Pope’s message to Italian Charismatics

In a message addressed to the Italian Charismatic groups and communities, gathered in Rimini on the Adriatic coast, between April 29 and May 2, 2004, the pope hoped with all his heart, that the “Charismatic renewal will give rise, more and more in the Church to the interior conversion, without which man finds it difficult, to resist the delusions of the flesh and the concupiscence of the world”. His message was read to the 25,000 participants at this 27th annual meeting.

For the pope, “our times have great need of men and women who know how to communicate the beauty of the Gospel and the beauty of new life in the Spirit”. “In a society where, very often, human reason does not seem to be irrigated by that wisdom which comes from above,” he added, the “mission” of Charismatics is to “radiate that Spirit”. He also expressed his wish that the “movement of spiritual renewal” of each individual would be a “permanent school of conversion and holiness”.

According to Apic, the Italian Charismatic renewal movement has more than 1,800 groups and communities, bringing together around 150,000 members. Their annual meeting in Rimini was honored this year, with the presence of the cardinals of Palermo, Salvatore de Georgi, and of Florence, Ennio Antonelli, as well as two cardinals of the Curia, Giovanni Battista Re and Francis Arinze.