New Charismatic Saint
Saint Elena Guerra
When did the Charismatic Renewal start? Some people quickly answer, “at the Duquesne Weekend in 1967.” Others, after thoughtful reflection, claim, “at Pentecost two thousand years ago!” One might suggest, “From the beginning of time when God breathed over the chaotic waters.” Or you might even think of times of great spiritual growth in faith such as the conversions of Saint Francis of Assisi or Saint Ignatius of Loyola.
The Church has just provided us a new benchmark for growth in the Spirit when it canonized Saint Elena Guerra on October 20, 2024.
Elena Guerra grew up in 19th century Luca, Italy. Devotions, service, and piety guided her youth. She was motivated to found the Oblates of the Holy Spirit. This religious order educated Chinese and African girls. In 1885 she wrote Pope Leo XIII and asked him to rekindle in the faithful devotion to the Holy Spirit. Leo XIII responded with an apostolic letters and encyclicals calling the faithful to pray to the Holy Spirit. Encouraged, Guerra continued to communicate with Pope Leo from 1895 to 1903.
In his encyclical Divinum illud manus (On the Holy Spirit) Leo addresses the indwelling and miraculous power of the Holy Ghost. The Spirit’s graces are gloriously abundant to the faithful. The encyclical is considered a precursor to the Holy Spirit movement in the twentieth century.
Many connect the Pentecostal movement at the beginning of the twentieth century to the Pope’s calling on the power of the Holy Spirit. Open praise, worship and prophetic word gifts appeared in California and Kansas Pentecostal groups early in that century.
Pope Leo advocated prayer to the Holy Spirit for our protection and help. The Holy Spirit is a font of light, strength, consolation, and holiness that can protect us from sin. The Pope’s writings established the novena to the Holy Spirit to be prayed before Pentecost.
As Catholics, many of us call upon specific Saints for their specialty intercession. They are our intermediaries in Heaven who advocate for us. Now we can pray to Saint Elena Guerra to open us to the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Reported by Mike Marraffino, November 2024
Refereneces
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elena_Guerra
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divinum_illud_munus