Gloria.TV News on the 3rd of March 2014

A Cessna business jet: German Radio Vatican has given additional information on the Pentecostal group in Texas for which Pope Francis produced the now famous mobile phone video with an appeal for unity. The group has gathered in January for a Convention of the Kenneth Copeland Mission who according to Vatican Radio is criticized for preaching a prosperity Gospel to the affluent. Kenneth Copeland Mission employs approximately 500 people. It owns different tax-exempt planes, among them a Cessna business jet.

Old Friends: Tony Palmer, a Pentecostal preacher, who calls himself a bishop, filmed the now famous video with the Pope. Radio Vatican quotes Palmer: "About eight years ago I worked for the Catholic Church in Latin America. It is common that we ask the Catholic bishop for permission to be active among his people, when we work in a Catholic diocese. During my time in Argentina the Bishop was Father Jorge Mario Bergoglio. We became friends very quickly.”

Catholic Children? According to Vatican Radio, Palmer is a born-again Christian originally from South Africa. He is married to an Italian Catholic who belongs to the Charismatic movement. Through her, Palmer started working in the Catholic Church. Vatican Radio quotes Palmer: “Our children frequent a Catholic school and we educated them as Catholics. And as Charismatics. And as Pentecostals. And as Evangelicals.”

Nothing Specific: It was Pope Francis who phoned Palmer asking him to drop in when he would be the next time in Rome. Palmer proposed the 13th of January, but the Pope responded that he was busy that day. Then Palmer said that he could prolong his stay until January 14th. Francis took out his calendar, put his phone down, went to the desk, came back and said "the 14th is good, since I have nothing that they. What time?" The appointment was made for 10 o’clock in the morning. Palmer asked the Pope at the phone what topic he wanted to discuss. The Pope’s answer: "There is nothing specific I want to discuss."

Message of Hope: It was the Pope himself who proposed to Palmer to produce a video in order to address the Kenneth Copeland Mission. Palmer had an iPhone with him. The Pope’s first words on the video are: "I want to speak neither English nor Italian, but in the language of the heart." Gloria.tv believes that this is a message of hope especially for traditionalist Catholics who fear that the Pope will speak to them in a harsh and liberal language.