{"id":3766,"date":"2020-03-15T21:25:21","date_gmt":"2020-03-15T20:25:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/15.188.244.8.xip.io\/speech-for-the-forty-years-since-the-beginning-of-the-way-01-10-2009\/"},"modified":"2020-06-06T20:18:44","modified_gmt":"2020-06-06T19:18:44","slug":"speech-for-the-forty-years-since-the-beginning-of-the-way-01-10-2009","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/neocatechumenaleiter.org\/en\/words-of-the-popes\/benedict-xvi\/speech-for-the-forty-years-since-the-beginning-of-the-way-01-10-2009\/","title":{"rendered":"Speech for the Forty Years since the beginning of the Way 01-10-2009"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Speech for the Forty Years since the beginning of the Way 01-10-2009 <\/h1>\n\n
<\/div>\n\n

Benedict XVI<\/h4>\n\n
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Vatican Basilica, January 10, 2009<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

On January 10, 2009, in the \nSt. Peter’s Basilica, full of brothers from the communities, with a \nbrief but solemn gathering, the 40 years of the Neocatechumenal Way \nhave been celebrated in the Diocese of Rome. The Holy Father was accompanied \nby the Cardinal Vicar Agostino Vallini and Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, \nPresident of the Pontifical Council for the Laity. In the basilica, among \n others, there was also the new Prefect of Worship, Cardinal Antonio \nCa\u00f1izares.<\/em>At the beginning of the gathering, presided by the Holy Father Benedict XVI, Kiko \n has presented to all those present the first community of the Blessed Sacrament \nSacramento and the Holy Canadian Martyrs who celebrate 40 years of \nwalking in the Way, the first community of the Bonne Nouvelle in Paris, 14 \n“Communitates in missionem” of Rome that leave for the more difficult \nperipheries of the diocease, the 14 \u201cMissio ad gentes\u201d of the 5 \ncontinents, the 200 new families that leave on mission to different \nparts of the world, the 700 itinerant catechists responsible for \nNeocatechumenal Way in the nations, the 500 communities present in \n103 parishes of the diocese of Rome.<\/em>Afterwards the solemn proclamation of the Gospel of Matthew \n10,5-42, made by Father Mario and then the Pope’s speech.<\/em>After the speech, the Holy Father has blessed and consigned the \ncrucifix to those who departed. After, the Lord’s Prayer \n and an admonition by Carmen Hern\u00e1ndez who wanted to remember the Popes \nwho have marked the history of the Way -from Pius XII, for the liturgical \n renovation, John XXIII for the Council, Paul VI, John Paul I and \nJohn Paul II- together with the Congregations that have followed us the most \n and Cardinals Paul Cordes and Stanislaw Rylko, the entire assembly has \nsolemnly sung the “Te Deum” of thanksgiving.<\/em><\/p>\n\n

The Pope addressed those present with the following words:<\/em><\/p>\n\n

\"Sending<\/figure><\/div>\n\n

“Dear Brothers and Sisters, \nWith great joy I welcome you who have come in such large numbers today, on the occasion of the 40th \n anniversary of the beginning of the Neocatechumenal Way in Rome, which currently numbers \n a good 500 communities. My cordial greeting to \nyou all. In a special way I greet the Cardinal Vicar Agostino \nVallini, as well as Cardinal Stanis\u0142aw Ry\u0142ko, President of the Pontifical \nCouncil for the Laity, who has followed the \nprocess for the approval of your Statutes with dedication. I greet those in charge \nof the Neocatechumenal Way: Mr Kiko Arg\u00fcello, whom I cordially thank \nfor his words expressing all \nof your sentiments, I greet \nMs Carmen Hern\u00e1ndez and I greet Fr Mario Pezzi. I greet the communities \n who set out to the neediest suburbs of Rome to do mission work, those who \n depart for the “missio ad gentes” on the five continents, the \n200 new itinerant families and the 700 \nitinerant catechists responsible for the Neocatechumenal Way in the various \nnations. Thank you to all. May the Lord accompany you.<\/p>\n\n

Significantly, this meeting of ours is taking place \nin the Vatican Basilica, built on the tomb of the \n Apostle Peter. It was he himself, Prince of the \nApostles who, in response to the question that Jesus \naddressed to the Twelve concerning his identity, fervently confessed, “You \nare the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Mt 16: 16). You are gathered here \n today to renew this same profession of faith. Your presence, so \nnumerous and so lively, testifies to the miracles worked by the Lord in \nthe past four decades. It also demonstrates the commitment with \nwhich you intend to persevere on the journey you have begun, a journey of following \nChrist faithfully and of courageous witness to his Gospel, not only here in Rome \nbut wherever Providence leads you a way of docile adherence to \nthe Pastors’ directives and of communion with all the other \nmembers of the People of God. You intend to do this \nbeing well aware that helping the people of our time to encounter \nJesus Christ, the Redeemer of mankind, is what constitutes the mission of the Church and \n of every baptized person. The “Neocatechumenal Way” fits into this ecclesial mission \nas one of the many ways inspired by the Holy Spirit \nwith the Second Vatican Council for the new evangelization.<\/p>\n\n

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It all \n began here in Rome, 40 years ago, when the first communities of the \nNeocatechumenal Way were established in the Roman \nParish of the Holy Canadian Martyrs. How can we not praise the Lord for \nthe spiritual fruits that it has been possible to gather in these \nyears through your method of evangelization? How many fresh \n apostolic energies have been inspired, among both priests and \nlay people! How many men and women and how many families who had \n drifted away from the ecclesial community or had abandoned the practice of \n Christian life through the proclamation of the kerygma and the process of the \n rediscovery of Baptism have been helped to rediscover the \n joy of faith and the enthusiasm of Gospel witness! The \n recent approval of the Statutes of the Way by the Pontifical Council \nfor the Laity has sealed the esteem and benevolence with \nwhich the Holy See follows the work that the Lord has inspired through \nyour Initiators. The Pope, Bishop of Rome, thanks you for \nthe generous service you offer to the evangelization of this City and for \nthe dedication with which you work to bring the Christian proclamation \ninto every environment thanks to all of you.<\/p>\n\n

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Your \n apostolic action, already very praiseworthy, will be all the more effective \nto the extent that you strive to constantly cultivate that yearning for \n unity which Jesus communicated to the Twelve during the Last Supper. As we have heard \n in the first song, before the Passion our Redeemer prayed intensely \nthat his disciples all would be one so that the world would be \nimpelled to believe in him (cf. Jn 17: 21) because this unity can come only by \nthe power of God. It is this unity, a gift of the Holy Spirit and \na ceaseless quest of believers, which makes each community a \nliving structure that is well integrated into the Mystical Body of Christ. The \nunity of the Lord’s disciples is part of the very essence of the Church and \n is an indispensable condition for its evangelizing action \nto be both fruitful and credible. I know with how much zeal the communities of \n the Neocatechumenal Way are working in at least 103 Roman parishes. As I encourage \nyou to continue in this commitment, I urge you \nto intensify your adherence to all of the directives of the Cardinal \nVicar, my direct collaborator in the pastoral government of the Diocese. \nThank you for your “yes” that obviously comes from the heart. The \norganic insertion of the “Way” into the pastoral work of the Diocese and its unity with \n other ecclesial realities will prove beneficial to the entire Christian people \n and make the Diocese’s effort for a renewed proclamation of \nthe Gospel in this our city more effective. Actually today a vast missionary movement \nis necessary. It must involve the different ecclesial bodies \nwhich, while each retains the originality of its own \ncharism, work in harmony, seeking to achieve that “integrated pastoral \naction” which has already made significant results possible. And you, \nplacing yourselves at full disposal to \nthe Bishop’s service as your Statutes recall will be able to serve as an example for many \nlocal Churches that rightly look to that of Rome as a \nreference model.<\/p>\n\n

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There is \n another spiritual fruit that has matured in these 40 years for which \nI would like to thank Divine Providence together with you: it is the large \nnumber of priests and consecrated people which the Lord as Kiko has \n mentioned has inspired in your communities. Many \npriests are engaged in the parishes and in other fields of the \ndiocesan apostolate, and many are the itinerant missionaries in various nations. \nThey are carrying out a generous service to the Church of Rome and the \nChurch of Rome renders an invaluable service to evangelization in the \nworld. It is a true “springtime of hope” for the diocesan \ncommunity of Rome and for the universal Church! I thank the Rector \n and his collaborators in Rome’s Redemptoris Mater Seminary for their \neducational work. Their task is far from easy but is very \n important for the Church’s future. I therefore encourage them to \ncontinue with this mission, adopting the formational \napproaches proposed both by the Holy See and by the Dioceses. The goal of all \n formators should be to prepare priests \nwho are well integrated into the diocesan presbyterate and into both \n parochial and diocesan pastoral ministry.<\/p>\n\n

Dear \n brothers and sisters, the Gospel passage that has been proclaimed has \n reminded us of the challenges and conditions of the apostolic mission. Jesus’ words, \n recorded by the Evangelist St Matthew, resound \nas an invitation not to be discouraged in the face of difficulties, not \nto seek human success and not to fear misunderstandings or even \n persecutions. Rather, they are an encouragement to place one’s \n trust in Christ’s power, to take up one’s “own cross” and to follow in the footsteps \nof our Redeemer who, in this Christmas Season now nearing its end, appeared to \nus in the humility and poverty of Bethlehem. May the Holy Virgin, \nmodel of every disciple of Christ and a “house of blessing” as you \nhave sung, help you to carry out joyfully and faithfully the mandate \nthat the Church confidently entrusts to you. As I thank you for your \nservice to the Church of Rome, I \nassure you of my prayers and I warmly bless you who are present here \nand all the communities of the Neocatechumenal Way scattered \n in all the world.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Speech for the Forty Years since the beginning of the Way 01-10-2009 Benedict XVI Vatican Basilica, January 10, 2009 On January 10, 2009, in the St. Peter’s Basilica, full of brothers from the communities, with a brief but solemn gathering, the 40 years of the Neocatechumenal Way have been celebrated in the Diocese of Rome. The Holy Father was accompanied by the Cardinal Vicar Agostino Vallini<\/p>\n

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