At the request of Pope Benedict XVI, the Pontifical Council for the Laity has invited representatives of the principle ecclesial movements to begin preparing for a meeting next year on the solemnity of Pentecost.

The Vatican dicastery has seen a letter to the leaders of ecclesial movements and communities according to which the Pontiff is studying the possibility of repeating the 1998 gathering convened by John Paul II.

The Pontifical Council for the Laity would undertake the preparations and in addition to a discernment retreat, the gathering would also include a massive meeting in St. Peter’s Square, similar to the one attended by Pope John Paul II.

The members of different ecclesial movements around the world number in the millions and the Pontifical Council for the Laity has recognized 123 such movements to date.  Among the more well known include the Charismatic Renewal, Communion and Liberation, Schöenstatt, the Christian Life Movement, Focolares, Regnum Christi and others.