{"id":37560,"date":"2024-03-15T15:50:37","date_gmt":"2024-03-15T14:50:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neocatechumenaleiter.org\/in-memory-of-cardinal-paul-josef-cordes\/"},"modified":"2024-03-17T08:13:23","modified_gmt":"2024-03-17T07:13:23","slug":"in-memory-of-cardinal-paul-josef-cordes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neocatechumenaleiter.org\/en\/in-memory-of-cardinal-paul-josef-cordes\/","title":{"rendered":"In memory of Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Castelgandolfo, December 28, 1986. Eucharistic celebration of Pope St. John Paul II with Msgr. Cordes, Kiko Arg\u00fcello, Carmen Hern\u00e1ndez and the itinerants.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n\n

Grateful to God for his precious ministry in the Church<\/em><\/p>\n\n

Last night (March 15, 2024) the Lord called Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes to the \nreward of eternal life. The whole Church, and the Neocatechumenal Way in particular, is \nparticularly grateful to him for the work he carried out during so many years of his life, \naccompanying with his wise counsel the birth and growth – with his gradual insertion into \nthe Church – of so many ecclesial associations and realities that after the Council were \nflourishing, carrying out his ministry as Vice-President of the Pontifical Council for the \nLaity (1980-1995<\/p>\n\n

Already in 1986 (October 21, with the letter of the Secretary of State, Cardinal \nCasaroli), by the will of Pope John Paul II, who wished to favor a better insertion of the Neocatechumenal Communities in the Church and the necessary definition of their juridical-ecclesial identity, he was entrusted to carry it out. In 1990, St. John Paul II wrote to him the letter “Ogniqualvolta”, as in charge “ad personam” for the Apostolate of the Neocatechumenal Communities, where the Way was recognized “as an itinerary of Catholic formation, valid for the society and for the times of today”, and where the Pope wished that \nthis work for the new evangelization be valued and helped by the Pastors.<\/p>\n\n

Monsignor Cordes has always had a special attention and affection for the initiators \nof the Way, Kiko Arg\u00fcello and Carmen Hern\u00e1ndez, and has supported and encouraged \nthem in their path of growth, in all the moments of its history, assisting and accompanying \nthe different steps that have led the Neocatechumenal Way to be approved “as a diocesan \nmodality of Christian initiation and permanent education in the faith” (Statutes, Art. 1,2) \nand to be recognized by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith as “Catechetical \nDirectory”.<\/p>\n\n

In all these long years of history, in all this journey, Cardinal Cordes has always \nbeen not only close, but also a friend and valid support for the Initiators and for all the \nNeocatechumenal Communities, which owe so much to his work, as well as many Pastors \nwhom he encouraged to help and strengthen this work for the good of the Church.<\/p>\n\n

In particular, we recall the publication of his book: “Active Participation in the \nEucharist. The ‘actuosa participatio’<\/em> in small communities” in defense of the Eucharist celebrated in small communities, which Kiko and Carmen defended so much.<\/p>\n\n

We are pleased to recall here what Pope Benedict XVI himself wrote to you in a letter on the occasion of your 75th birthday:<\/p>\n\n

\n

“With courage and creativity at the beginning of your Roman activity you have \nopened new ways to lead young people to Christ…. \nYou have also contributed to the genesis and growth of World Youth Days. \nParticularly characteristic of your pastoral thrust is and remains your commitment to \nthe “movements”: the Charismatic Movement, Communion and Liberation and the \nNeocatechumenal Way have many reasons to be grateful to you. Although the \norganizers and planners of the Church, at the beginning, had many reservations \nabout the movements, you immediately sensed the life that was emerging there: the \npower of the Holy Spirit that opens new paths and in an unpredictable way keeps \nthe Church ever young. You recognized the Pentecostal character of these \nmovements and you have passionately committed yourself to obtain their \nacceptance by the pastors of the Church”.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

<\/div>\n\n

Let us commend this grateful memory of Cardinal Cordes to the prayers of all our \nbrothers and sisters so that they may ask the Lord to welcome into his Kingdom this “good \nand faithful servant” (Mt 25:21)<\/p>\n\n

<\/div>\n\n
Kiko Arg\u00fcello, Fr. Mario Pezzi and Mar\u00eda Ascensi\u00f3n Romero<\/strong><\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Grateful to God for his precious ministry in the Church Last night (March 15, 2024) the Lord called Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes to the reward of eternal life. The whole Church, and the Neocatechumenal Way in particular, is particularly grateful to him for the work he carried out during so many years of his life, accompanying with his wise counsel the birth and growth – with his gradual insertion into <\/p>\n

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