831 – The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. They belong in their fullness to Christ, Son of David. They complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them. They make the faithful docile in readily obeying divine inspirations.
These gifts of the Spirit will bring forth fruit for all the faithful and diligent, in due season, fruit that will remain, to the merit of these who live them in obedience to our Lord.
Endnotes:
(1) Pope Francis, General Audience Address November 6, 2013
(2) This study is recorded in “Heroic Virtue: A Portion Of The Treatise Of Benedict XIV On The Beatification And Canonization Of The Servants Of God, Volume 3.” This includes discussion on the place of charisms, or graces gratis datae (graces freely given) in the examinations of the virtues of the servants of God.
(3) The quote from Augustine, cited above by Pope Benedict XIV, is expanded and found in the Catena Aurea of St. Thomas Aquinas.
