Pope Francis reportedly said he used to think of charismatic Catholics as “samba school” which seems like good natured fun. He added that he’s come to appreciate it though.

Pope Francis has led a pep rally to boost faith at Rome’s soccer stadium, packed with more than 50,000 Catholics who follow charismatic movements, which he jokingly likened to samba dancing.

Hands raised in unison, the faithful prayed in Olympic Stadium Sunday for Francis, who repeatedly has asked his church for prayers.

Francis told the crowd that when he was Buenos Aires archbishop, at first he didn’t “share” the way the exuberant charismatic Catholics prayed there. “I thought you were more like a samba school,” the pope said, drawing laughter. But he came to later to realize that “charismatic renewal is a great force” for the Catholic Church, Francis said.

*subhead*Heh.*subhead*