Pope Declares Charismatics A 'Threat'

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In a most unusual public declaration for Pope John Paul II, he warned Catholics world wide to combat the “Evangelical Sects” that are drawing away large numbers of their members.

The Pope characterized the Evangelical Sects as, “those who have joyful ceremonies with ecstatic utterances and enthusiastic followers.” This leaves no doubt that he was referring to the Charismatic Christians who have made a tremendous impact on Catholics everywhere, particularly in Latin America.

In the past, the pontiff’s warnings about the rise of these “sects” have come during his pilgrimages to places like Latin America, where the Catholic Church has been dominant for centuries. Large numbers of Catholics have been drawn away by Charismatic Missionaries in Mexico and Central and South America. These have been Catholic strongholds since the earliest days of the Conquistadors.

This time, however, the Pope took the battle cry to the very heart of Catholicism -- Rome itself. In one of the main Churches of Rome, he urged the faithful to show “more faithfulness and courage in carrying out the great undertaking of the ‘new evangelization.’ It is an urgent task,” he added. The “new evangelization” refers to the Pope’s program to shore up faith in Catholics in the Church’s third millennium.

The catalyst for this new concern is the amazing success of Charismatic fellowships in and around Rome. Many Catholics regularly fellowship with these groups that the Pope calls “Evangelical Sects.”

Historically, pronouncements like this have translated into the deaths of missionaries in Latin America where the zeal of the native followers can turn deadly. I believe that this is another sign of the soon return of Christ.