In the audience with the Neocatechumenal Way founded by Kiki Arguello, on Saturday March 7,the Pope confirmed their call and blessed their charism. "I’m doing that not because I’ve been paid to: No! I’m doing it because I want to,” the Pope joked
“How much solitude, how much suffering, how much distance from God in the many peripheries of Europe and America, and in many cities of Asia!” The Pope said this during today’s audience with members of the Neocatechumenal Way in the Paul VI Hall. “I want to confirm your call, support your mission and bless your charism,” Francis said before cracking a joke (“I’m doing that not because I’ve been paid to: No! I’m doing it because I want to”). in reference to the missio ad gentes of the Neocatechumenal Way, Francis also underlined that “the Church has to move from a pastoral ministry of mere conservation to a decidedly missionary pastoral ministry” in order to prevent the “waters” “within the Church” from stagnating.
Today, “I want to confirm your call, support your mission and bless your charism. I’m doing that not because I’ve been paid to: No! (laughs) I’m doing it because I want to,” Francis said amid applause, before going on to bless priests and families about to set off on evangelisation missions. “You will go forth in the name of Christ into the world to bring His Gospel: Christ will precede, Christ will accompany and Christ will fulfil the salvation of which you are bearers!” Francis thanked the Way’s founders, Kiko Arguello and Carmen Hernandez who sat in the front row alongside Fr. Mario Pezzi and four cardinals (Vallini, Filoni, Rouco Varela and Cordes) “for the great benefit they bring to the Church through the Way”. “I always say,” the Pope added amid more applause, “that the Neocatechumenal Way does great good in the Church. Missionary communities, the Pope recalled, “are formed by a priest and four or five families, with children including grown-up ones, and are a missio ad gentes, with a mandate to evangelize non-Christians. Non-Christians who’ve never heard about Jesus Christ and the many non-Christians who’ve forgotten who Jesus Christ was, who is Jesus Christ: baptized non-Christians but who have forgotten their faith because of secularization, worldliness and many other things. Re-awaken that faith!” The Pope stressed that today’s world “badly needs this great message.” “How much solitude, how much suffering, how much distance from God in the many peripheries of Europe and America, and in many cities of Asia! Today, in every latitude, humanity greatly needs to hear that God loves us and that love is possible! These Christian communities, thanks to you missionary families, have the essential task of making this message visible. And what is this message? “Christ is risen, Christ lives. Christ lives amongst us.”
The Neocatechumenal Way, “a true gift of Providence to the Church of our time, as my predecessors have already stated,” the Pope stressed, referring in particular to John Paul II, “is based on the three dimensions of the Church which are the Word, Liturgy and Community. So obedient and constant listening to the Word of God; the Eucharistic celebration in small community after the first Vespers of Sunday, the family celebration of lauds on Sunday with all the children gathered round and sharing their faith with other brothers and sisters are at the origin of the many gifts the Lord has given to you as well as the many vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life.”
“On several occasions,” the Pope underlined, “I have insisted that the Church has to move from a pastoral ministry of mere conservation to a decidedly missionary pastoral ministry (cf. ibid., N. Evangelii gaudium, 15). How often, within the Church, do we keep Jesus inside and don’t let him out. …. How often! This is the most important thing to do if we do not want the waters to stagnate within the Church.” The audience began with the traditional chants of the Neocatechumenal Way and an articulate speech by Kiko Arguello: “I hope to be brief…,” the Way’s founder started by saying. He then pointed out each national Neocatechumenal group present in the audience hall to the Pope. Kiko noted that there was also a rubber kangaroo popping out among the Australians. The Pope concluded the audience by blessing the community with 250 families setting out on missions.
