The Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement and the Laity

Abstract

The laity forms the majority of the Catholic Church. However, prior to the Second Vatican Council, the laity did not participate fully in the mission of the church. The church assigned the role of active participation in her mission to ordained ministers. The Second Vatican Council changed this understanding of the church. The Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement (CCRM) is one of the movements that gives importance to the role of the laity in carrying out the mission of the Church. It has put into practice the teachings of the Second Vatican Council. In this paper, we shall examine the role of the CCRM in promoting the laity to actively participate in and contribute to the life of the Church. We shall base our study on the documents of the church, literature on the CCRM, and some actual cases.