Posted by LaPaz, Jungle Watch Correspondant from Spain.
Dear friends of Jungle Watch:
I apologize for my absence during these last weeks. Although I could not writte due to several matters, I have stayed reading every day...It is quite important for us, former members of the Way and people who have a critical view about it, to look at Guam. You are an example for many people around the world.
Today I would like to share with you the last testimony published originally in Neocatecumenali's blog (written in Italian, here) and also translated for Spanish speakers in Cruxsancta (here). This is the great opportunity we have with internet: we can share thoughts, feelings and experiences about the same problems that concern us.
Such a simple thing, which could seem so obvious for any person who lives in our times, is something prohibited for neocatechumenal followers, since the moment Kiko has warned them very seriously to stay away from the internet Devil.
Kiko has no power over us!
That is also an apparent absolutely simple and obvious thing, but I tell you it is not so easy for those who have been trapped in his spider's web. Every time I read a new letter from a new cardinal or a new archibishop praising the goodness of the Neocatechumenal Way -the last, Cardinal Muller- I realise the inmense value of my own freedom, hardly reconquered after many years of suffering.
And when for a while I lose that my thought, I look at you, people of Guam, I look at any of the thousands of the beaten sheep I have known in Neocatecumenali and Cruxsancta. All of them, all of you, make me remember again my only and truly sheperd, JesusChrist, who gave his life to rescue his very lost sheep, not the fat and happiest ones, but the most sick and weak: the last of all.
In that sense I want you to read next testimony. This is Don Giuseppe, a priest who entered the Way in 1975 and decided to leave it after a deep inner work and after having shared his reflexions with his neocatechumenal community and catechists to advice them he will no longer tolerate their liturgical abuses and he will not bow down to its sectarian logic.
"When a faithful person, attracted by the beautiful words of the announcement, participates in the initial catechesis, after the first convivence in the beginning, he is urgently asked if he "freely" wants to start the Way, and is told that he will be guided by catechists to whom he must render absolute obedience, because they "possess" the Holy Spirit.
The problem is in the word "possess". Who has given it to them and when it has been given to them? It is an amazing and deceptive premise.
The reasoning is always the same. Faith is given to you by the Church (this is correct!), then we have the Holy Spirit because we are in the Church that gives us faith! The fact that a priest is present should guarantee this, but who is above that priest? The bishop or the super-catechists?
However, since a priest is present, it is taken for granted that everything is good, and it is believed that at the bottom is the action and the will of the bishop! Here is the trick. How many catechesis we have done without the bishop's command, usurping his authority! In fact to clear the conscience, then he was warned of what had been done, informing him so beautifully and hypocritically of a crime.
With the "possession" of this spirit (in a lowercase, so that it is not confused with the Spirit of God), catechists can say and dismiss, do and undo in the name of the Church, even if they use concepts of doubtful doctrine or attitudes of dubious eclesial discipline.
But I am a priest: how could I then digest such logic?
For invariably there was another "presbyter," who was superior to me as a catechist, who guaranteed that things were well.
(Well for whom? For the NCW, but not well for being in conformity with the doctrine of the Church).
In fact, the word of the catechist was held to be of much greater authority than mine, although I received the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands of the bishop in my priestly ordination and not by the hands of other lay catechists, as is often done in the Way.
Exact. Obedience to catechists, based on the fact that they claim to have the Holy Spirit, over the years, and especially with the passing of the scrutiny, in which only they, by presumed gift of the Holy Spirit, know the truth about Your life (the expression is "learning to have the eye of the catechist" that scrutinizes your soul to the very "internal fuero") becomes a powerful glue difficult to overcome.
By default, they are always right without any place for doubt, besides, there is no problem if they are wrong, because from error God brings out your good! Consequently, nothing can be done or thought contrary to what the catechists say.
The expression "they gave their life for you" is famous. I still hope that one day they will tell how they have given their lives for their catechumens. Since they "have" the Holy Spirit, their judgment on you is always worth more. A judgment always or almost always expressed in front of the community, so that daring to manifest something different to what they like, involves turning against the community.
The faithful who enters into this logic does not understand the tremendous psychological conditioning that takes place, such that if one wants to leave the Way immediately comes to his mind that repeated and trite phrase: "He who leaves the Way leaves the Church."
It is a subtle violence under the appearance of good!
I am convinced that today we are going through a very difficult time in the Church, and parishes often offer little, especially the Sacraments are often mismanaged by us priests, but I am convinced that to be with the latter is to be where the Church lives all its poverty looking with suffering to be faithful to Jesus and his Gospel.
While it is true that in the NCW everything is organized and gives you the security of feeling more Church than the others, often like being the first one of the class, I prefer to be with others in a situation in which, unlike by the praxis of the Way, faith is a serious achievement every day!
Now the situation has been reversed: the last ones do not enter the Way; The last and the little ones are and always have been outside, excluded from their golden castle, and to enter it there is only one condition: to enter into the very narrow logic of the neocatechumenal command.
I have choosen to stay with the last ones".
In the NCW Kiko even decides which Christmas songs should be sung, of course those which he has "arranged" with his neo-jewish adaptations. Of course, that is why Diana could listen some Christmas songs from different cultures during the last RMS Christmas concert. I am sure I could bring her a relation of those songs even when I was not there. It is more about Kiko's narcisism and megalomania.
I want to bring here an example. It is a traditional Christmas song, too much ordinary for Kiko, of course. It talks about the true poor sheperds from Andalucía who used to anounce the Aurora coming with their little bells (in Spanish, campanillas). This is a pure flamenco version of that song, called "los Campanilleros", here by Diana Navarro.
Even without speaking Spanish and so not understanding the lyrics, I belive the emotion surpasses the language. The good new of JesusChrist goes further than words. Just listen and enjoy!
Thank You Lapaz for another insight into the NCW inner working.
ReplyDeleteI have always wondered how a lay catechist can be hailed to such high esteem, over Priests and Bishops ordained with the gifts of the Holy Spirit in a special way by Christ himself in the Sacrament of Holy Orders, except that in the NCW this is a design of the man Kiko supposedly which trumps that gift given to the Church by Christ.
How does a catechist posses the "Holy Spirit" like it is a material tangible item? Is it not a gift of God? from what mechanism does the catechist possess it? through the means of Kiko's ordination or prouncement upon the catechist? If so, then it is from human origins. The Sacraments are divine gifts to the Church through another Divine Instituted means, the Sacrament of Holy Orders, It is truly a sensible, tangible sign instituted by Christ himself for the purposes of giving us Supernatural Grace.
Thank you, La Paz, for this account by Father Don Giuseppe.
DeleteThis is perhaps the most cogent explanation I have ever read about how the NCW Cult psychologically manipulates its members and even its priests.
St. Michael, defend us in battle against the NCW Cult!
This should be required reading for all who want to help NCW Cult members and presbyters return fully to the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
Thank you La Paz. It is a beautiful song. For those who want to listen again, below is an English translation so the song can come to life!
ReplyDeleteLos Campanilleros (The bell ringers)
In the villages of Andalucia (a region in spain)
The bell ringers wake me up
With their bells in the early morning
And with their guitars they make me cry
I begin to sing
And when they hear me all the birds
in the trees fly away
little birds go to the countryside
follow the star, fly to Bethlehem
there’s a little boy waiting for you
he’s the king of the heavens and the earth
fly to Bethlehem
there’s a little boy waiting for you
he’s the king of the heavens and the earth
in the night of Christmas eve
under the stars and in the early morning
the priests with their bells
adore the child that has born
and with devotion
they go playing zambombas (drum-like folk instrument) and tambourines
singing the verses of God’s son
on the doorstep of a rich haggler
Jesus arrived, begging alms
And instead of giving him alms
He set his dogs on
But as God wanted, …
The dogs dropped dead instantly
And the rich haggler turned poor
You should’ve seen how the king of heavens
Entered Jerusalem
He didn’t want cars nor carriages
Just a little donkey that was rented
He wanted to show
That the divine gates to heaven
Are only opened for humbleness
Merry Christmas to all!
Very well said Padre and La Paz. I too took the long road of extracting myself from the Way. It took more than 2 decades to muster all courage with prayer that I was going to leave. I could not understand why every time I say something to explain and ask a question, I was always greeted with, "you are stubborn and hard headed, the devil is manipulating you to go against us (catechist), you are disobedient. I reached Reditio and I just walked away with out saying anything to my catechist (itenerant-international) because it was no use.
ReplyDeleteI am really sorry to what is happening in Guam.
The painful experience of the Catholics in Guam has revealed the true nature of the NCW to the world.
DeleteHas anyone notice that a group is going around the parishes doing a prayer service called "Peace Pilgrimage". check their Facebook page & I notice name Felix Babauta & other Neo people.
DeleteCan I ask a question. Kiko always emphasises the importance of being faithful to the original charism. At what point did the "charism" begin to need the presence of a priest as part of the team? Was this after leaving Spain and moving to Rome. Was the move from Spain in some way linked with the need for clerical control? Was this faithful to the original "charism" or just an approved deviation?
ReplyDeleteI am so grateful that you have taken the time to write this very true and real explanation of what is happening in the Neocatechumenal Way or the Way. I had been a long time member since my youth and I had a difficult time leaving. I was encouraged to speak up after many years of keeping silent and being obedient and then something strange happened. I was abused psychologically and emotionally. Little did I realize until I distanced myself that this was happening. The intense narcissist manipulation and brainwashing tactic practices are far from the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ. Last time I checked Jesus leaves us free to worship without fear... Then there is the very heavy laying on of guilt. How is it that when you go to confession you are absolved from your sins and forgiven, but if you are part of this group, you are made to suffer by way of guilt...in the homily, by judgement of priests, and by any member that you open up to, especially any catechist? Not only that but everyone uses and accuses each other. They are not sent from God. I learned the hard way. Get out before it's too late!
ReplyDeleteLet's start from the Scriptural fact that a catechumenate lasts 4 (four) years maximum. Then - bye bye neos, hallo genuine church and proper church.
ReplyDeleteAfter I was in the neos nine years, with not a whisper of an "initiation to prayer" yet, the escape route my bishop kindly organised got sabotaged.
When I informed my "community" I would be attending less often - not dropping out entirely you notice - any honest movement would say, "see you when we see you, that's great", however the over-anxious behaviour of Mrs X got out of hand and it gets very interesting when you ask her why her behaviour was over-anxious; therefore I thought I would have more peace to just drop out entirely.
Thank you Austin for your testimony. You and several others have testified to similar situation. Such a decision is never taken lightly, and I am sure brings a lot of mixed emotions. Yet it appears to be mostly welcome with anxiety, if not pure hostility by people that are supposed to show the Way. I shall keep praying for serenity, love of God and peace for you and your whole family. It is hard to have forgiveness in your heart, knowing all you know, and having gone through the emotional roller coaster you have been put through. Many people pray for you, and your brothers and sisters that went and continue to go through this kind of trauma. The ways of the Lord are very mysterious to most of us. I am sure you shall find comfort in the end.
DeleteWhat I am saying is, the actual health of the "way" is such that the longer most of its members stagnate, the more infantile their level of relating. I was never "material", I was always thinking round the subject (far too slowly), I was waiting for it to get on the rails.
ReplyDeleteIn their own alleged terms what would be truly nicer for them but to allow us to grow distant gracefully, like every natural movement does, and like everything that's supposed to have a Catholic spirit should.
Thank you so much for your open-heartedness in making me so welcome.
In fact a major thing that has derailed Mrs X is the reckless behaviour of an itinerant couple towards her family members. As you know, the longer we are "in it" the less likely we are to think of facing down that type, rather acquiescing in their corner-cutting as if it was mere eccentricity. The couple concerned "go to church" in the diocese of W, and live in the diocese of B.
ReplyDeleteMention of corner cutting reminded me, unpleasantly, of a very big prelate I call "Peeky Blinder", in a fifth diocese. Yet another illustration of the salami-slicing of mischief making among several different auspices. One has to accuse half the nation's church of bullying my diocese.
Hi guys. Hi Fr. Don. Father kindly clarify for me these without predugy If possible:
ReplyDelete1. How are you doing now in your spirituality given that freedom?
2. What was it that you finally could not take from the way?
3. Is kiko and the Way evil, toally unnecessary and must be closed?
4. Where do propose milions of the NCW to turn to.
5. Why did it take you 50yrs to quit. Is it t grace or you have lost taste. Surely you ought have been a senior catechist in the way and did many works of NCW yourself, do you regreat all that time in the way.
Odong in Uganda