About Us

SOUTHWARK CATHOLIC CHARISMATIC RENEWAL

HISTORY

By its very nature the Roman Catholic Church is both institutional and charismatic. Since Vatican II there has been a renewal of the charismatic dimension of the Church. One of expressions of this has been the Catholic Charismatic Renewal movement. This move of the Holy Spirit began spontaneously in the United States in the late 1960s, when Catholics began mixing with Pentecostals and began to move in the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  The Charismatic Renewal is not something you join, but at its heart is a conversion experience called Baptism in the Holy Spirit, which awakens people’s baptism and encourages them to follow Christ in a more whole-hearted way. Over the last 55 years this has led to the spontaneous formation of prayer groups, Christian communities, healing ministries, evangelisation outreaches etc. throughout the world.

In response to Pope Francis’ request in 2017 for increased unity between the different expressions of Catholic Charismatic Renewal throughout the world, a single international service known as the Catholic Charismatic Renewal International Service (or CHARIS) was formed in 2019.

At the national level, the National Service Committee (NSC) for Catholic Charismatic Renewal in England and Wales has transitioned into a new body known as the CHARIS National Service of Communion (or CNSC) incorporating a wider expression of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal with different communities and ministries included..

The CNSC in turn asked for this greater inclusion to be reflected on the diocesan level. So in 2021, what was the existing Southwark Diocesan Service team invited new representatives from the charismatic communities and ministries to join them in the newly formed Southwark Charismatic Diocesan Service of Communion.

To make things simpler for communication purposes we will use the name “Southwark Catholic Charismatic Renewal”, but it is to be understood that our work is the diocesan expression of the closer unity within the Catholic Charismatic Renewal called for by Pope Francis and that our team works in close relationship with the CNSC as part of their national structure . As a team we are also under the authority of our local archbishop John Wilson and are in regular communication with him.

Team Photo Jan 2024 (left to right): Maureen Evans, Nkemdilim Stella Maduekwe, Palmyra Willis, Chris Stribbling, Kristina Cooper (chair), Elizabeth Corcoran, Deacon Neil Phillipson,Stephen Walsh, Manuela De Rogatis, Stuart Edwards. Not pictured: Father Steven Wymer, Father Mark White, Simon Maduekwe, Biju Thomas.