Neocatechumenal Way
Encyclopedia
The Neocatechumenal Way, also known as the Neocatechumenate, NC Way or, colloquially, The Way or The Neocats is an itinerary within the Catholic Church dedicated to the Christian formation of adults. It was initiated in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...

 in 1964 by artist and musician Kiko Argüello
Kiko Argüello
Francisco José Eduardo Argüello is a Spanish artist and, together with Carmen Hernández, co-initiator of the Neocatechumenal Way. Argüello was born in León, He studied fine arts at the Royal Academy of San Fernando in Madrid and in 1959 was awarded a Special National Prize for Painting...

 and Carmen Hernandez as a response to the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...

, and in 2008 was given definitive approval by the Holy See, receiving the status under Canon Law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...

 of a Public Juridical Person, sharing in the fullness of Catholic faith.

Taking its inspiration from the catechumenate of the early Catholic Church, by which converts
Religious conversion
Religious conversion is the adoption of a new religion that differs from the convert's previous religion. Changing from one denomination to another within the same religion is usually described as reaffiliation rather than conversion.People convert to a different religion for various reasons,...

 from paganism
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....

 were prepared for baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...

, it provides a post-baptismal catechumenate to adults who are already members of the Church. Committed to the "New Evangelisation" called for by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...

, the Neocatechumenal Way also runs 75 "Redemptoris Mater" diocesan missionary seminaries in locations as diverse as Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...

, Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...

, Sydney and Guam, and is responsible for hundreds of "Families in Mission", living in many cities around the World.

The Neocatechumenate is implemented in small, parish
Parish (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, a parish is the lowest ecclesiastical geographical subdivision: from ecclesiastical province to diocese to deanery to parish.-Requirements:A parish needs two things under common law to become a parish...

-based communities of between 20-50 people. There are around 40,000 such communities throughout the World, with an estimated 1 million members.

The Statutes of the Neocatechumenal Way were approved ad experimentum in 2002 and the Church gave final approval of the statutes on June 13, 2008.

History of the Neocatechumenal Way

The Pontifical Council for the Laity
Pontifical Council for the Laity
The Pontifical Council for the Laity has the responsibility of assisting the Pope in his dealings with the laity in lay ecclesial movements or individually, and their contributions to the Church. The Cardinal President of the Council is Cardinal Stanisław Ryłko. The Secretary is Bishop Josef...

's decree officially describes the history of the Neocatechumenal communities (the Neocatechumenal way is a community; it is neither an organization nor a movement) as follows: “The Neocatechumenal Way began in 1964 in the slums of Palomeras Altas, Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...

, through the work of Mr. Francisco (Kiko) Argüello
Kiko Argüello
Francisco José Eduardo Argüello is a Spanish artist and, together with Carmen Hernández, co-initiator of the Neocatechumenal Way. Argüello was born in León, He studied fine arts at the Royal Academy of San Fernando in Madrid and in 1959 was awarded a Special National Prize for Painting...

 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
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...

. As time passed, this kerygma
Kerygma
Kerygma is the Greek word used in the New Testament for preaching . It is related to the Greek verb κηρύσσω , to cry or proclaim as a herald, and means proclamation, announcement, or preaching.The New Testament teaches that as Jesus launched his public ministry he entered the synagogue and read from...

 was embodied in a catechetical synthesis, founded on what is called the tripod
Tripod
A tripod is a portable three-legged frame, used as a platform for supporting the weight and maintaining the stability of some other object. The word comes from the Greek tripous, meaning "three feet". A tripod provides stability against downward forces, horizontal forces and moments about the...

: "Word of God
Religious text
Religious texts, also known as scripture, scriptures, holy writ, or holy books, are the texts which various religious traditions consider to be sacred, or of central importance to their religious tradition...

-Liturgy
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...

-Community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...

", that seeks to lead people to fraternal communion
Communion (Christian)
The term communion is derived from Latin communio . The corresponding term in Greek is κοινωνία, which is often translated as "fellowship". In Christianity, the basic meaning of the term communion is an especially close relationship of Christians, as individuals or as a Church, with God and with...

 and mature faith
Faith
Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...

.

This new catechetical
Catechism
A catechism , i.e. to indoctrinate) is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present...

 experience, born in the wake of the changes implemented after the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...

, attracted the keen interest of Archbishop Casimiro Morcillo, who encouraged the initiators of the Way to spread it to the parishes who asked for it. This experience of evangelization
Evangelization
Evangelization is that process in the Christian religion which seeks to spread the Gospel and the knowledge of the Gospel throughout the world. It can be defined as so:-The birth of Christian 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
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...

 and settled in the Borghetto Latino. With the permission of Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...

 Angelo Dell'Acqua
Angelo Dell'Acqua
Angelo Dell'Acqua was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Vicar General of Rome from 1968 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1967.-Biography:...

, then Vicar General of His Holiness for the city and district of Rome, the first catechesis began in the parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...

 of Our Lady
Blessed Virgin Mary (Roman Catholic)
Roman Catholic veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary is based on Holy Scripture: In the fullness of time, God sent his son, born of a virgin. The mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God through Mary thus signifies her honour as Mother of God...

 of the Blessed Sacrament
Blessed Sacrament
The Blessed Sacrament, or the Body and Blood of Christ, is a devotional name used in the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Catholic Churches, Old Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran churches, to refer to the Host after it has been consecrated in the sacrament of the Eucharist...

 and the Canadian Martyrs
Canadian Martyrs
The North American Martyrs, also known as the Canadian Martyrs or the Martyrs of New France, were eight Jesuit missionaries from Sainte-Marie among the Hurons, who were martyred in the mid-17th century in Canada, in what are now southern Ontario and upstate New York, during the warfare between the...

. Since then, the NC Way has continued to spread to diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...

s around the world and even to mission
Mission (Christian)
Christian missionary activities often involve sending individuals and groups , to foreign countries and to places in their own homeland. This has frequently involved not only evangelization , but also humanitarian work, especially among the poor and disadvantaged...

 countries”

In 1974, thanks to Archbishop Annibale Bugnini
Annibale Bugnini
Annibale Bugnini, C.M. was a Roman Catholic prelate. Ordained in 1936 and named archbishop in 1972, he was secretary of the commission that worked on the reform of the Catholic liturgy that followed the Second Vatican Council....

, the Congregation for Divine Worship
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments is the congregation of the Roman Curia that handles most affairs relating to liturgical practices of the Latin Catholic Church as distinct from the Eastern Catholic Churches and also some technical matters relating to the...

 publicized on their official magazine, a brief note Praeclarum exemplar appreciating the works of the Neocatechumenal communities.

During the commemoration of the 30 years of life of the Way on January 24, 1997, Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...

) expressly urged the drafting of the Statutes as, "a very important step that will open the way to the formal juridical recognition by the Church, and giving you a further guarantee of the authenticity of your charism"

Nature and mission of the Neocatechumenal communities

According to its Statute, the Neocatechumenal Way “is at the service of the Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...

s 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
Magisterium
In the Catholic Church the Magisterium is the teaching authority of the Church. This authority is understood to be embodied in the episcopacy, which is the aggregation of the current bishops of the Church in union with the Pope, led by the Bishop of Rome , who has authority over the bishops,...

 of the Church”.

It is made up of a "post-baptismal catechumenate" (or baptismal catechumenate if the members have not received the sacrament
Sacrament
A sacrament is a sacred rite recognized as of particular importance and significance. There are various views on the existence and meaning of such rites.-General definitions and terms:...

 of baptism), an ongoing education in faith and a service of catechesis. From the initial catechesis, it typically takes several years and passing through stages of faith formation in the local communities, until a member reaches the renewal of the baptismal vows (or the baptism).

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

Leadership of the Neocatechumenal Way

The Neocatechumenate is led by the "International Responsible Team of the Way", which is composed of its founders, Kiko Argüello and Carmen Hernández, together with Father Mario Pezzi, a priest of the Diocese of Rome
Diocese of Rome
The Diocese of Rome is a diocese of the Catholic Church in Rome, Italy. The bishop of Rome is the Pope, who is the Supreme Pontiff and leader of the Catholic Church...

. Under the terms of the 2007 statute, the three members of this leadership team will remain in place for life, after which an electoral college of senior neocatechumenal catechists will elect a new team which, with the approval of the Pontifical Council for the Laity
Pontifical Council for the Laity
The Pontifical Council for the Laity has the responsibility of assisting the Pope in his dealings with the laity in lay ecclesial movements or individually, and their contributions to the Church. The Cardinal President of the Council is Cardinal Stanisław Ryłko. The Secretary is Bishop Josef...

, will have a mandate to lead the NC Way for a period of 7 years until new elections are held.

Leadership at national and regional level is given by around 700 teams of "itinerant catechists", comprising a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...

 and 2 or 3 lay people, appointed and supervised by the International Responsible Team. Depending on the number of communities in a particular area, a team of Itinerant Catechists may be responsible for the implementation of the NC Way in a country, a group of countries or a region of a country.

Pope John Paul II summarized the role of the itinerant catechists in a Private Audience for 2000 priests of the Neocatechumenal Communities in December 1985 (reported in the Italian edition of Osservatore Romano
L'Osservatore Romano
L'Osservatore Romano is the "semi-official" newspaper of the Holy See. It covers all the Pope's public activities, publishes editorials by important churchmen, and runs official documents after being released...

, 11 December 1985):
"They contribute by forming the first neocatechumenal communities of a parish, and are supposed to maintain regular contact with the Bishops of the diocese in which they work; the itinerant teams preserve a constant link with the responsibles of the Neocatechumenal Way, visiting periodically the communities they catechized and taking care of the development of the Neocatechumenal Way in the territory assigned to them, being fully faithful to the charism
Charism
In Christian theology, a charism in general denotes any good gift that flows from God's love to man. The word can also mean any of the spiritual graces and qualifications granted to every Christian to perform his or her task in the Church...

 given to the initiators and obedient to the local Ordinary
Ordinary
In those hierarchically organised churches of Western Christianity which have an ecclesiastical law system, an ordinary is an officer of the church who by reason of office has ordinary power to execute the church's laws...

."


Throughout the years that cover the lifespan of a local neocatechumenal community, the catechist team exercises authority over the community's faith based activities, and provides its members, as they 'walk' in their community, progress in faith and understanding of the Catholic doctrines following the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The itinerant catechists do not make any formal commitment to their missionary role, and are free to resign at any time.

Missionary activity

Responding to the secularization
Secularization
Secularization is the transformation of a society from close identification with religious values and institutions toward non-religious values and secular institutions...

 of Northern Europe and vast areas in the world, the initiators of the Neocatechumenal Way introduced a program of families in mission
Families in mission
The Families in Mission are families coming from the Neocatechumenal Way that offer themselves voluntarily and freely, leaving their homes, work and friends to go in mission in the World according to the needs of the Neocatechumenal Way, wherever they are requested by the bishops of the Catholic...

. These missionary families serve to establish the presence of the Catholic Church in countries where there is none (this is referred as Implantatio Ecclesiae) or to strengthen the presence of Catholic communities in particularly difficult areas.

On 12 January 2006, about 200 families met with Pope Benedict XVI asking for a missionary mandate before beginning their mission to mainly France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

 - bringing the number of Neocatechumenal “Families in Mission” to more than five-hundred in the entire world.

In March 2008 the Neocatechumenal Way held a meeting with nine cardinals
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...

, including Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes
Paul Josef Cordes
Paul Josef Cordes is a German Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as President of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum , and was elevated to the cardinalate in 2007.-Youth:...

, and Cardinal Stanisław Rylko, and 160 European bishops who gathered March 24–29 at the Domus Galilaeae International Center
Domus Galilaeae
Domus Galilaeae or House of Galilee , located on the peak of Mount of Beatitudes, above and north of Capernaum and the Sea of Galilee, is a modern Christian meeting place, primarily used for Christian seminars and conventions....

 on the Mount of Beatitudes
Mount of Beatitudes
The Mount of Beatitudes refers to the hill in northern Israel where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount.- Location :The traditional location for the Mount of Beatitudes is on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, between Capernaum and Gennesaret...

 in Galilee
Galilee
Galilee , is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country. Traditionally divided into Upper Galilee , Lower Galilee , and Western Galilee , extending from Dan to the north, at the base of Mount Hermon, along Mount Lebanon to the...

. Cardinal Schönborn said that during "the last 40 years Europe has said ‘no’ to its future three times: in 1968 when it rejected 'Humanae Vitae
Humanae Vitae
Humanae Vitae is an encyclical written by Pope Paul VI and issued on 25 July 1968. Subtitled On the Regulation of Birth, it re-affirms the traditional teaching of the Catholic Church regarding married love, responsible parenthood, and the continuing proscription of most forms of birth...

'; then, 20 years later, with the legalization of abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...

; and today with homosexual marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....

s." He also called the Neocatechumenal Way an "answer of the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...

 to this situation." A joint declaration from the bishops said "Here we have an important proposal, the proposal of the Neocatechumenal Way, which is to renew the life of the family."

On January 10, 2009, the pope met with over 10,000 people for a celebration marking the 40th anniversary of the Neocatechumenal Way in Rome. From this celebration several whole communities were sent on mission, along with itinerant catechists, mission families, and the Missio Ad Gentes. The Missio Ad Gentes is a newer form of mission for the Neocatechumenal Way that involves sending three, four, or five whole families to a particular area at the request of the bishop.

The Redemptoris Mater Seminaries

Kiko and Carmen were also inspired to open the Redemptoris Mater seminaries. This itinerary of Catholic formation prepares and awakens vocation
Vocation
A vocation , is a term for an occupation to which a person is specially drawn or for which they are suited, trained or qualified. Though now often used in non-religious contexts, the meanings of the term originated in Christianity.-Senses:...

s in many young people before they enter the seminary. It accompanies them during their time of formation; once ordained as presbyters it continues to sustain them as an instrument for their permanent formation. The idea to establish these seminaries started in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...

, the diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...

 of the Holy Father
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...

, to establish a seminary with these characteristics:
  • international, i.e. with vocations coming from different nations;
  • missionary, i.e. that upon ordination, the priests are available to go wherever their ordinary sends them.

In 1988, the first Redemptoris Mater Seminary was established by Cardinal Poletti, Vicar of the Holy Father in Rome.

In June 2007, Abuna Elias Chacour
Elias Chacour
Elias Chacour is the Archbishop of Akko, Haifa, Nazareth and All Galilee of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. Noted for his efforts to promote reconciliation between Arabs and Israelis, he is the author of two books about the experience of Palestinian people living in present-day Israel...

 (Melkite Archbishop of the Archeparchy of Acri, Haifa, Nazareth, and all Galilee) has proposed the establishment of a new "branch" of the Neocatechumenal Way "to work specifically in the Eastern-rite Church" (Melkite liturgy
Melkite Greek Catholic Church
The Melkite Greek Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See as part of the worldwide Catholic Church. The Melkites, Byzantine Rite Catholics of mixed Eastern Mediterranean and Greek origin, trace their history to the early Christians of Antioch, Syria, of...

). Archbishop Chacour
Elias Chacour
Elias Chacour is the Archbishop of Akko, Haifa, Nazareth and All Galilee of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. Noted for his efforts to promote reconciliation between Arabs and Israelis, he is the author of two books about the experience of Palestinian people living in present-day Israel...

 states in his message that he has searched for "someone or some community to preach the Good News to my parishioners" as an answer to proselytism
Proselytism
Proselytizing is the act of attempting to convert people to another opinion and, particularly, another religion. The word proselytize is derived ultimately from the Greek language prefix προσ- and the verb ἔρχομαι in the form of προσήλυτος...

 of the sects, and that the Neocatechumenal Way is an answer. Fr. Rino Rossi received the letter with great joy and reported to ZENIT
Zenit News Agency
ZENIT is a non-profit news agency that reports on the Catholic Church and issues important to it from the perspective of Church doctrine. ZENIT's motto is, "The world seen from Rome."...

 that "We share the sense of urgency expressed by Archbishop Chacour to evangelize 'the living stones' in the land of the Lord."

Today there are Redemptoris Mater Seminaries all over the world in distinct places such as Managua (Nicaragua), Rome (Italy), Newark (NJ, USA), Madrid (Spain), Berlin (Germany), Guam, and Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic).

It has now also been announced that a Redemptoris Mater Seminary of the Melkite Rite is due to open in 2008.

Statistics of the Neocatechumenal Way

The following table contains statistics for the number of communities in Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and other countries. Communities are established in a parish within a diocese, and each community usually consists of between 20 to 50 people. (The details shown may not be up to date)
Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...

 - Nation
Communities
  Argentina 1,500
  Belize 4
  Bolivia 400
  Brazil 5,600
  Canada 44
  Chile 460
  Colombia 2,000
  Costa Rica 350
  Cuba 45
  Dominican Rep. 560
  Ecuador 570
  El Salvador 500
  Guatemala 800
  Honduras 440
  Mexico 3,200
  Nicaragua 300
  Panamá 200
  Paraguay 500
  Perú 960
  Puerto Rico 130
  Turks and Caicos Islands 6
  United States of America 750
  Uruguay 200
  Venezuela 1,100
Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...

 - Nation
Communities
  Egypt 30
  Iraq 9
  Israel 15
  Jordan 2
  Kuwait 3
  Lebanon 52
  Palestine 2
Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

 - Nation
Communities
  China 9
  Hong Kong 4
  India 250
  Japan 20
  Kazakhstan 9
  Malaysia 14
  Pakistan 20
  Philippines 700
  Singapore 7
  South Korea 40
  Sri Lanka 7
  Taiwan 25
Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

 - Nation
Communities
  Albania 22
  Andorra 20
  Austria 38
  Belarus 11
  Belgium 30
  Bulgaria 10
  Croatia 250
  Cyprus 5
  Czech Republic 40
  Denmark 7
  Estonia 3
  Finland 9
  France 60
  Georgia 4
  Germany 50
  Greece 6
  Hungary 40
  Ireland 25
  Italy 10,000
  Kosovo 2
  Latvia 9
  Lithuania 20
  Luxembourg 1
  Malta 100
  Monaco 4
  Netherlands 40
  Norway 1
  Poland 1,000
  Portugal 300
  Romania 50
  Russia 5
  San Marino 5
    Serbia, Bosnia & Macedonia 30
  Slovakia 65
  Slovenia 40
  Switzerland 35
  Spain 7,000
  Sweden 14
  Turkey 10
  Ukraine 45
  United Kingdom 51
Oceania - Nation Communities
  Australia 60
  Guam 31
  Kiribati 3
  Northern Mariana Islands 10
  Papua New Guinea 1
Africa - Nation Communities
  Egypt 30
  Morocco 2
  Sudan 5
  Tunisia 2
  Zambia 50
  Namibia 2


The highest number of communities found in Europe (and the World) are found in Italy (10,000 communities) and Spain (7,000 communities).

The highest number of communities in the world in a country per capita is found in Malta, which has 100 communities in an island of 400,000 persons, which is the equivalent of twice the number of communities both in Italy and in Spain.

The Neocatechumenal Way in the Holy Land

During the vocational meeting held near the Sea of Galilee by the Neocatechumenal Way right after Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...

's visit to the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...

 in May 2009, Kiko Arguello
Kiko Argüello
Francisco José Eduardo Argüello is a Spanish artist and, together with Carmen Hernández, co-initiator of the Neocatechumenal Way. Argüello was born in León, He studied fine arts at the Royal Academy of San Fernando in Madrid and in 1959 was awarded a Special National Prize for Painting...

 briefly described the Way in the Holy Land, which encompasses Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...

 and Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....

. There are around 30 communities which follow several different Christian rites, and are an example of the ecumenical breakthroughs which the Neocatechumenal Way has made in recent years.

There are seven communities following the Latin Rite, in Jaffa
Jaffa
Jaffa is an ancient port city believed to be one of the oldest in the world. Jaffa was incorporated with Tel Aviv creating the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. Jaffa is famous for its association with the biblical story of the prophet Jonah.-Etymology:...

, Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...

, Jerusalem, Nazareth
Nazareth
Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...

, Betlehem and Cana
Cana
In the Christian New Testament, the Gospel of John refers a number of times to a town called Cana of Galilee.-The marriage at Cana:Among Christians and other students of the New Testament, Cana is best known as the place where, according to the Fourth Gospel, Jesus performed his first public...

.

Apart from running a Redemptoris Mater Seminary within the Domus Galilaeae
Domus Galilaeae
Domus Galilaeae or House of Galilee , located on the peak of Mount of Beatitudes, above and north of Capernaum and the Sea of Galilee, is a modern Christian meeting place, primarily used for Christian seminars and conventions....

, the Greek Catholic (Melchite) rite also has 12 communities in several Palestinian villages: three each in Shefamer, Tarshiha and Melia
Melia
-People:* Melia Watras , a prominent American violist* Elie Melia , a Georgian Orthodox priest and church historian* Fulvio Melia , an Italian-American physicist* Jimmy Melia , a former English footballer...

, two in Ibilin and one in Cana
Cana
In the Christian New Testament, the Gospel of John refers a number of times to a town called Cana of Galilee.-The marriage at Cana:Among Christians and other students of the New Testament, Cana is best known as the place where, according to the Fourth Gospel, Jesus performed his first public...

.

Additionally, there are two Maronite communities in Gish and Haifa, as well as two Hebrew-speaking communities in Haifa and Tel Aviv. The Neocatechumenal Way in the Holy Land has also started in the Greek Orthodox Church
Greek Orthodox Church
The Greek Orthodox Church is the body of several churches within the larger communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity sharing a common cultural tradition whose liturgy is also traditionally conducted in Koine Greek, the original language of the New Testament...

.

The World Youth Days

Every three years the World Youth Day
World Youth Day
World Youth Day is a youth-oriented Catholic Church event. While the event itself celebrates the Catholic faith, the invitation to attend extends to all youth, regardless of religious convictions....

 has been organized by the Roman Catholic Church, during which the Pope summons youths from all over the world to a chosen city. The Neocatechumenal Way has been an active organizer within the World Youth Days and has rallied young members of the Neocatechumenal communities to attend. During the last World Youth Day, held in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...

, Cardinal George Pell said that of the 110,000 international visitors that attended, 40,000 were from the Neocatechumenal Way. During the week before the WYD the youth from the Way went announcing the gospel to all peoples of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

. In Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...

 in August 2005, nearly one hundred thousand youth from the NC Way met in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...

 (nearly about 10% of the total of all the youths from around the World who attended the event).

After the meeting with the Pope held for all the youths, the initiators of the Neocatechumenal Way organize a meeting with young members of the Neocatechumenal Way, during which a vocational call is done by Kiko Argüello. In Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...

 around one thousand five hundred (1,500) men answered the call for the priesthood and eight hundred and fifty (850) young women stood up to show their willingness to a consecrated life. In Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....

 (2005) around one thousand five hundred (1,500) young men, together with another nine hundred (900) young women answered the call.

These young men and women, begin a process of discernment
Discernment
Discernment is a term used to describe the activity of determining the value and quality of a certain subject or event. Typically, it is used to describe the activity of going past the mere perception of something, to making detailed judgments about that thing...

 in their own dioceses and NC Way communities (most of the priestly vocations go to a "Redemptoris Mater" seminary), which may lead to priesthood or consecrated life
Consecrated life
The consecrated life in the Christian tradition, especially the Roman Catholic Church, but also the Anglican Church and to some extent other Christian denominations, is, as the Roman Catholic Code of Canon Law states: "a stable form of living by which faithful, following Christ more closely under...

.

At a meeting in Loreto
Loreto (AN)
Loreto is a hilltown and comune of the Italian province of Ancona, in the Marche. It is mostly famous as the seat of the Basilica della Santa Casa, a popular Catholic pilgrimage site.-Location:...

 in September 2007 led by Pope Benedict XVI, which was organized as a run-up to the WYD in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...

 in 2008, more than 100,000 Neocatechumenal Way youths exclusively from Europe attended the meeting.

In the July 2008 meeting in Sydney, around 40,000 young members of the Neocatechumenal Way from around the world met for a vocational meeting presided by Cardinal Pell, and a large number of cardinals and archbishops as well as bishops from around the world. The youths embarked on evangelization routes around Australia in all the states and territories before gathering for the WYD celebrations at Randwick Course and later for the Neocatechumenal Way Vocational meeting were around 2,300 young people answered the call for vocations.

Since the meeting with Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...

 in 1984 the Way has had vocational calls in order to “harvest the fruits” which grew in the encounters with the Holy Father
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...

. When the call was made in Loreto
Loreto (AN)
Loreto is a hilltown and comune of the Italian province of Ancona, in the Marche. It is mostly famous as the seat of the Basilica della Santa Casa, a popular Catholic pilgrimage site.-Location:...

, some 2,000 men and 1,200 women stood up; showing their willingness to become priests or to live a consecrated life
Consecrated life
The consecrated life in the Christian tradition, especially the Roman Catholic Church, but also the Anglican Church and to some extent other Christian denominations, is, as the Roman Catholic Code of Canon Law states: "a stable form of living by which faithful, following Christ more closely under...

 and received a blessing
Blessing
A blessing, is the infusion of something with holiness, spiritual redemption, divine will, or one's hope or approval.- Etymology and Germanic paganism :...

.

In the Sydney meeting in 2008, Kiko called for a 250,000 Neocatechumenal-youth presence at the Madrid World Youth Day. And in deed, some 300 000 youth formed the gathering at Madrid's central meeting point at Plaza de Cibeles
Plaza de Cibeles
The Plaza de Cibeles is a square with a neo-classical complex of marble sculptures with fountains that has become an iconic symbol for the city of Madrid.-Cibeles Fountain:...

 and adjacent streets like Castellana
Paseo de la Castellana
Paseo de la Castellana , commonly known as La Castellana, is one of the longest and widest avenues of Madrid. It is named after an old fountain that used to exist in Plaza de Castilla...

 and the Gran Vía, the day after papal celebrations at Cuatro Vientos.

The Statutes

Through the statutes the Neocatechumenal Way was endowed with “public juridical personality" status. Granted through the Pontifical Council for the Laity and reinforced in the Statutes, this means the Neocatechumenal Way is closely governed by an ecclesiastical authority, that it performs entrusted functions “in the name of the church,” and that it has no material goods of its own.

The Statutes describe the nature of the Way and regulate its charism and specific tasks within the Church. It took at least ten years for the Vatican officials and the initiators of the Neocatechumenal Way to create a juridical document for the dynamic new reality that emerged as a grass-root off-spring of the renewal of the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...

. The first approval of these statutes was received in June 2002 and marked ad experimentum (meaning "provisional") for five years. Final approval of the Statutes came in June 2008.

The Statuta of the Neocatechumenal Way refer extensively to many post-Vatican II Church documents, to prove that essential elements of the charism of the neocatechumenal itinerary of Christian initiation
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the process through which interested adults and older children are gradually introduced to the Roman Catholic faith and way of life...

 are in the heart of the present day teaching of the Church about the catechesis. One of the most often quoted document is the General Directory for Catechesis
General Directory for Catechesis
The General Directory for Catechesis is a document written by the Congregation for the Clergy of the Roman Catholic Church, based in Rome.Following publication of the General Catechetical Directory in 1971, the Holy See realised importance of a wealth of new developments in the life of the Church...

 by Vatican dicastery Congregation for the Clergy
Congregation for the Clergy
The Sacred Congregation for the Clergy is the congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for overseeing matters regarding priests and deacons not belonging to religious orders...

, e.g.:
  • Christian initiation
    Catechumen
    In ecclesiology, a catechumen , “‘down’” + ἠχή , “‘sound’”) is one receiving instruction from a catechist in the principles of the Christian religion with a view to baptism...

     as basic and fundamental
    for a parish. The General Directory for Catechesis reads:
Initiatory catechesis is thus the necessary link between missionary activity, which calls to faith, and pastoral activity, which continually nourishes the Christian community. This is not, therefore, an optional activity, but basic and fundamental... Without it, missionary activity lacks continuity and is sterile, while pastoral activity lacks roots and becomes superficial and confused: any misfortune could cause collapse of the entire building. No 64 cf also 91 (Statuta, Art. 6 §2)
  • role of a parish priest, no 225 (Statuta, Art. 6 §2), and of teams of catechists - no 268 (Statuta, Art. 17 §3)
  • community dimension:
Catechesis prepares the Christian to live in community and to participate actively in the life and mission of the Church - no 86 (Statuta, Art. 17 §1).

Ongoing formation in the faith is directed not only to Christians individually, to accompany them on their journey towards holiness, but also to the Christian community as such so that it may mature also in its interior life of love of God and of the brethren, as well as in its openness to the world as missionary community The desire of Jesus and his prayer to the Father are an unceasing appeal: 'May they all be one; even as You, Father, are in me, and I in You, that they may also be in us, so that the world may believe that You have sent me' (Jn 17:21). Approaching this ideal, little by little, demands of the community a great fidelity to the action of the Holy Spirit, constant nourishment with the Body and Blood of the Lord and ongoing education in faith, in listening to the Word. - no 70 (Statuta, Art. 22 §1)
  • fostering vocations - no 86 (Statuta, Art. 18 §1)
  • transmitting faith by parents to their children - nos 226-225 and 255, cf. CIC
    1983 Code of Canon Law
    The 1983 Code of Canon Law is the codification of canonical legislation for the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church...

     c.774 §2; CCEO
    Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches
    The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches is the title of the 1990 codification of the common portions of the Canon Law for the 22 of the 23 sui iuris Churches in the Catholic Church. The Roman or Latin rite Church is guided by its own particular Canons...

     c. 618.


The Statutes refer to a Catechetical Directory, which has been recently approved by the Pontifical Council for Laity.

The Catechetical Directory of the Neocatechumenal Way

After thorough examination by various Vatican dicasteries, among them Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition , and after 1904 called the Supreme...

, on Dec. 26, 2010 Pontifical Council for the Laity
Pontifical Council for the Laity
The Pontifical Council for the Laity has the responsibility of assisting the Pope in his dealings with the laity in lay ecclesial movements or individually, and their contributions to the Church. The Cardinal President of the Council is Cardinal Stanisław Ryłko. The Secretary is Bishop Josef...

 approved the 13 volume text of the catecheses which are handed on to neo-catechumen
Catechumen
In ecclesiology, a catechumen , “‘down’” + ἠχή , “‘sound’”) is one receiving instruction from a catechist in the principles of the Christian religion with a view to baptism...

s during the whole of neocatechumenal itinerary. Pope Benedict XVI, who knows the content of the catechesis of the Way from the time he was a bishop of Munich
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Munich and Freising
The Archdiocese of Munich and Freising is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Bavaria, Germany. It is led by the prelature of the Archbishop of Munich, who administers the see from the mother church in Munich, the Frauenkirche, also known as Munich Cathedral...

 praised the approval, calling it ecclesiastic seals for the whole of neocatechumenal teaching:

Liturgy

Liturgy is regarded by the Way as one of its three fundamental elements (tripod), along with the word of God and Christian community. (Cf. Statutes Art. 8§2) Paschal mystery, celebrated in the Sacred Triduum, is seen as a liturgical axis and source of Christian life and a fulcrum of the Neocatechumenate which leads to rediscovery of Christian initiation. (Cf. Statutes Art. 12§1) After the Easter liturgical celebrations, the most important place is given to the Eucharist as something that completes Christian initiation and builds a small community in which catechumens follow their itinerary (Cf. Statutes Art. 13§1).

Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments is the congregation of the Roman Curia that handles most affairs relating to liturgical practices of the Latin Catholic Church as distinct from the Eastern Catholic Churches and also some technical matters relating to the...

 has accompanied the liturgical renewal of the Eucharistic celebration by the Neocatechumenal Way from the very beginning. Pope John Paul II celebrated the Eucharist at the meeting with the communities in Porto San Giorgio
Porto San Giorgio
Porto San Giorgio is a comune in the Province of Fermo, in the Marche region of Italy. It has approximately 16,200 inhabitants and it is located on the coast of the Adriatic Sea.-History:...

 in 1989, exactly as the communities do it, including the communion rite in a sitting position.

Francis Arinze, then Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments is the congregation of the Roman Curia that handles most affairs relating to liturgical practices of the Latin Catholic Church as distinct from the Eastern Catholic Churches and also some technical matters relating to the...

, was not fully willing to accept the differences in the liturgy of the neocatechumenal Eucharist, accepted by his predecessors. On 12 December 2005, he wrote a private letter to Kiko Arguello, Carmen Hernandez and Father Mario Pezzi on behalf of Pope Benedict. This letter directed: "In the celebration of the Holy Mass, the Neocatechumenal Way shall accept and follow the liturgical books approved by the Church, without omitting or adding anything." The letter directed members of the Neocatechumenal Way to adopt the prescribed method of receiving Holy Communion, to participate in parish life, and to celebrate Mass with the rest of the parish community on at least one Sunday each month.

This private letter of Cardinal Arinze has been superseded by the Final Statute of the Neocatechumenal Way when it expresses that “the celebrations of the Eucharist of the neocatechumenal communities on Saturday evening are part of the Sunday liturgical pastoral work of the parish and are open also to other faithful.” This means that by participating in the Saturday evening Eucharistic celebration with their communities, members of the Neocatechumenal Way are already partaking in the Holy Mass of the parish community.

In his Canonical Observations on the Definitive Approval of the Statutes of the Neocatechumenal Way, Msgr. Juan Ignacio Arrieta, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts
Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts
The Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts is part of the Roman Curia. Its work "consists mainly in interpreting the laws of the Church". ....

 summarizes the liturgical concessions of the Neocatechumenal Way as follows: “First, that the neocatechumens celebrate the Eucharist in the small community, after the First Vespers of Sunday. Second, that this celebration, after First Vespers takes place according to the disposition of the diocesan bishop. Third, that these celebrations [...] are part of the pastoral work and consequently are open to all the faithful. Fourth, that in these celebrations the liturgical books approved by the Roman Rite are followed, 'with the exception of the explicit concessions from the Holy See' (always with unleavened bread), moving the rite of peace before the consecration, communion under both species, brief admonitions and echoes and, finally, a new way for the distribution of Communion: 'Regarding the distribution of Holy Communion under the two species, the neocatechumens receive standing, remaining at their place.' In practice, the faithful receive the broken consecrated bread (now the Body of Christ) into the palm while standing, take seat and wait until all the faithful receive the consecrated bread. Then the presbyter
Presbyter
Presbyter in the New Testament refers to a leader in local Christian congregations, then a synonym of episkopos...

 says 'Body of Christ, bring us everlasting life!' and the whole congregation consumes together. Sharing the cup takes place afterward, individually, while the faithful are standing at their seats and the presbyter carries the chalice around.

In an interview with the Spanish newspaper La Razón, Cardinal Antonio Cañizares, the current Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship expressed his view on the Eucharistic celebration of the Neocatechumenal Way: “There are no liturgical anomalies [in the Eucharist]; everything is in full compliance of the guidelines of the ‘Ordo Missae.’ What I have really seen there are Eucharists celebrated without any hurry, with a great faith, and where you can perceive the joy and the thanksgiving for the gift which is being bestowed in the Eucharist.”

The Statutes also mention the sacrament of Penance celebrated according to the rite of reconciliation for multiple penitents, with individual confession
Confession
This article is for the religious practice of confessing one's sins.Confession is the acknowledgment of sin or wrongs...

 and absolution
Absolution
Absolution is a traditional theological term for the forgiveness experienced in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This concept is found in the Roman Catholic Church, as well as the Eastern Orthodox churches, the Anglican churches, and most Lutheran churches....

.

Criticisms

During the 40 years since its inception the Neocatechumenal Way has drawn some criticism, especially in the 1980s and the 1990s, by some priests, theologians and by local bishops, who expressed concerns about the orthodoxy of its teachings and the validity of its liturgical practices. In 1995, the Italian Passionist priest and theologian Enrico Zoffoli published a savage critique of the Neocatechumenal Way in which he accused the movement of heretical ideas: “Their doctrine is seriously compromised with errors against fundamental dogmatics of the Church, the Popes and the Councils. They negate the Redemption
Redemption (theology)
Redemption is a concept common to several theologies. It is generally associated with the efforts of people within a faith to overcome their shortcomings and achieve the moral positions exemplified in their faith.- In Buddhism :...

, the sacrifice character of the Eucharist, the transubstantiation
Transubstantiation
In Roman Catholic theology, transubstantiation means the change, in the Eucharist, of the substance of wheat bread and grape wine into the substance of the Body and Blood, respectively, of Jesus, while all that is accessible to the senses remains as before.The Eastern Orthodox...

, etc... they misunderstand the sin
Sin
In religion, sin is the violation or deviation of an eternal divine law or standard. The term sin may also refer to the state of having committed such a violation. Christians believe the moral code of conduct is decreed by God In religion, sin (also called peccancy) is the violation or deviation...

  and the Grace
Grace (Christianity)
In Christian theology, grace is God’s gift of God’s self to humankind. It is understood by Christians to be a spontaneous gift from God to man - "generous, free and totally unexpected and undeserved" - that takes the form of divine favour, love and clemency. It is an attribute of God that is most...

 concepts... their doctrinal statements are fundamentally wrong.” In particular, he warned bishops of the dangers of allowing Redemptoris Mater seminaries to open in their dioceses: "The building of Neocatechumenal seminaries, where candidates are prepared for the priesthood educated in accordance with the doctrinal errors of Kiko, could be one of the worst threats for the Church of tomorrow.".

The Neocatechumenal Way has never made any official pronouncement regarding the accusations of heresy, but have always relied on declarations by the Holy See. The two strongest signs of approval by the Holy See was the approval of the Statutes in 2008 and in the reaffirmation of the Orientations for the Teams of Catechists, also known as the Catechetical Directory, of the approval first issued in 2003 and then again in January 2011. These indicate the approval of the Church in both the structure of the Neocatechumenal Way and also of its teachings.

Another area for concern has been the allegations that the Way could have a divisive impact on the Catholic parishes it moves into. The Neocatechumenal communities are made up of people from the parish and they do not celebrate their Masses on Sunday but on Saturday evening with the Sunday Vigil Mass, in small groups in the church and separately from the parish communities to which they belong.

In France, the Neocatechumenate was first introduced into the parish of St Germain-des-Prés in Paris. However, protracted disputation followed, and the archbishop of Paris, Cardinal François Marty, blocked any further expansion before his retirement in 1981. During 1992, similar controversy at the parish of Pulnoy-Cerville prompted the bishop
Roman Catholic Diocese of Nancy
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Nancy is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic church in France. Erected in 1777, the diocese is currently suffragan to the Archdiocese of Besançon...

 of Nancy to transfer catechists to another parish.

In the Diocese of Clifton
Roman Catholic Diocese of Clifton
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Clifton is a Latin Rite Roman Catholic diocese centred around the Cathedral Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Clifton....

, Bristol, an extensive investigation of the communities in 1994 reported that the movement was "a form of spiritual enslavement" and that its presence in parishes was "completely divisive and destructive." The Bishop Mervyn Alexander
Mervyn Alexander
The Right Reverend Meryvn Alban Alexander was the 8th Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Clifton .He was born on 29 June 1925 in Highbury, London, the eldest son of William and Grace Alexander...

 issued a decree the next year banning the Neocatechumenal Way from further activity in the Diocese.

A priest who follows the Neocatechumenal Way is sometimes erroneously referred to as a "Neocatechumenal Way priest". Supporters of the Way say the term is misleading because the Way is not a movement. Any priest may follow the Way, e.g. a diocesan priest as well as a Dominican priest. The priests formed in the Redemptoris Mater seminaries are expected to be subject to their diocesan Bishops.

At St. Vincent's church, Sydney, Australia, a Neocatechumenal Way priest was appointed in 2003; he replaced practices and structures introduced by the previous parish priest. Many of the indigenous parish members challenged this and disputes continued for several years.

In the Philippines, the Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan
Socrates B. Villegas
Socrates Buenaventura Villegas,D.D. , born in Manila, September 28, 1960, is a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines. He is the Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan in Pangasinan, Philippines. He was also elected Vice President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines ...

 imposed a temporary moratorium on all initial catechesis in the Way within that Archdiocese in May 2010. No new communities will be opened, and no new members may be initiated. He explained that "despite its positive effects ... there are certain concerns about the direction the Neocatechumenate is leading to".

Archbishop Peter Takeo Okada
Peter Takeo Okada
is a Japanese clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the current archbishop of Tokyo.Okada was born in Ichikawa in Chiba Prefecture. He was ordained a priest on 3 November 1973. On 15 April 1991, he was appointed bishop of Urawa by Pope John Paul II...

 has described the Way's presence in Japan’s small Catholic community as "a serious problem" and "divisive and confrontational". In 2010, the Japanese episcopal conference announced that it would suspend the activities of the movement in Japan for five years. However, Pope Benedict XVI refused the request from four Japanese bishops on December 13 in Rome, saying that a delegate would be sent to see the situation speaking to both clergy and laity alike. The Takamatsu Redemptoris Mater seminary was relocated to Rome in 2009.

A former assistant-general of the Marist Fathers, New Zealand social anthropologist Gerald Arbuckle SM warned superiors of Catholic religious orders that they need to limit involvement with the Neocatechumenal Way by members of their communities: "I believe that no authentic religious can belong to a sect.” In particular, he criticised the NC's rejection of "the Gospel commitment to inculturation
Inculturation
Inculturation is a term used in Christianity, especially in the Roman Catholic Church, referring to the adaptation of the way Church teachings are presented to non-Christian cultures, and to the influence of those cultures on the evolution of these teachings....

" (the commitment to interact in a non-imperialistic way with local cultures).

Pope meets with Roman clergy (2/2007)

On Thursday 22 February 2007, Pope Benedict XVI met the clergy of Rome in a question-and-answer session. Fr. Gerardo Raul Carcar asked the Pope for advice on how he should integrate movements in order to develop a real ministry of unity in the universal Church.

The Neocatechumenal Way was mentioned briefly by the Pope as follows:
"For example, we ask ourselves whether, after five years of experience, it is possible to confirm definitively the Statutes for the Neocatechumenal Way, whether a trial period is necessary or whether, perhaps, certain elements of this structure need perfecting. In any case, I knew the Neocatechumenals from the very outset. It was a long Way, with many complications that still exist today, but we have found an ecclesial form that has already vastly improved the relationship between the Pastor and the Way. We are going ahead like this! The same can be said for other Movements."


The Holy Father cited two rules for movements' growth: respect for the charism, and integration with and service of the Church.

A letter from the bishops of the Holy Land (2/2007)

Three days later, on the 25, The Catholic Bishops of the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...

 wrote a letter to Kiko saying, amongst other things:
The Catholic bishops of the Holy Land wrote a letter welcoming the Neocatechumenal Way, giving indications for its work in the area.

"Brothers and sisters of the Way: You are welcome in our dioceses," the bishops wrote in their letter released Sunday. "We thank God for the grace the Lord has given you and for the charism that the Holy Spirit has infused in the Church through your ministry of post-baptismal formation.

"We are grateful for your presence in some of our parishes, for the preaching of the Word of God, for the help given to our faithful in deepening their faith and in rooting them in their own local church."

Melkite Leader Invites Neocatechumenal Way (5/2007)

The leader of the Melkite Greek Catholics of Galilee has proposed the establishment of a new "branch" of the Neocatechumenal Way to work specifically in the Eastern-rite Church in Galilee.

Archbishop Elias Chacour recognized that this ecclesial reality is bearing "excellent fruits" in its evangelizing work within the Melkite Church.

Archbishop Chacour states in his message that he has searched for "someone or some community to preach the Good News to my parishioners" as an answer to proselytism of the sects, and that the Neocatechumenal Way is an answer.

To further develop the fruits of this evangelization, the archbishop proposes the establishment of a new branch of the Neocatechumenal Way that would work within the Melkite Church and adopt its liturgy.

"You follow with your procedures the same path and the same methods, my Ancestors, the Apostles, used at the beginning of Christianity two thousand years ago," Archbishop Chacour writes. "You proclaim the Word of God fearlessly with conviction and with determination."

Final Approval by the Holy See (6/2008)

On June 13, 2008, Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, published a decree containing the definitive approval of the statutes of the Neo-Catechumenal Way. During a celebration held in the offices of the council, the cardinal handed the decree of approval and a final draft of the statutes to Kiko Arguello and Carmen Hernandez, initiators of the Neo-Catechumenal Way, and to the Italian priest Fr. Mario Pezzi. The process of approval was prolonged because it involved the areas of responsibility of five separate Vatican dicasteries: the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, the Congregation for the Clergy, and the Congregation for Catholic Education, all of which gave careful examination to the statutes, alongside the Pontifical Council for the Laity which co-ordinated and concluded the process.

"Thus ends the process that began in 1997" reads a communiqué on the subject released by the Neo-Catechumenal Way. A process that began "at the behest of John Paul II to give the Way 'formal legal recognition' and to make it a 'universal patrimony of the Church'". In the communique the founders of the Neo-Catechumenal Way explained how "our recognition and gratitude go out to Pope Benedict XVI who with great love has followed and approved the conclusion of this work.

Benedict XVI Gives Thanks for Neocatechumenal Way (1/2009)

Benedict XVI gave thanks to God for the fruits of the evangelical efforts of the Neocatechumenal Way, as that Catholic lay group celebrated 40 years of foundation in Rome.

In an event on Saturday in St. Peter's Basilica to mark the anniversary, the Pope addressed some 25,000 members of the Way. The group's founders, Kiko Argüello and Carmen Hernández, as well as Father Mario Pezzi were in attendance.

"How can we not bless the Lord for the spiritual fruits which, through the methodology of evangelization that you apply, have been harvested in these years," the Holy Father asked. "How many fresh apostolic energies have risen up both among priests and among laypeople! How many men and women and how many families that had grown distant from the ecclesial community or had abandoned the practice of Christian life, through the announcement of the kerygma and the itinerary of rediscovery of baptism, have been helped to find again the joy of the faith and the enthusiasm of the testimony of the Gospel."

The Bishop of Rome recognized that the recent approval of the statutes of the Neocatechumenal Way by the Pontifical Council for the Laity "has sealed the esteem and benevolence with which the Holy See follows this work that the Lord has stirred up through the initiators [of the Way]."

The Pontiff went on to affirm that the full realization of the work comes with "docile adherence to the directives" of the bishops and "with communion with all of the other components of the People of God."

"This unity, gift of the Holy Spirit and incessant quest of believers, makes of each community a living and well-integrated joint in the mystical body of Christ," he said.

Finally, Benedict XVI gave thanks to God for the "great number of priests and consecrated persons that the Lord has risen up in your communities."

During the event, Argüello presented some of the fruits of the Neocatechumenal Way: more than 200 families who will go out to various parts of the world to announce the Gospel, joining another 500 already on mission; 700 people who have spread the experience of the Way around the world; 15 new groups of three to four families with a priest who will go to live in cities where the practice of the Christian faith is weak.

Argüello presented these and other groups to the Holy Father, who gave them his blessing.

The Pope then presented a representative number with a silver cross, symbol of the mission entrusted to them. The event concluded with the singing of the "Te Deum."

Neocatechumenal Way Accompanies Pope to Holy Land (5/2009)

More than 7,000 European youth of the Catholic lay Neocatechumenal Way accompanied Benedict XVI on his trip to the Holy Land in May 2009.

The young people made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land during the eight days of the Pope's visit, and participated in the various events planned for those days in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth.

Youths from all over Europe and beyond, met with the founders and leaders of the Neocatechumenate, in a retreat house run by the group on the Mount of the Beatitudes (Domus Galilaeae
Domus Galilaeae
Domus Galilaeae or House of Galilee , located on the peak of Mount of Beatitudes, above and north of Capernaum and the Sea of Galilee, is a modern Christian meeting place, primarily used for Christian seminars and conventions....

). They also visited Upper Galilee in order to hold meetings with Orthodox, Byzantine and Maronite young people of the region.

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