Pope receives leaders, families of Neocatechumenal Way
Pope Benedict XVI received the leadership of the Neocatechumenal Way on Monday, along
with many seminarians and families that are members. The Neocatechumenal Way began
in the impoverished suburbs of Madrid in the 1960’s, when the young Spanish artist,
Francesco “Kiko” Arguello began to preach the Gospel to people in the slums of Palomeras
Altas, together with a lay woman, Carmen Hernandez.
The Neocatechumenate grew
and expanded rapidly, becoming an itinerary for the rediscovery of the power and grace
of baptism among Christian families living in the rapidly secularizing climate of
the contemporary world.
The Way, as it is known colloquially, has a strong
missionary ethos.
Many Neocatechumenal families offer to travel to foreign
lands to preach the Gospel through the establishment of new Communities of the Neocatechumenate.
In
his remarks to the group on Monday, Pope Benedict praised these hundreds of “families
in mission”, for their willingness to forego the comforts of friends and familiar
surroundings in order to help parishes in difficulty throughout the world.
The
Holy Father also thanked the more than 2000 men in formation for the priesthood in
the Redemptoris mater seminaries here in Rome and throughout the world, saying they
are an eloquent sign of the fruit that can be borne of the rediscovery of Baptismal
grace.