Argentine Cardinal Bergoglio kneels to receive Protestant 'Blessing'

Photo ~ On June 19, 2006, the Third Fraternal Encounter of the Renewed Communion of Evangelicals and Catholics was held in Luna Park stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Present were the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, and the Preacher of the Pontifical Household, Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa. The highlight of the meeting was when the Argentine Cardinal fell to his knees to be blessed by the some twenty Protestant pastors present.

When Cardinal Jorge Borgoglio became Francis there was a ripple of excitement that ran through parts of the Pentecostal community.

This excitement was related to then Cardinal Borgoglio’s actions in Argentina as represented in the picture of prayers being offered for him by Raniero Cantalamessa who has been so important to the Catholic Charismatic movement and by Norberto Saracco, a Pentecostal who directs the Facultad Internacional de Educación Teológica in Buenos Aires.

Recently, Pope Francis has had private audiences with leaders in the Catholic Charismatic renewal, including Matteo Calisi, past president of the Catholic Fraternity of Charismatic Covenant Communities and Fellowships; Michelle Moran, president of the International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services; and Salvatore Martinez, president of the Italian Catholic Charismatic organization Rinnovamento nello Spirito.

He has also stated in the interview during his return from Rio de Janeiro that the Charismatic renewal renews the church, and recently reminded the 15,000 persons present at the 36th National Assembly of Catholic Charismatics in Rimini that he was responsible for the Charismatic renewal in Argentina. These are all encouraging signs.

Continued at First Things