Francis’ good friend, Giovanni Traettino, an ex-Catholic and now a Baptist minister speaks about Francis & the Vatican
Francis gives pastor Giovanni Traettino a spiritual hug in 2014
Related:
Showing posts with label Giovanni Traettino. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Giovanni Traettino. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Francis feels like saying something heretical...
...and he does!
Francis is at it again, making another video for his Protestant 'brothers in blood'. This one was for the Celebration of Christian Unity event held by the John 17 Movement in Phoenix, Arizona. Francis' usual Protestant friends were all there. Here's the flyer for the event:
What is interesting is that at 4 minutes 16 seconds in his video message Francis says,
"I feel like saying something that may sound controversial, or even heretical, perhaps."
Apparently Francis has been so poorly catechized he doesn't recognize that his words which follow this statement,
"It is he who is persecuting Christians today, he who is anointing us with (the blood of) martyrdom. He knows that Christians are disciples of Christ: that they are one, that they are brothers! He doesn’t care if they are Evangelicals, or Orthodox, Lutherans, Catholics or Apostolic…he doesn’t care! They are Christians. And that blood (of martyrdom) unites. Today, dear brothers and sisters, we are living an “ecumenism of blood”"
...are in fact heresy! What God is Francis praying to which makes him think this way?
The original Spanish is even stronger than the English above.
Y me viene a la mente decir algo que puede ser una insensatez, o quizás una herejía, no sé. Pero hay alguien que ‘sabe’ que, pese a las diferencias, somos uno. Y es el que nos persigue. El que persigue hoy día a los cristianos, el que nos unge con el martirio, sabe que los cristianos son discípulos de Cristo: ¡que son uno, que son hermanos! No le interesa si son evangélicos, ortodoxos, luteranos, católicos, apostólicos…¡no le interesa! Son cristianos. Y esa sangre se junta. Hoy estamos viviendo, queridos hermanos, el “ecumenismo de la sangre”. Esto nos tiene que animar a hacer lo que estamos haciendo hoy: orar, hablar entre nosotros, acortar distancias, hermanarnos cada vez más.
Here's what Francis literally said,
“And it comes to my mind to say something that may be foolish or perhaps a heresy, I don't know.”
Below is the video, a link to the Vatican's transcript of Francis' remarks in Spanish, and another website's English translation (which is poor in areas).
Francis' message to John 17 'All be One'
Spanish from the Vatican's website:
English from Salt & Light TV:
Pope Francis has sent a videomessage on the occasion of the Day for Christian Unity which took place in Phoenix, Arizona in the United States on May 23rd.
Below is the English translation of the Pope’s video message
Brothers and sisters, may the peace of Christ be with you. Forgive me if I speak in Spanish, but my English isn’t good enough for me to express myself properly. I speak in Spanish but, above all, I speak in the language ofthe heart.
[in Spanish:]
I have the invitation you sent me for this celebration of Christian Unity, this day of reconciliation. And I wish to join you from here. “Father, may we be one so that the world may believe you sent me”. This is the slogan, the theme of the meeting: Christ’s prayer to the Father for the grace of unity.
Today, Saturday May 23rd, from 9 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon, I will be with you spiritually and with all my heart. We will search together, we will pray together, for the grace of unity. The unity that is budding among us is that unity which begins under the seal of the one Baptism we have all received. It is the unity we are seeking along a common path. It is the spiritual unity of prayer for one another. It is the unity of our common labour on behalf of our brothers and sisters, and all those who believe in the sovereignty of Christ.
Dear brothers and sisters, division is a wound in the body of the Church of Christ. And we do not want this wound to remain open. Division is the work of the Father of Lies, the Father of Discord, who does everything possible to keep us divided.
Together today, I here in Rome and you over there, we will ask our Father to send the Spirit of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and to give us the grace to be one, “so that the world may believe.” I feel like saying something that may sound controversial, or even heretical, perhaps. But there is someone who“knows” that, despite our differences, we are one. It is he who is persecuting us. It is he who is persecuting Christians today, he who is anointing us with (the blood of) martyrdom. He knows that Christians are disciples of Christ: that they are one, that they are brothers! He doesn’t care if they are Evangelicals, or Orthodox, Lutherans, Catholics or Apostolic…he doesn’t care! They are Christians. And that blood (of martyrdom) unites. Today, dear brothers and sisters, we are living an “ecumenism of blood”. This must encourage us to do what we are doing today: to pray, to dialogue together, to shorten the distance between us, to strengthen our bonds of brotherhood.
I am convinced it won’t be theologians who bring about unity among us. Theologians help us, the science of the theologians will assist us, but if we hope that theologians will agree with one another, we will reach unity the day after Judgement Day. The Holy Spirit brings about unity. Theologians are helpful, but most helpful is the goodwill of us all who are on this journey with our hearts open to the Holy Spirit!
In all humility, I join you as just another participant on this day of prayer, friendship, closeness and reflection. In the certainty that we have one Lord: Jesus is the Lord. In the certainty that this Lord is alive: Jesus is alive, the Lord lives in each one of us. In the certainty that He has sent the Spirit He promised us so that this “harmony” among all His disciples might be realised.
Dear brothers and sisters, I greet you warmly, with an embrace. I pray for you. I pray with You. And I ask you, please, to pray for me. Because I need your prayers in order to be faithful to what the Lord wants from my Ministry.
[Blessing]
God bless you. May God bless us all.
Friday, May 8, 2015
Francis is at it again...
...meeting with Pentecostals who
are his brothers in 'faith'.
More photos from this "encounter", Francis' word not ours.
Friday, August 8, 2014
Matteo Calisi steps out of the shadows
The revolution of Vatican II has taken place out in the open since the Council ended. One of the biggest problems combating this revolution is knowing who is playing the important roles of setting the agenda for the Vatican. The article, On Ecumenical Dialogue With Pentecostals, lays out who the movers and shakers are in the Chrismatic/Pentecostal/Evangelical movement in the Novus Ordo church. It also confirms what readers of Call Me Jorge... have suspected concerning the origin of the heretical idea that all sects are one church to God.
Thanks to Michael for sending us this article. He has also informed us he is going to fire his blog, Public Vigil, back up. Check it out!
Thanks to Michael for sending us this article. He has also informed us he is going to fire his blog, Public Vigil, back up. Check it out!
On Ecumenical Dialogue With Pentecostals
Friend of Pastor Traettino, Matteo Calisi Speaks to ZENIT on Wider Significance of Pope's Caserta Visit
Vatican City, August 07, 2014 (Zenit.org) Deborah Castellano Lubov
A promoter of Catholic-Pentecostal relations believes Pope Francis is opening up dialogue between Catholics and Pentecostals.Matteo Calisi is the founder and president of the Comunità di Gesù (Community of Jesus), located in Bari, Italy. Together with Pentecostal Pastor Dr. Giovanni Traettino, Bishop of the Evangelical Church of the Reconciliation, Matteo founded in 1992 Consultazione Carismatica Italiana (Italian Charismatic Consultation – CCI), a joint committee of Catholic Charismatics and Pentecostal Evangelicals.This committee began a dialogue between Catholics and Pentecostals in Italy. Presently, Calisi still serves as co-president with Pastor Traettino. Among those with whom they have collaborated is Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, preacher of the Papal Household.Calisi has collaborated with the Pontifical Council for the Laity and in 2008, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as a Member of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, which he served on until the end of 2013. He has personally met Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI on various occasions.Calisi spoke with ZENIT on his friendship with Pastor Giovanni Traettino, his views on the significance of the Pope’s meeting with Pentecostals in Caserta, as well as what this means for ecumenical dialogue.***ZENIT: Could you speak about the Pope’s visit to the Evangelical Church in Caserta?Calisi: The visit of Pope Francis to the Evangelical Church in Caserta on July 28, 2014, as it is well known, had a private character even though the event had a historic significance. It is the first time that a Pontiff has visited an Evangelical Pentecostal Church, and even though it may sound unusual to many of us, we must remember that Pope Francis, when he was archbishop of Buenos Aires, had stable relationships with the Pentecostal Churches of his town and used to attend several private and public meetings with representatives of these Evangelical communities.ZENIT: Have you personally had the opportunity to observe this yourself?Calisi: I have had the privilege to witness this process, which started in 2003 in Buenos Aires and continues still today, that has led to the birth of the ecumenical initiative called "Renewed communion between Catholics and Evangelicals in the Holy Spirit" (CRECES). Therefore, the visit to Caserta is part of this Catholic-Pentecostal dialogue that Pope Francis knows very well. Moreover, during the worship session in the Pentecostal Church of Caserta, the Holy Father asked for forgiveness on behalf of those baptized Catholics who were accomplices in the persecutions of the Pentecostal churches from the fascist regime, an act of justice which follows the example of the actions of [asking] forgiveness made by the previous Pontiffs. Another significant fact is that, according to the Holy Father, the word "sect" is not to be used to name a group of Christians. We must be able to discern what the sectarian attitudes are, which can be found in any religious group - Catholic, Evangelical or Orthodox one - and from which we must mend our ways, but it is extremely offensive and unfair to name a Christian church as a whole with the word "sect". Therefore the request for forgiveness has been accompanied by the request to purify the language: an important factor to heal the memories of the past.ZENIT: According to you, does the Pope’s visit to Caserta have a wider significance?Calisi: The meeting in Caserta precedes and has a wider significance than the visit made by the Pope. The Bishop of Rome is perfectly aware of the urgency to search for unity between the Catholic Church and the Pentecostal Evangelical Churches. More than half a billion Christians adhere to the Pentecostal Movement, which is the second Christian confession soon after the Catholic Church for its large numbers. The Pentecostal Movement is the fastest growing movement in the whole history of the Christian Church, there is no other precedent. A movement born from the Holy Spirit without human founders, so little known by specialists and ecumenists especially here in Italy, which had an astonishing growth in the past century from 0 to 600 million participants.In Italy, the Pentecostal movement represents nearly 70% of the Italian Protestantism with which the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI) hasn't established a relationship yet. Compared to the copious Anglo-Saxon literature, suffice it to think of the academic institution Society for Pentecostal Studies with the publication of the magazine of theology "Pneumatic", in Italy we can only report the valuable book by Professor Massimo Introvigne "The Pentecostal challenge" (LDC Turin) and the research made by the Center for Studies on new religions "Cesnur", Turin. We are grateful to the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome for having established training courses on "Pentecostalism" held by Professor Teresa Francesca Rossi. But "Pentecostalism" is nearly totally absent in the study plans of the Pontifical Universities, as well as in the seminaries for the training of future Catholic priests. The Pro Unione Centre of the Friars of the Atonement, Rome (Director Father James Puglisi S.A.), which sponsors initiatives and meetings with scholars and Pentecostal, Charismatic and Evangelical theologians, gives another contribution to the knowledge of Pentecostalism.ZENIT: How is dialogue developing between the Holy See and Pentecostals?Calisi: Even though there was an official consolidated dialogue between some Pentecostal representatives (only on a personal level) and the Holy See, which started after the Second Vatican Council and has published important documents with undeniable pastoral-theological importance (cfr Enchiridion Oecumenicum, EDB Bologna), very little is known about the ecumenical activities carried out among the Catholic and Pentecostal faithful, the so-called "spiritual ecumenism".ZENIT: Can you tell us about your friendship and collaboration with Pastor Giovanni Traettino?Calisi: Pastor Giovanni Traettino and I have been friends and have been collaborating in the ministry of reconciliation for more than 30 years. In the early '80s a dialogue started to take place between the Community of Jesus, Bari, and his Movement of Communion and Restauration, Caserta (then renamed Evangelical Church of Reconciliation). In 1992 I invited Pastor Traettino to talk at a Catholic Charismatic Conference which took place at Saint Nicholas Football Stadium in Bari. On that occasion Pastor Traettino made a prophetic gesture, he washed the feet of a representative of the Catholic Church. This gesture of humility marked the beginning of a long-lasting collaboration between me and Pastor Giovanni Traettino. In the same year we founded an organism of dialogue between Catholics and Charismatic Evangelicals and Pentecostals in Italy, called "Italian Charismatic Consultation". Historians have considered this work as a pioneering event at the ecumenical level (see the vast literature of Professor Vinson Synan, Divinity Faculty, Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA, USA). Professor Massimo Introvigne has written an interview book to Pastor Traettino and the undersigned, entitled "Aspettando la Pentecoste" (Waiting for the Pentecost - il Messaggero Publisher, Padova 1996) which is intended to witness the path of reconciliation between Catholics and Evangelicals, a movement born in Italy that has spread to many countries all over the world. It was during our visit to Buenos Aires in 2006 that Pastor Giovanni Traettino got in touch with Cardinal Bergoglio. I still work with Pastor Giovanni Traettino preaching this “Gospel of Reconciliation". In the past months we held some meetings of reconciliation in Phoenix, Arizona, with the support of Pope Francis and the local Catholic Bishops, and attended a meeting of important European Evangelical Leaders in Palma de Mallorca (Spain). We do hope we will be able to carry out some future projects for Italy with the help of God.ZENIT: In Caserta, Pope Francis mentioned “reconciled diversity.” Could you elaborate on what this is?Calisi: Pope Francis, speaking at the meeting in Caserta, has mentioned a theory by the reformed theologian Oscar Cullmann, who sustained that the unity of the Church would be possible by mutually accepting a "reconciled diversity". To this end, it is worth mentioning the ecumenical experience matured within the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, a "current of grace" which is present crosswise in most Christian churches. This ecumenical and charismatic grace has been widely illustrated by one of the protagonists of the council renewal, Cardinal Léon Joseph Suenens, archbishop of Malines-Bruxelles. With the publication of the second Document of Malines entitled "Ecumenism and Charismatic Renewal", the Belgian Cardinal writes that the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, or otherwise called "Catholic Pentecostal Renewal", conveys unity by its nature, because it shares the same graces as the spiritual experience of the Evangelical Pentecostal movement. And even though the Catholics may prefer doctrinal and ecclesiological justifications different from the Evangelical Pentecostal movement, however it is undeniable that they share with the Pentecostal movement the same experience that is characterizing the contemporary Christianity in a decisive way. This ecumenical grace is commonly described as a new "Baptism in the Holy Spirit", a biblical expression that has been recently recommended also by the Holy Father, who has asked its spread in the Church. On the same occasion Pope Francis has publicly encouraged the Charismatics to continue the ecumenical reflection on the nature of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and to commit themselves to the "spiritual ecumenism with all those brothers and sisters of other Christian churches and communities that believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior" (Cfr Pope Francis, Olympic Stadium, Rome 1st June 2014). This is the direction to interpret the public speeches of Pope Francis of last January referring to the Chirograph addressed to Pastor Giovanni Traettino for supporting the meetings of reconciliation held in Phoenix, Arizona (USA) and to the well-known message on the Smartphone recorded by the late lamented Bishop Tony Palmer (Communion of the Episcopal Evangelical Churches), for the Evangelical Pentecostal-Charismatic Conference of Kenneth Copeland's ministry, in Texas (USA).ZENIT: Have you followed the movement in English-speaking nations as well?Calisi: From 2002 to 2013, as President of the Catholic Fraternity of Charismatic Covenant Communities and Fellowships, an organism recognized by the Pontifical Council for the Laity with head office in Vatican City, I followed closely the apostolate of Charismatic covenant Communities with ecumenical vocation that are present in Europe, United States and Australia. In particular, the Community of Jesus, Bari, of which I am a moderator, has been inspiring in several countries since 1983 various initiatives of dialogue with Pentecostal churches and other ecclesial traditions reached by the Charismatic Renewal, among them there's also the Messianic Jews tradition.ZENIT: Could you highlight some of the initiatives?Calisi: Here are some initiatives: CCI "Italian Charismatic Consultation" (Italy since 1992), UIC "United in Christ" (United States of America since 1993 – Canada since 2010 – United Kingdom since 2011), CRECES "Renewed Communion between Catholics and Evangelicals in the Holy Spirit" (Argentina since 2004); ENCRISTUS "Meeting among Christians who look for unity and holiness" (Brazil since 2008); International meetings between Catholics and Messianic-Hebrews (Bari, Italy since 2002). Moreover, I mention the International Meetings for Peace among Nations called "Kairòs", which have been taking place since 2000 in Bari, ecumenical town par excellence, with the participation of international representatives of Churches and denominations reached by the Pentecostal-Charismatic experience. This activity has been described in the Magazine "Tempi di Unità (Times of unity)", a periodical published by the Community of Jesus, in the interview book to Matteo Calisi and Giovanni Traettino "Aspettando la Pentecoste (Waiting for the Pentecost)" by Professor Massimo Introvigne (EMP Padova 1996); in the recent book by Msgr. Peter Hoken entitled "Pentecost and Parusia, Charismatic Renewal, Christian Unity, and the Coming Glory" and in the prestigious "The New International Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements" (Stanley M. Burgess, Eduard M. Van Der Maas).ZENIT: Do you believe the initiatives you just explained contribute to ecumenical dialogue? And how so?Calisi: From these testimonies, we understand that the Holy Spirit is giving a boost to the ecumenical process among the churches, not only the Pentecostal ones. At the same time we can see, through the Petrine ministry, a growing incisiveness and decision to continue a friendship with the Evangelical Pentecostal and Charismatic churches, even though there is still resistance and closure in some of these denominations, which can be found also in some Catholic milieus. Despite this, the visit of Pope Francis to Caserta has written a new page in the history of Christians' unity, which is unlikely to be forgotten. The Holy Spirit is greatly working in His Church.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
more evangelicals visited Francis in 2013
Pastor Jorge Himitián another Evangelical friend of Francis.
"He (Francis) seems more like a charismatic preacher than a (Catholic) priest or a bishop."
- Jorge Himitián -
In 2003 Jorge Himitián met the lay leader of the Catholic Charismatic Movement, Matteo Calisi, when Calisi traveled to Buenos Aires. Through Calisi, Himitián met Giovanni Traettino and others in the movement. In 2005, Calisi organized a one day retreat at UCA de Puerto Madero with over 800 people in attendance. Half were Charismatic catholics and the other half were Evangelicals. The following year in 2006 Matteo Calisi organized a meeting in Luna Park with two featured speakers, Raniero Cantalamessa, the preacher of the Pontifical Household, and Giovanni Traettino from the evangelical side. It was at this meeting Himitián met Bergoglio and their friendship began. Since that fateful day in 2006, Jorge Mario Bergoglio and the Evangelicals met every two months until he was elected to succeed Benedict XVI. The meetings took place at halls, churches, in cities, towns, and once a year a retreat lasting three days for pastors and priests was held. Don't forget they still had their annual gathering of C.R.E.C.E.S. (Renewed Community of Catholics and Evangelicals in the Holy Spirit).
Six Evangelicals from Argentina visit their old friend Francis.
A few months after his election, some of the pastors from Argentina were traveling to Europe and dropped in to see Francis. The ministers were Jorge Himitián, Norberto Saracco, Carlos Mraida, Omar Cabrera, Angel Negro y Humberto Golluscio. The meeting lasted for 80 minutes. It consisted of small talk and prayer just like the old days in Argentina when they used to get together. Sometime during this encounter Jorge Himitián slipped Francis a letter from Giovanni Traettino in which he wrote, he would like to continue his friendship with Francis and invited him to visit his congregation in Caserta. Francis responded to Himitián to tell Traettino he would visit him sometime in the future but the visit would be a private one. Francis specified he would not be representing the Catholic Church when he came to visit and Giovanni wouldn't be representing the Evangelicals. It would just be two old friends coming together.
During this visit Himitián also shared with Francis what many were feeling which was,
"God has chosen you to be a prophet to the nations and you should not be
afraid to pronounce the word of God just as He has given it to you."
Himitián has also stated Raniero Cantalamessa told him that Martin Luther was correct and people are saved by faith alone. Cantalamessa further told him the 1997 agreement, The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, signed by the Vatican and Lutherans agrees on this. Lastly, Jorge Himitián has said he felt it was only a matter of time until the Evangelicals and the Catholics merge as their differences are not that great and can be negotiated. According to him, one day God will sort it all out.
"What we see and it is clear, is that if we evangelize without
proselytizing we are going to fill both evangelical and Catholic
churches."
- Jorge Himitián -
- Jorge Himitián -
An interesting side note is Himitián's daughter, Evangelina has written a biography of Francis which is in production to being made a movie. Evangelina has even met with Francis to personally give him his own copy of the book.
Evangelina presenting Francis with his biography.
Rabbi Abraham Skorka, Evangelina Himitián,
and Jose Ignacio Lopez discuss Francis.
sources:
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Traettino puts his spiritual hug into words for Francis
Evangelical Pastor Giovanni Traettino's Words to Pope Francis in Caserta
"You, with your visit here, which has demonstrated that you take reconciliation seriously, show that you are a man of reconciliation, I would say a prophet of reconciliation"
Caserta, (Zenit.org)
Before Pope Francis addressed Monday the Pentecostal community known as the Evangelical Church of Reconciliation in Caserta, Italy, his friend from his days in Buenos Aires, Evangelical Pastor Giovanni Traettino, addressed the Pope.Below is a translation of the pastor's words.***It’s lovely to be before the Lord, no? (People answer: yes!). There is no better place in the world than to be in the presence of God., there is still a better place, to live in the presence of God! It is there that we experience the most profound joys, the truest joys; it is there that our life is transformed and that we become ever more similar to Him.I wish to share some considerations and, in particular, dearest Pope Francis, my beloved brother, our joy is great because of your visit, my personal joy, that of my family, that of the whole of our community and of our spiritual family, of our guests and of our friends. A great and unexpected gift, unthinkable a short time ago. You will be able to read it in the eyes of the children and the elderly, of young people and of families. We love you very much! And there is something you must know: there is for your person, also among us Evangelicals, so much affection, and so many of us pray for you every day: also every day they pray for you. After all, it is so easy to love you very much. Several of us even believe that your election as Bishop of Rome was wrought by the Holy Spirit. A blessing above all for the whole of Christianity in dealing with the world: this is what I personally think. With this gesture of yours, wholly unexpected and surprising, you have given visibility and concreteness to what appears ever more to be the leading reason for your existence and, hence, of your ministry, because life always precedes ministry. Overcoming with one blow the complications of protocol, you know how to go directly to the heart of life and of human relations and, in particular, in the relation with whom you recognize as brother: to encounter one’s brother, to encounter him where he is, to encounter him as he is. In our case then, to visit us, you actually had to endure two days of exertion. We are particularly grateful to you!It wasn’t enough for you to entrust your heart to a document or a message … Evidently, you have reflected much on the Incarnation of Jesus Christ: you wanted to touch us, you wanted to come in person, to embrace us in person. You have shown great courage – liberty and courage! And you have given yourself, in simplicity and weakness, to our diversity, but also to our embrace. With men like you, dear Pope Francis, there is hope for us Christians. For all! With just one gesture, you have widened the door, you have accelerated the realization of God’s dream. You have become part of Jesus’ prayer: that they may all be one.” And you did so with that glory of which John speaks in chapter 17: with that glory without which it is impossible to build unity. I speak of the glory of humility. As someone said, humility is at the heart of glory. And he adds: a bit of power is enough to exhibit oneself, much is needed to withdraw. God is unlimited power of withdrawal of self, of hiding. Also from this, perhaps above all from this, Christ’s disciples are recognized.“Truth is an encounter”: it is the title of one of the last collections of your lovely morning meditations at Saint Martha’s. Truth is an encounter, but it is also a central truth for every Christian, for everyone who has converted to Christ and had a personal encounter with Him. How many times in your teachings you return to the invitation to conversion and to the personal encounter with Christ. It is obvious that this truth is at the center of your life, living matter of your spiritual experience, inspirational motive of your existence. For me, who observe you, it cannot be otherwise. It fills me with joy, because Christ is also the precious pearl, excuse me, He is the precious pearl of all Christians, also of us Evangelicals. I saw that day before yesterday you spoke of Him at Caserta. He is the center and the heart of our life, the very reason of our existence. We would be lost without Jesus! Our sole reason to live and exist is Jesus! However, it is in fact the passion that we bear for the centrality of Christ that makes us Evangelicals, with solid and serene conviction. Therefore, we also live and experience in a new way our being Evangelicals, which is no longer nourished by anti-Catholicism – as it was for some time – but which, recognizes our own origins and roots in the historical tree of Christianity, Catholicism and the Reformation included. You have learned to relate in a constructive and redemptive way with those whom you recognize as your fathers and brothers and to take out from your treasure – as the Gospel writes – things new and things old. You have learned – we are always learning more – that the whole field must be bought, as Jesus says in another part of the Gospel, to take possession of the whole treasure. One must have the whole field to discover the treasure, without giving up the work of discernment made with the Word of God, but examining everything and keeping the good. In this way we are less exposed to the risk of disdaining the contribution of brothers, of extinguishing the Spirit or even of attributing to other sources what instead is of the Lord, as Paul exhorts us in the Letter to the Thessalonians: “Do not extinguish the Spirit, do not scorn the prophecies, but examine everything and keep the good. And again, each one must abstain from every sort of evil.”Hence truth is an encounter and the encounter with Christ is the encounter of life: it is what gives truth and foundation to every other encounter. This is my experience. My encounters and my relations with my neighbor are profoundly marked by my encounter with Jesus. This is the central message, the nucleus, the DNA of the Gospel. This is the heart of evangelical preaching; this is the terrain on which to build every possible dialogue between us and the path of unity between the Churches. As it is written: “No one can lay another foundation other than that already laid, namely Christ Jesus.” And again:Speaking of Evangelicals, some time ago, Father Raniero Cantalamessa described them as “Christians with the charism of the essential.” It is a description that I like very much. I share it. And some years ago, Cardinal Piovanelli of Florence, proclaimed to anyone who asked him a forecast for the third millennium: “It will be an age in which there will be a return to the fundamental principles of Christianity.” I also believe this. It is necessary, it is indispensable that we return to the fundamental principles. Cardinal Kasper, instead, who I know is your friend, has spoken of “a fundamental ecumenism and a spiritual ecumenism”: here too we are in line. He says:Christians are not united among themselves, they are, first of all, one in Christ. And only that union and communion with Christ makes true communion possible between men and Him. The Lord is the center of the unity. And the force that works and orders this unity is the Holy Spirit.” Perhaps it is in fact from this understanding that Christianity must start again. This is the fundamental perimeter of our communion and it is here that I believe I can say the greatest contribution lies – also historical and theological – of the prophecy of the first Reformation and then of the evangelical world after. I believe this is the fundamental prophecy for the benefit of the whole Body of Christ and of the Church, if the history of Christianity has some meaning …The Apostle Paul says: “Because no one can lay another foundation other than that already laid – namely Christ Jesus.” Therefore Christ -- to put Christ at the foundation; to build on Christ; to be pressed tightly around Christ; to grow towards Christ. He is the foundation of the life of the believer: conversion to Christ, a personal relation with Christ, the imitation of Christ, which is not possible without the presence of the life of Christ. From Christ’s life we receive the strength for the imitation of Christ, to become saints. The formation of Christ is rendered possible by Christ’s life in us. He is the foundation on which we grow: we are born again, but then we grow. And this is the foundation on which the existence of the Church is built, again Christ: the Incarnation of Christ, as proper method, as style of life; identification with the poor, with the needy, with those in difficulty -- the life of Christ, the style with which He lived. And so often the Christianity of our time is in need of reformation and revision of life, because models are proposed which are very far from the Gospel. The life of Christ, the death of Christ: to be able to live of Christ, we too must die to ourselves, so that the life of the Spirit can exist in us and, therefore, the Resurrection, the Ascension, with the crowning of the descent of the Holy Spirit, which is indispensable for us to be able to live the Christian life.I also believe that, in the development of spaces of communion between the different communities, we speak again of Christ, of the return to the essential of the Gospel and there we discover that this space is again Christ, the proclamation of Christ – the “kerigma,” the teaching of Christ – the “didake” – the formation of Christ in us. Like you, I quote a most beautiful and ancient prayer, which I imagine you recite every day: “In Christ, with Christ, by Christ, to you God Almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honor and glory for ever and ever.” I think this makes a good synthesis of what the thought is, which I wish to stress.One last word. We are, we live between the “now” and the “not yet” – as someone has said – and our experience is an experience of suffering, of pain, of toil in advancing in the dialogue between Christians, in experiencing communion. It is the plane of faith: “you are only one body,” of which dear Jorge Himitian spoke yesterday, “may they be one,” we are on the plane of faith, “the Tabernacle of God among men,” of which Revelation 21 speaks. This is the plane of faith, but then there is the plane of history. The plane of history is that of our experience, where we experience the shame of division, of wars between Christians, of hostilities, of persecutions, also in Italy: unfortunately for many years we experienced persecutions, the Pentecostals particularly, in the years from ’35 to ’55 the notorious… In the middle was the time of reconciliation, the time of ethics, if you wish, the time of love, the time of responsibility, which must be filled by men and women of reconciliation. You, with your visit here, which has demonstrated that you take reconciliation seriously, show that you are a man of reconciliation, I would say a prophet of reconciliation.Through Christ God has reconciled us with Himself – says the Apostle Paul (Second Letter to the Corinthians) , and He has entrusted to us the ministry of reconciliation. Our spiritual family has chosen this theme for its existence: Church of reconciliation. However, He has entrusted to all Christians the ministry of reconciliation, from the experience they have within this ministry. He has sown, implanted within us – says the Apostle Paul – the word of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:19). It is from this word of reconciliation, which is Jesus himself; He is the word of reconciliation within us, nourishing us to Him, to his spirit, to his sensibility, to his death, to himself, that we can be habilitated to be men and women of reconciliation. What does it mean, at times, to go on the road of Calvary. It means, at times, to pass through the Cross; it means misunderstanding, misinterpretation; it means incomprehension, because there are so many Christians that are so self-defining that they don’t succeed in making space for love, they don’t succeed in living love. And we want to come out of this prison; we want to be men and women of reconciliation.I am happy to conclude these reflections with a thought of Francis of Assisi, whom I’m sure you love very much, evidently, because you chose the name Francis. But I want to tell you that Evangelicals also love Francis very much, even from the historical point of view. If I think of the Waldensians, for instance: who have a sensibility which is – let’s say – profoundly Franciscan. They have the same type of cut, of sensibility, of spirituality and we are connected to that history; we are connected to that sensibility … Some modern sensibilities don’t please us in the living of a Christian. Francis says: “Begin to do the necessary, then do what is possible and suddenly you will discover you are able to do the impossible.” This seemed an impossible thing! God bless you!Now we introduce Pope Francis, who would like to share some thoughts with us, what he has in his heart …. There is nothing organized. It is a “Pentecostal” meeting, so we appeal to the Holy Spirit to guide Pope Francis. Please.[Original Text: Italian][Translation by Zenit]
source : Evangelical Pastor Giovanni Traettino's Words to Pope Francis in Caserta
Francis' remarks to evangelicals in Caserta 28 July 2014
VISITA PRIVATA DEL SANTO PADRE A CASERTA
PER L'INCONTRO CON IL PASTORE EVANGELICO GIOVANNI TRAETTINO
PER L'INCONTRO CON IL PASTORE EVANGELICO GIOVANNI TRAETTINO
DISCORSO DEL SANTO PADRE FRANCESCO
Chiesa pentecostale della Riconciliazione
Caserta - Lunedì, 28 luglio 2014
Caserta - Lunedì, 28 luglio 2014
Pope's Address to Pentecostal Community in Caserta
"The Holy Spirit creates 'diversity' in the Church"
Caserta, July 29, 2014 (Zenit.org)
"The Holy Spirit creates 'diversity' in the Church"
Caserta, July 29, 2014 (Zenit.org)
Below is a translation of Pope Francis' address Monday to the Pentecostal community known as the Evangelical Church of Reconciliation in Caserta, Italy. After visiting Caserta on Saturday, he returned Monday for a private visit.
***
Good morning, Brothers and Sisters,
My brother, Pastor John, began by speaking of the center of our life: to be in the presence of Jesus. And then he said “to walk” in the presence of Jesus. And this was the First Commandment God gave to His people, to our Father Abraham: “Go, walk in my presence and be irreproachable.” And then the people walked: sometimes in the presence of the Lord, many times not in the Lord’s presence. They chose idols, gods … But the Lord has patience; He has patience with the people that walk. I don’t understand a Christian who is still! A Christian who doesn’t walk, I cannot understand! A Christian must walk! There are Christians that walk, but not in the presence of Jesus. It is necessary to pray for these brothers. Also for us, when at certain moments we don’t walk in Jesus’ presence, because we are all also sinners, all of us! If one of you isn’t a sinner, raise your hand … To walk in the presence of Jesus.
Christians who are still – this is harmful, because what is still, which doesn’t walk, is corrupted. Like still water, which is the first water to be corrupted, water that doesn’t run … There are Christians who confuse walking with “turning.” They are not “walkers,” they are errant and turn here and there in life. They are in a labyrinth, and wander, wander there … They are lacking the parrhesia, the audacity to go forward; they are lacking hope. Christians without hope turn in life; they are not capable of going forward. We are secure only when we walk in the presence of the Lord Jesus. He illumines us; He gives us his Spirit to walk well.
I think of Abraham’s grandson Jacob. He was tranquil, there, with his children. However, at a certain point famine arrived, and he said to his children, to his eleven children, ten of whom were guilty of betrayal, for having sold their brother: Go to Egypt , go there and buy food, because we have money but we don’t have food. Take the money and buy there, where it is said there is food.” And they began their journey, but instead of finding food, they found their brother! And this is very beautiful!
When one walks in God’s presence, there is this fraternity. When, instead, we are still, when we look too much to one another, there is another way … which is bad, bad! -- the way of gossip. And we begin to say, “but you, don’t you know?” “No, no, I’m not for you. I’m for this and that …” “I am for Paul,” “I am for Appollos,” “I am for Peter.” And so we begin, and so from the first moment division began in the Church. And it isn’t the Holy Spirit who creates division! He does something that is quite similar to it, but not division. It’s not the Lord Jesus who creates division! He who creates division is in fact the Envious One, the king of envy, the father of envy: the sower of darnel, Satan. He interferes in communities and creates divisions, always! From the first moment, from the first moment of Christianity, this temptation was in the Christian community. “I belong to this one,” I belong to that one.” “No! I am the Church, you are a sect.” And so the one who wins over us is him, the father of division – not the Lord Jesus who prayed for unity (John 17), he prayed!
What does the Holy Spirit do? I said he does something else, which perhaps one might think is division, but it isn’t. The Holy Spirit creates “diversity” in the Church. The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter 12. He creates diversity! And this diversity is truly very rich, very beautiful. But then, the Holy Spirit himself creates unity, and so the Church is one in diversity. And, to use the word of an Evangelical whom I love very much, a “reconciled diversity” by the Holy Spirit. He creates both things: He creates the diversity of charisms and then He creates the harmony of charisms. Therefore, the early theologians of the Church, the early Fathers – I am speaking of the 3rdor 4thcentury – said: “The Holy Spirit is harmony,” because He creates this harmonious unity in diversity.
We are in the age of globalization, and we wonder what globalization is and what the unity of the Church would be: perhaps a sphere, where all points are equidistant from the center, all are equal? No! This is uniformity. And the Holy Spirit does not create uniformity! What figure can we find? We think of the polyhedron: the polyhedron is a unity, but with all different parts; each one has its peculiarity, its charism. This is unity in diversity. It is on this path that we, Christians, do what we call with the theological name of ecumenism. We try to have this diversity become more harmonized by the Holy Spirit and become unity. We seek to walk in the presence of God to be irreproachable. We seek to find the nourishment of which we are in need to find our brother. This is our way, this is our Christian beauty! I refer to what my beloved brother said at the beginning.
Then he spoke of something else, of the Lord’s Incarnation. The Apostle John is clear: “He who says that the Word did not become flesh, is not of God! He is of the devil.” He is not ours, he is an enemy! Because there was the first heresy – let’s say the word between us – and it was this, which the Apostle condemns: that the Word did not come in the flesh. No! The Incarnation of the Word is at the base: it is Jesus Christ! God and man, Son of God and Son of man, true God and true man. And this is how the first Christians understood him, and they had to struggle so much, so much to keep this truth: the Lord is God and man. The Lord Jesus is God made flesh. It is the mystery of the flesh of Christ: one does not understand love for one’s neighbor; one does not understand love for one’s brother, if one does not understand this mystery of the Incarnation. I love my brother because he too is Christ; he is the flesh of Christ. I love the poor, the widow, the slave, one who is in prison … Let us think of the “protocol” on which we will be judged: Matthew 25. I love all of them, because these persons who suffer are Christ’s flesh, and for us who are on this path of unity, it will do us good to touch the flesh of Christ. To go to the fringes where, in fact, there are so many needy, or – let us say it better – there are so many needy, so many needy … also needy of God, who are hungry – but not for bread, they have so much bread – but for God! And to go there, to express this truth: Jesus Christ is the Lord and He saves you. But go always to touch the flesh of Christ! A purely intellectual Gospel cannot be preached: the Gospel is truth but also love and it is also beauty! And this is the joy of the Gospel! This is in fact the joy of the Gospel.
On this path we have very often done the same thing as Joseph’s brothers, when jealousy and envy have divided us. Those who arrived first wanted to kill their brother – Ruben succeeded in saving him – and then sold him. Our brother John also spoke of this sad story. That sad story in which the Gospel was lived by some as a truth who did not realize that behind this attitude there were ugly things, things that were not of the Lord, a terrible temptation of division. That sad story, in which the same thing was done that Joseph’s brothers did: denunciation, the laws of these people: “it goes against the purity of the race …” And these laws were sanctioned by the baptized! Some of those who made these laws and some of those who persecuted, denounced their Pentecostal brothers because they were “enthusiasts,” almost “madmen “ who ruined the race, some were Catholics … I am the Pastor of Catholics: I ask forgiveness for this! I ask forgiveness or those Catholic brothers and sisters who did not understand and who were tempted by the devil and did the same thing that Joseph’s brothers did. I ask the Lord to He give us the grace to admit and forgive … Thank you!
Then brother John said something which I share totally: truth is an encounter, an encounter between persons. Truth is not made in a laboratory; it is made in life, seeking Jesus to find Him. However, the most beautiful greatest mystery is that, when we find Jesus we realize that He was seeking us first, that He found us first, because He arrives before us! In Spanish I like to say that the Lord firsts us {primerea]. It’s a Spanish word: He precedes us, and He always waits for us. He is first of us. And I believe that Isaiah or Jeremiah -- I have a doubt – says that the Lord is like the flower of the almond tree, which is the first to flower in spring. And the Lord waits for us! Is it Jeremiah? Yes! It is the first one that flowers in spring, it is always the first.
This encounter is beautiful. This encounter fills us with joy, with enthusiasm. We think of the encounter of the first disciples, Andrew and John. When the Baptist said: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.” And they followed Jesus, stayed with Him the whole afternoon. Then, when they left, when they went home, did they say: “We heard a Rabbi” … No! “We found the Messiah!” That encounter which transforms; everything comes from that encounter. This is the path of Christian holiness: to seek Jesus every day to find Him and every day to allow oneself to be sought by Jesus and to allow oneself to be encountered by Jesus.
We are on this path of unity between brothers. Some might be astonished: “But the Pope went to the Evangelicals.” He went to find brothers! Yes! Because – and what I will say is truth – because they were the ones who came first, in Buenos Aires, to find me. And there is a witness here: Jorge Himitian can tell the story about when they came, they approached us … And so this friendship began, this closeness between Pastors of Buenos Aires, and today here. Thank you so much. I ask you to pray for me, I am in need of it so that at least I won’t be so bad. Thank you!
[Original Text: Italian]
[Translation by ZENIT]
Monday, July 28, 2014
photos from Francis' 2nd trip to Caserta to see the evangelicals
...and three videos
The papal econobox arrives at Giovanni Traettino's home.
A big crowd turns out to see the rock star Francis.
Papal security was working extra hard.
Leaving the home after privately meeting with Traettino.
Getting ready to depart for Traettino's less than half built mega box.
Arriving at Traettino's mega box.
Waving to his adoring fans.
Has to carry his black briefcase and keep in character.
More waving to his fawning fans.
Spiritual hugs all around!
Why is this guy kissing Francis' hand?
Entering the mega box.
More fans gawking at Francis.
Thank goodness the evangelicals brought cameras!
Applause for what?
Giovanni Traettino & Francis on center stage.
Francis looking at his notecards.
Francis receiving the evangelical holy spirit!
We feel a spiritual hug is about to happen.
Giovanni, I'm sorry there were mean Catholics in the past.
How is it legal in Italy to use a construction site as a evangelical hall?
Giovanni shares some words of love with Francis.
Two buddies, Jorge & Giovanni.
Is it lunch time yet?
More adulation for the rock star.
Francis loves being the center of everything!
White isn't very becoming on growing Francis.
Francis had such a fun time.
Getting back in the papal econobox.
Waving good-bye!
To read what Francis told Giovanni Traettino and the gathered evangelicals read,
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