On Saturday, Pope Francis received in audience the founder of the international Catholic movement “Neocatechumenal Way”, as well as the movement's leadership team, as shown in a statement from the Vatican press office and a more detailed statement from the movement.
Thus, Francisco received the initiator Kiko Arguello (85), as well as the leaders, Father Mario Pezzi and Mrs. Ascension Romero. The message from the Neocatechumal Way continues saying that in the audience the team informed the Pope about a meeting of more than a thousand members from around the world that had just ended. In the conversation, the Pope remembered co-founder Carmen Hernandez (1930 to 2016) and encouraged the leadership team to continue its global work.
According to its own information, the Neocatechumenal Way is currently present in 136 countries. The community runs 120 seminaries under the name “Redemptoris Mater”, including one in the archdiocese of Cologne, Berlin and Vienna.
The movement was founded in Madrid in 1964 by the artist Arguello. Members try to use new methods to proclaim the gospel in modern times. Some of the organization's theological ideas and statutes have been the subject of debate within the Church, but have been gradually adapted into general canon law over the past 25 years.
(kna – gs)