Charismatic Renewal

The Beginnings of the Bangalore Archdiocese

The Diocese of Bangalore was formerly part of the Mysore Mission. It was erected into a Vicariate in 1850 and after separation from Pondicherry in 1866, when the hierarchy in India was established by the bull Humanae Salutis Auctor, Mysore became a Diocese, with Bangalore as its headquarters. This Diocese was later bifurcated, and the Diocese of Bangalore was erected on 30 February 1940. It became an Archdiocese on 19 September 1953. The Patron of the Archdiocese is St. Francis Xavier. It covers an area of over 38,000 sq. kms. The languages spoken in the Bangalore Archdiocese include Kannada, Tamil, English, Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi, and Konkani.

The Origin of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in Bangalore

The Catholic Charismatic Renewal in Bangalore was founded by a Jesuit priest – then-Principal of St. Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bangalore – Rev. Fr. Francis Rebello PhL, STL, MA, PhD (U.S.A.). Although Fr. Rebello spent some time in the United States, he did not come into contact with the Charismatic Renewal until 1971, when a parishioner who had become an ordained priest wrote to him to tell him about the movement. Fr. Rebellow wrote back asking for more details about the Charismatic Renewal. The newly ordained priest made arrangements with the International Centre of the Charismatic Movement to send Fr. Rebello some literature, and connected Fr. Rebello with a Canadian who was working at Asha Niketan at the time, and who had been initiated into the Charismatic Renewal while in the U.S.A. Later, Fr. Rebello met with Fr. Fuster S.J. And organised a Life in the Spirit seminar for the religious sisters at the St. Joseph of Tarbes convent. Fr. Rebello had regular prayer meetings at Ashirvad.

Meanwhile, Fritz Mascarenhas was touched by the Lord through a Protestant Pastor and his life was transformed. He gave up his job as an officer on a merchant ship and returned to Bangalore. Fr. Rebello invited Fritz to conduct a retreat for the students of St. Joseph’s College of Commerce. Fritz went to the U.S.A. for a time, and on his return he, along with Fr. Rebello, nurtured the Charismatic Movement in Bangalore. They began with Holy Mass once a month followed by night-long Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and a weekly meeting on Thursdays. Multiple prayer groups began to mushroom across the city, while the movement gained momentum. The Church in Bangalore was set ablaze by the Holy Spirit.  

The then-Bishop of Bangalore, Most Rev. Dr. P. Arokiaswamy, in a number of circulars, gave recognition and guidance to the Charismatic Renewal Movement, and appointed Rev. Fr. Francis Rebello S.J. as the Diocesian Director of the Charismatic Renewal in Bangalore. In 1979, a batch of clergy in Bangalore attended a retreat preached by Fr. Rebello, and the IV National Charismatic Convention was scheduled to be held at the St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in 1980. The Archbishop even attended the prayer meeting on Thursdays to mix with the people and bask in the power of God that flowed out at these meetings.

The Archbishop who succeeded Most Rev. Dr. P. Arokiaswamy, His Grace Dr. Alphonsus Mathias, also supported the Charismatic Renewal and its spread to parishes, and encouraged the faithful to channel the power of the Holy Spirit to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to others. His Grace Dr. Alphonsus Mathias appointed Rev. Fr. Edward Cleary C.S.S.R. as the new Diocesian Director for the Charismatic Renewal Movement in Karnataka.

The Archbishop who succeeded His Grace Dr. Alphonsus Mathias, His Grace Rev. Dr. Bernard Moras is also a strong supporter of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and regularly presides over the yearly Pentecost Night Vigil conducted by the BCCRS. His Grace Rev. Dr. Bernard Moras has appointed Fr. Jacob Britto C.S.S.R. as the Spiritual Director for the Charismatic Renewal in Karnataka.