This document provides short summaries of 5 individuals from Christian history known for their spiritual gifts: 1) Peter Waldo of France in the late 1100s initiated the Waldensian movement and they believed the sick could be lawfully anointed with oil through prayer for healing. 2) Bridget of Sweden in the 1300s was said to have the knowledge of angels through her charity and ability to speak their language. 3) Vincent Ferrer in the 1400s was reported to give sermons in France and Italy in languages he did not speak, attributed to the gift of tongues. 4) Ignatius of Loyola in the 1500s emphasized that the Spirit's gifts are joined together in the Church and

1. Great Cloud
of Witnesses
Session 4

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

4. 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.”

5. Bridget of
Sweden
(1303 – 1373)

6. 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

7. Vincent
Ferrer
(approx. 1350 –
1419)

8. 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.”

10. Ignatius
of Loyola
(1419 – 1556)

11. 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!”

12. Teresa of
Avila
(1515 – 1582)

13. 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.”