Neocatechumenal Way: Kiko Arguello announces successor to Carmen Hernandez

ROME – During an international retreat of the Neocatechumenal Way held in Porto San Giorgio, Italy, Kiko Argüello announced on 2 Feb 2018 that Maria Ascensión Romero will be a new international member of the movement, replacing Carmen Hernandez, who died on 19 July 2016. Argüello and Hernandez were the ecclesial movement’s co-founders.

Romero joins Father Mario Pezzi and Argüello to make up the international team, which according to the movement’s statutes is to be comprised of three members. Romero was an itinerant missionary for years in Saint Petersburg Russia.

The Neocatechumenal Way was founded in 1964 in Spain. It draws its inspiration from the practices of the early Catholic Church, providing “post-baptismal” Christian formation in some 40,000 small, parish-based communities.  The movement is present all over the world, and says it has an estimated membership of more than 1 million people.

Since the Neocatechumenal Way was founded, the group has sometimes been cautioned by the Vatican for inserting various novel practices into the Masses it organises. These include practices such as lay preaching, standing during the Eucharistic Prayer, the reception of Holy Communion while sitting, and the passing of the Most Precious Blood from person to person.- CNA