On Tuesday, September 20, 1993, the Pontifical Council for the Laity presented members of the ICCRO Council with a decree recognizing the work of the International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services (ICCRS). This is an explanation of the granting of ecclesiastical approval to the International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services, with its resulting name change.
There are two realities involved in understanding the significance of this approval. The first reality is the Catholic Charismatic Renewal as it exists in many forms throughout the world and in its fruits: new movements, communities and ministries which have developed in and through the CCR. There have been many signs of papal acceptance of the Renewal in general in the speeches of Popes Paul VI and John Paul II to the Renewal. Therefore there is no need for the CCR to be established as an association with a juridical personality.
The second reality is ICCRS, an international service to the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. Recognition by the Holy See is helpful to perform this service at the heart of the Church. Hence, the recent recognition or official approbation by the Holy See is given only to ICCRS not to the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in general.
What is this reality called ICCRS? The answer can be found in its statues which were approved by the Pontifical Council for the Laity. ICCRS is "at the world level the principle coordinating organization of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. Its mission is service and promotion of the CCR all over the world, under the Holy Spirit's action, in close contact with the Holy See." (Art. 1) The name of the former body, ICCRO, was changed to ICCRS because the term "office" tended to identify the work of the Council with a location rather than with its services. The word "services" describes more completely the activities which the Council performs on the international level.
In order to serve better within the Catholic Church, ICCRS "is a juridical personality adinstar, i.e., corresponding to a private association of the faithful (Cf., Canons 321-329, 116, ')." (Art. 2) This means that ICCRS enjoys a standing within the Church as an organization with rights and obligations. Pope John Paul II has named Bishop Paul Cordes as ICCRS' Episcopal Advisor.
The first and foremost objective of ICCRS is to serve the CCR worldwide as a center of unity, communication, and cooperation in order to ful- fill Christ's desire: "That they all may be one" (Jn. 17:21) and to keep Christ's body without divisions (1 Cor. 12:4-31). Of course this unity has to be understood within the context of diversity, since inside the CCR different forms and manifestations can be, and in fact, are present. Among these forms and manifestations are prayer groups, covenant communities, ministries, other less formal communities, etc. There are many ways in which this objective is accomplished.
The central goal of ICCRS is the promotion of baptism in the Holy Spirit in the Church. This includes continual growth and mature conversion to Our Lord Jesus Christ, a personal and total immersion in the Holy Spirit, and a radical openness to His power in order to serve the Church.
The structure of the ICCRS exists solely for the purpose of accomplishing its goals and objectives. In its service offered to the regions and countries of the world, ICCRS has no juridical authority over the CCR. ICCRS is composed of the following:
ICCRS has an office which carries out its directives and which has an executive director who may be, but not necessarily so, a member of the Council of the ICCRS.
Persons are asked to serve on ICCRS according to the norms laid down in the statutes governing terms of office and the number of times a person may be re-elected.