CHARIS National Services of Communion

The goal of CHARIS National Services of Communion (CNSC) is to build and strengthen the wide and diverse family of Catholic Charismatic Renewal. They should therefore be as inclusive as possible and open to new and emerging realities. The model focuses on communion rather than government or structure.

National Services of Communion should consist of representatives from realities and expressions of the current of grace who identify themselves as a part of Catholic Charismatic Renewal, and who are seeking to build communion within the wide and diverse family of Catholic Charismatic Renewal. This may include prayer groups, communities, networks, schools of evangelisation, religious institutes, publishing houses, particular ministries, ecumenical initiatives, youth etc.

The main principle is that each CNSC want to be and to stay in communion with CHARIS in general, and with the spirit of its statutes. That means also to comply with possible directions given by the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life.

The four criteria are 

  • The CNSC is recognized by the Episcopal Conference (EC) and maintains communion and relations with it.

    • Recognition doesn’t mean any canonical statute or any kind of official document but a clear agreement, whatever the form is.

    • Communion and relations are possible in different ways, either having regular meetings with appointed members of the EC, or having appointed members of the EC attending some or all the CNSC meetings, or producing a regular report to the EC.

  • The CNSC isn’t a government or control body but acts for the communion between all the realities which recognize themselves as part of the CCR. To say it in another way, the CNSC is not “responsible for” the CCR in the country.

  • The CNSC is the highest instance to represent the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in the country. Two consequences:

    • There is no possibility to have two CNSCs in a country, whatever the reason (languages, discrepancies, history, …) and in such cases, agreements should be found.

    • It is not possible to refuse one group which recognize itself as part of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. Only the EC could do it in very serious situations.

  • The realities members of CNSC must have the approval of the competent ecclesiastical authority. Again here, recognition doesn’t mean any canonical or official form but a clear agreement from the local authority (parish priest or bishop).