Charism of Writing

Description: Using words to create works of truth or beauty that reflect human experience and bring
glory to God.

Testimony 1 of 4 for the Charism of Writing

Deacon Tony

Called and Gifted certainly helped me gain confidence that
certain things that I found rewarding might be for the
Church. One was writing, which is wonderful since I now
have to write homilies. Another was music – I am so happy
that I managed to get through singing the Exultet at the
Easter vigil without a train crash!
The ‘methodology’ helped me to ask questions of myself
from the perspective of another (what do other people say
they think I’m good at … ?) which, surprisingly, I had rarely
considered before.
It was good to have plenary input sessions, group
sessions, practical exercises, and a one to one reflection
opportunity.
I would encourage others to take the opportunity to prepare spiritually, by:

taking time to reflect on why we should seek to understand our charisms, responding to
the universal call to holiness; the call for all of us to be saints in our own unique ways; and
realising our baptismal vocation and particular vocations such as parenthood, spending more time for prayer, Mass and adoration.

Testimony 2 of 4 for the Charism of Writing

I have always enjoyed writing stories, but since the Called and Gifted Process my writing has helped me to feel much closer to Father God. And copies of my first published book have just arrived in the post today!

I have always wanted to write. As a child and teenager I was always writing stories. When our son was born I wrote some story rhymes for him about Mary the Fairy who lived in the hedge outside our house.

“I don’t set aside specific times for writing, but as soon as I get a sudden urge to write I sit down straight away.”

During my one to one conversation I was talking with the interviewer about my love of writing, when ‘Arnold the Angel’ popped into my head. I had never thought of this character before, but suddenly he just walked into my mind! When I got home the ideas started coming so I wrote them down. I never got stuck, the ideas just kept on flowing. I don’t set aside specific times for writing, but as soon as I get a sudden urge to write I sit down straight away. This happens most often in the early morning and just before I go to bed.

My first story is about a young angel called Arnold, who is given the job of being guardian angel to Jesus as He is growing up. I have tried to keep it scriptural, but there is of course some poetic licence. This has made me think about how Father God would respond to life’s situations and what he would tell the angels to do. Although the books are about Arnold, the central character is really Father God.

Lots of spiritual insights have just come to me as I have been thinking about all this. I have also attempted to emphasise to the reader how much God loves them.

My second story is about life in heaven. My third one is about Arnold becoming guardian angel to an ordinary person. My son advised me to write about someone I know, so I chose my mother. Thinking about her life has helped to understand her far more and to appreciate just how tough life was for her.

“They both felt very uplifted by what I had written.”

These stories have had a profound effect on other people too. My prayer group friends love to hear the latest episode and tell me they find my writing very prayerful. Another friend can’t read the stories for herself because she is very dyslexic, so I have read them to her. She says the stories have been a source of healing and encouragement to her. She particularly likes the way Arnold is always taking time to help people. I heard that a friend my mother’s was seriously ill so I sent him a copy of the story about my mother and also a chapter from the story about heaven. His wife read them to him for a whole week as he lay dying. They both felt very uplifted by what I had written. Other people I know have often ask me for copies of my writing and have given me very positive feedback too.

“I have always wanted to publish a book and God made this possible by bringing some wonderful people into my life at just the right time.”

First of all, an elderly neighbour left me some money when she died. This covered the cost of self publishing my first story. Then an old school friend, whom I hadn’t been in contact with for forty five years, sent me a Facebook message to say she had just moved to live near me! She edits the stories for me and she also put me in touch with a publisher who helped me with the publishing process. A young friend of mine is a wonderful artist and she has drawn all the illustrations. My son’s best man takes wonderful photos and he has produced the back cover. A friend who was a military engineer has given me advice on military terminology for the SAS (Special Angel Service) that Arnold is part of in my fourth story. This wonderful team of people have made it possible for me to publish my first book and all this has happened in just the few years since I did the Called and Gifted Process.