HOW DOES INDIVIDUAL

DISCERNMENT OF CHARISMS
AFFECT THE PARISH OR THE
LARGER CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY?

Discerning charisms communally enables a parish to

thrive on the gifts of its people. Far from being “just
another program,” this is a whole new way to look at our
parishes. Our communities are filled with organizational
and pastoral needs that are usually met by recruiting
anyone who shows any interest or who, perhaps, is just
unable to say, “no.” Because we seldom look first at the
gifts and call of individuals, our communities too often
contain generous and energetic people who have been
burned-out or even traumatized trying to fill “vacuums”
for which they were ill-equipped. But if we look first at
our gifts, our communities will come to be shaped by our
loves, because God calls each of us to (and gifts us for)
the work that we most love. The discernment process
ensures that individuals cease to be anonymous to the
leadership of the community and to each other. In our
large Catholic parishes and institutions, it’s easy for
individuals to come and go without being noticed and
to believe that they have nothing to contribute. When
people start to discern their gifts, they also start to talk
to each other about their gifts. New relationships begin
to form among parishioners, and parish leaders often
find that new priorities for the parish begin to emerge.

The discernment of their gifts draws people from the

periphery of the community to the center. Some of our
most gifted people are sitting, unrecognized, in the back
of the church. Many lay Catholics emerge from the gifts
discernment process with a much stronger sense that
they have something important to give to the larger
Christian community and to the world. Catholics who
used to sit quietly on the sidelines take new risks, and More questions?
others emerge as leaders of new initiatives. Recognizing
the charisms of all helps the Church answer the call of Please contact us. We’d love to hear from you.
the Holy Spirit.

Pope John Paul II called the Church to a New

Evangelization and heralded a “great springtime” for CATHERINE OF SIENA INSTITUTE
Christianity. Lay Catholics, in particular, are called to be
the Church’s “front line,” the people in whom the majority P.O. Box 26440, Colorado Springs, CO 80936
of our contemporaries meet the risen Christ. They need
to discern their charisms in order to meet this call, and
the parish is the most accessible setting for discernment.
719-219-0056 | 888-878-6789 (Toll Free)
info@siena.org | www.siena.org CHARISMS
As partners in the mission of Christ, everyone has been
.©2017 Catherine of Siena Institute.
“called and gifted” for the sake of the world!
 CHARISMS WHY SHOULD I DISCERN MY CHARISMS? HOW DO CHARISMS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS DIFFER FROM NATURAL TALENTS?
God is calling you to a work of love that will fill your life Understanding your charisms can make a big difference
with purpose and joy. Discerning your charisms can in family life! It can enable you to understand and
help you discover that call. Knowing your God-given cherish your spouse’s gifts and help you recognize and
What is a charism (spiritual gift)? charisms can greatly clarify your decision-making. In nurture the emerging gifts of your children. Some
“Charism” is the Greek word used in the New Testament particular, if you are wondering how you are to fulfill people recognize that they are especially called and
for “favor” or “gratuitous gift.” Charisms, or spiritual gifts, the mission God has for you, or navigate a life transition gifted by God to work with children or families.
are special abilities given to all Christians by the Holy (entering retirement, changing jobs, re-entering the
The discernment of charisms can help you understand
Spirit to give them the power both to represent Christ job market, etc.), you might find that gifts discernment
and name what you are already experiencing. After
and to be a channel of God’s goodness for people. helps you decide what turn to take next.
interviewing thousands of average Catholics, we have
Whether extraordinary or ordinary, all charisms ought
to be exercised in the service of God (Catechism of the Understanding your charisms can help you simplify discovered that many lay people are having remarkable
Catholic Church, 2003). your life and avoid burnout. If you know your gifts, it experiences of God that they don’t understand, can’t
becomes easier to say, “no” when people ask you for put into perspective, and feel that they can’t talk Charisms differ from natural talents in several
Are all baptized Christians given charisms? things that you don’t really have to give. And because about with anyone else. If this sounds like you, gifts important ways. Charisms are not “in-born,” that is,
it is unusually energizing and fulfilling to exercise a discernment can help you to see that some of these inherited from our parents, but are given to us by the
Yes. According to Catholic teaching, it is the faith of the
charism, you are much less likely to burn out if you experiences may be signs of a charism, a normal part Holy Spirit, whom we received through Baptism and
Church that you possess one or more of the charisms
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 951). Our charisms are working in your area of giftedness. of our lives as Christians. Confirmation. Secondly, charisms are supernaturally
manifest when our faith in God is personal, and there is empowering. In other words, they enable us to have
Discerning your charisms can help you discover how The Church is calling all Catholics to participate in a
a situation that needs that calls for one of the charisms an effectiveness that surpasses our natural, human
God has gifted you to make you more effective at what new evangelization, and your charisms empower you
we have been given. abilities. For example, if a doctor possesses a charism
you do for a living, no matter what kind of work you do. to play an essential role. Catholics are to actively help
of healing, he may well find that his patients get well
What is the difference between the spread the Faith through our relationships at work,
Understanding your charisms can free you from the in extraordinary ways, either recovering more quickly
in our families, and among friends. Our charisms are
traditional seven “Gifts of the Holy Spirit,” need to compare yourself to others. Participants in
tools given to us both to help us convince people of
than would be expected naturally, or getting well when
the “Fruits of the Holy Spirit,” and charisms? our workshops regularly comment how healing an natural healing would not have occurred at all.
the reality of Christ and to be a sign of God’s loving
experience it is to discern their gifts. If you find that
There are gifts of the Holy Spirit that we are given to presence in the world. Finally, we could use a natural talent for an evil
you judge yourself for not measuring up to the standards
keep and gifts we are given to give away. The traditional purpose, or for our own enjoyment. God will not allow
of others, you can be freed by recognizing that your
“seven gifts of the Holy Spirit” and the “fruits” of the himself to be used for evil, and charisms are always for
giftedness and calling are different from theirs.
Spirit are gifts given to us to keep. They are part of our the benefit of others, rather than ourselves.
inner transformation as Christians and provide the inner
“Christlikeness” necessary for the effective use of our As disciples, we offer our entire selves to God—
charisms (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1830–1832). including our personalities, natural talents, education,
Charisms, on the other hand, are given to us to give life experience, and background–to be used for his
away, and are one of the ways God continues to enter purposes. But when we serve God, we are not limited
the world through our assent and cooperation. They to just the gifts with which we were born! Our natural
always benefit other people. talents can be wonderful tools for God’s purposes,
and sometimes a charism is added to an existing
How many charisms exist? natural talent by the Holy Spirit after an individual has
There are three primary lists of gifts in the New undergone a deepening conversion.
Testament (Romans 12, I Corinthians 12, and Ephesians
Some charisms may seem “extraordinary” (such as
4), and St. Thomas Aquinas lists about 14 charisms in his
prophecy, healing, or discernment of spirits) and
Summa. We have no reason to believe that these lists
are meant to be exhaustive. The Catholic Spiritual others quite “ordinary” (such as administration,
Gifts Inventory (the Institute’s handbook on gifts service, hospitality, or mercy), but all charisms are
discernment) covers 24 of the most common charisms, empowered by God. We use our charisms together
including most of those listed in St. Paul’s letters and with our natural talents and all that we are to serve
St. Thomas’s writings. God and our neighbor.