The following is the text of the video message sent by the Holy Father Francis to the participants in the “Meeting for Fraternal Dialogue 2021″, promoted online by the Italian Charismatic Consultation (Consultazione Carismatica Italiana, CCI), made up of leaders of Catholic Charismatic Renewal and various Italian Evangelical Churches, and held today, Saturday, May 15, 2021, on the theme: “Go to my brethren and say to them: ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God’” (Jn 20: 17):
In 1992, Matteo Calisi, together with the Pentecostal Pastor Rev. Dr. Giovanni Traettino (Bishop-Chairman of the Evangelical Church of the Reconciliation), founded the Italian Charismatic Consultation – a joint committee of Catholic Charismatics and Pentecostal Evangelicals, which started a dialogue between Catholics and Pentecostals in Italy.
Video Message of the Holy Father
Dear brothers and sisters
During this time you will be holding the Italian charismatic consultation. I would like to be closer to you, to be with you, at least with a video message. Thank you very much for this work that you have been doing for years – for years! – since the celebration in 1992 in Bari, every year. And the meeting you are holding today is on the theme of fraternity: it is a meeting of fraternal dialogue. The guide will be the Word of the Lord: “Go to my brethren and say to them: ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God'”. Jesus sends us to proclaim that He is with us, He is before the Father, He accompanies us; and as Christians, without exposing the divisions that still exist but that do not prevent us from working together, walking together, and washing each other’s feet: let us remember Bari. To serve together. Brotherhood. I join you and participate spiritually in this meeting, in this gathering of yours. I pray with you, I pray for you and I ask you to pray for me too. Brothers and sisters, thank you very much for doing this, this sign of brotherhood. Thank you.
© Libreria Editrice Vatican
