Dale Coulter on Pope Francis, Catholic Charismatics, and the Church

"On Friday of last week Pope Francis addressed the Catholic Fraternity of Charismatic Communities (CFCC) and Fellowship at its sixteenth annual international conference in Rome. The focus on the new evangelization gave the Holy Father the opportunity to speak of a dual theme that is proving to be central to his papacy - that is, unity in diversity, and mission.

"In speaking of unity in diversity, the pope invoked the image of a polyhedron to ground unity in the convergence of the distinct sides of the church’s life. For Francis, the Spirit dispenses sanctifying gifts that enable the members of the Church to contribute to her life in distinctive ways. In short, the path to unity is the path of spirituality and the cultivation of habits of behavior that allow for the sensus fidei to grow. This is the heart of his decentralizing vision both in terms of mission and ecclesial renewal.

"The Holy Father drew on this idea in his closing remarks to the synod, where he suggested that the church could not err when she allows the variety of charisms to flourish in her midst as the path to the sensus fidei. Pope Francis does not merely acknowledge the messiness of this spiritual path - he seems to revel in it."

In a recent commentary, writer Dale M. Coulter reflected on the Pope's message to the Charismatic conference and the relationship of the Charismatic movement to the themes of unity in diversity and mission that are intertwined with his papacy.

To access his complete essay, please visit:

First Things: Pope Francis, Catholic Charismatics, and the Church (11 NOV 14)