CALLED & GIFTED

DISCERN YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS

The Called & Gifted™ Discernment Process was developed by the Catherine of Siena institute and has been used since 1993 by more than 200,000 lay, ordained, and religious Catholics and other Christians around the world. It is designed to help Christians discover and understand the presence of charisms (specific spiritual gifts bestowed on us through Baptism) in their lives and how to use them to serve others.

Called & Gifted sessions are accompanied by videos watched as a group. A workbook is included as a discussion and study aide. As this program is best undertaken by those who are well-established in their faith and already have a strong practice of prayer and more life experience, it is recommended only for those ages 20+.

These sessions are scheduled a couple times each year, based on need.

THE MISSION

The goal of Called & Gifted is to form faithful laity to better understand the mission of the Church and the role each of us plays in its evangelization (sharing of God’s Word).

Charisms, or spiritual gifts, are special abilities given to all Christians by the Holy Spirit to give them power both to represent Christ and to be a channel of God's goodness for others. The Church teaches us that all charisms ought to be exercised in the service of God (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2003). All three parts of the Called & Gifted process are necessary for discovering where you are gifted.

A number of individuals at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton have been trained and certified to lead the Called & Gifted small groups and interviews; they will walk with you through your group sessions and personal discernment.

Our charisms are bestowed upon us at Baptism, and it is our responsibility to discover and use them according to God’s will and purpose. We aim to help you do just that.

HOW CALLED & GIFTED WORKS:

MEET WITH CLERGY OR PASTORAL STAFF

Discuss your readiness to join a Called & Gifted group and register for our next group.

PART ONE: INTRODUCTORY WORKSHOP

Take the “spiritual inventory” survey and attend weekly meetings. The course runs for 12 consecutive weeks.

PART TWO: GIFTS INTERVIEW

Meet with a trained CSI interviewer for your one-hour spiritual gifts interview. You’ll receive guidance in listening to experiences from your past where God is speaking to you, and learn to recognize patterns.

PART THREE: DISCERNMENT IN DEPTH

Develop “charism experiments” and put them into practice (two hours a week for a minimum of 6-8 weeks) and evaluate the results either on your own or in a small group.

UNDERSTAND HOW GOD IS CALLING YOU TO LET HIS GOODNESS FLOW FROM YOU TO THE WORLD

This process will help you direct your charisms and let God’s work flow directly through you in serving others!

TESTIMONIAL

KADEN COOK

“I think what stood out to me most about Called and Gifted was how it gave me the space to slow down and really ask, ‘What has God placed in me for others?’ I’ve been involved in music ministry for a while, usually behind the piano, but this helped me step back and think beyond just what I do each week. It made me wonder what else God might be inviting me into.

One thing that surprised me was realizing that not all gifts are obvious. Some start out as quiet nudges that you almost miss. The process helped me recognize one of those, and because of that, I ended up saying yes to something I never expected: joining the parish Design Committee. That’s what I appreciated most. It helped me notice how the Holy Spirit might already be working in ways I hadn’t seen before. While the program did affirm my charism in music, it also encouraged me to be open to new ways of serving through the discernment process.”

CONTACT FOR CALLED & GIFTED

Kate Bazin

kate@akseas.net

907-644-9716