Francis among the people
Pope Francis is hotter than ever, being Time’s person of the year and all, and people are continously thrilled to see that this is a pope who really cares about the poor and wounded, a pope that criticizes capitalism, wash the feet of young prisoners, and invites the homeless for his birthday meal. A recent article in the Huffington Post discusses how Francis clearly has been impacted by Latin American liberation theology, and it also points out that his Argentinian background has left an impact on him that is seldomly discussed in the media, namely charismatic fire.
On his flight from Rio de Janeiro back to Rome, pope Francis said:
I’ll tell you something about the Charismatic Movement … at the end of the ’70s and in the ’80s, I wasn’t a big fan. I used to say they confused the holy liturgy with a school of samba. I was converted when I got to know them better and saw the good they do. In this moment of the life of the church, the movements are necessary. They’re a grace of the Spirit, and in general, they do much good for the church. The charismatic renewal movement isn’t just about winning back a few Pentecostals, but it serves the church and its renewal.
I have previously pointed out Francis’ love for the gifts of the Spirit, or charisms, in his famous writing Evangelii Gaudum. The charismatic renewal within the Catholic church is especially strong in Latin America, as this clip from the Catholic News Service shows:
Thus, Francis truly walks in the footsteps of Francis of Assissi, combining passionate love for the poor and social justice with charismatic fire and belief in miracles. I’m not a Catholic, but I praise God when I see how Christ-like and Biblical pope Francis is. We need more people like that. Many, many more.
Charismactivism 
Christ-like and Biblical? Just because one performs good deeds against poor people and encourages it, doesn’t mean one is a true Christian. There are humanists that also do this. One’s fruit doesn’t consist in performing good deeds and encouraging others to do the same.
In On Heaven and Earth, page 236 Francis wrote about new religious belief systems and movements. He stated: “I am respectful of all new spiritual proposals… Surviving the passage of time is the major test of spiritual purity.”
On March 20, 2013 Francis had a meeting with leaders of different religions which included schismatics, Jews and Muslims. Francis said: “Yesterday morning, during Holy Mass, through you I felt the spiritual presence of the communities which you represent…” He went on to say that he esteems them.
L’ Osservatore Romano, March 27, 2013, p. 7.
In On Heaven and Earth, pp. 12-13 Francis says he respects atheists: “I do not approach the relationship in order to proselytize, or convert the atheist; I respect him… nor would I say that his life is condemned, because I am convinced that I do not have the right to make a judgment about the honesty of that person… every man is the image of God, whether he is a believer or not. For that reason alone everyone has a series of virtues, qualities, and a greatness of his own.”
On June 29, 2010 Francis visited an Islamic Center and said: “I came as a brother to strengthen ties.”
In his Homily of July 8, 2013 Francis spoke to Muslims saying: “I also think with affection of those Muslim immigrants who this evening begin the fast of Ramadan, which I trust will bear abundant spiritual fruit.”
Agree wholeheartedly, that makes him all the more dangerous, the deception of good works can be very subtle, and the fact that he is very popular with the world. He has been all over the map with his public comments.
I’m not sure if he will be the last pope or the final anti-pope prophesied by a medieval monk. I believe the whore of Babylon will be based in Rome and will also include liberal protestant denominations which will make concessions to Rome, as well as renegade Word of Faith tangent of charismatic Church.
I hadn’t noticed this particular aspect of the Pope’s views. Thanks for emphasising them.
Reblogged this on Bengts Blogg and commented:
Micael Grenholm om påve Franciskus och karismatisk förnyelse och den helige Ande i samband med Världsungdomsdagen i Brasilien och i skrivelsen Evangelii gaudium.
[…] Pope Francis: “The Charismatic Movement is Necessary” (holyspiritactivism.wordpress.com) […]
The quotes of Pope Francis above from jonte95 are so similar to the way the modern media has been representing the pope i.e. by pulling quotes out of context and perhaps missing the essence of what he says in his language often due to the limitations of English. Approached from the totality fo scripture – being all things to all men, the good Samaritan – ie. reaching out in love and letting the Holy Spirit do the rest has been a hallmark of his approach. If you want to understand his position on evangelization read his Apostolic Exhortation on evangelization – http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20131124_evangelii-gaudium_en.pdf
Blessings in Jesus
The following dialogue took place in my church:
Priest 1 “The new pope is pretty humble, don’t you thnk?”
Priest 2 “Humble, actually, was the previous one, who resigned”
[…] that this is for all. But with the growth of the charismatic movement within catholicism, that pope Francis welcomes, more and more Catholics acknowledge the importance of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This has […]
[…] Pope Francis: “The Charismatic Movement is Necessary” […]
[…] January, I wrote about how Francis stated in an interview that the charismatic movement is necessary for the church. Now […]
[…] Pope Francis: “The Charismatic Movement is Necessary”. I’ve written about Francis a couple of times, and even though I don’t agree with […]
[…] https://holyspiritactivism.wordpress.com/2014/01/03/pope-francis-the-charismatic-movement-is-necessa… But the overall gist of the message Pope Francis had to say to 30,000 Charismatic Catholics was that he had encouraging words for the people of the Charismatic Movement but warned of what he saw as tendencies among group leaders towards authoritarianism and insisting on this type of Worship as a universal Catholic worship needing uniformity “to” […]
Kenneth Copeland presenting himself as the representative of the charismatic church in America, who nominated him? He is a heretic with his “little gods” theology and his extreme teaching on confession is nothing short of mind science (Christian science). This is really scary— seeing Copeland in with a pope who is popular in the world system. That alone should tell us something.
I would like to stress here, too, that I consider myself a charismatic Christian, and I am passionate about the restoration of all things to the Church in this hour. Problem is we have a counterfeit Word of Faith movement which has infiltrated the charismatic movement in America and given the whole movement a bad image, but more importantly, having brought a reproach on Holy Spirit.