Hi Ken,

Well, St. Paul did and I believe St. Peter did.

Yes, they are a part of the Catholic Church and speaking in tongues is Catholic.

During my personal spiritual journey from a cradle Catholic to where I am now, I have never totally understood this, but for others it is a stepping stone in the faith.

I'm sure my colleagues John or Eric can do a better job in answering to your specific question.

Check out:

• 1 Corinthians 12:4-12 (specifically verse 10)
• Acts 2:4
• Acts 10:45-46 and
• Acts 19:5-6

for the biblical support for speaking in tongues.

Mike

Hi Ken,

Yes!

Those who speak in tongues are accepted as a part of the Church, and there is a movement known as the Charismatic Renewal that exercises them within the Catholic Church. They meet in self-organized prayer groups, and they are approved by Rome. The Vatican keeps in active contact with the movement.

You won't necessarily see support in the mainstream church for it, but generally it is well tolerated and in some quarters actively encouraged.

Eric Ewanco

Hi Ken,

The Church through out Her 2,000 year history has always recognized the various gifts of the Holy Spirit including tongues.

In the early centuries, there was a movement called Montanism which eventually went into heresy. It over emphasized personal prophecy and tongues to the exclusion of Scripture and Sacred Tradition. In effect, it was like a Charismatic Gnosticism. By the Middle Ages, the Church really stopped talking or teaching about the more phenomenal gifts such as tongues.

That said, the Church has always had folks who operated with these gifts. In particular, the Church's history is rife with people to whom God gave the gift of healing.

The important thing to remember is that Tongues, like any other gift, is a grace or a gift.
It operates ex-officio, it has nothing to do with holiness.

Tongues is simply a prayer of the Spirit. It is a mystery, like many other matters of faith.

P.S. You can add this Scripture passage to Mike's list:

2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understands him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

1 Corinthians 14:2

John DiMascio