The Neocatechumenal Way (aka “The Way”) was born in 1964 in the shanty towns of Palomeras Altas, near Madrid (Spain). The environment of the shanty towns was formed by the most degraded layers of society: gypsies and “quinquis” (largely illiterate), homeless, thieves, prostitutes, young criminals, immigrants, etc. In this environment, the seed of the Neocatechumenal Way germinated. Among the poor and marginalized who received the announcement of the dead and risen Christ, Kiko Arguello and Carmen Hernandez gave witness to how the Holy Spirit inspired a process of Christian initiation, in the image of the catechumenate of the early Church.
In the early 1960s, Francisco José Gómez Argüello (Kiko), a Spanish painter, winner of the Special National Painting Prize in 1959, after a deep existencial crisis, discovered in the suffering of the innocents the mystery of Christ Crucified, who is present in the last ones of the earth This experience led him to abandon everything and, following in the footsteps of Charles de Foucauld, he went to live among the poor in Palomeras Altas.
In this process he received an inspiration from the Virgin Mary:
‘We must make Christian communities like the Holy Family of Nazareth,
who live in humility, simplicity and praise.
The other is Christ.’
Carmen Hernández, also a Spaniard, was a graduate in Chemistry, and studied at the Institute of Missionaries of Christ Jesus. She also graduated in Theology with the Dominicans of Valencia and there she discovered the renewal of the Second Vatican Council through the liturgist Mons. Pedro Farnés Scherer.
After two years in Israel, living with Jewish people and experiencing their traditions and the places of the Holy Land, she returned to Madrid with the hope of forming a missionary group to evangelise the miners of Oruro (Bolivia), as requested by the then-archbishop of La Paz, Mons. Jorge Manrique Hurtado. Through a sister of hers, she came in contact with Kiko Argüello in the Palomeras shanty towns. Her plans, she acknowledged, were ‘hijacked’ by the Lord, and so instead she also moved into the shanty town, into a shack adjacent to a factory wall and began to collaborate with him.
The artistic temperament of Kiko, his existential experience, his training as a catechist in the Cursillos of Christianity combined with the impulse of evangelization of Carmen, her theological preparation and knowledge of the Paschal Mystery and the renewal of the Second Vatican Council, together with the environment of the poorest on earth, constituted the laboratory that gave rise to a kerygmatic, theological-catechetical synthesis, which is the backbone of this process of adult evangelization that is the Neocatechumenal Way.
Thus was born the first community founded on the tripod: Word of God-Liturgy-Community, leading to fraternal communion and mature faith.
This new catechetical experience, which was in the line with the renewal inspired by the II Vatican II Council, was welcomed by the then archbishop of Madrid, Mons. Casimiro Morcillo, who encouraged the initiators of the Way to spread it in the parishes that requested it. The experience extended gradually in the archdiocese of Madrid, in Zamora and in other Spanish dioceses.
PAUL THE VI – THE WAY, FRUIT OF THE
SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL
In 1974, Pope Paul VI, in an audience granted to the first neocatechumenal communities, recognized the Way as a fruit of the Second Vatican Council: “Here are the fruits of the Council! You do after Baptism what the early Church did before: before or after, is secondary. The fact is that you look at the authenticity, the fullness, the coherence, the sincerity of the Christian life. And this has a great merit, which comforts us greatly (…) How much joy they give us with their presence and activity! ”
All the next Popes have promoted and recognized the Way as the fruit and inspiration of the Holy Spirit for the help of the Church. Among them John Paul I, that when he was patriarch of Venice had welcomed Kiko and Carmen to begin the Way in the diocese.
In 1990, St. John Paul II wrote in the letter Ogniqualvolta : “I acknowledge the Neocatechumenal Way as an itinerary of Catholic formation, valid for our society and for our times.”, and “It is therefore my wish that the Brothers in the Episcopate – together with their presbyters – value and support this work for the new evangelization”.
Benedict XVI has also accompanied, sustained and encouraged the missionary expansion of the Way. During his pontificate, in 2008, the Statutes were definitively approved by the Pontifical Council for the Laity. In turn, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith gave its doctrinal approval to the Catechetical Directory in 2010.
“I thank the Lord for the joy of your faith and for the ardour of your Christian witness, thanks be to God! (…) I thank you for all you do in the Church and the world.”
, Pope Francis said at the first audience with the initiators and the brothers of the Way in 2014.
Presently, the Neocatechumenal Way is active in 134 nations across 5 continents, with 21,300 communities in 6,270 parishes, as well as 1,668 families in mission of which 216 are Missio ad Gentes in dechristianized cities around the world, with 125 diocesan missionary Redemptoris Mater seminaries.
Sydney is very much a part of this new ecclesial reality.
Now you too can get involved!
COME & LISTEN
Opportunities for attending catechesis takes place in a number of different parishes throughout the Sydney and ACT area, including the Wollongong and Parramatta Dioceses.
Calendar for 2023
Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney
St Vincent de Paul Church, Redfern
Commencing 18 September 2023
Mondays & Thursdays, 7.30pm
Contact: Gian Pietro/Caterina: 0402 576 258
St Fiacres’ Parish, Leichhardt
Commencing 4 September 2023
Mondays & Wednesdays, 7.30pm
Address: 96 Catherine St, Leichhardt
Contact: David/Fiona – 0418 245 159
Our Lady of Lourdes’ Parish, Earlwood
Commencing 4 September 2023
Mondays & Thursdays, 7.30pm
Address: 280 Homer St, Earlwood,
Contact: Aldo/Iole – 0416 028 706
Our Lady of the Annunciation Parish, Pagewood
Address: 25 Donovan Ave, Maroubra NSW 2035
Contact: Nick/Rebecca – 0423 622 893
St Gertrude’s Parish, Smithfield
Address: Cnr Neville & Justin Sts, Smithfield NSW 2164
Contact: Bradley/Louise – 0431 271 620
St Martha’s Catholic Parish, Strathfield
Cnr. Homebush Rd & Churchill Ave, Strathfield NSW 2135
Contact: Fr John – 9746 6131
Holy Family Parish, Maroubra
Commencing 18 September
Mondays & Thursdays, 7.30pm
Address: 214 Maroubra Rd, Maroubra NSW 2035
Contact: Quique – 0434 583 368 or Fr David – 0429 155 838
Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Caringbah
Address: 389 Port Hacking Rd, Caringbah
Contact: Claudio/Stefania – 0438 985 932 or Fr Anderson – 02 9524 7283
Parramatta Catholic Diocese
Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Baulkham Hills South
Commencing 18 September 2023
Mondays & Thursdays, 7.30pm
Address: 1 Canyon Rd, Baulkham Hills NSW 2153
Contact: Lucas/Ana – 0428 813 256
St Michael’s Parish Church, Baulkham Hills
Commencing 18 September 2023
Mondays & Thursdays, 7.30pm
Address: 1 Canyon Rd, Baulkham Hills NSW 2153
Contact: Fr Marlon – 02 9726 8114
Sacred Heart Parish, Mt Druitt South
[February/March 2024]
Address: 9 Ropes Creek Rd, Mt Druitt South
Contact: Matthew/Rebecca – 0438 049 116
Wollongong Catholic Diocese
Holy Family Parish, Ingleburn
Address: 136 Oxford Rd, Ingleburn NSW 2565
Contact: Bernie/Laura – 0432 413 803
St Francis of Assisi Parish, Warrawong
Commencing 3rd September 2023
Sundays & Thursdays, 7.30pm
Address: St Francis of Assisi School Hall, 95 Flagstaff Rd, Warrawong NSW 2502
Contact: Neil-Trish – 0438 056 016
Our Lady Help of Christians, Rosemeadow
Commencing 3 September 2023
Sundays & Thursdays, 7.30pm
Address: 80 Demetrius Rd, Rosemeadow NSW 2560
Contact: Gabriele/Anna – 0424 051 916
Canberra – Goulburn Catholic Archdiocese
St John Vianney Catholic Church, Waramanga ACT
Address: 87 Namatjira Drive, Waramanga ACT 2611
Contact: Miriam – 0414 041 235
St Benedict’s Catholic Church, Narrabundah ACT
Address: Cnr Sturt Ave & Jerrabomberra Ave, Narrabundah ACT 2611
Contact: Tania – 0426 236 662