Good Question!
God gives us all gifts in the Sacrament of Baptism and these are completed, as well as increased, in Confirmation. Here is the CCC on this point.
III. THE EFFECTS OF CONFIRMATION
1302 It is evident from its celebration that the effect of the sacrament of Confirmation is the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost.
1303 From this fact, Confirmation brings an increase and deepening of baptismal grace:
- it roots us more deeply in the divine filiation which makes us cry, "Abba! Father!";117
- it unites us more firmly to Christ;
- it increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us;
- it renders our bond with the Church more perfect;118
- it gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross:119
- Recall then that you have received the spiritual seal, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence, the spirit of holy fear in God's presence. Guard what you have received. God the Father has marked you with his sign; Christ the Lord has confirmed you and has placed his pledge, the Spirit, in your hearts.120
One of these gifts is knowledge. This gift pertains to knowledge of ourselves and the Scriptures, which God desires us to have in order to become perfect. At the higher states of holiness, knowledge may be infused. One can look at the great saints such as Padre Pio and Catherine of Siena to see such gift. As to discernment, this gift is one developed as taught by St. Ignatius of Loyola. One must be under orthodox spiritual directors to discern good and bad spirits, but there is more to it than that, as I wrote here.
http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/on-misunderstanding-of-term-discernment.html
Discernment is connected with prudence and purity of heart. Without orthodoxy, such gifts should be suspect.
Again, I quote the Catholic Encyclopedia:
An excellent lesson is that given by St. Ignatius Loyola in his "Spiritual Exercises". Here we find rules for the discernment of spirits and, being clearly and briefly formulated, these rules indicate a secure course, containing in embryo all that is included in the more extensive treatises of later date. For a complete explanation of them the best commentaries on the "Exercises" of St. Ignatius may be consulted. Of the rules transmitted to us by a saint inspired by Divine light and a learned psychologist taught by personal experience, it will suffice to recall the principal ones. Ignatius gives two kinds and we must call attention to the fact that in the second category, according to some opinions, he sometimes considers a more delicate discernment of spirits adapted to the extraordinary course of mysticism. Be that as it may, he begins by enunciating this clear principle, that both the good and the evil spirit act upon a soul according to the attitude it assumes toward them. If it pose as their friend, they flatter it; if to resist them, they torment it. But the evil spirit speaks only to the imagination and the senses, whereas the good spirit acts upon reason and conscience. The evil labours to excite concupiscence, the good to intensify love for God. Of course it may happen that a perfectly well-disposed soul suffers from the attacks of the devil deprived of the sustaining consolations of the good angel; but this is only a temporary trial the passing of which must be awaited in patience and humility. St. Ignatius also teaches us to distinguish the spirits by their mode of action and by the end they seek. Without any preceding cause, that is to say, suddenly, without previous knowledge or sentiment, God alone, by virtue of His sovereign dominion, can flood the soul with light and joy. But if there has been a preceding cause, either the good or the bad angel may be the author of the consolation; this remains to be judged from the consequences. As the good angel's object is the welfare of the soul and the bad angel's its defects or unhappiness, if, in the progress of our thoughts all is well and tends to good there is no occasion for uneasiness; on the contrary, if we perceive any deviation whatsoever towards evil or even a slight unpleasant agitation, there is reason to fear. Such, then, is the substance of these brief rules which are nevertheless so greatly admired by the masters of the spiritual life. Although requiring an authorized explanation, when well understood, they act as a preservative against many illusions.
In the Catholic Church, God works through the hierarchy, the Teaching Magisterium, the intercession of the saints, and the sacraments. Are there people with extraordinary gifts? Yes, but rare, as they would be saints as well.
People who are not obedient in some area of Church teaching cannot be trusted in so-called ministries.
Recently, for example, a friend of mine found a suspect alternative so-called medical treatment, not approved by any medical association being taught at a retreat house here in England.
People claiming gifts but involved in New Age and fake alternative methods of healing cannot be trusted. People claiming healing gifts who say they are Catholic but do not follow the teachings of the Church in any area must be suspect and, frankly, avoided.
Some people in the Illuminative State may be experiencing such gifts, but many times, spiritual pride gets in the way. Beware.
