Neocatechumenal Way

Neocatechumenal Way
AbbreviationNCW
Formation1964
FoundersKiko Argüello and Carmen Hernández
TypeProgram[1][2][3][4][5][disputed – discuss]
HeadquartersMadrid, Rome
Websiteneocatechumenaleiter.org/en
Icon of the Virgin Mary by Kiko Argüello, the Spanish painter who initiated the Neocatechumenal Way.

The Neocatechumenal Way, also known as the Neocatechumenate, or NCW is a program in the Catholic Church.[6] It is inspired by the catechumenate of the early Catholic Church where converts from paganism were prepared for baptism through a process of faith formation.[7] This post-baptismal formation helps deepen the faith for adults that have already been baptized, and provides basic instruction to those that are far from the Church.[8] This itinerary of formation adapts the rites of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) for those that have already been baptized, without repeating the sacrament of baptism.[9]

The Neocatechumenate began in Madrid in 1964 by Kiko Argüello and Carmen Hernández.[10] It is implemented in small, parish-based communities of up to 50 people. In 2007 there were around 20,000 such communities throughout the World, with an estimated million Catholics following the itinerary.[11] The Neocatechumenal Way has always placed a strong emphasis on New Evangelization, administering over 100 missionary diocesan seminaries, as well as sending families in mission around the world, to be a Catholic presence in secularized places.

  1. ^ John Paul II. "Papal Letter Ogni Qualvolta". Archived from the original on 2023-04-01. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
  2. ^ "Neocatechumenal Way's Statutes". ewtn.com. Eternal Word Television Network. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  3. ^ "DECREE OF THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR THE LAITY: APPROVAL OF THE STATUTES OF NEOCATECHUMENAL WAY "AD EXPERIMENTUM"". vatican.va. Vatican. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  4. ^ "The Way shows signs of a cult or sect". culteducation.com. Cult Education Institute. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  5. ^ "Bishop: Vatican-approved group caused 'problems', 'chaos'". ncronline.org. National Catholic Reporter. 13 January 2011. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  6. ^ Statute of the Neocatechumenal Way Archived 2019-06-18 at the Wayback Machine, Title I, Art. 1.
  7. ^ Juan Ignacio Arrieta. "Canonical observations on the Statutes of the Neocatechumenal Way". Archived from the original on 2023-03-24. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
  8. ^ The term post-baptismal catechumenate is used in the §1231 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, related to the teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church itself, “By its very nature infant Baptism requires a post-baptismal catechumenate.”
  9. ^ Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (PDF). p. 37.
  10. ^ "Decree Statutes" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-04-04. Retrieved 2012-03-10.(primary source)
  11. ^ Kiko Argüello meets with Benedict XVI Archived 2008-01-25 at the Wayback Machine (27 May 2007).