The Charismatic movement sought to bring Pentecostal "gifts" into mainline churches

The Charismatic movement takes its name from a Greek word meaning "gift" and refers to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. For the first half of the twentieth century, Pentecostals were stigmatized for speaking in tongues and other forms of ecstatic experience. They were considered outsiders not only by Catholics and mainline Protestants, but also by those evangelicals who emphasized doctrine over experience. At mid-century, however, Pentecostalism began to penetrate the other churches through prayer groups, which spoke in tongues or exercised other spiritual gifts. Such activities brought both controversy and renewal. Within Roman Catholicism, Pentecostalism spread largely through the Cursillo movement, which used retreats to bring about intense emotional and spiritual experiences.