DPCU participates in Fifth SOMOS UM International Conference

From 19 to 25 September Monsignor Usma Gómez participated in the Fifth SOMOS UM International Conference held in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). This year’s meeting, which was jointly organized by the Co-Presidents of the SOMOS UM Mission, Mr Izaias Carneiro, Catholic, (Comunidade Coração Novo), and the Evangelical pastor Edivaldo Nascimento (Nova Igreja), together with an international group, was attended by approximately 300 people (91 Evangelicals, 181 Catholics) from ten countries. Part of the event was streamed.

The gathering, under the motto “We have come to worship him” (Mt 2:2), took place in the Biblioteca Parque in Rio de Janeiro. The programme consisted of praise and adoration for Christian unity and included moments of reflection led by various Catholic and Evangelical Pentecostal leaders. The Holy Father sent a telegram signed by the Secretary of State, which was passed on to participants by Cardinal Orani João Tempesta, Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro. During the week, the participants also visited several Evangelical congregations and local Catholic parishes, including the historical site of the Assemblea de Deus Madureira, as well as the headquarters of the Coração Novo community. 

On 20 September, Cardinal Tempesta chaired a meeting between a group of Catholic and Pentecostal leaders and the leaders of the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro, including the auxiliary bishops and vicars of the Archdiocese. During the meeting Monsignor Usma gave a presentation on “Christian unity as a means to heal the wounds of humanity”. On the same morning Monsignor Usma also took part in a panel on Christian unity together with the Pentecostal Pastor Monica Floriano (Brazil) and the Co-Presidents of the SOMOS UM Mission.

On 24 September, Cardinal Tempesta and the official representative of Bishop Abner Ferreira of the Assemblea de Deus Madureira were the first to sign a ten-year missionary commitment entitled “Alianza 2022-2032” aimed at preparing celebrations for the 1700th anniversary of Nicaea (2025) and the 2000th of Christ's resurrection (2033).

On 25 September, after a session on the theme “Worship in spirit and truth” led by Baptist pastor Harold Segura (Colombia) and Monsignor Usma Gómez, there was a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the International Catholic/Pentecostal Dialogue, an occasion often recalled during the event. The ceremony included a brief introduction of the bilateral dialogue by the Co-Secretaries of the Dialogue, Pastor David Cole and Monsignor Juan Usma Gómez, and the presentation of the Catholic–Pentecostal Working Group of Brazil (Grupo de Trabalho Catolico Catolico Pentecostale, GT Brazil) launched in 2021 aimed at studying and evaluating the documents issued to date by the International Dialogue.

Among others, the Fifth Conference was attended by Pastor Pedro López (Peru) and Father Marcial Maçaneiro (Brazil), also members of the International Dialogue, together with pastors and some members of the GT Brazil. The Pentecostal pastors Luiz Guatura (Brazil), Norberto Saracco (Argentina), Silas Estevez (Brazil), Bob Garrett (USA), and the Catholic bishops Rodolfo Valenzuela (Guatemala, CEBITEPAL) and Roque Souza (auxiliary of Rio) also attended.

^{Photos: Davi da Sena, Claudiana Lopes, Beatriz Araújo (Comunidade Kadosh)}