Pope Francis encouraged charismatics to continue as an ecclesial movement and not as a “samba school”, highlighting three essential aspects of their service: prayer, evangelization, and communion.
The Pope made these remarks on Saturday, January 20th, when he received members of the National Council of Renewal in the Holy Spirit in an audience at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican.
In his speech, Pope Francis recalled his initial view of the charismatic movement in the past when he was a priest and later during his years as Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
“I had a ‘special history’ with you, because at the beginning, I did not like the movement, saying that it was a samba school and not an ecclesial movement. Then, as archbishop, I saw how it worked, how they filled the cathedral during meetings, and I began to have great appreciation for them,” the Holy Father recounted.
“Go forward, but not as a samba school, but as an ecclesial movement! I wholeheartedly bless you and your service,” he added.
Prayer
In his words, the Pope emphasized that “the charismatic movement, by its very nature, gives space and emphasis to prayer, especially to the prayer of praise, and this is very important.”
“Continue serving the Church in this, especially promoting the prayer of adoration. An adoration where silence predominates, where the Word of God prevails over our words (…) where He, the Lord, is truly the center and not us,” Pope Francis encouraged.
Evangelization
The Holy Father then highlighted the aspect of evangelization, “which also belongs, so to speak, to the DNA of the charismatic movement.”
In this regard, he continued, the Holy Spirit encourages the faithful to go out and communicate the Gospel, starting with the testimony of life.
“What’s the use of long prayers and many beautiful songs, if I cannot be patient with my neighbor, if I cannot be close to my mother who is alone – this is the fourth commandment: I am scandalized by men and women whose parents are in a home and I do not visit them – or that person in difficulty,” questioned the Pope. He emphasized that “concrete charity, hidden service is always the verification of our proclamation: words, gestures, and songs, without the concreteness of charity, are useless.”
Communion
Pope Francis then stressed that in each particular Church, in each place where they are present, “ecclesial movements must always seek effective communion. And what does this mean? It means that the Renewal community must be at the service of the entire diocesan community, of the entire parish community, according to the pastoral indications of the bishop.”
“It also means communion with other ecclesial realities, associations, movements, groups: to bear witness to fraternity, mutual esteem in diversity, collaboration in the commitment of common initiatives, at the service of the people of God and also in social issues where the dignity of people is at stake.”
After warning against the danger of “gossip”, the Pope encouraged the charismatics to “go forward with joy. May the Virgin bless you, may she always be among you as among the first disciples in the Upper Room.”
“And I ask you please to pray for me. Pray with your body, with everything, for me,” he concluded.
