G
GeorgeofLydda
Guest
I’m turning 18 soon and moving out to college in a couple of weeks. My whole family (parents and siblings) and I are in the Neocathechumenal Way.
I assume you know the basics on how the Way works, but anyways: you basically have two weekly meetings, a monthly, all-day Sunday retreat and peculiar Mass celebrations on Sunday Vespers; and you do all of this within a “community” of about 40 people. As you can guess, it is quite demanding, and members are even encouraged to risk their jobs, school, exams, etc to assist the meetings etc (we call it a way of trusting in God’s Providence). There’s something called “the tripod” and it is God’s Word (weekly meetings), liturgy (Saturday’s Eucharist with the community) and community (monthly retreats). There’s a strong emphasis on doing the whole tripod at the same time, you must be able to a attend all the events, and everything that prevents you from assisting is considered an “idol”.
My mom asked me what am I going to do regarding the “community” (since I am moving out and it would be impossible for me to walk in my current community). She suggested me to find another “community” there and walk with them. I said that I’d rather not, since it would be quite difficult for me to “walk” and study at the same time (college would be considered an idol then).
I proposed that I would find another group in the parish I’ll move to, a group whose schedules don’t create conflict with my studies (a Rosary or Juvenile group for example). It seems like this bothered her, and expressed her disapproval. She confronted me like I was quitting the Church or committing apostasy. I said that there are many groups/charisms/movements within the Church I could attend, that the Way is not the only way of spiritual growing and the Church is much bigger than that, I reminded her that it is not mandatory for catholics to be in the Way. She then told to me that if I am not in the Way I wouldn’t receive its “graces”. She seems to be accepting my words though, and we haven´t talked about this anymore since then.
There’s a common belief among neocats that the devil tempts you to quit the Way and an explicit idea that it was God that called you to it. This could make you think that if you quit, you can’t be saved (there’s one rite where all the members write their names in the “Book of Life”, a big bible). When I was considering whether to quit, I felt guilty of it (not anymore now).
In my opinion, the Way may be helpful for the spiritual life of many (my family is quite religious mostly because of it), but there are some things I disagree with like the teachings on reason (considered evil), the “peculiar distinction” from the rest of the parish (my mom made me dress more elegant when attending neocat’s Eucharist than when attending regular Masses…) Anyways, I think I don’t belong to the Way. I only entered to please my parents.
Should I be concerned about the behaviour of my mother? I am afraid about her thinking that I am in the process of becoming atheist (my older brother did this at my current age, thanks to God he’s returned to the Church) just because I’m quitting the community. What are your thoughts on the Way?
I assume you know the basics on how the Way works, but anyways: you basically have two weekly meetings, a monthly, all-day Sunday retreat and peculiar Mass celebrations on Sunday Vespers; and you do all of this within a “community” of about 40 people. As you can guess, it is quite demanding, and members are even encouraged to risk their jobs, school, exams, etc to assist the meetings etc (we call it a way of trusting in God’s Providence). There’s something called “the tripod” and it is God’s Word (weekly meetings), liturgy (Saturday’s Eucharist with the community) and community (monthly retreats). There’s a strong emphasis on doing the whole tripod at the same time, you must be able to a attend all the events, and everything that prevents you from assisting is considered an “idol”.
My mom asked me what am I going to do regarding the “community” (since I am moving out and it would be impossible for me to walk in my current community). She suggested me to find another “community” there and walk with them. I said that I’d rather not, since it would be quite difficult for me to “walk” and study at the same time (college would be considered an idol then).
I proposed that I would find another group in the parish I’ll move to, a group whose schedules don’t create conflict with my studies (a Rosary or Juvenile group for example). It seems like this bothered her, and expressed her disapproval. She confronted me like I was quitting the Church or committing apostasy. I said that there are many groups/charisms/movements within the Church I could attend, that the Way is not the only way of spiritual growing and the Church is much bigger than that, I reminded her that it is not mandatory for catholics to be in the Way. She then told to me that if I am not in the Way I wouldn’t receive its “graces”. She seems to be accepting my words though, and we haven´t talked about this anymore since then.
There’s a common belief among neocats that the devil tempts you to quit the Way and an explicit idea that it was God that called you to it. This could make you think that if you quit, you can’t be saved (there’s one rite where all the members write their names in the “Book of Life”, a big bible). When I was considering whether to quit, I felt guilty of it (not anymore now).
In my opinion, the Way may be helpful for the spiritual life of many (my family is quite religious mostly because of it), but there are some things I disagree with like the teachings on reason (considered evil), the “peculiar distinction” from the rest of the parish (my mom made me dress more elegant when attending neocat’s Eucharist than when attending regular Masses…) Anyways, I think I don’t belong to the Way. I only entered to please my parents.
Should I be concerned about the behaviour of my mother? I am afraid about her thinking that I am in the process of becoming atheist (my older brother did this at my current age, thanks to God he’s returned to the Church) just because I’m quitting the community. What are your thoughts on the Way?
