Rome, 01/09/2019

The initiator and international manager of the Neocatechumenal Way, Kiko Argüello, thanks Pope Francis for the words that he dedicated yesterday at the end of the mass at the Casa Santa Marta of the Vatican on the occasion of his 80th birthday, today January 9.

Yesterday, as the Vatican News reports, Francis dedicated a greeting at the end of the mass and thanked him “for the apostolic zeal with which he works in the Church.”

The team responsible for the entire Way, made up of Kiko Argüello, Maria Ascensión Romero and Fr Mario Pezzi, take the opportunity to renew to Pope Francis their affection and closeness, assuring him of prayers for his Petrine ministry.

Currently, the Neocatechumenal Way is present in 134 nations on five continents, with 21,300 communities in 6,270 parishes. It has 1,668 families in mission, of which 216 are missio ad gentes in de-Christianized cities around the world. Worldwide, there are 122 Redemptoris Mater Diocesan Missionary Seminaries and 2,500 ordained priests.