Neocatechumenal Way

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The Neocatechumenal Way or Neocatechumenate is a "Post Baptismal Catechumenate" i.e. a Christian initiation process within the Roman Catholic Church that is dedicated to adult faith formation. It was initiated by the Spanish painter Kiko Argüello in the early '60s. It is a "providential answer to the urgent need" of "rediscover(ing) the sacraments of christian initiation" "in a secularized society like ours, where religious indifference is spreading and many live as though God did not exist" [1]. The last three popes have unanimously confirmed the Neocatechumenal Way as a fruit of the Second Vatican Council. In an official recognition of this experience Pope John Paul II stated: "Among the realities generated by the Spirit in our days, figure the Neocatechumenal Communities, initiated by Mr Kiko Argüello and Ms Carmen Hernandez (Madrid, Spain), the effectiveness of which for the renewal of Christian life was acclaimed by my predecessor, Paul VI, as a fruit of the Council: "How much joy and how much hope you give us by your presence and by your activity... To live and to promote this re-awakening is what you call a way "after baptism", which will be able to renew in today's christian communities those effects of maturity and deepening that, in the primitive Church, were realized by the period of preparation for Baptism" [2]. Over the past thirty years it has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing ministries within Roman Catholicism, ans helped the creation of more than 60 Diocesan Missionary Seminaries around the world. In June 2002 the Holy See approved the Statutes of the Neocatechumenal Way [3]. As of 2001, the Neocatechumenal Way is present in 880 Dioceses[4].

Contents

[edit] Kiko Argüello and the Formation of the Neocatechumenal Way

The Neocatechumenal Way began in 1964 in the slums of Palomeras Altas, Madrid, through the work of Mr Francisco (Kiko) Argüello and Ms Carmen Hernández who, at the request of the poor with whom they were living, began to proclaim to them the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As time passed, this kerygma was embodied in a catechetical synthesis, founded on the tripod: "Word of God-Liturgy-Community", that seeks to lead people to fraternal communion and mature faith.

This new catechetical experience, born in the wake of the renewal inspired by the Second Vatican Council, attracted the keen interest of Archbishop Casimiro Morcillo, then Archbishop of Madrid, who encouraged the initiators of the Way to spread it to the parishes who asked for it. This experience of evangelization thus spread gradually through the Archdiocese of Madrid and to other Spanish dioceses.

In 1968, the initiators of the Neocatechumenal Way arrived in Rome and settled in the Borghetto Latino. With the permission of Cardinal Angelo Dell'Acqua, then Vicar General of His Holiness for the city and district of Rome, the first catechesis began in the parish of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament and the Canadian Martyrs. Since then, the Way has continued to spread to dioceses around the world and even to mission countries. [5]

The original name for the Way was Los Kikos (literally "the Kikos" after the founder of the movement). The name of the ministry derives from the old catechumenate of the early Christian Church that was used to form adult Christians. This practice involved a two to three year period when one was said to be a catechumen, learning and coming to understand the Christian faith. The catechumen became a competens during Holy Week, during which the competens was baptized into the Church. By the Middle Ages the Catholic Church had grown to such an extent that this practice was lost. The focus of the Neocatechumenal Way is to apply adult faith formation to more than just those who convert to the Roman Catholic Church. The Way is intended as a means for Catholics to evangelize other Catholics.

A few years after its beginnings, when the Way had already diffused itself in many Italian dioceses, the responsibles were called by the Congregation for Divine Worship to present their itinerary of the rediscovery of the baptism[6]. At the time the secretary of the congregation, Mons. Annibale Bugnini, and the experts which assisted remained stupefied by the value of this new ecclesiastical reality[7]. After two years of studying the procedure of the Way, the Congregation publicized on their official magazine, the brief note Praeclarum exemplar appreciating the works of the Neocatechumenal communities[8]. And in the years that followed, on request of the same congregation, the name "Neocatecumenal Way" was chosen over “Post-Baptismal Catechumenate”.

[edit] Nature and mission of the Neocatechumenal communities

The Neocatechumenal Way is an itinerary of Catholic formation, valid for our society and for our times. [9]

The Neocatechumenal Way is at the service of the Bishops as a form of diocesan implementation of Christian initiation and of ongoing education in faith, in accordance with the indications of the Second Vatican Council and the Magisterium of the Church.[10]

It is made up of a post-baptismal catechumenate (or baptismal catechumenate if the members did not receive baptism), an ongoing education in faith and a service of catechesis.[11]

The Neocatechumenal Way is implemented in the dioceses under the direction of the diocesan Bishop and with the guidance of the Responsible Team of the Way according “to the lines proposed by its initiators”.[12]

[edit] Structure of the Way

The Neocatechumenal Way, following the model of the ancient church, is structured as an itinerary with steps, faithful to the original inspiration to “make a Christian community like the sacred family of Nazareth that live in humility, simplicity, Praise, and where the other is Christ”[13].

The Neocatechumenal itinerary, begins with a cycle of catechisms which are spread out usually in two months in which is prepared and announced the “Kerygma”. Those that, at the end of this “first announcement” stage, wish to give life to a new Neocatecumenal community that, like an embryo that has just been conceived begins its journey towards maturation within the womb of the parish, begins walking nurtured by the “tripod”, Word of God, Liturgy, Community.

The first phase, the pre-catechumenate post-baptismal, is a time of “Kenosis” to learn to walk in humility. Reliving the steps of the First and Second Baptismal Scrutiny, which constitute as the first part of the baptism, you pass to the “Post-Baptismal Catechumenate", which is a time of spiritual struggle to acquire the simplicity in the interior of this “new man” that loves god like the only lord, with all the heart, with all of the mind, with all of his strengths and the other as himself. The church sustains the neocatechumenal’s with the gradual giving of "spiritual weapons”:

  • The Traditio Simboli ( the giving of the Creed) which is followed by a public testimony of ones own faith, the Redditio Symbol;

After which you open the phase of the rediscovery of the “election”, “the foundation of all the neocatechumenate”, a time of illumination, where the neochatechumens learn to “walk in praise”. This time climaxes with the renewal of the baptismal promises in the Easter vigil presided typically by the bishop.

[edit] Responsibles of the Way

Currently the international responsible team for the Neocatechumenal way is made of the initiators Kiko Argüello and Carmen Hernandez, and a priest, Father Mario Pezzi. The international team names the electoral college (from eighty to a hundred twenty members) in charge of the election of the new "Responsible Team"[14]).

From the team that is responsible for the world dependant the responsible teams of “Itinerant Catechists” (around seven hundred), appointed by the international team of the Neocatechumenal Way in the various nations of the world. They contribute in forming the first neocatechumenal communities and to maintain regular contact with the Bishops of the diocese in which they work; the itinerant teams preserve a constant tie with the responsibles of the way (on occasion at “convivences of itinerants”), visiting periodically the neocatechumenal communities they catechized and taking care for the development of the Way in the territory assigned to them, being fully faithful to the charism given to the initiators.

These teams of “itinerant catechists” for the evangelization are usually formed by celibate men or women, from a married couple and by a Priest (that had received permission by his bishop or by his religious superior). These offer themselves willingly, leaving their homes, career and friendships making themselves available to go freely in whichever part of the world in precariousness confiding in the providence. The “itinerant Chatechists” remain united their own parish and community, where they return periodically. Furthermore they are free to interrupt at any moment their own missionary experience[15].

The “itinerant èquipes” go to another diocese by invitation of the local bishop and at least one interested pastor, to start the Neocatechumenal Way in a parish.

[edit] Missionary Activity

In front of the de-secularization of Northern Europe and vast areas in the world, Kiko and Carmen have began the experience of “Family in Mission” to establish with the Way the church in countries where it is non existent ("Implantatio Ecclesiae") or to help strengthen the present communities[16]. These families stay united to their own neocatechumenal community, inserted in the parish of origin, and are sustained by the same community and by the parish regarding the expenses of traveling, rent, moral support, letters, prayers , etc. The most recent departure of two-hundred families in mission happened January 12, 2006 in the presence of the Pope Benedict XVI, bringing the number of “Families in Mission” to over five-hundred in the entire world[17].

The work of evangelizing, initiated by families in different areas, has been superseded by Priests in mission, with the creation, in different diocese and backed by the explicit request of the ordinary of the area, of a seminary Redemptoris Mater, diocesan, international, missionary seminaries (currently 67) in which are assimilated a large part of the vocations to the priesthood born in the womb of the Way[18].

Another significant initiative was the construction and the operating of the Domus Galilaeae on the mount of beatitudes in Galilee, inaugurated by the pope John Paul II in the year 2000 during his historic trip in the Holy Land, on that occasion celebrated a Eucharist with tens of thousands of youth, joined by pilgrimage from the entire world. The Domus Galilaeae is a place of gathering and retreat of the brothers in the neocatechumenal during the pilgrimage in Israel which is done in celebration of the conclusion of the itinerary of the Neocatechumenal Way. It has become a meeting place for both Christians and Jews, in occasion of the visits that many Jews make to this place.

[edit] The Statutes: approval of the Neocatechumenal Way as a Post-baptismal catechumenate

The Statutes of the Neocatechumenal Way approved in June 2002[19] by Pontifical Council for the Laity are marked as ad experimentum for five years, thus up to June 2007. The Catechetical Directory of the Way has already been approved by the Congregation for Faith when it was still headed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger; currently the Holy See Congregations are still verifying the documentation of the Way (more than fourteen volumes). As the name states, the "Statutes" is the official recognition of the Way as a Catholic post-baptismal catechumenate and they describe how does it function, while the "Catechetical Directory" contains the method and the catechetical points of the Way.

On September 21st, 2002, The Holy Father mentioned the Statutes telling to neocatechumenals that «it is now the task of the competent offices of the Holy See to examine the Catechetical Directory and the catechetical and liturgical practices of the Way. I am sure that its members willingly and generously support the directives they will receive from these authoritative sources»[20].

[edit] Vatican Letter

On December 1st, 2005, a few days after Benedict XVI met Kiko Argüello, Carmen Hernández and father Mario Pezzi, Francis Cardinal Arinze sent to Argüello, Hernández and father Pezzi a letter[21] containing «The Holy Father's decisions» about Neocatechumenal liturgies, requiring that «in the celebration of the Holy Mass, the Neocatechumenal Way continue as they are with few changes,

  • «one Sunday per month, the communities of the Neocatechumenal Way must participate in the Holy Mass of the parish community»;
  • «about admonitions, the letter allows admonitions with few restrictions; admonitions are issued before the readings as a help to enter into the Reading and listen, these are to be brief»;
  • «the homily... is reserved to the priest or deacon;»
  • about "echoes", that they be brief and not take the place of an homily»
  • «on the exchange of peace, permission is granted to the Neocatechumenal Way to continue giving peace as done in the Early Church.»;
  • «On the manner of receiving Holy Communion, a period of transition (not exceeding two years) is granted to the Neocatechumenal Way to pass from the widespread manner of receiving Holy Communion in its communities (seated, with a cloth-covered table placed at the center of the church instead of the dedicated altar in the sanctuary) to the normal way in which the entire Church receives Holy Communion[22].»
  • «The possibility of ‘dialogue’ during the homily (cf. Directorium de Missis cum Pueris, no. 48) can be used occasionally and with prudence by the celebrating minister as a means of exposition, which does not transfer to others the duty of preaching.»

[edit] Recent Developments

On 12 January 2006, two hundred families from Neocatechumenal Communities, called to go on mission to evangelize all over the world, attended a private audience given by Pope Benedict XVI, who entrusted them a «missionary mandate» and gave a «special greeting and blessing» to members of the Way all over the world [23].

Currently, there are five hundred families in mission from the Neocatechumenal Way all over the world.

The Pope also spoke about the "certain norms" contained in a recent letter from the Congregation for Divine Worship on the celebration of the Holy Eucharist in the Neocatechumenal communities[24]. He explained that the purpose of these norms is to make the apostolate of the Way even more effective in communion with all the People of God.

On 17 January 2006, Kiko Argüello, Carmen Hernández and father Mario Pezzi sent to Pope Benedict XVI a letter[25] in which they express to be "very content with the norms" about liturgy, and that they will "speak with the Bishop of each Diocese" to arrange the participation "at least one Sunday per month", thanking for the "period of two years" to conforming the distributing of the Holy Communion.

[edit] Critiques to the Neocatechuemenal Way

During the 40 years since its inception, and especially in the '80s and '90s, some local bishops and priests have expressed concerns regarding the validity of this experience. In some instances, a few diocesan bishops have issued letters or decrees to control this reality at a local level, or regarding the modalities of its liturgies; in one instance, a bishop in England has totally prohibited the Neocatechumenal Way in its diocese. Some other critiques had come from priests and theologians who challenged the validity of its teachings, liturgies and its practices. All these challenges though, spread over a period of forty years, have been overcome by the Supreme Authority of the Church, that with the Approval of the Statute of the Neocatechumenal Way in 2002, has, according to Canon Law, expressed its approval at the highest level, for the Universal Church. While diocesan bishops are free to use or not this charism in their Dioceses, personal opinions do not influence its recognition and definitory approval, legally issued by the competent hierarchy.

[edit] Literature

  • AA, VV., El Camino Neocatecumenal: de las barracas de Madrid a los Estatutos de

Roma: Vida Nueva, n° 2338 (20 de julio de 2002) 23-30.

  • AA. VV., /En la carcel, pero libres!, Bilbao 1996.
  • AGUDO, J., De quincalleros transeuntes a predicadores de la Palabra: "YA" (Domingo 15 de marzo de 1987) 35; ID., "Iglesia y carismas", en Del temora la esperanza (t. II), Madrid 1993, 232.
  • ARRIETA, J.I., Observaciones canonicas sobre el Estatuto del Camino. Itinerario de formation, no asociacion ni movimiento: Alfa y Omega, n° 314 (4 de julio de 2002) 6-7.
  • fr. Enrico Zoffoli, Catechesi neocatecumenale e ortodossia del Papa, edizioni Segno, Udine (Italy), 1995 (with Imprimatur of local Bishop).
  • AZCONA, E, Las Comunidades Neocatecumenales. Una experiencia de evangelization a traves de la Parroquia, Oficina de Estadistica y Sociologia de la Iglesia, Madrid 1992.
  • BLAZQUEZ, R., Comunidades neocatecumenales: un camino de iniciacion cristiana: Teologia y Catequesis 4 (1984) 603-641; ID., Las comunidades neocatecumenales, Bilbao 1988; ID., La carta del Papa sobre las comunidades neocatecumenales: Ecclesia n. 2.508, (29-12-1990) 1965-1968; ID., El Camino neocatecumenal y la formation para el presbiterado en el seminario Redemptoris Mater de Roma: Communio 12 (1990) 452-471; ID., Initiation cristiana y nueva evangelization, Bilbao 1992; ID., "Maria en el Camino Neocatecumenal", en Catecumenado en la Iglesia, Valencia 1998, 81-115.
  • BOGARIN, J., Los movimientos eclesiales en la VII Asamblea General Ordinaria del Sinodo de los Obispos: REDC 47 (1990) 69-135; ID., La institucionalizacion del camino neocatecumenal. Comentario a sus estatutos: REDC 59 (2002) 705-825.
  • BONETE, E., Reflexiones sobre la relation entre el Camino Neocatecumenal y el Concilio Vaticano II: Communio (noviembre-diciembre 1996), 547-555; ID., La faz oculta de la modernidad, Madrid 1995; ID., Eticas en esbozo, Bilbao 2003; ID., ¿ Libres para morir? En torno a la Tanato-Etica, Bilbao 2004.
  • BOROBIO, D., Catecumenado para la evangelization, Madrid 1997; ID., El catecumenado y su situation en la Iglesia actual: Teologia y Catequesis, 83 (julio-septiembre 2002) 77-112.
  • BUGNINI, A., La riforma liturgica (1948-1975), CLV Edizioni liturgiche, Roma 1983 (la edition en castellano: La reforma de la Liturgia 1948-1975, Ed, Catolica, Madrid 1999); ID., Catecumenato per la maturazione nella fede: Notitiae 10 (1974) 228-230; "Comunidades neocatecumenales", en AA. VV., Comunidades plurales en la Iglesia, Madrid 1981.
  • fr. Enrico Zoffoli, Eresie del Cammino Neocatecumenale, edizioni Segno, Udine (Italy), 1992.
  • BUTTURINI, G., // cammino catecumenale: una iniziazione cristiana alia fede: Credere Oggi 15 (1995) 109-126; ID., // Cammino: un autoritratto: II Regno-Doc 3 (1996) 121-128.
  • CASTELLANO, J., Carismas para un "tercer milenio". Movimientos eclesiales y nuevas tendencias, Monte Carmelo, Burgos 2003.
  • Ezechiele Pasotti (a cura di), Il Cammino Neocatecumenale secondo Paolo VI e Giovanni Paolo II, edizioni Paoline, 1993.
  • Piergiovanni Devoto, Il neocatecumenato. Un'iniziazione cristiana per adulti, editore Chirico, Napoli, 1994.
  • Blázquez Pérez Ricardo, La Nuova Evangelizzazione, editore Grafitalica, 2000.
  • Blázquez Pérez Ricardo, Guai a me se non annunciassi il vangelo. Iniziazione cristiana e nuova evangelizzazione, edizioni Grafite (collana "Biblioteca Neocatecumenale"), 1997.
  • fr. Enrico Zoffoli, I neocatecumenali - chi sono - quale il loro "credo" - cosa pensarne, edizioni Segno, Udine, 1990.
  • COLLADO, E., El Camino Neocatecumenal (los kikos). ¿Que antropologia? ¿Que teo-logia? ¿Que moral?: Sal Terrae (abril 1996) 301-312.
  • CORDES, P.J., Nouveaux mouvements spirituels dans 1 'Eglise: Nouvelle Revue Theo-logique 109 (1987) 49-65; ID., Una participation activa. Aproximacion pastoral a la celebration de la Eucaristia en pequenas comunidades, Bilbao 1998; ID., "Kiko Argiiello, fundador del Camino Neocatecumenal", en Signos de esperanza, Madrid 1998, 13-33.
  • DEL PALACIO, J.L., Comunidades neocatecumenales, Boletin del Arzobispado de A.re-quipa, n/15 (1986) 27-30; ID., El catecumenado postconciliar de adultos, forma privilegiada de la evangelization de la Iglesia local. Estudio del Catecumenado en el Concilio Vaticano II y en el Ritual de Iniciation Cristiana de Adultos, Bilbao 1999; ID., Arquitectura, Liturgia y Nueva Estetica en el Tercer Milenio para la Nueva Evangelization (Inauguration del ano academico 2001 en el Seminario Diocesano Misionero Redemptoris Mater Juan Pablo II del Callao-Peru); ID., Arquitectura y Liturgia, Bilbao 2000.
  • fr. Elio Marighetto, I segreti del Cammino Neocatecumenale, edizioni Segno, Udine, 2001.
  • DELLA TORRE. L., Le comunita catecumenali: Rivista di Pastorale Liturgica 48 (1971) 512-515; ID., Significato teologico-pastorale dell'OICA: RPL n. 5 (1973) 9-20; ID., // Neocatecumenato: Communio 32 (1977) 58-68; ID., Balance de las aplica-ciones del OICA: Concilium 142 (1979) 225-232.
  • DELLA TORRE, L./ SARTORE, D., Considerazioni pastorali sui Capitoli IV e V de, RICA: RPL n° 66 (1979) 471-493.
  • DI GIOVANNI, C., Eramos terroristas, Bilbao 1993.
  • ELORRIAGA, C., El Camino Neocatecumenal dentro de la iniciation cristiana de adultos: Comunidades n° 55 (octubre-diciembre 1986) 199-208; ID., Bautismo y espiritualidad neocatecumenal: Revista de Espiritualidad, n° 184-185 (1987) 369- 388; ID., San Cirilo de Jerusalen, Bilbao 1991; ID., Bautismo y Catecumenado e\ la tradition patristica y litiirgica, Baracaldo 1998.
  • fr. Gino Conti, Neocatecumenali al bivio. Sussidio per una scelta (fra Catechismo della Chiesa Cattolica e catechismo di Kiko Argüello), edizioni Segno, Udine, 1996.
  • ENGELS, I., Der Neokatechumenat: Liturgisches Jahrbuch 29 (1979) 180-185.
  • FARNES, P., La celebration eucarfstica enpequenos grupos: Salmanticensis 43 (mayo- agosto 1996) 281-295.
  • FAVALE, A.,' Movimenti ecclesiali (IV Comunita neocatecumenali)', en Nuovo Dizionario di Mariologia (ed. S. De Fiores y S. Meo) 965-968.
  • FERNANDEZ, P., Cuestiones teologico-pastorales sobre la initiation cristiana: Ciencia Tomista 407 (septiembre-diciembre 1998) 529-567; ID., La celebration de la Eucaristia en el camino neocatecumenal: Phase n.° 260 (marzo-abril 2004) 139-165.
  • FLORISTAN, C., El fenomeno de las Comunidades de Base en Espana: Pastoral Misionera 4 (1974); ID., Modelos de comunidades cristianas: Sal Terrae 67 (1979) 6 72 y 145-154.
  • FUENTES, A., Camino Neocatecumenal. Experiencia de un pdrroco: Communio 7 (1985) 185-188; ID., Miles de jovenes del Camino Neocatecumenal descubren su vocation sacerdotal y religiosa: Vida Religiosa. Boletin informativo 59 (1985 240-241; ID., La espiritualidad del Camino Neocatecumenal: Vida Sobrenatural 1995; ID., El Neocatecumenado: Un camino de initiation cristiana, Bilbao 1996.

[edit] Notes, Documents and References

  1. ^ Pope John Paul II, Osservatore Romano – Weekly edition – October 2, 2002
  2. ^ Pope John Paul II - Letter Ogniqualvolta Acta Apostolicae Sedis -AAS 82 (1990), 1513 - 1515 - quoting "Paul VI to the Neocatechumenal Communities, General Audience, 8th May 1974, in NOTITIAE 96-96, 1974, 230
  3. ^ http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/laity/documents/rc_pc_laity_doc_20020701_cammino-neocatecumenale_en.html
  4. ^ http://www.camminoneocatecumenale.it/en/notastorica.htm
  5. ^ http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/laity/documents/rc_pc_laity_doc_20020701_cammino-neocatecumenale_en.html
  6. ^ The Congregation had indeed published January 6 1972 the «Ordo Initiationis Christianae Adultorum», known more with its Latin initials OICA or Italian RICA, for the administration of the sacrament of baptism of the adults. The Christian initiation of the adults fell into disuse until recent times the baptism was administrated to the children in early childhood.
  7. ^ Cfr. Giuseppe Gennarini, in Statu, Juridical and Ecclesial Commentaris on the Statute, pag. 107 “... were impresses seeing that what they had been elaborating for years on the subject of the catechumenate for adults was already being put into practice by the Holy Spirit, starting with the poor.” Cfr. Annibale Bugnini, in La Riforma Liturgica, pag. 579, note 26: “A seriously committed group, that of the Neocatechumenal communities, had already started, through the work of its founders, to lay down a Christian formation for the baptized... the merit of this group is that they have understood the important of the spirit of the catechumenate in the formation of true Christians.”
  8. ^ Cfr. Notitiae, n 95-96 June- August 1974, pp. 229-230
  9. ^ John Paul II, Lett. Ogniqualvolta, 30 August 1990, AAS 82 (1990) 1515.
  10. ^ Statute of the Neocatechumenal Way, Title 1, Art. 1, § 2
  11. ^ Statute of the Neocatechumenal Way, Title 1, Art. 1, § 3
  12. ^ Statute of the Neocatechumenal Way, Title 1, Art. 2 and John Paul II, Lett. Ogniqualvolta, 30 August 1990, AAS 82 (1990) 1515
  13. ^ John Paul II - Address to Neocatechumenal Way, 24 January 1997, n. 4; ORE, 5 February 1997, p. 9 Its history belongs to that blossoming of movements and ecclesial groups which is one of the most beautiful fruits of the spiritual renewal begun by the Second Vatican Council. This flourishing was and still is a great gift of the Holy Spirit and a radiant sign of hope on the threshold of the third millennium. Both pastors and lay faithful must be able to welcome this gift with gratitude, but also with a sense of responsibility, keeping in mind that "in the Church, both the institutional and the charismatic aspects, the hierarchy and the associations and movements of the faithful, are co-essential and, although in different ways, contribute to her life, renewal and sanctification" (To participants in the International Colloquium of Ecclesial Movements, Insegnamenti, Vol. X/1, 1987, 478). In today's deeply secularized world, the new evangelization represents a fundamental challenge. The ecclesial movements, which are marked precisely by their missionary zeal, are called to a special commitment in a spirit of communion and collaboration. In the Encyclical Redemptoris missio I wrote in this regard: "When these movements humbly seek to become part of the life of local Churches and are welcomed by Bishops and priests within diocesan and parish structures, they represent a true gift of God both for the new evangelization and for missionary activity properly so-called. I therefore recommend that they be spread, and that they be used to give fresh energy, especially among young people, to the Christian life" (n. 72).
  14. ^ Cfr. Art. 35 of the Statute. The list of the members of the Electoral College is deposited with the Pontifical Council for the Laity, and is updated every five years providing substitution of any whom through death, retirement or for grave reasons has ceased to be part of the college.
  15. ^ John Paul II: Private audience of Pope John Paul II for 2000 priests of the Neocatechumenal Communities (Rome, 9 December 1985 - Cfr the Italian edition of L'Osservatore Romano, 11 December 1985.) Among you I have found many priests, but also many lay people, many married itinerants. I must say to you that the first people who went to Bethlehem, who recognized the Mystery of the Incarnation, were itinerants: they were shepherds. Then Jesus himself became itinerant when he was thirty, beginning with the messianic declaration at Nazareth. As well as that, he made all his Apostles itinerant, sending them all over the world. The Church, too, is certainly itinerant, on a way, and we can say that the Pope tries more and more to be itinerant, even if with more `sophisticated' and, perhaps, less authentic methods than yours, for you are poor itinerants, with no aeroplanes. But we hope that all of us, the Pope too, will always be, using all possible means, itinerants of the Gospel, that is, itinerants of the Mystery, of this Mystery that was revealed by the birth of Jesus, by the incarnation of the Son of God and then by his mission, by his death on the cross and by his resurrection. This is how a life was revealed to us, a new life, a divine life, eternal life. We are itinerants of this life. It would not be possible for us to be itinerants of this life, of eternal life, if the same life had not been given to us first. We already have this life and this life impels us, this life comes from Jesus Christ. This life comes to us through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit. He is the source of the divine life in creatures, is the source of divine life in us men. It is he who drives us. Jesus Christ the itinerant impels us, the itinerant of the Father, for it is the Father who sent him and made him itinerant among us. So Jesus Christ the itinerant pushes us; the one who was sent, the missionary, because in the mission the Word of God `missiones diviarum personarum' - so I learned from St. Thomas. Missio means to be sent and therefore to be itinerant. Christ impels us in the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit is sent too, sent in a different way - not like Christ, not in a visible, incarnate, human form - a Holy Spirit, not incarnate, but sent. It could be said that the mission of the Holy Spirit is even more penetrating, for it descends into what is the most intimate of man, of every creature. As St. Augustine said, `Intimior intimo meo.' This then is the mission of the Holy Spirit, of the Spirit that is sent. And you become itinerants with the strength of the incarnate Son who gave us an example of the visible mission. Thanks to the mission of the Son and Holy Spirit, with the life which comes through them from the Father, you become itinerant. As St. Paul says, the mission compels us; woe to me if I do not evangelize! I wish you the joy of the Christmas feasts. I wish you the joy of the itinerant shepherds who found the way to Bethlehem. I wish you the joy that comes from those who convert. There are many among you who are converted, who have found Christ, who have rediscovered God, coming often from the opposite shore. I wish you again the joy that comes from the conversion of people, of souls. As Christ said, `There is more joy in heaven for one sinner who converts than for ninety nine just men.' I wish you this joy and that in this way your itinerancy and your Neocatechumenal Way will be rewarded.
  16. ^ Homily of Pope John Paul II during the Eucharist celebrated at Porto St Giorgio (Italy), for the feast of the Holy family and the sending out of the families for the New Evangelization (Porto St Giorgio, Ascoli Piceno, Feast of the Holy Family, 30th December 1988 - Cfr the Italian edition of L'Osservatore Romano, 31st December, 1988.) I think that you as Neo-catechumenal, itinerant families do the same thing: in yourselves you constitute the aim of your itinerancy which is that of bringing everywhere, to different environments, perhaps to the most dechristianised environments, to bring the witness of the mission of the family. It is a great witness, great in human terms, great in Christian terms, divinely great, because such a witness, the mission of the family, is conclusively inscribed in the path of the Most Holy Trinity. In this world there is no other more perfect, more complete image than that which is God; Unity, Communion. There is no other human reality which corresponds more, which humanly corresponds more to that divine mystery. And so, bringing as itinerants the witness which is properly that of the family, the family in mission, you bring everywhere the witness of the Most Holy Trinity in mission. And so you make the Church grow because the Church grows from these two mysteries. As the Second Vatican Council teaches us, all the vitality of the Church comes finally, or principally, from this mystery, from this mystery of the Trinity in mission. Together with this you bring the witness of the family in mission which tries to walk in the footsteps of the Trinity in mission.
  17. ^ Benedict XVI speech to Neocatechumenals (English translation), 12-Jan-2006.
  18. ^ Cfr. Letter “Ogniqualvolta AAS etc.
  19. ^ A first version of the Statutes got no approval in 1999; a second version also got no approval in late 1999.
  20. ^ Address of John Paul II to the priests and catechists of the Way (21 September 2002).
  21. ^ Original Italian text is here, by Zenit.org Catholic news agency. An English translation and comment is here.
  22. ^ http://www.chiesa.espressonline.it/dettaglio.jsp?id=44140&eng=y
  23. ^ http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2006/january/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20060112_neocatecumenali_en.html
  24. ^ Benedict XVI speech to members of the Neocatechumenal Way (12-Jan-2006): «Precisely to help the Neocatechumenal Way to render even more effective its evangelizing action in communion with all the People of God, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments recently imparted to you in my name certain norms concerning the Eucharistic Celebration, after the trial period that the Servant of God John Paul II conceded. I am sure you will attentively observe these norms that reflect what is provided for in the liturgical books approved by the Church». Benedict XVI thanks the Neocatechumenals for the «visit».
  25. ^ From the bottom of our hearts...: letter by Kiko Argüello, Carmen Hernández, Father Mario Pezzi to Pope Benedict XVI (17-Jan-2006).

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