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The Neocatechumenal Way began in 1964 among the inhabitants of the Palomeras Altas barracks in Madrid, through the work of Mr. Francisco José (Kiko) Gómex-Argoello and Miss Carmen Hernández who, at the request of the same poor people with whom they lived, began to proclaim to them the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Over the course of the teimpo this kerygma was realized in a catechetical synthesis founded on the tripod "Word of God-Liturgy-Community" and whose purpose is to lead people to fraternal communion and mature faith.
The Neocatechumenal Way is an itinerary of Catholic formation that "is at the service of the Bishops as one of the modalities of diocesan realization of Christian initiation and the permanent education of the
the faith."
- "This maturation in the faith" is lived in communities of approximately 25 to 40 members, therefore a very close relationship is established.
- The basic training envisaged lasts about 15 years, although in some Latin American countries they reach up to 25, but communities never dissolve. This makes the communities of the Neocatechumenal Way last longer than most other parish groups.
- The formation and guidance of the communities are carried out by a team of lay people supervised by a priest, the priest intervenes and guides so that everything exhibited by these catechists, who previously have training and experience in the faith, is framed within the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. These lay people are called "Catechists".
- The formation of the group goes through different stages and "steps" that interconnect them. Each stage implies greater growth in adult faith and seriousness than the previous one.
- Each year there is a coexistence of transmission, in which a series of catechesis are given and each year are based on different topics. In these coexistences vocational calls are made to people who feel that their mission is to evangelize or go to a seminary as well as to be a "family on mission" (the family itself decides to go and evangelize in other countries)
Stages of the Way
- Precatechumenated.
- Kerigma Announcement: Initial Catechesis
- Home coexistence: "Birth of the Community".
- First count
- Shema
- Postbautismal Catechumenate.
- Second count
- Initiation to prayer
- Symbol of faith (Traditio Symboli and Redditio Symboli)pp
- Our Father.
- Election.
- Cohabitation and scrutiny.
- Solemn renewal of baptismal promises at the Easter vigil.
- Pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
The Way is present on all continents, in more than 900 dioceses, with a total of about 40,000 communities in 6,000 parishes. There are also several seminars of the Way called Redemptoris Mater (Mother of the Redeemer) that currently add up to around 78. The Camino is mainly found in Europe and America. In general, each community has about 20 to 50 members.
The highest number of communities in the world is in Italy and Spain. In addition, other countries in Europe where the Way is particularly present are Poland, Portugal, Croatia and Malta. In the Americas there are many communities especially in Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.
Other countries where the Way has many communities include the Philippines and India. There are now around 800 communities in Africa. The Way is also present in the Middle East, where Lebanon has the highest number of communities in the region.
Malta has the highest density of communities: there are 100 communities on an island of only 400,000 inhabitants. Other countries with particularly high density include Guam (35 communities among 115,000 Catholics) and Andorra (20 communities in a population of 70,000).