Catholic Charismatic Renewal Congress, together with Pope Francis
On June, 1st and 2nd, at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, more than fifty thousand people gathered for a special Catholic Charismatic Renewal Congress, with Pope Francis as its most important guest. Recalling his experience with Charismatic Renewal in Argentina, the Pope talked about some personal memories and said: “Thank you! I feel at home!”. After having said to the Charismatic Renewal in the entire world “what the Pope expects” from them, he invited all “charismatics of the world” to celebrate Pentecost in 2017 (fiftieth anniversary of the birth of this “current of grace” inside the Catholic Church) in St. Peter’s Square.
The event was organised by Rinnovamento nello Spirito Santo, International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services (ICCRS) and the Catholic Fraternity of Charismatic Covenant Communities and Fellowships. Cardinal Stanisław Ryłko presided the Eucharistic celebration of June 1st, just before the arrival of the Holy Father in the Stadium where he spent ninety minutes in the midst of this huge congregation.
In greeting people present there, Cardinal Ryłko described the event as “historic”, a “wonderful witness of ecclesial communion” and a “magnificent icon of the Church”. During the homily, he acknowledged that thanks to Charismatic Renewal “crowds of people, men and women, youth and adults on every continent (millions of people!) […] have discovered the greatness and beauty of their own vocation as human persons and as Christians, becoming credible witnesses”.
