Charisms

06-08-2025Weekly ReflectionJen Arnold, M.A.

Pentecost is the day when the Church celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit to guide and protect the Church after Jesus Christ left this earth and ascended to heaven. One of the ways the Holy Spirit guides his Church is by giving each of us special graces, or gifts, called “charisms” that allow us to assist in the missionary work of building up the kingdom of heaven on earth. The first example of this occurs in the story of Pentecost in Acts 2:1-41, when the Spirit rested on each of the apostles as a tongue of fire. They then spoke to a large, diverse crowd in various languages, resulting in the conversion of three thousand souls. However, that was only the first day of the Church’s mission. To ensure her continued growth for the salvation of souls, over the centuries, the Holy Spirit has gifted each member of the body of Christ with charisms. Let’s discuss what they are and how we ought to use them for the greater glory of God.

When a person is baptized, they become a member of the body of Christ and an adopted child of God. At that moment, the Holy Spirit grants them the gifts of their charisms. These are free gifts that the person has done nothing to earn but become part of their identity as a child of God. So, if you were baptized as an infant, your charisms were already infused into your soul and were waiting to be discovered and developed as you grew and matured. However, just as our baptismal promises come with responsibilities in the offices of priest, prophet, and king, the gifts of our charisms also come with responsibilities.

Let’s first look at the Catechism’s definition of charisms:

Whether extraordinary or simple and humble, charisms are graces of the Holy Spirit which directly or indirectly benefit the Church, ordered as they are to her building up, to the good of men, and to the needs of the world. (CCC #799)

There are a couple of points to note here. Firstly, charisms can be extraordinary or simple and humble. This means that whatever your particular charisms are, they are not insignificant. You should not compare your charisms to anyone else’s. Your charisms are the gifts God intended specifically for you, given out of love so that you might show your love for Him by using them.  Secondly, your charisms might benefit the Church directly or indirectly. This indicates that you ought to utilize them in all facets of your life, including the secular world, because you never know how the Holy Spirit is using your gift to change souls, which you will not see this side of heaven. Lastly, our charisms are ordered to build up the Church, the good of men, and the world's needs. This point is self-evident, as anything from God cannot be ordered otherwise. Your charisms are not ordered toward anything evil. If what you perceive to be a charism is not always ordered toward God, it is likely not a charism, and more discernment needs to be done. I’ll elaborate more on discerning charisms later.

The next questions are, naturally: How many charisms are there, and what are they? The Church has not made an official declaration or list of the precise number and name of every charism. A significant reason for this is the possibility that God can provide someone with a special and rare gift, which is unknown to most of us, because God can do anything. The Church cannot possibly identify all of those. Also consider that charisms and their combinations are as diverse and unique as each of us who have received them. I will give a couple of examples. The gift of writing is a charism. Both St. Paul and St. John had the charism of writing and obediently used their charism to evangelize and build up the body of Christ by contributing to the canon of scripture. However, they each had their own message, writing style, and delivery, creating a unique nuance within the charism of writing. Preaching, teaching, and evangelizing are also all charisms. Think of your favorite homilists. How are they similar, and how are they different? Perhaps one is a good teacher while another is a good evangelizer, making the nuances of charisms unique to the individual. While not an exhaustive list, other charisms include: craftmanship, music, discernment of spirits, service, administration, intercession, celibacy, hospitality, healing, leadership, and voluntary poverty.

You may have never known that you have charisms, so now you might be curious about what yours are. In that case, you will need to enter a discernment process. There are some resources available that can help you with the process. Whether or not you take an assessment, prayer and reflection are critical parts of the discernment process. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal your charisms to you. There are some other things to consider in your discernment process as you test out your charisms. Charisms are something that come naturally to you and are not forced. If you dread doing something, or it wears you out, it is not likely a gift from God for you. Your charisms should energize you, fill you up, and give you joy and peace as you use them to serve God and others. Also, notice when and where you receive affirmation from others. When multiple individuals tell you that something you have done or said has uplifted, encouraged, helped, or benefitted them, it is a good indication that it might be a charism. Talking to a spiritual director and people who know you well can also help, as sometimes it’s difficult to see yourself as others see you.

Once you have determined your charisms, you are now responsible for using them. Remember, God gave them to you for a reason: to do his work while you are here on this earth. Use your charisms to plug into the Church, the parish, and individual ministries. Trust that your gifts are needed somewhere and find those holes to fill. Even the humblest of gifts has a purpose in Jesus’ Church. Since your charisms were infused into your soul at your baptism, they are part of your identity, so don't leave them behind at church. Carry them with you and use them wherever you go. Always be your authentic self! That is how you will attract people to the light of Christ.

Here are some resources that may help you in your discernment process if you are interested in further exploring your charisms. The Catherine of Siena Institute has the Called and Gifted program that identifies 24 of the most common charisms. This is the most expensive option, but they offer a variety of resources, including in-person and online workshops, self-studies, and in-depth interviews to help you comprehensively understand your charisms. Many Parts Ministries provides an assessment for adults and teens that can be taken online for $9. With the evaluation, you will receive a customized PDF of your report. This assessment identifies 24 common charisms and two other less common ones, and the report ranks all of them for you. Lastly, the McGrath Institute for Church Life offers a free printable assessment that identifies 12 common charisms and a saint that exemplifies each one.

Whether you decide to use these resources or not, make it a priority this week to reflect on your charisms. If you are unsure of what they are, consider beginning the discernment process so you can better use your God-given gifts. If you are aware of your charisms, consider how you can better use them, or continue to use them, to serve the Church and others for God's greater glory. Consider serving in a new ministry! Remember to thank God for the unique gifts given to you in love.

“Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.”

-St. Catherine of Siena