As gifts of the Holy Spirit, charisms serve as reference points and guiding forces for women and men religious. Charisms can be agents of stability, as well as vehicles for change within the Catholic Church itself. This article explores how the Church and religious congregations generally understand charisms and why they both believe in their preservation and transmission within Catholic higher education. The article concludes with the hope that both religious congregations and the Church will plan for and develop leaders who will understand, respect and cherish the role that charisms play in Catholic higher education.