MUSIC
ADMINISTRATION
EVANGELISM
Discovering your SPIRITUAL DNA Lead writer, Catholic San Francisco grayc@ sfarch.org
34
L
earning about different kinds of spiritual gifts and discerning which of them she might possess has been a complete revelation – and a relief – to Cecile Sabater. “My initial reaction was, ‘Oh, this is why I am this way,’” said Sabater, a single mother of two and member of both Holy Name of Jesus Parish in San Francisco and St. Robert Parish in San Bruno. Sabater is one of a group of parishioners now in their second year of Called and Gifted, a threepart charism discernment program available to all parishioners in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Launched by the Catherine of Siena Institute in 1993 as the first charism discernment program specifically for Catholics, it was introduced to local pastors by the archdiocese’s Office of Stewardship in 2021. Charisms, or spiritual gifts, are special abilities given to all Christians at baptism, empowering them in their own ways to be a channel of God’s goodness for the sake of other people. They are different than natural abilities and aptitudes that are genetic or cultivated and are not “learned.” Sabater said she often felt self-conscious or somewhat ashamed of her inclinations. “When the world goes to the right side, I go to the left,” she said.
KNOWLEDGE
WRITING
Discovering she had the charisms of Encouragement, Service and Teaching gave her a “huge feeling of relief” about herself and her life’s purpose. “Called and Gifted is a program that has inspired me to continue to be who I am because the Holy Spirit has given me the gifts I am intended to have in my life,” she said. Some charisms may seem “extraordinary” (such as prophecy or healing) and others quite “ordinary” (such as administration, service or hospitality), according to siena.org, but all charisms are a gift. CALLED AND GIFTED: NOT JUST FOR SAINTS A short video on the Called and Gifted program at siena.org emphasizes that spiritual gifts are “not just for saints,” but for ordinary people. “All of us have been gifted by God for the sake of others. All of us have a contribution to make to the kingdom of God that is unique and irreplaceable and that really matters. Because somebody out there is waiting, waiting for what you’ve been given to give. And their life hangs in the balance.” Over 170,000 lay, ordained and religious Catholics in more than 600 parishes, 195 dioceses and five continents, along with other Christians around the world, have been through the Called and Gifted program. Florian Romero was tapped to lead the Office of Stewardship for the archdiocese in 2017. After going through the Called and Gifted inventory and process herself, she trained as a facilitator. APRIL 2022 | CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO
T E AC HI N G
VOLUNTARY POVERTY
INTERCESSORY PRAYER
BY CHRISTINA GRAY
CRAFTSMANSHIP
MERCY
GIVING
PROPHECY
EXTRAORDINARY FAITH
CELIBACY
PASTORING
CHARISMS LEADERSHIP
ENCOURAGEMENT
HEALING
MISSIONARY
HOSPITALITY HELPING
WISDOM
SERVICE
CALLE D AN D G I F TE D
