Fourth SOMOS UM conference: Launch of the Catholic–Pentecostal working group in Brazil

The fourth SOMOS UM International Conference was convened on 3 and 4 September 2021 for the SOMOS UM Mission, a Catholic-Pentecostal initiative initiated in Rio de Janeiro, under the presidency of Mr Izaias Duarte, a Catholic charismatic, and Pastor Edvaldo Do Nascimento, Evangelical Pentecostal.

The Conference was inaugurated by Cardinal Orani Tempesta, Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, and Pentecostal Bishop Abner Ferreira, Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Madureira, who affirmed that only way for Christianity is the search for the unity of Christ’s disciples. Bishop Rodolfo Valenzuela, staff member for ecumenism of CELAM, and Bishop Roque Souza, responsible for ecumenism in the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro, also took part in the event. The meeting, held in streaming and broadcast in Portuguese, Spanish and English, was attended by 142 people from twelve countries. The program included a time of worship and praise, together with four lectures. Monsignor Juan Usma, section head of the PCPCU, presented one of the Catholic papers on the theme "So that you may bear much fruit" (Jn 15:16).

During the Conference, the Catholic–Pentecostal Working Group of Brazil was officially launched. Mr Diogo Pessoto, Catholic, stated: “The working group will study and reflect from the theological and pastoral points of view on the documents of the International Catholic-Pentecostal Dialogue. It is a question of receiving and interpreting the fruits of this international dialogue, inaugurated in 1972, fifty years ago”.

In 2019, during the Third International Conference, a “Letter of intentions” was signed between Catholics and Pentecostals from different countries of the continent. The documents of the Catholic-Pentecostal Dialogue can be accessed here.