Catholic - Pentecostal dialogue continues

 

Image of participants in the meeting marking the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of the Commission for Catholic-Pentecostal Dialogue. 

POPE

• CHRISTIANS
• ECUMENISM
• KURT KOCH

Pope: Help others experience transforming power of God's love

Greeting all commemorating 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Commission for Catholic-Pentecostal Dialogue, Pope Francis calls for continued dialogue, renewed zeal to proclaim the Gospel, and showing to others God's transformative love.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

Pope Francis has encouraged continued dialogue between Catholics and Pentecostals, and has urged them to proclaim with new zeal the joy of the Gospel.

The Holy Father's remarks came in an 8 July message he addressed to members of the Commission for Catholic-Pentecostal Dialogue, which was published on the website of the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity.

Begun in 1972, the goal of this Dialogue --documents on the Dicastery's website explain-- is to promote mutual respect and understanding in matters of faith and practice. Genuine exchange and frank discussion concerning the positions and practices of the two traditions have been guiding principles of these conversations, which include daily prayer services led alternately by Catholics and Pentecostals.

The Pope offered cordial greetings to all taking part in the meeting marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Commission, and thanked the Dicastery, the Commission's co-moderators, and all who made the event possible. 

Renewed zeal to proclaim Gospel

Over the past 50 years, the Commission, through dialogue and reflection, he said, has journeyed together "in order to build bonds of friendship, solidarity and mutual understanding" between Catholics and Pentecostals.

“It is my hope that this important anniversary will strengthen these bonds and renew your zeal to proclaim, as missionary disciples, the joy of the Gospel in the ecclesial community and in society as a whole.”

"By bearing witness to the Lord's prayer that all may be one," the Pope said, "you will be able to help our brothers and sisters experience in their hearts and lives the transforming power of God's love, mercy and grace." 

Asking them to remember him in their prayers and offering them his prayerful best wishes, Pope Francis concluded by invoking upon all of them and their families God's blessings of wisdom, joy and peace. 

Pope Francis dialoguing with Pentecostal Pastors

Pope holds private encounter with Pentecostal pastors

Pope Francis has a private encounter in the Vatican on Thursday with a group of Italian Pentecostal pastors led by his friend Giovanni Traettino from the Evangelical Church of Reconciliation - OSS_ROM

09/09/2016

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has met with a group of Italian Pentecostal pastors, telling them that unity is achieved by walking patiently together.
The seven Pentecostal pastors, led by the Pope’s friend Giovanni Traettino from the Evangelical Church of Reconciliation, had a private audience in the Casa Santa Marta on Thursday afternoon to continue the dialogue begun by the pontiff’s visit to their community in Caserta two years ago.
During the informal encounter Pastor Traettino thanked the Pope for his role “as a brother and an ally” in accelerating the dialogue between Catholics and Pentecostals.
Pope Francis replied that he “felt in his heart” the need to undertake steps towards reconciliation, citing the examples of his meeting with the Waldensian community or with the Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill. Unity, he said, is achieved step by step, through a patient and continuous journey together. Full unity, he said, will be achieved after “the Son of Man returns” but in the meantime, he stressed, Christians must pray, repent of their sins and walk together.