Wednesday, June 7, 2017

CATHOLIC HERALD: Bishop of Lancaster restricts Neocatechumenal Way liturgy

"The bishop’s norms follow very closely those issued by Coadjutor Archbishop Michael Byrnes of Guam in March."


Bishop Michael Campbell said there was a 'growing sense of unease' about the movement’s liturgical practices

http://catholicherald.co.uk/news/2017/06/06/bishop-of-lancaster-restricts-neocatechumenal-way-liturgy/

The Bishop of Lancaster has provoked dismay among members of the Neocatechumenal Way by issuing new rules for their liturgies.


Bishop Michael Campbell said that, although the Way had been a “blessing” for many people, there was a “growing sense of unease” about the movement’s liturgical practices.

His new norms include Masses always being celebrated at the main altar or approved chapel in a church and for there to be “no delay” in communicants receiving Holy Communion once it has been placed in their hands. Among some Neocatechumenal groups Communion is only consumed once everyone has been given the Host.

Paul Hayward, speaking on behalf of Neocatechumenal groups in the north of England, said he had asked Bishop Campbell to hold off implementing the new norms until representatives of the Way had had a chance to meet him.

He said they had requested a meeting but were told the bishop would not be available until August. The norms will come into effect on July 1.

“We have begged him not to initiate any of this before we can explain how we do things and why,” Mr Hayward said. He was speaking from Rome a day before he was due to meet Kiko Argüello, the Way’s founder.

The Neocatechumenal Way is an international community that started in Spain in 1964. It focuses on the formation of adults after they have been baptised. It is estimated to have more than a million members and about 40,000 groups around the world.

In the Diocese of Lancaster there are seven communities based in Preston, Carlisle and Blackpool. They number about 150 people.

Mr Hayward said: “The whole thing came as a complete surprise. We’ve worked in Lancaster diocese for 39 years. We’ve never had any problem before. We’ve always been on good terms with the bishop.

“If there was unease I would have thought people would have told us, just out of good manners. But we’ve heard nothing.”

Bishop Campbell’s norms say that if a regular Mass at a parish was a Neocatechumenal liturgy it must be advertised as such in the bulletin. He also said that the parish priest had the authority to limit any additional liturgies and that priests were not permitted to celebrate Mass more than once a day.

The Neocatechumenal Way, whose statutes were approved by Rome in 2008, has special permission to celebrate the Mass in a distinctive way. Communion is received, for instance, by communicants “standing, remaining in their place”. However, Bishop Campbell noted that the priest must consume Communion before distributing it.

The bishop’s norms follow very closely those issued by Coadjutor Archbishop Michael Byrnes of Guam in March.

Archbishop Byrnes had been appointed to the Archdiocese of Guam after the suspension of Archbishop Anthony Apuron, who faces allegations of sexually abusing minors. Archbishop Apuron is a member of the Neocatechumenal Way. Critics said he caused division and handed over the island’s seminary to the movement.

Bishop Campbell is not the first bishop to rein in the Neocatchechumenal Way. In 1996, Bishop Mervyn Alexander banned the group from Clifton diocese after commissioning a report on them.

58 comments:

  1. Some of their own treatment! When have the ncw shown good manners?

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    1. Ignoring the directives of their own Vatican-imposed statute since it received approval in 2008 IS the epitome of bad manners. But of course this is the normal neo bull-sh*t was of twisting the truth back on those who challenge them. LIARS.

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    2. Wow. I just compared Bishop Campbell's letter to his flock to the pastoral letter written by our Archbishop Byrnes. Campbell lifted much of what Byrnes scripted, word for word. Good for him. Byrnes did a great job, so why not copy it. I hope other bishops will do exactly the same. Take the work done by Byrnes, and use it for their own needs.
      And why not. Obviously, the NCW creates the exact same problems everywhere they go. So why not address the NCW in exactly the same way everywhere they refuse to obey their bishops.
      Good for Campbell. Good for Byrnes. Good for the Catholic world.
      There is a light at the end of the tunnel afterall!

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  2. Hopefully this will lead to a domino affect as the truth become clear to more bishops. I suggest we pray for the poor mislead members who will be shocked to
    discover that their leaders were wrong and they have been mislead.

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  3. Lancaster! the stronghold of catholicism in England.

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  4. This was their best friend in the UK. What must they have done to demand such a reaction? WAKE UP WORLD!

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  5. Very good, but Bishop Campbell should probably expect a call from Cardinal Filoni about this...BTW, did his mandate include any kind of moratorium on the formation of new communities until his delegate could investigate compliance?

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    1. Guam neos completely ignored moratorium. I hope Fr Danny looks into this. It is yet another sign that the NCW is a parallel church posing as Catholic.

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    2. Danny no longer NCW delegate. New guy coming.

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  6. They won't stick to that...

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  7. In the meeting with Kiko, he will probably will be offered some NCW $$$'s to "cooperate". We pray that the Holy Spirit will guide Bishop Michael Campbell to see what the NCW really is, a Protestant-Judeo Heresy pretending to be Catholic.

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  8. I guess Archbishop Byrnes' recent actions of restricting the NCW growth and activities in our archdiocese echoed all the way through the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. We pray that more bishops do what Byrnes, Campbell and perhaps others are doing just what Bishop Villegas of the P.I. had done. Of course we expect Cardinal Filoni (the "Red Pope") to do more than just chime in. We pray that all well-intentioned Neos throughout the world (including Guam and Lancaster) "wake up and smell the coffee". The NCW world is numbered as its true colours become unveiled, what with the latest crisis it is facing: money, the root of all evil.

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  9. God Bless you Bishop Michael Campbell for holding fast to the orthodox teaching of the church, on the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Nass, and insisting that the celebration be given the highest dignity it deserves.

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  10. The "telling" thing in this story is that the neo leadership wants to meet with the bishop: "We have begged him not to initiate any of this before we can explain how we do things and why.”

    This tells us exactly what we already know: that the neo's there, just like the neo's here, and just like the neo's everywhere have REFUSED to obey the norms outlined for them in Article 13 of their own Statute.

    There is no need to explain anything to any bishop. The neo's had a five year period of "ad experimentum" where all their issues were addressed, culminating in the propagation of the Statute which received final approval in 2008.

    The separation of receiving from consuming and the placement of the priest's communion was specifically addressed as is evident when comparing the 2002 ad experimentum statute to the 2008 statute. The 2002 statute permitted the separation of reception and consumption, the 2008 statute eliminated any chance of it.

    This also tells us another thing we already know: that Apuron is a LIAR. In 2014 he told us that "Rome had permitted" this aberrant liturgical practice and that he just had to find the document "somewhere." There is NO document and there never was.

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    1. Their attempt to insert Kiko's illicit practice into the sacred liturgy defined by Christ's bride, the Church. Kiko's theology, or interpretation should not be pared against the Church's decision on how to celebrate Holy Mass. If no prelate, priest, deacon has the authority to change the liturgy, Why should Kiko have that ability? Who the hell is Kiko? Who ordained him? who sent him to preach the kerygma? A self appointed profit, whose followers are brained washed to blindly obey his teaching, place him on a pedestal and hail him as a prophet and saint. Why do not people place the same trust on Jesus himself, and the Church that he instituted?

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    2. Exactly Anon june 7 1.38pm. Not only this but contrary to most catholic's actual behaviour the ncw teach that wearing medals is "pagan" , "natural religion" and "nothing to do with faith". Why do they believe a priest wears a stole? WAKE UP NEOS OPEN YOUR EYES & RETURN

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  11. Bishop Campbell seems to have been under their thrall as recently as three years ago...but that "growing sense of unease" that he mentions will inevitably come upon any discerning bishop.

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  12. Yes, Chuck, Bishop Campbell maybe had the first illusion with NCW when he wrote that joyous allegory in favor or it, as your link shows. At least he has lost the neocatechumenal bandage from his eyes. As well as Bishop Schneider, Bishop Campbell can speak with knowledge of cause. Both of them "helped" the NCW and then they are familiar with neo-celebrations.
    I hope this would be the starting point of many other bishops changing their mindset.

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  13. Interesting! Only Bishop Schneider speaks to the main issue of Heresy! Would a Bishop allow a Protestant Sect to have a Bible meeting in Church? Of course not you say, Rome accepts the Neo! While that is true, it is time for Bishops to stand up and not allow this heretical cult to abuse our liturgy, the Eucharist and lead Catholic souls into ERROR!

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  14. Do the ncw members know that their liturgy is in defiance of Papal instruction or have their leaders just lied to them?
    I suspect that many of them will be good honest people who have been hoodwinked!
    Poor souls.
    What about the rectors of the RMS worldwide? Surely they must know? Are they misleading their seminarians?
    Why are the bishops allowing this?

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  15. Yesterday Mgr. Campbell already issued a clarification (PDF available on Lancaster Diocese website), where he states:

    «...It has been claimed that members of the Neocatechumenal Way sought a meeting to ask the Bishop in person to ‘hold off’ implementing the new norms until representatives of the Way had
    had a chance to meet with him.
    In fact, a meeting was requested - but there was no mention at all of any desired-discussion of the norms in this request nor
    any mention of a request to delay these norms until such a meeting had taken place.»


    Basically he clarified that the Super NeoCatechist is a liar doing damage control.

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    1. Anyone surprised? Standard neo behaviour

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  16. Neo leader Paul Hayward says it was bad manners. Its worse than that I'm afraid Mr Hayward. It's you don't obey so now you're being reigned in. Hopefully more bishop's follow this heroic move.

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  17. Gasparino, transparency please. How much are your administrative costs which you mentioned upfront? Hmmm? Out with it.

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  18. Wake up pope to these neos

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  19. Well said Tim at 10.29.

    Mr Paul Hayward, who is a subordinate of Archbishop Nichols, hasn't the slightest vestige of standing in Lancaster Diocese. Photographs with him in were recently taken down from the Lancaster web site.

    Another interesting thing is that Mr & Mrs Hayward used to complain, when travelling a far shorter distance than from London to Lancaster, that their petrol costs didn't get subsidised enough. So how come they try to maintain their northern hobby, at their age, instead of basking in the glow of memories?

    As for 38 years, they have had the odd acquaintance in those parts in that time, in the vague "old school" way some "Catholics" have. The actual goings-on date back only about 10 years. Bishop Campbell and his predecessor have been appointed as mature bishops late in career, hence their terms of office are relatively short, and I'm certain both of them are very thoughtful types.

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  20. Paul Hayward your chickens are coming home to roost.

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  21. Straight from the horses mouth! Self incrimination.
    Can these posts be printed off and sent/given to every parish priest and bishop, published in every parish?

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    1. Good idea? Tim how can this stuff be circulated?

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    2. Please copy, paste, print, and send.

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  22. I've seen Paul.Hayward push and elbow people out of the way at world youth days on route to receive communion so he could receive first. I recall seeing youngsters horrified they were pushed. I asked what's that about and was given the standard neo answer. Don't judge!!!! Paul.Hayward always gets his way but it looks like he's finally coming unstuck. He would brag about confrontations with Bishop's, and the neos would repeat the stories about how Paul did this and that .. totally in awe and never stopping and thinking .. hold on.. that's wrong !!!!! The neos don't seem to respect bishop's behind their backs and priests have no chance against Paul and his formidable wife Helen hayward, who never smiles. It's the Weirdest organisation ever.

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    1. I expect that there were other people present who could corroborate your story?
      If it is indeed true then, without judging the gentleman as he may have some sort of personality disorder, his actions are not only offensive but sacrilegious.
      Many parents and decent members of the NCW will be horrified and incredulous that their young people could be exposed to such behaviour! How important is this guy?
      I am convinced now that AB Byrnes has wisely asked that the credentials of all NCW catechists need to be established. Who are they? What qualifications do they hold? What clearance do they have to work with young people?

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    2. My family and I have witnessed this and other bizarre behaviour from PH. Unfortunately there is no mechanism in the ncw to police or control rogue catechists. Similarly there is no way of ensuring that they adhere to any norm or statute. In fact the presbyter is there to represent the Church and the magisterium but they are so well formed at RMS that they are unable to resist the catechist's intimidatory behaviour. PH's favourite was to tell them all to F off!
      For the sake of the Church and the authority of the hierarchy all presbyters need to removed from this tension and asked to swear obedience to their bishop.We need to pray for some that have chosen to disobey their bishop thinking that these catechists were honest.

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    3. The NCW, being based on a carbon copy of NLP, fastens on manic behaviour - without any responsibility taking - as criterion for promotion to presbyter, itinerant etc.

      In the 1960s to 1980s when it was most advancing, the "Church" was totally Teilhardian and eccentric and I can assure you the NCW looked very pale at the time.

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    4. "PH's favourite was to tell them all to F off!"

      Very interesting. I wonder why he didn't tell us that when he was asking us for his petrol money.

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    5. He even told the priest that was part of the UK national team the same thing in an abusive tirade in front of all the London catechists and responsibles in St Charles Borromeo church in Ogle Street. That was in the sanctuary and in front of the tabernacle. It appears that this is acceptable behaviour in the way!?!?

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    6. ARROGANCE!
      We,the ncw leadership, know better than the Pope, the Magisterium and the clergy. We will teach our catechumens whatever we decide-so F Off all of you.
      If we decide to tell them we are in follow Peter and we are in communion with Rome that is our business!
      UNTRUSTWORTHY! ECONOMIC WITH THE TRUTH! SCOUNDRELS!

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    7. Just typical neo-bolshie gits then?

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  23. Embarrassing for all those who have hung their coats on the Neo peg!
    The ugliness of the truth behind the mask of respectability is leaking out.
    Lancaster is the last diocese in the UK that I would have expected to break the mold. I would have expected Shrewsbury, Plymouth or Portsmouth to been more likely to have had their fingers burnt.

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    1. In at least one of those, they are, as we speak, very badly indeed. Please pray for them and also for our senior archbishops to wake up to what they are the tools of - and to examine themselves and their dioceses to see why. The archbishops are the ones that got us into this mess, so they must get us out of it, to borrow a current phrase. They need our prayer support to get on with the job and not a superior "told you so" - or in my case smugly congratulating myself on walking away after 28 years!

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    2. Yes it must come as a real surprise to these Bishops and Arch Bishops to discover that what is promoted as "salt and leaven"(eg mission ad gentes) is in fact darnel. What they have unwittingly done is to invite a Trojan horse in side the walls of the Church! This enemy is promoting the Way and undermining the authority of the Church; plundering the diocese and the parishes.
      Austin you are right-we need to pray for the hierarchy to put this right.

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    3. 6:13 PM, more than prayer, we need to actively criticize the hierarchy who sell out the Catholic Church. Many of them kowtow to the allurement of easy fix and unexpected windfall in exchange for putting the Church in a compromising position. NCW should have never been allowed influence to the degree it now has upon the highest echelons of Church hierarchy. Yes, these clerics will face the Creator and questioned about their stewardship, but we have to stop the errors that they have allowed to fester in the Church, such as the neobot triumphalism and kiko-worship.

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    4. Like the Bishop of Lancaster many of the bishops will realise that they have made a mistake inviting the ncw in to their diocese. How many of them will be humble enough to admit their error or brave enough to follow this bishop's example? Phillip Egan? Mark O'Toole, Mark Davies,Joseph Toal? May be they are too proud or too ambitious to admit to error.

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    5. ncw (super?) catechists consider themselves the TRUE APOSTLES! Once they get their foot inside the diocese door they run AMOK.
      The attraction of the ncw glorious fruit quickly becomes seen to be the poisonous fruit planted by Screwtape.
      The majority of ncw members including most presbyters have no idea what these SUPERS? are doing.
      PH stage managed the eucharist in Burford to hoodwink Vincent Nicols. Not attending himself to remain in the shadows and prohibiting other controversial individuals from attending.
      Any deception is acceptable for the better good. ie the good of the Way

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    6. bolshevik way; infiltrate-populate-dominate!

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  24. Fr Lan Ker in Burford what are your thoughts ? You once wrote in the catholic herald we are entering the age of the neocats!!????

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  25. Dear Fr Ian Ker, would you like to expand on your text in the herald 8 years ago ? Here it is to refresh your mind... ;)
    http://www.catholic.org/news/international/europe/story.php?id=28614

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  26. Hello Anon @8:59 AM and 9:04AM, please ask your bishop to investigate the doctrinal teaching of the Neocatechumenal Way, not just their liturgical practice. He can start with these nine examples of twisted scriptural interpretation in their teaching, all of which are linked to foundational principles of the Way.

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    1. Chuck,

      Concerned parishioners should above all flag up the bad dynamics in the "communities" and coming from itinerants. This gives the game away every time, even if Catholics don't know what a liturgy or a doctrine is supposed to look like.

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    2. please explain? we just want to do what is right and good!

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    3. I'm talking about the bad boundaries, e.g holding "stages" and "receiving families in mission" without the bishop's approval, then there are the various forms of sleight of hand and bullying - that's the sort of thing I meant. Church doctrine doesn't officially say "thou shalt not cut corners" or "thou shalt not bully". Hoping that helps! Above all, thank you for your prayers, as they will be what will power improvements, in my diocese and yours.

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  27. We have a new Papal Nuncio in the UK. AB Adams from Philidelphia. Everyone should bring him up to speed on these issues asap

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  28. Paul Hayward is probably arranging a meeting with him

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  29. PAUl HAYWARD !! Tut tut Paul What have you done now

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  30. What will happen if by Aug 1st the ncw disobeys? Continuing their illicit liturgy, flowers on the altar, dancing around their table, catechists refusing to genuflect! As Chuck foresaw is
    this a schismatic?

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    1. Yes. Schismatic. Except a more virulent and deadly schism since they will burrow ever deeper into our church instead of leave it.

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