“To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all.” (1Cor 12, 7)

Dear brothers and sisters:

As I promised in my first letter, I want to deal now with the question of the charisma. Of course I do not intend to exhaust the subject. As a matter of fact, so much has already been written about. It is in Saint Paul, the “inventor” of the term charisma, that we can find the whole pastoral and theological basis for a correct interpretation of the concept and utility of the “gift of manifesting the spirit for everyone’s use”, i.e., the charisma. I will, therefore, raise some questions whose answers, duly applied to the Cursillo Movement, will help all the leaders of the CM worldwide, to find out the best ways for an effective answer to their personal vocation and to their mission as evangelisers. The following are some questions that may contain their answers in themselves...

1. Is it appropriate to talk about “updating” of charisma? Could and should the charisma – given by the Holy Spirit to a person in order to serve God’s people on certain times and within well defined historical circumstances – be “updated”, as long as the times and circumstances assume other characteristics and features?  Are methods and strategies essential to the charisma? Or are they “instruments” for the charisma to become actual within the always changing historical situations?

2. Without renouncing to its origins, should the charisma be re-thought in view of the new pastoral guidance of the Universal, National and Diocesan Church? Is the charisma more important than the communities it should serve?

Here are some important points in which we could possibly find the answers to the above questions. We are all firmly convinced of the constant, enlightening, inspiring and transforming presence of God’s Spirit in history. Jesus’ statement leaves no room for doubts: “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth... he will tell you what is to come.” (John, 16,13). The same conviction is present when, in several occasions and before any significant act, we invoke the Holy Spirit’s presence, by enthusiastically pleading: “Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created and You shall renew the faith of the earth”. This way it seems clear that the Spirit is indeed always the same: yesterday, today and tomorrow.

However, times and circumstances change. The history keeps going and new cultures succeed previous ones. Men and women change their mentalities and postures moved by new appeals and pressures. The Church itself propose new ways to announce Jesus Christ and his Kingdom, through a “new evangelisation” and through an “inculturation” of the salvific message.

The faith tells us that the voice of God’s Spirit is alive, making itself heard through the new times and circumstances themselves, in new cultures and new mentalities. And, through the ecclesiastical teachings, it suggests changes, adaptations, strengthening of “methods and expressions”. Would that be applicable to the CM? Would it not be logical, even necessary, that the charisma poured by the Spirit on people and institutions in 1940 or 1950, could be revisited and re-thought – not to be altered or re-invented but, under the Spirit’s inspiration, to be duly applied to face the challenges posed by post-modernity to the evangelising task of the Church as well as of the CM? Would it not be wise, always keeping the CM identity, to take into account the new times and the new demands of a New Evangelisation, as Pope John Paul II is now asking the whole Church?

Trusting the strength of God’s grace and his Divine Spirit’s inspiration, I leave you the above questions, sure that they will help you deepen your reflections and decisions.

My fraternal greetings to all of you, and my best wishes for a Holy Christmas and a Happy and Profitable 2003. From your servant and brother in Lord Jesus,

Father José Gilberto Beraldo, Ecclesiastic Counsellor

Delay  –  We must start apologising for our delay. In fact, this second monthly letter should have been sent last September... A series of commitments in which the OMCC was involved, however, have delayed its production and remittance. We do expect your understanding and give you our word that we will spare no effort to try and reach you every month with our word of motivation and confidence.