DIOCESE OF CLIFTON

Office of the bishop
St Ambrose, North Road, Wood Leigh,,
Bristol board.
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Clifton Catholic the Administrators Diocésains Recorded the Charity No 233977

Report on the presence and the activities of the
Neo-Catechumenal path
in the Diocese of Clifton.

Declaration summarized for the Press

Why t ya he/it had an investigation.

Mgr Mervyn Alexander, Bishop of Clifton, established the jury of investigation in January 1996 to consider the demand made by some parishioners in at least three parishes of the Diocese, parishes that endured the presence and the activities of the Neo-Catechumenat.

(Page of the report 1 Para 1)

Mandate of team of l investigates

As indicated in the beginning of every public assembly in the parishes the jury watches the main goal of the Demand to value if the presence and the activities of the Path Néocatéchuménal caused the pain in every parish and to what size.

(Report Page 1, 2 Paras 1.4, 1.10,)

the investigation is appreciated by the path.

As the Parishioners, the Path Néocatéchuménal himself in Britain is happy that this investigation concerning the Neocatechumenal path makes itself, so that the truth can be daylight. Their hope is that the best knowledge of the Path Néocatéchuménal will solve all misunderstanding or bad felt.

(Page of the report 34 Decorated 4.A.4)

Stages of the investigation

There are four main stages.

1. the written answers to which the parishioners were prompters has answer (including members NC), has the question: "That is what the Neo-Catechumenal path made for you and your parish "

(Report Pages 1 & 8 Decorated 1.5 & 2.6)

2. the analysis of the answers at the time of meetings held in every Parish for the members of the Path Néocatéchuménal and for the Parishioners.

(Page of the report 1 Para 1.6)

3. The individual meetings with the bishop, with the Priests of Parish, the others member of the clergy and the national Teams of Catechists of the path neocatechumenal.

(Page of the report 2 Decorated 1.7)

4. The jury's Report has been written then and has been presented to the bishop.

(Beginning of Letter of the Report to the bishop)

Main findings of the jury

After having considered all written representations, the points of enlightenment (public and private), the meetings, the Jury gives the following findings :

(Page of the report 145 Section 4 V)

the. The presence of the Path Néocatéchuménal to St Nicolas of Tolentino, to St, Peter and to Sacred Hearts didn't bring a new vitality to enliven these parishes. It was even rather the opposite that occurred. These parishes lack unit and declined "pastorally", as the Community of Parish in the Diocese of Clifton since the introduction of the Path NC;

b. the entry of the Néocatéchuménal path within these parishes doesn't make visible the signs the missionary church. On the contrary, he/it drags a strong dissension. The communities brought people undoubtedly in the church for the first time, helped other people and renewed the faith of others, but the jury notices that the Parish suffered therefore in his/her/its whole;

c. the Path Néocatéchuménal didn't always operate in the mind of service with regard to bishop Alexander or in communion with him in the context of the unit of the Diocese of Clifton; and this in the 3 parishes.

d. there is not any visible will for the Path Néocatéchuménal to get in agreement with the parishes in the Diocese Clifton;

e. the bans of March 1994 should not be removed but should become therefore more precise; it is necessary to limit the dimension of the communities to the dominant level;

f. there is the pressing need that every Parish is united has the community in his/her/its whole and with has his/her/its head, the pastoral plan produced by bishop Alexander as suitability wants it;

g. IT is necessary to exercise the rights and duties according to the Cannon 212. We don't conclude that every neocatechumene was the reason of all sufferings of the individuals, but we conclude that the methods of the Path NC were. This experience during all these years watch in a convincing manner that the presence of the Path NC is harmful to the pastoral vitality and has his/her/its unit.

4 V 2 The letter of appointment of December 29, 1995 was a Preliminary Demand but in light of the aforesaid findings another Demand can be necessary, especially to examine the methods of the Path NC as those applied in the Diocese of Clifton. He/it is has get back has the mind that one of the grievances against the Path NC was the one to present itself/themselves as being the only path of salute.

Recommendations of the jury.

of the recommendations by the jury's members must be consisted completely in light of the report that tries to give the essential points of the grievances. The recommendations fall in four general categories;

(Page of the report 147 Section 4 V)

1. The unit of the Catholic Diocese asks that there is a Pasteur Main that guides the life of the church. The Parishes and the Neo-Catechemunal communities should receive their the bishop's pastoral advice, or by the one that has been designated by him. It should remove all need to continue has want to make it for those that are outside from the Diocese.

2. The edict of 1994 should remain in strength, while limiting this way the adherence of the Communities, and to unite the parishes in the eucharistie of Sunday, and what is very important, the Eve of the Easter. We recommend that all Catholics endeavor to accept the RCIA as the authentic path of evangelism in the life of parish.

3. The unit of the parishes demand that quite is made in the unit. In other words, the program of catechism, the involvement of youth, the group of parishioners and the committees should not be ever exclusively Neo-Catechumenales, and should be in his/her/its representative set of the parish.

4 that every parish has been affected differement by the presence of the NC. However, we conclude that the new beginning is required in every community of parish. If it means that the Priests of Parish remain in their respective parishes for the advantage of the parish community and themselves, or if one requires that they go in another parish in the Diocese, it is had the bishop to decide. The whole comunaute should conform to the report.The Jury would like to express his/her/its gratitude once again to all those that helped has this long and arduous task. The jury recognizes that tousont tried to help with the best motives, for the a lot of church, for the a lot of respective parishes and communities. We ask to receive these recommendations for the a lot of whole Diocese under the advice of bishop Alexander and that one should never express the interest of a group.

What now happens?

Bishop Alexander published the declaration that welcomes the publication of the Report and indicated his/her/its intention to consider the findings and recommendations carefully in the Report.

The copies of the Report have been sent to the members of the Chapter, to all Deans and to every member of the board of Priests. The copies of this Summary have been sent to every Priest and Deacon in the Diocese, and the copy of this summary has been placed on the square of every Parish in the Diocese. Some copies of the Report have been put has disposition in the three mentioned parishes in the report and the other copies will be available once they will be printed.

Bishop Alexander made a special meeting of the Council Diocésain of the Priests November 19 to hear their commentaries on the report. The Council Diocésain of Priests is a group of priests, some are named by the bishop and the other are chosen by the priests of the Diocese who help the bishop in the management of the diocese so that the pastoral well-being can be encouraged efficiently.

Other observations.

[him] did the Sections of the medias return interogations emitted by some people against the Path Néocatéchuménal, is this a religion or a Sect? The jury didn't feel sufficiently authorized to debate such an assertion, but they considered the paper of thirteen pages writing by Jean Vanier about the "New Movements." The jury recommends this paper to those in the church that could be recognized sufficiently authorized to debate such an accusation.

(Page of the report 130 Section 4.S.7)

[b] The Path Néocatéchuménal has been founded in 1964 by Kiko Arguello, the Spanish artist, with Carmen Hernandez.. The leaders of the Path Néocatéchuménal themselves explain that 'the Path is not spontaneously a formed group, it is not either an association, nor a spiritual movement, nor the elite in the parish. It is rather about, of a group of people that wishes to rediscover and to lead peinement the Christian life; to live the consequences of their Baptism by means of the Path divided Neocatechumenal in different stages, was like that in the primitive church, but adapted to their condition to be the already baptized people.'

(Report Pages 17 & 18 Section 3.3)

[c] All people representing the chemin(100 to the total) explain different ways how their involvement or their engagement in the Path Néocatéchuménal have radically change their perspective of life, or helped them has come back to the church, or increased their faith and so forth. There is an undoubtedly 'experience of the conversion.' In some examples it is deeper than in the other to bring some people keys by the drugs, prostitution has come back toward god and more being to the bench of the society. The prayer is important for members NC as their involvement in the Liturgies. Besides, them 'experience' is as some got ready to dedicate their lives as missionaries.

(Report Pages 86 & 88 Cut 4.J.2 and 4.J. 11)

[d] More than 500 people in the Diocese of Clifton participated in the initiation of the Path Néocatéchuménal during the annes 1980. A considerable number of parishioners welcomed in a strong and cordial way the opportunity to receive them 'Catecheses for Adult but only a number limited of these found it 'Process uses by the path acceptable neocatechumenal; several reasons are given has it. Even though this investigation is not about it, the jury wishes to accentuate and to give back the signal given about the need felt to follow them 'Catecheses for Adult.

(Report Pages 20 & 21 Section 3.14)

Ends.


Robert Corrigan
Officer of the Communication diocesan
Such 0117 973 3072
Fax 0117 973 5913


Report on the presence and the activities of the entry of the Neo-Catechumenal path in the
Diocese of Clifton - Summary of the Declaration has the Press



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