Legacy of Pope Francis by P. Monaghan, Evangelical Catholic Initiative 30th April 25
My memory of Pope Francis is as a humble pastoral servant who promoted Baptism in the Holy Spirit, embraced the Messianic Jewish Movement and fostered friendships with Pentecostal Christians. I also think he was naive on Islam and loose in theology - his pastoral heart took over. I think he was sometimes unwise in unhelpful statements and gestures.
Francis was instrumental in setting up Charis to streamline the Charismatic Renewal in Ireland and in many countries. He said “Baptism in the Holy Spirit, unity in the body of Christ and service to the poor are the forms of witness that …all of us are called to give for the Evangelisation of the world.”
2 weeks before he was appointed in 2013, I read about Cardinal Bergoglio welcoming the TJCII Vision and blessing the launch of TJCII in Argentina. The late Fr. Peter Hocken and Messianic Jewish Rabbi Marty Waldman met him and introduced to him the Argentinian team. Rabbi Marty shared his testimony with him and the one new man vision behind TJCII. The Cardinal then prayed a blessing on them and the new TJCII Argentina team. Then they in turn prayed over him, as he knelt before them, that he would be blessed in Rome and be a blessing at the conclave
On the 13th March 2013 as soon as I saw on the TV News that Francis was elected, I ran into my office and turned on the computer to see if the new Pope was the man from Argentina who had welcomed TJCII and it was. I thought Wow – isn’t God great.
As Pope he enthusiastically reaffirmed the international Messianic Jewish/RC Dialogue and last year elevated it in status to be within the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. I understand that this Dialogue may well have influenced his appointment of Cardinal Pizzaballa as Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem – the first non -Palestinian Prelate in this position. He wanted to appoint someone open to Messianic Jews. Praise God.
He also has built good relationships with Pentecostal Christians. The Catholic Church had engaged in a successful Dialogue with Pentecostal Christians from 1998 to 2006 and their final agreed Statement (on Vatican website) stated that “Pentecostals and Catholics, along with other Christians, acknowledge the uniqueness of the Bible as the inspired and authoritative Word of God, normative for the faith and life of the church. Both Catholics and Pentecostals honour the authority of Scripture, and both look for ways in which Tradition carries biblical truth.“ They also “have found a good measure of convergence in our understanding of discipleship.“
Most importantly they agreed that “the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a powerful action of grace bestowed by God upon believers within the church. We affirm together and embrace the presence and exercise of charisms as an important dimension in the life of the church“. To be baptised with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5)... is seen as a gift of God rooted in Jesus' own promise of Acts 1:8 and Peter's claim in Acts 2:38-39“.
Pope Francis took this further and put flesh on it by building friendships with Pentecostal leaders like Pastor Giovanni Traettino, Pentecostal Bishops Tony Palmer,and Davis Arijuna, Pastor Kenneth Copeland and others and including them in conferences etc. He arranged for the Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity.to discuss widening ecumenical guidelines to the whole church to include Pentecostals for the first time. Praise God. This was approved and will filter down in due course.