The meeting with the Holy Father drew more than 400 000 members of the Ecclesial Movements to St. Peter’s Square (more than twice the number present 8 years ago). The event was a beautiful demonstration of unity in the diversity of the Catholic Church, and a fruitful sign of the renewing action of the Spirit. The central theme of the meeting was: “The beauty of being a Christian and the joy of communicating this”.

“If we look at this assembly here in St Peter's Square,” the Pope acknowledged in a homily centred on the works of the Spirit, “we realize that he inspires ever new gifts; we see how different are the bodies that he creates and how he works bodily ever anew”.

“But in him multiplicity and unity go hand in hand,” he explained. “He breathes where he wills. He does so unexpectedly, in unexpected places and in ways previously unheard of. And with what diversity and corporality does he do so!”.

“Diversity and unity are inseparable”, he assured. “He wants your diversity and he wants you for the one body, in union with the permanent orders - the joints - of the Church, with the successors of the Apostles and with the Successor of St Peter. He does not lessen our efforts to learn the way of relating to one another; but he also shows us that he works with a view to the one body and in the unity of the one body. It is precisely in this way that unity obtains its strength and beauty”.

The Pope’s homily was followed by testimonies and reflections about the commitments that came forth from the Second World Congress of the Ecclesial Movements and New Communities that was held from 31 May to 2 June in Rocca di Papa (Rome).

The theme of this Congress was the same as the theme of the Vespers gathering: “The beauty of being a Christian and the joy of communicating this”.

The founders and the leaders of certain of the Ecclesial Movements addressed the Holy Father, and presented reflections on the Psalms and songs. At the end of the meeting Luis Fernando Figari (founder of “Movimento di Vita Cristiana”) and Patti Gallagher Mansfield (witness of the beginning of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal) addressed words of thanksgiving to the Pope.