Ep. 4.19: Fire in the Spirit: The Charismatic Renewal Arrives in St. Louis

The late 1960s and 1970s brought a surprising and powerful wave of spiritual renewal to St. Louis, and this episode traces how it unfolded—from a Dominican professor’s curiosity about Pentecostal healing to a movement that reshaped parishes, prayer groups, and even the early permanent diaconate. Monsignor recounts the pivotal role of Fr. Francis McNutt, whose prayer gatherings at Visitation Academy ignited a citywide hunger for deeper spiritual life. You’ll hear how Life in the Spirit seminars spread across more than a hundred parishes, how healing prayer became a lived reality through the remarkable story of young Rowan Schmitz, and how national charismatic conferences—drawing tens of thousands—helped launch figures like Fr. Michael Scanlan and Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa into global influence.