Great Cloudof Witnesses

Session 4

Peter Waldo,French initiator of the Waldenses (late 1100s and beyond)

The Waldenses

“We hold it as an article of faith, and profess sincerely from the heart that sick persons, when they ask it, may lawfully be anointed with the anointing oil by one who joins them in praying that it may be efficacious to the healing of the body according to the design and end and effect mentioned by the apostles; and we profess that such an anointing performed according to the apostolic design and practice will be healing and profitable.”

Bridget of Sweden(1303 – 1373)

Bridget of Sweden

“To have the knowledge of angels without charity is to be only a tinkling cymbal; both to have charity and to speak the language of angels was the happy privilege of St. Bridget.”

—Lives of the Saints (1756) by Alban Butler

Vincent Ferrer (approx. 1350 – 1419)

Vincent Ferrer

“Able to speak only Spanish, his sermons, though they were not interpreted, are reported to have been understood in France and Italy. The gift of tongues was ascribed to him by his contemporaries as well as the gift of miracles.”

Ignatius of Loyola(1419 – 1556)

Ignatius of Loyola

“We cannot lay down the law to the Spirit of God! He is only present with his gifts where he knows that they are joined with the multiplicity of charisms in the one Church…. What Paul says in the twelfth chapter of 1 Corinthians is still true today!... The Spirit is not so narrow-minded as we sometimes are with our recipes!”

Teresa of Avila(1515 – 1582)

Teresa of Avila

“What I say about not ascending to God unless he raises one up is language of the Spirit…. This prayer is a glorious foolishness, a heavenly madness where the true wisdom is learned; and it is for the soul a most delightful way of enjoying. In fact, five or even six years ago the Lord often gave me this prayer of abundance, and I didn’t understand it; nor did I know how to speak of it.”