STATUTE OF THE NEOCATECHUMENAL WAY APPROVED

VATICAN CITY, JUN 28, 2002 (VIS) - This morning Cardinal James Francis Stafford, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, presented the decree of approval of the statute of the Neocatechumenal Way to its leaders, Kiko Arguello, Carmen Hernandez and Fr. Mario Pezzi. The ceremony took place in the Great Hall of the dicastery.

According to a communique published today, the approval is the fruit of the combined work of 5 dicasteries. In addition to the Pontifical Council for the Laity, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of Sacraments, the Congregation for Clergy and the Congregation for Catholic Education collaborated on the approval.
"The Neocatechumenal Way," says the communique, "has not been approved as an association or a movement or religious congregation, but as an itinerary of Christian formation to discover once again our baptism, respecting and confirming the intention of those who began it."

"The process was prolonged because the juridical forms applied most in the Code of Canon Law are those of an association and foundation" while "the Way is effectively at the service of the dioceses and parishes in terms of Christian initiation without being an autonomous entity."

The statute is composed of thirty five articles. In the first article, the nature of the Way is described and the spiritual goods that constitute it. In the second, its mode of application is established: in the dioceses "under the direction of the bishop" and "according to the guidelines proposed by its initiators. The subject who promotes Christian initiation - explains the text - is obviously the bishop to whom is being offered a tool, approved by the Holy See and organized according to the indications of the statute."

The last articles specify scheduled procedure for the succession of the team of initiators of the Neocatechumenal Way.

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