INTEGRAL FORMATION PROGRAM

The Integral Formation Program – IFP aims to complement knowledge of real-life aspects a servant of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal – CCR is confronted with in order to ensure an essential spiritual and psychological self-knowledge.

The programme consists of 44 lessons. Will be preached by the most outstanding personalities in each area. It will be offered online in English, Italian, French, Spanish and Portuguese.

The participation contribution is $100 – American Dollar or the equivalent in other currencies.

Pope Francis encourages participation in the CHARIS Integral Formation Program

Vatican City, 15 February 2022

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Dear Brothers and Sisters,

It is with satisfaction that I have received the Integral Formation Program prepared by CHARIS, which will start this year after Easter.

It will do much good in deepening our understanding of the event that gave birth to the current of grace that is the Charismatic Renewal, 55 years ago this February.

A stream of grace for the whole Church and not a movement. It arose from the Holy Spirit.

This Integral Formation is not only limited to learn more about this current of grace, but also takes it to go out to the Church and the world to achieve this transformation that the Holy Spirit makes.

I am glad that you have chosen for this purpose three documents that I consider of singular importance: the Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium and the Encyclicals Laudato Sii, on Care for the Creation and Fratelli Tutti on Universal Fraternity. I thank you for that.

And I also thank you for giving a specific attention to the Synod on synodality in which the Church is engaged at this time. 

Although this Formation Program has been intended for the servants of the Charismatic Renewal, I believe it will do much good to all those who participate. That is why I encourage all of you to become actively involved in this formation.

And I ask you to please pray for me. I need it.

May the Lord bless you, and may the Holy Virgin watch over you.

Fraternally,

Francis

topics :

1. PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

  • Personal encounter with Jesus. Who do I meet?
  • The call. What is he calling me to? 
  • Discernment
  • Discovering God’s Fatherhood 

2. THE PRAYER GROUP

Basic cell of all expressions of the CCR

  • From a social group to fraternal communion
  • From a group of people who pray to a community of prayer
  • The group: a pastoral agent that renews the community
  • The group: building together
  • The group: an anti-threat environment
  • The group: a healing community

Basic conditions for permanence, growth and fruitfulness of its members.

  • Vision
  • Participation
  • Link

The group coordinator

  • Vocation
  • Integral formation
  • Collegiality
  • Encouraging participation and growth
  • How to prepare the next generation of servants
  • Facilitating the encounter with God

Problems, Discernment, and Solution Guidance

  • Inhibition, Isolation and Exhibitionism
  • Emotionalism, spiritualism and psychologism
  • Lack of participation in prayer
  • Lack of contemplation
  • Existence of gravitational subgroups
  • Lack of Koinonia
  • Lack of Charisms
  • Low rate of permanence

3. THE BIBLE

  • Bible and Word of God
  • The story of God’s people. A story that includes me
  • God speaks to me today
  • Right and wrong methods of consultation.

4. CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH

  • Sacraments
  • Signs, gestures, actions and graces
  • Christology: True God and true man
  • Ecclesiology: The Church, the Body of Christ. Diocesan Integration
  • Mary: Letter of Christ and Mirror of the Church.

5. THE MAGISTERIUM OF THE CHURCH AND THE CCR

  • Second Vatican Council. Its importance for the Church and its influence on the CCR
  • Social Doctrine of the Church
  • Catechism of the Catholic Church
  • The documents of Malines

The Magisterium of Pope Francis:

  • Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium
  • Encyclical Laudato Si’, on care of Creation
  • Encyclical Fratelli Tutti, on human fraternity
  • Synod on synodality. Necessary spirituality. Let us build together
  • Let us dream together. See, choose, act. Changing the world

6. THE CURRENT OF GRACE

Its mission 

  • Why did the Holy Spirit raise up the CCR?
  • The mission of the CCR
  • What we have seen and heard
  • To proclaim Christ to the whole world through the proclamation and practice of the Gospel

The diversity of charismatic expressions:

  • Groups
  • Networks
  • Communities
  • Associations
  • Ministries
  • Religious Institutes
  • Schools of Evangelization
  • Those that the Holy Spirit will continue to stir up

Mission

  • He has called us and prepared us. What for?
  • Jesus trusts his disciples. He has called us friends and has given us a mission

    Organization

    • The organization of the CCR in the Universal Church
    • Pope Francis and the CCR
    • Sharing the grace of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit
    • Human Promotion. The CCR and its service to the poor
    • CHARIS, the new and unique service to the CCR: what is it?
    • Services of Communion
    • The different lay movements
    • Creativity: New Evangelization Initiatives
    • Renewing the Church
    • The unity of the Church: Unity in diversity
    • Christian Unity. Relational Ecumenism. How to pray and evangelize together
    • Interreligious Dialogue

    7. PNEUMATOLOGY

    • Spiritual expressions and experiences coexisting in the current of grace
    • Baptism in the Holy Spirit. What it is and how to live this fundamental experience of the current of grace
    • Seminar of life in the Holy Spirit. How to prepare it and how to preach it to obtain greater graces
    • Ways, means and levels of prayer
    • Inspiration

    Abilities:

    • Natural, supernatural, ordinary and extraordinary
    • Gifts and charisms
    • Divine Providence, wonders and miracles
    • Gift of tongues
    • Instruments of prayer and of growth
    • Glossolalia, xenoglossia, hetero-xenoglossia and pseudo-xenoglossia
    • Interpretation
    • Prophecy, science and wisdom
    • Intercessory prayer
    • Preaching
    • Evangelization
    • Discernment and prudence
    • Discernment of spirits.

    8. AUXILIARY SCIENCES

    Psychology

    • Approach. Integral view of the person
    • Knowing my limitations and talents
    • Values. Responsibility. Resolutions
    • Meaning of existence
    • Providence and providentiality. Crisis and opportunity
    • A life with a purpose
    • Consistency
    • Empathy
    • Optimal distances
    • Guidance
    • Prevention of different types of abuse in the pastoral relationship
    • Church investigation and dispositions
    • Communication. How to proclaim the Good News using mass media and social networks

    Controversial topics:

    • Paranormal (extraordinary-natural) phenomena
    • The talent of the unconscious
    • False attributions to occult powers
    • Demonology
    • Guidance referring to problems beyond our control
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