question about the Gift of Tongues

[Guest Marlee]

I have a question about the Gift of Tongues. I've done a tiny bit of research on it because Gifts of the Holy Spirit amaze me in general and I'd like to learn more about them, but the main thing I'm wondering about this particular gift is why it exists today. From the resources I viewed and I think I remember reading this in the Catechism also, but the receiving of Tongues first occured on Pentecost in order for the Apostles to spread the message of Christ to those of other languages. What interests me is why this gift still exists, considering that those with the gift usually speak languages that are no longer common. As I said before, it blows my mind the gifts God gives to us through the Spirit in order to perform His will, and the Gift of Tongues especially amazes me.

[phatcatholic]

well, we can really only speculate as to why the gift of tongues is still given to some today. from my experience, i hardly ever see it accompanied by the gift of prophecy so that those who heard the foreign tongue could benefit from it. it seems to happen more often to individual persons emmersed in prayer, in which case it is usually quite edifying.