Vatican City, 2 June 2014 (VIS) –
Yesterday afternoon fifty-two thousand people gathered for the
National Convocation of “Renewal in the Spirit”, from 55
countries, applauded Pope Francis' entry into the Olympic Stadium in
Rome where he joined in with the chorus in Spanish of “Vive Jesus,
el Senor”, a hymn that the bishop of Rome said he enjoyed greatly
when he celebrated Mass in the cathedral of Buenos Aires with members
of this movement. Two bodies for the coordination of Catholic
Charismatic Renewal throughout the world: ICCRS (International
Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services) and CFCCCF (Catholic
Fraternity of Charismatic Covenant Communities and Fellowships).
The Pope answered the questions posed
to him by priests, young people, families, the sick and the elderly,
asking the first among them to remain close to Christ and to his
faithful, and warning the second not to keep their youth “locked
away in a safe” but rather to “bet on great things”. He
reminded families of their roles as a domestic church, and commented
that the sick imitate Jesus in the difficult moments of life, and
that the elderly are the wisdom and memory of the Church. Finally, he
prayed that God might grant to all the “holy intoxication of the
Spirit, that enables us to speak many languages, the languages of
charity, always close to those brothers and sisters who need us.
Teach us not to fight between ourselves over a little more power, …
teach us to increasingly love the Church that is our 'team', and to
keep our hearts open to receive the Holy Spirit”.
In his address, he affirmed that
Renewal in the Spirit is “a great force in the service of the
proclamation of the Gospel in the joy of the Holy Spirit. … In the
early times, it was said that you always carried a Bible with you, a
New Testament. … If not, return to this first love, always carry
the Word of God with you, in your pocket, in your bag!”
He urged them never to lose the freedom
that the Holy Spirit gives us, warning them of the danger of
“excessive organisation”. “Yes, you need organisation, but do
not lose the grace of letting God be God!”. He also warned them of
the danger of becoming “controllers” of God's grace,
administrators of race who decide who may receive the prayer of
effusion or baptism in the Spirit, and who instead may not. “If any
of you do this, I beg you, do not do this any more. You are
dispensers of God's grace, not controllers!”, he underlined.
“Evangelisation, spiritual ecumenism,
attention to the poor and needy and welcome to the marginalised, and
all on the basis of adoration; the foundation for renewal is adoring
God”: thus Pope Francis defined the path of Renewal in the Spirit,
to explain the future direction he hoped they would take.
“First of all”, he said,
“conversion to the love of Jesus, that changes life and makes a
Christian a witness to God's love. I hope that you will share with
all in the Church the grace of Baptism in the Holy Spirit. I expect
from you an evangelisation with the Word of God that proclaims that
Jesus lives and loves all humankind. May you give witness of
spiritual ecumenism with all those brothers and sisters of other
Churches and Christian communities who believe in Jesus as the Lord
and Saviour. May you remain united in the love that the Lord Jesus
asks of all for all mankind, and in prayer to the Holy Spirit to
reach this unity, necessary for evangelisation in the name of Jesus.
Be close to the poor and needy to touch in their flesh the wounded
flesh of Jesus. Seek unity in Renewal because unity comes from the
Holy Spirit and is born of the unity of the Trinity. Where does
division come from? The devil! Division comes from the devil. Flee
from internal struggles, please!”.
In conclusion, Francis called upon them
to “Go forth onto the streets and evangelise, proclaim the Gospel.
Remember that the Church was born to go forth, that morning of
Pentecost. … Let yourselves be guided by the Holy Spirit, with that
same freedom. And please, do not cage the Holy Spirit! With
freedom!”.
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