IS THE NEO CATHOLIC?

Relative to a several spats on this blog about the above question, here's the simple answer:

Yes, insofar as it adheres to its 2008 Statute.

No, insofar as it departs from its 2008 Statute.

We have covered this many times, but let's do it again. 

First, there are two Statutes. The 2002 "ad experimentum" Statute and the 2008 Statute which received Final Approval. 

The 2002 Statute permitted neo-communicants to receive and consume the sacred host while sitting. The 2008 Statute DOES NOT. 

Here is a side by side comparison:

As you can see, the 2002 Statute, written by Kiko, explicitly directs the people to sit down. And as you can further see, in 2008, the Church replaces this "praxis" by simply requiring the neocatechumens to celebrate according to the "approved liturgical books of the Roman Rite." 

Normally Rome does not outright condemn certain experimental practices, it speaks to what is right and expected. This is what Rome does here. There is no permit in the final statute to continue the "praxis" of sitting to consume no matter how much "rich fruit" has been supposedly born of it. 

The only exception permitted is for the neocatechumens, since the group is small, to remain in their place instead of processing towards the celebrant. 

The other "explicit concessions" are detailed more fully in a footnote. Those "concessions" are the exchange of the sign of peace before the offertory and the reception of communion under both species. (See footnote 49 below.)

(We might note here that the regular distribution of communion under both species is a specific exception made for the neocatechumenal way, and not for our regular parish masses.)

We know that Kiko Arguello publicly objected and refused to change this "praxis" when first directed to by the Congregation for Divine Worship on December 1, 2005. The incident became famous because Archbishop Apuron also publicly rejected the same order and even called into question the credential of the Congregation's Cardinal Prefect. This was a direct rejection of the authority of Rome by our Archbishop, and he has sided with Kiko ever since. 

As we know, and especially the neocatechumens know. Every time they celebrate the Eucharist, they violate their own Statute, the very thing that legitimizes the Way as Catholic. And they violate it not just in some small detail, they violate the very trust of the Church at the highest moment of what is supposed to be the Sacrament of Unity. In short, as soon as they distribute communion and receive and consume in the manner that they do (sitting down), they say NO to their own Statute, NO to the Church, and NO to communion with all of us. 

Individual members have been lied to by their leaders that they have a permit to depart from the liturgical books required by the Statute. They have NEVER produced that permission and as you have seen on this blog many times, they DISAPPEAR (Atoine Tajalle - Archbishop Apuron) when asked. 

*****

Also, and I have blogged about this before, the Neocatechumenal official website is very deceptive about the difference between the two statutes. 

Go to the website by going to www.aganaarch.org > New Evangelization > Neocatechumenal Way.

Once there, go to Statutes > DEFINITIVE STATUTE (2008) > STATUTE OF THE NEOCATECHUMENAL WAY

You will see the NCW logo but no active link to go further. The logo is hyperlinked but clicking on it will only take you to a blank screen. You have to right click on it to get to the right click menu and then you have to know to open the link in a new tab. Then you'll find the 2008 Statute.

Knowing the Kiko's this is not a mistake. It is purposely difficult to get to because it contains the dreaded instruction to follow the liturgical books which DOES NOT permit their "praxis"of consuming the sacred host while seated. 

By contrast, let's see how easy it is to get to the 2002 Statute which is the one the Kiko's want everyone to think is the correct "praxis". 

Go to STATUES > "AD EXPERIMENTUM STATUTE (2002) > TEXT OF THE STATUTE.

VOILA!

There it is. 

Seriously, to the good people of the Neocatechumenal Way, it is your duty, if you want to remain Catholic, to hold your leaders accountable to that which was entrusted to them (the 2008 Statute) by the Fathers of our Church. Simply ask them to show you the permit, the indult, the document, whatever you want to call it, which permits you to receive communion in the way you do. If they cannot produce it then you are participating in an "un-sacrament of disunity" and will continue to place yourself outside the Catholic Church if you continue. 

And if nothing else, then at least receive communion the way the Church instructs: consume the host "as soon as" you receive it (GIRM 161), then sit down. Then see how much your community still loves you. 

49 See Benedict XVI, Speech to the Neocatechumenal Communities on January 12, 2006, in Notitiae 41 (2005), 554–556; CONGREGATION FOR DIVINE WORSHIP, Letter of December 1, 2005 in Notitiae 41 (2005), 563–565; “Notification of the Congregation for Divine Worship on celebrations in groups of the Neocatechumenal Way,” L’Osservatore Romano, December 24, 1988: “The Congregation consents that among the adaptations foreseen by the instruction “Actio Pastoralis”, nn. 6-11, the groups of the above-mentioned “Way” may receive communion under two species, always with unleavened bread, and transfer “ad experimentum” the Rite of Peace to after the Prayer of the Faithful.” 

http://www.camminoneocatecumenale.it/public/file/en_Statute2008.pdf

I have produced a version of this post in a downloadable PDF file which you can access here.