Francis MacNutt
Encyclopedia
Francis Scott MacNutt was a leading member of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal
and is an author of books on healing prayer, including Healing, The Healing Reawakening and Deliverance from Evil Spirits.
MacNutt grew up in St. Louis, Missouri
. He earned a B.A.
degree from Harvard University
in 1948, and a M.A.
degree in speech and drama from The Catholic University of America
, Washington. In 1950, MacNutt joined the Dominican Order
and was ordained to the priesthood in 1956. He has a Ph.D.
degree in Theology. He taught at a seminary in Dubuque, Iowa
for several years before moving back to St Louis in 1966 to become executive director of the National Catholic Preaching Conference.
MacNutt learned of the charismatic movement through Pentecostal Protestant friends. As a young Roman Catholic priest, he was prominent and influential in the charismatic renewal in the 1960s, and during the 1970s he became associated with the practices of speaking in tongues and faith healing
and appeared on television with Ruth Carter Stapleton
, the sister of President Carter. In the late 1970s he was director of the Thomas Merton Foundation in St. Louis.
He left the Dominicans to marry his wife, Judith Carole (née Sewell), a psychologist, in February 1980 and they settled in Clearwater, Florida, where they established Christian Healing Ministries that same year. His decision to marry was controversial in the Catholic charismatic movement and due to a requirement of clerical celibacy
it resulted in automatic excommunication
. Since the beginning of their marriage, the MacNutts have traveled widely, speaking and ministering together. In 1987, at the invitation of the Episcopal Diocese of Florida, they moved to Jacksonville, Florida
, and expanded Christian Healing Ministries into a healing center for prayer ministry and teaching.
Catholic Charismatic Renewal
The Catholic Charismatic Renewal is a movement within the Catholic Church. Worship is characterized by vibrant Masses, as well as prayer meetings featuring prophecy, healing and "praying in tongues." This movement is based on the belief that certain charismata , bestowed by the Holy Spirit, such as...
and is an author of books on healing prayer, including Healing, The Healing Reawakening and Deliverance from Evil Spirits.
MacNutt grew up in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. He earned a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1948, and a M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in speech and drama from The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
, Washington. In 1950, MacNutt joined the Dominican Order
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
and was ordained to the priesthood in 1956. He has a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degree in Theology. He taught at a seminary in Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
for several years before moving back to St Louis in 1966 to become executive director of the National Catholic Preaching Conference.
MacNutt learned of the charismatic movement through Pentecostal Protestant friends. As a young Roman Catholic priest, he was prominent and influential in the charismatic renewal in the 1960s, and during the 1970s he became associated with the practices of speaking in tongues and faith healing
Faith healing
Faith healing is healing through spiritual means. The healing of a person is brought about by religious faith through prayer and/or rituals that, according to adherents, stimulate a divine presence and power toward correcting disease and disability. Belief in divine intervention in illness or...
and appeared on television with Ruth Carter Stapleton
Ruth Carter Stapleton
Ruth Carter Stapleton was a sister of Jimmy Carter and was known in her own right as a Christian evangelist. She died of pancreatic cancer in 1983.- Early life :...
, the sister of President Carter. In the late 1970s he was director of the Thomas Merton Foundation in St. Louis.
He left the Dominicans to marry his wife, Judith Carole (née Sewell), a psychologist, in February 1980 and they settled in Clearwater, Florida, where they established Christian Healing Ministries that same year. His decision to marry was controversial in the Catholic charismatic movement and due to a requirement of clerical celibacy
Clerical celibacy (Catholic Church)
Clerical celibacy is the discipline by which, in some Churches, only unmarried men are, as a rule, to be ordained to the priesthood. The same discipline holds in some other Churches for ordination to the episcopate....
it resulted in automatic excommunication
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
. Since the beginning of their marriage, the MacNutts have traveled widely, speaking and ministering together. In 1987, at the invitation of the Episcopal Diocese of Florida, they moved to Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, and expanded Christian Healing Ministries into a healing center for prayer ministry and teaching.