Thursday, August 21, 2014

THE NCW COMMUNION RITE - WHAT THE POPE'S REALLY SAID

It is not the fault of most members of the Neocatechumenal Way that they are participating in an illicit communion rite. However, it IS the fault of their leadership. That same leadership likes to trumpet the approval of the popes. So, relative to the NCW manner of distributing Holy Communion, here is what the "popes" have actually said:

12/01/05 - Pope Benedict, via the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, directs the leadership of the Neocatechumenal Way to conform its manner of distributing Holy Communion to the liturgical books:
"On the manner of receiving Holy Communion, a period of transition (not exceeding two years) is granted to the Neocatechumenal Way to pass from the widespread manner of receiving Holy Communion in its communities (seated, with a cloth-covered table placed at the center of the church instead of the dedicated altar in the sanctuary) to the normal way in which the entire Church receives Holy Communion. This means that the Neocatechumenal Way must begin to adopt the manner of distributing the Body and Blood of Christ that is provided in the liturgical books." - Congregatio de Cultu Divino et Disciplina Sacramentorum. Prot. 2520/03/L. From Vatican City, December 1, 2005. To the esteemed Mr. Kiko Argüello, Ms. Carmen Hernandez, and Rev. Father Mario Pezzi. 

01/12/06 - Pope Benedict personally confirms that the above instruction was "imparted to you in my name" and that he expected the NCW to "attentively observe these norms...provided for in the liturgical books approved by the Church":
Precisely to help the Neocatechumenal Way to render even more effective its evangelizing action in communion with all the People of God, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments recently imparted to you in my name certain norms concerning the Eucharistic Celebration, after the trial period that the Servant of God John Paul II conceded. I am sure you will attentively observe these norms that reflect what is provided for in the liturgical books approved by the Church. ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI TO MEMBERS OF THE NEOCATECHUMENAL WAY. Paul VI Audience Hall. Thursday, 12 January 2006
01/20/12 - Pope Benedict clarifies that he is approving ONLY those "celebrations listed in the Catechetical Directory of the Neocatechumenal Way" that are NOT "strictly speaking liturgical", but are those celebrations which are particular to Neocatechumenal Way:
"The Decree approving the celebrations listed in the “Catechetical Directory of the Neocatechumenal Way” has just been read. They are not strictly speaking liturgical but are part of the itinerary of growth in faith."
The pope uses careful language here but to make sure it is understood that he is NOT approving the liturgical anomalies practiced by the NCW in its celebration of the Eucharist, he emphasizes that the Eucharistic celebration continues to be "regulated by the liturgical books that must be faithfully followed, with the details approved in the Statute of the Way":
"It is the task of the celebration in the small communities — regulated by the liturgical books that must be faithfully followed, with the details approved in the Statue of the Way." ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI TO THE COMMUNITY OF THE NEOCATECHUMENAL WAY. Paul VI Hall. Friday, 20 January 2012
NOTE: Those details, as found in Art. 13 of the Statute of the Way are as follows:
  1. Communicants may remain in their place to receive communion STANDING (there is no permission to sit to consume or for the priest to delay his communion). 
  2. Communion may be received under both species.
  3. The Sign of Peace may be moved to before the Offertory. 
04/03/2014 - Pope Francis reminds Kiko Arguello that the Sunday Eucharist is regulated by the Statute of the Neocatechumenal Way. He makes no mention of any other document permitting any addition or variance to the regulation of the liturgy as found in the Statute:
"...as far as it pertains to the celebrations of the Paschal Vigil and the Sunday Eucharist, mentioned by you, articles 12 and 13, read in their entirety, constitute therefore the regulatory charter of reference."   - Archbishop Angelo Becciu's Letter to Kiko Arguello. Vatican, April 3rd, 2014.


9 comments:

  1. So Kiko has been reminded over and over again to follow their statutes. Obviously the Pope has issues with what is actually being practiced in the communities. Like you mentioned Tim, the Pope is being very patient and gentle with his children, just like a loving father would be, but I'm believe the time will come when he would have no choice but to use some kind of disciplinary
    action.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I wonder, where does the archbishop celebrate the Easter vigil?

    ReplyDelete
  3. The archbishop first celebrates the lengthy Easter vigil mass at the cathedral. Then he is said to celebrate another all-night Easter vigil with his NCW "community." But I don't know where that takes place.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Agana communities typically congregate in a gym, either BBMS or AOLG. That is where the archbishop celebrates Easter Vigil with his dearly beloved NCW family.....in a GYM! How sacred is that! But then again, an altar for them is something to put flowers, fruits, and other décor so they could hold it out in a garden, barn, ranch, outside kitchen, or wherever they can set up a table and a baptismal font. A consecrated Church is not required. A ballroom in a hotel would do. Someone's living room would do. And one more thing, there must be enough room around the banquet table(we call it altar) for them to dance around! They also have baptisms there, first communion, and confirmations. I mean, it is indeed a separate Church altogether. Thus, the parish Church becomes unnecessary and useless.

      Delete
    2. So according to this the Archbishop uses a gym for Holy Easter. Yet he refuses to allow priests to say Mass in the Veterans chapel cemetery for the veterans who do not have the money to pay for Mass in a church. He refuses to allow priests to say Mass in the chapels at any other cemetery. YES to gym for Easter. NO to non denominational chapel for deceased veterans with limited finances. Do spiritual matters of the deceased and their family really matter to Guam's Archbishop.

      Delete
    3. If you are not neo, then it does not matter.

      Delete
    4. Anon at 9:09 am : Please clarify what it is that does not matter. Since I and others with concerns are Catholic, all of this matters.

      Delete
    5. Yes. 9:09. It's the old "how does my same-sex marriage" harm you? and "If you're against abortion then don't have one" arguments. By that statement, if you are neo, then you prove yourself truly NOT Catholic, but you probably don't even know why.

      Delete
  4. Sorry to keep harping on this. We are just trying to understand this grave in justice and disrespect to Veteran's in need. In this case it seems the Archbishop does not permit Neo's AND non Neo's to use the Veteran's chapel. Some Veterans surmise it is because the Archbishop thinks it will open a flood gate for the Veteran's chapel to be used and therefore create a huge lack of contributions to the church. Other veterans think it won't have a great affect on money to the church because many Veterans already have bought plans etc. BTW a church has came forward to reduced it's costs of services for the deceased by $500. A lot of money. Even so the going price that is still required maybe still too much for some Veterans.
    Sadly I am reminded again of SPAGHETTI FOR EVERYONE AND GUAM IS THE PROBLEM
    The minutes of the clergy meeting with Archbishop Krebs, Tuesday, July 15, 2014.
    "Fr. Francesco (don't know his last name), a bona-fide Kiko, then lays into the people of Guam saying that our culture is the problem, that we spend too much on funerals, that we spend "meeeellions and meeellions" of dollars on food, that all our time is spent cooking, and that Guam has to change. It's very obvious that priests like this need serious in depth cultural and linguistic competence training as soon as they arrive on island. This is a needed critical step to fully understand both the historical trauma that has occurred and the continuous immense generosity of people on this tiny isolated island. Respect and appreciation is deserved by this resilient culture. Somehow Chamorro's have survived and thrived 4,000 years while enduring some of the harshest recurring weathers conditions on the entire planet. Not to mention varying degrees of abuse and derogation from outsiders .

    ReplyDelete