How Can They Be Used?

"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes down on you; then you are to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, yes, even to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

The spiritual gifts are very powerful and can be used everywhere. Not only different spiritual gifts applied to different tasks and situations, either in the Church or in the world, but most tasks and situations require diverse spiritual gifts. Each one is also tailored-made for the person. Here are few applications (from Sherry Weddell's The Catholic Spiritual Gifts Resource Guide and other sources).

Administration. Board member; Committee Chair; Homemaker; Office manager; Take part in the organization of a project: community or parish: family day; Sunday School picnic; conference; advertising campain; neighborhood canvassing blitz.

Apostle. Moderator; conference minister; leader; president; executive secretary; peace-maker; trouble-shouter; problem solver

Battle. Social justice activist/minister; influential religious/spiritual figure; leader of counter-cultural group/organization; worker priest

Craftmanship. Artist or artisan; creative homemaker; cook; handyman; calligrapher or illustrator; interior design; landscape designer or gardener; icon painter, woodworker

Discerning of Spirits. Spiritual direction; counseling; healing ministry; intercessory prayer; leadership

Evangelism. Apologetics; lector; religious writing; lifestyle or friendship; evangelism; missionary; political, social or cultural change agent; Church as ministry to a rescue mission, jail, nursing homes; After school clubs; daily vocation Bible school; other areas for experimentation; Weekly visitation programs of your parish. At work or with family and/or friends

Exorcism. Priest; religious sister/brother; intercessory prayer minister; healing minister

Exhortation. Counseling (bereaved, depressed, sick, oppressed); spiritual direction; mentoring; parenting; small group facilitator; Deacon-care programs: nursing home, hospital visitation ministries

Faith. In conjunction with a planning or building committee; Prayer ministry structured to test this gift: regular & consistent prayer time, specific agenda: projects & needs, accurate journal with specific requests & dates & answers; Exceptionally generous giver, fundraiser, entrepreneur, founder, innovator, visionary, intercessory prayer, healing, prayer team, parenting, leader of cutting edge organization or group

Giving. Exposure to the needy members of the family of God: Deacon-care programs: senior citizen ministry, widows, shut-ins_; Period where you trust God to supply a certain amount above and beyond your regular giving to meet a particular need; Fund-raising; Board member of charitable organizations; exceptionally generous giver; philantropist; financial expert; creative worker for social and economic justice, hospitality

Healings. Healing prayer ministry; medical professional; counseling; intercessory prayer; helping professional; Eucharistic minister to the sick; care-giver; spiritual director; pastoral staff

Helps. Jobs to be done to free people with other gifts: photocopies; running off the bulletin; filing; cataloging, telephoning, preparing a mailing, setting up chairs; preparing crafts for children's activities; driving the van for seniors; Administrative assistant secretary; support staff; volunteer; ghost writer/editor; mentor; pastoral staff; teaching; parenting; spiritual direction

Hospitality. Hospitality industry; hospitality committee/usher; refugee resettlement; small Christian Communities; hospitality in your home; receptionist; organizing conference/retreat; work with homeless/poor; RCIA/returning Catholic program

Humour. Board or committee member; Leader; Teacher/preacher; parent; trouble-shooter; visiting the sick, shut-ins

Intercessory Prayer. Group intercession; healing prayer team; prayer walking; spiritual direction; returning Catholics team; parent; personal intercessor for leader; prayer chain or prayer group; counseling; RCIA; leader; community activity

Interpretation. Prayer groups; intercessory prayer; healing ministry/counseling/spiritual direction

Knowledge. Teaching; preaching; scholarship; philosophy; technology and science; educational conferences, retreats; apologetics; writing; home schooling; RCIA religious education; parish council; leadership (especially education or hightech organization)

Leadership. Pastor of a large parish; leader of community activities; head of organization/ group; chairperson of any board/committee; founder of a new movement/organization/group; innovator; small group leader; teaching/preaching; family life; plan youth outings, social events or program; visitation

Martyrdom. Any activity where person disregard personal reputation and physical well-being to do God's will and accept persecution and even death

Mercy. Death in a family; illness; calamity; hospital visitation; nursing homes visitation; visitation of shut-ins; medical professional; prison ministry; pastoral work; social justice activist; voluntee chores service; social work; eucharistic minister to the sick; work with the poor or homeless; missionary; voluntary poverty

Miracles. Healing ministry; intercessory prayer

Missionary. Missionary/lay volunteer; work with foreign students/refugees/ immigrants; work with racial/cultural/linguistic minority groups; inner city work; racial justice; reconciliation/peace-making; pastoral work; teaching; preaching; evangelissm; social justice activist

Pastor. Priesthood; leader of small faith-centered organization or group; pastoral staff; prayer group leader; facilitator of small Christian community; parenting; teacher cell leaders and small group leaders who will "pastor" small groups of people in large parish; widows; shut-ins; elderly; Sunday school class; Bible study; neighborhood cell group; nursing home visitation team; disciple; new converts; one on one group; marriage preparation; life as a couple

Prayer-Praise Language. Prayer groups; charismatic masses; intercession, healing teams

Prophecy. Prayer group; charismatic Mass; intercessory, healing prayer teams; counseling; spiritual direction; social justice activist/ministry; teaching/preaching; writing; influential religious/spiritual figure; leader of counter-cultural group/organization. Most consistent concentrated opportunity: Short series of prayer meeting; short-term youth workers; Sunday School class; local rescue mission

Service. Exceptional volunteer; handyman/woman; administrative assistant; trouble-shooter; critical committee member; homemaker; community/parish activist; support staff; service worker; ombudsman/woman; eager implementer; short-term projects

Singleness. Priesthood; religious sister or brother; lay missionary; work with the poor; ministry to single adults; frees person for total dedication to any work or calling

Spirit-Music. Choral/instrumental performance; professional musicians; music therapy/music education; media work; woorship/music minstry in a parish/prayer group

Suffering. Sick; shut-ins;

Teaching. Public school/adult education teacher; tutoring/volunteer teaching; creating curriculum; educational leadership; home-schooling/ parenting; writing; apologetics; counseling/spiritual direction; Sunday School classes; children's church program; youth programs; nursery programs; after-school clubs; prayer meeting; disciple new converts

Voluntary Poverty. Religious sister or brother; member of a 3rd order or lay institute; social justice minister/activist; missionary; relief and development worker; exceptional giver; contemplative; prophetic vocation; intercessory prayer

Wisdom. Leadership; pastor/pastoral staff; parish council; administration; teaching/preaching; writing; spiritual direction; counseling; helping profession; developing technology; practical innovator; fund-raising; parenting

Parish Ministry and Organization Information Booklets could help you find a mentor in Parish activities. In the community at large, you can get information in the Directory of Diocesan Offices and Departments, in Non-profit Associations, etc. We can also use our spiritual gifts in our family, in our environment - friends, place of work, schools, everywhere for the common good.