Pastor bringing in Neocatechumenal Way; what should I know?

[DaveBj]

Our pastor announced this past Sunday that he is starting the process of introducing the Neocatechumenal Way to the parish. That is a subject about which I am profoundly ignorantly, so I started doing some research, here and on other sites, and wow! If half of what I read is true, my first instinct it to run as far away as I can.

The problem is that most of what I read on CAF is several years old, and I don’t know if there have been any changes in the past few years. So I’m asking to be educated, particularly on questions like these:

Do NCW groups still have their own closed Mass late on Saturday evenings?

Do NCW groups still keep advanced information secret from lower-level catechumens?

Do NCW groups still require a full tithe on income, over and above almsgiving and contributions to church expenses?

Do NCW groups still conduct scrutinies in such a way as to humiliate those being scrutinized?

Do NCW leaders still maintain strict control over the lives of NCW members?

Are questions allowed during NCW sessions, or are catechumens just supposed to sit and listen?

I understand that the answers to these questions will involve mainly anecdotal information, and I am interested in learning from other people’s experiences. Let’s just keep it charitable and on point.

 

[Bookcat]

They are approved…and supported by the Church.

Go to their website for more information or to the Church per se. Statutes approved by the Holy See etc.

 

[Bookcat]

camminoneocatecumenale.it/new/default.asp?lang=en

camminoneocatecumenale.it/new/default.asp?lang=en&page=papi

camminoneocatecumenale.it/new/default.asp?lang=en&page=statuti​

w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/speeches/1997/january/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_19970124_neocatecumenali.html

w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2014/february/documents/papa-francesco_20140201_cammino-neocatecumenale.html

w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2009/january/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20090110_neocatecumenali.html

etc

 

[DaveBj]

Doesn’t really answer my questions, but thanks. I’ve got a .pdf of the Statute downloaded to my hard drive, but haven’t had a chance to read it yet.

 

[poche]

Did the pastor say what role the NCW would have in the parish life?

 

[DaveBj]

Did the pastor say what role the NCW would have in the parish life?

Basically, he said that they had been looking for a “program” to increase the level of adult catechesis, and had decided on NCW.

 

[Oneofthewomen]

What I don’t understand is why you have a problem with this. The Pastor is doing his job, NCW is approved by the Church, so what is the issue? Stuff you read on the internet?

Why not just give your pastor and the program the benefit of the doubt?

 

[DaveBj]

What I don’t understand is why you have a problem with this. The Pastor is doing his job, NCW is approved by the Church, so what is the issue? Stuff you read on the internet?

Why not just give your pastor and the program the benefit of the doubt?

Let’s just say that I read a lot of “stuff” (anecdotal evidence) that local NCW groups were being conducted in such a way that there were liturgical abuses, abuses of people’s rights to privacy, and cult-like activities, but what I was reading was several years old. A lot of it was from threads here on CAF. What I’m asking is if these kinds of activities are still going on, or if NCW has been straightened out and is conducting its activities in accordance with Catholic standards.

 

[Bookcat]

Stick with what* the Church* says …

Stick with with the Popes have said and say about it…

See above

 

[DaveBj]

Stick with what* the Church* says …

Stick with with the Popes have said and say about it…

See above

So, are the Popes and the Church okay with a group that demands a tithe and puts it into a “bag” with no accountability of how it is spent? They are okay with a group’s telling a faithful Catholic who wants to leave the group that if he leaves, he will go to hell? I’m not, and I want to find out if NCW is still behaving like that.

Anyone who wants to jump on me and says, “Prove it!” should first do a search with the words “neocatechumenal way” in the keyterm field, choose the “search titles only” option, and read the threads for him/herself.

 

[Bookcat]

So, are the Popes and the Church okay with a group that demands a tithe and puts it into a “bag” with no accountability of how it is spent? They are okay with a group’s telling a faithful Catholic who wants to leave the group that if he leaves, he will go to hell? I’m not, and I want to find out if NCW is still behaving like that.
.

You have answered your own question.

Of course the Church and the Popes are not going to be approving of anything that has ever been amiss ever in any group.

So what do you see - the approval of the Church of the that charism (given by the Holy Spirit!)…the approval of the Popes and encouragement (even sending them out officially and personally - as missionary families!).

So trust the Church and not this or that person saying this or that.

Even where this or that problem may (or may not) have happened -the charism etc itself is approved.

Every group has growing pains and difficulties (not saying here that this or that actually happened in this case…)…even Religious Orders who are hundreds of years old.

The Church continues to work with the newer groups as well as the ancient ones. Pulling out weeds and encouraging wheat.

 

[DaveBj]

I appreciate the responses so far, but I would really prefer to hear from those who can directly address the questions that I asked in the OP. Generic responses that “the Popes approved it” are not helpful.

 

[Bookcat]

I appreciate the responses so far, but I would really prefer to hear from those who can directly address the questions that I asked in the OP. Generic responses that “the Popes approved it” are not helpful.

How are they not helpful?

The Church has been involved greatly with the Neocatechumenal Way.

Do you think the Church did not look into any like matters (real or imaginary or simply a local problem with this or that leader etc)??

The Church has been rather involved and rather up on the Neocatechumenal Way.

Popes do not send out Missionaries Families from a Group that is all out of sorts!

The Approvals of the Church and the Popes mean the most.

Asking for criticisms from individuals- is going to bring what?

If you ask for such from any group in the Church - your going to yes get what you ask for!

Look to the Church…not to a forum of individual persons with this or that opinion etc.

 

[Bookcat]

Pastor bringing in Neocatechumenal Way; what should I know?

• Look to the Church for what you should know.

And to your Pastor who invited them.

 

[DaveBj]

snip

Asking for criticisms from individuals- is going to bring what?

If you ask for such from any group in the Church - your going to yes get what you ask for!

Look to the Church…not to a forum of individual persons with this or that opinion etc.

I’m not asking for criticisms or opinions; I’m asking for recent experiences. Please honor my request and don’t respond if you don’t have anything along those lines to contribute.

 

[Bookcat]

I’m not asking for criticisms or opinions; I’m asking for recent experiences. Please honor my request and don’t respond if you don’t have anything along those lines to contribute.

Your questions there rather leading in that direction…(I can understand why - for your had heard or read this or that from this or that person…but that is why I responded as I have)

You should have just kept it to a general question.

I have contributed along those lines for my point is that the Church has had the most experience!

 

[Bookcat]

Here ignatius.com/Products/K-P/the-kerygma.aspx

 

[Oneofthewomen]

To be honest, I do not think you will find anything positive about NCW on this forum. It is my experience that this forum tends to be slightly more “conservative” (I hate using that word, but it fits here). You are seeing that in the old threads you brought up. Many people seem to very very suspicious of anything new on this forum (again, just my experience & observation).

I have no direct experience with the NCW, but those I know who do have said nothing but good things about it.

Why not just give your Pastor the benefit of the doubt and give the program a try. Then, if you have questions/issues, bring them up with him.

 

[poche]

Basically, he said that they had been looking for a “program” to increase the level of adult catechesis, and had decided on NCW.

It is a movement that is approved by the Catholic Church. However just as they benefit many people they are not for everyone. Why not give them a try and see what happens. If you find that they are not for you then don’t participate any more and be at peace.

 

[otjm]

It may be that there is no one now active in the forums who has experience.

The point has been made that the Church approves of NCW. Allow me a parallel. The Church approves of the Ordinary Form of the Mass. That does not mean that a priest in a neighboring parish follows the rubrics. But so what? That has nothing in particular to do with your parish - it does not mean that if the parish down the road is wrong, that yours will be wrong.

And so if there were some few NCW groups who went off the rails years ago, there is no presumption that yours will. It is a common logical falt to presume that if one is wrong, all are. In the world today, a few goofy groups are the ones which get all the ink. The ones which are not goofy have nothing to say, and because they are not heard from,all presume that the goofy ones are the norm. False assumption.