An Amusing List of Neocat Catch Words & Phrases w/ Definition - from Neocat Survivors

 The following list is a compilation from a subreddit group of survivors of the Neocatechumenal Way Cult. It is posted here with permission from the page admin:

• shit: you.

• the old man: you, more formally.

• bourgeois: also you. Basically a normal person. Kiko does not like them.

• alienated: to live a normal life.

• neurotic: having normal human reactions.

• natural religiosity: a slur for any form of faith that is not neocatechumenal.

• kerygma: you are shit, but God loves you. You are still shit. The good news.

• revealed anthropology: death-anxiety makes you a slave to the devil.

• circle of death: a closed loop of fear and ego that makes it impossible for you to love anybody. That is why you need us.

• ontological: random philosophical word. Mostly paired with death.

• ontological death: not literal death. Meaning uncertain. Possibly something close to a feeling of void.

• existential: dark, confused, pseudo-philosophical talk.

• idol: literally everything. The biggest ones are money and sex.

• your demons: your private thoughts. Especially those questioning what exactly you are doing here.

• history: the things that happen in your life.

• history of salvation: your biography, retold in NCW schema.

• love in the dimension of the cross: to be abused in any way, shape, or form.

• to lose one's life: which life?

• profound / deep: used to qualify something you just said, which was self-evident.

• god allows: God's positive, perfect will. The goal is usually humiliation.

• having your cross enlightened: rationalization of human suffering using religious language as a defense mechanism and spiritual bypass.

• you will not die: don't worry. Deployed with complete confidence in life-or-death situations.

• for your good: for our good.

• circumcise the intellect: stop thinking.

• the Church: your community, the catechists, the Neocatechumenal Way. Usually not the Catholic Church, though the ambiguity is quietly load-bearing.

• catechists: not to be confused with catechists in the Catholic sense. Group leaders.

• itinerant: upper-level catechist. Stay away.

• presbyter: priest.

• president: the presbyter during the Eucharist.

• the tripod: the three pillars of NCW life — Word, Eucharist, Community. Not to be confused with camera equipment.

• to have discernment: not a process. The catechists have it. You don't.

• scrutiny: public interrogation about matters of conscience before the assembled community.

• to obey: to do what the catechists tell you. They have discernment, remember?

• judging: expressing your point of view. Identified as a problem. Usually valid.

• guarantors: a buddy assigned to you by the catechists, who reports back to them.

• affections: a slur for any normal human emotional bond.

• to hate your father / mother: your mommy and daddy issues.

• being 1st / 2nd / 3rd child: your birth order carries hidden psychological meaning and can be used to explain your behaviour.

• latent homosexual: you are thirty and unmarried. Also deployable in other contexts. No clinical basis required.

• rebel: you don't comply with NCW doctrine.

• embittered: you left and you are angry.

• deceived by the devil: you left and you were right to.

• being a Christian: you are not one. Sometimes synonymous with being in the Way.

• it's not Christian: it is not NCW-compliant. Commonly applied to reporting abuse, crimes, etc.

• mature faith: the finished product of thought reform.

• to be free: to do everything the NCW demands. If you are Carmen: to be rude to other people.

• to make a sign: to sell something of great emotional or monetary value at the direction of the catechists.

• being open to life: officially, rejecting artificial contraception. In practice, an elastic concept that expands to cover any sacrifice the community requires. Paying the tithe is also being open to life.

• tithe: mandatory ten percent of gross income, paid to the community.

• God provides: theological cover for financial decisions that would otherwise require a risk assessment.

• be generous: we don't have the money to pay for the convivence.

• the 100th fold: can be literally anything. Definitely not a 100x monetary return on investment promised during the second scrutiny.

• Courage!: replaces genuine human emotions — compassion, acknowledgment, sitting with someone in their pain. Suitable for bereavement, abuse disclosure, marital collapse, mental health crisis, and general Tuesday afternoons. Extended forms: Courage, brother (you are alone in this); Courage, brothers (you are all alone in this, together).

• the world: everything outside NCW

• Pharaos: the bishops against NCW

• Israel's daughters: The girls in the NCW. During the pilgrimages, the catechists were used to repeat:"You shall marry the Israel's daughters"

• Scrutatio: A sort of lectio divina

• Agape: The banquet at the end of important celebrations (and your reward for listening to the catechists drone on for hours)

• encouragement: public papal slap on the wrists

• Catholic Itinerary: a Catholic movement. Definitely not a cult.

• approved by the Vatican: beyond scrutiny. (Pun intended.)

• sent by the Pope: not sent by the Pope. Received a blessing among thousands of people.

• initiators: the founders. A regular word for regular founders of a regular movement.

• crisis: doubts about God. dark / deep crisis: doubts about the Way. Considerably more serious.

• concrete facts: the hard facts of your life. Very hard.

• to fight: to be in a constant state of spiritual alertness. Indistinguishable from anxiety.

• thankful to the Way: loyal to the organization. faithful to the Way: also loyal to the organization. A slightly more advanced form.

• to stand up: to literally stand up and run onto a stage in front of thousands of people, signifying your availability for priesthood, consecrated life, or mission.

• two-by-two: a seven-day mission with a partner, no money, no plan. Resembles homelessness.

• traditio: knocking on doors, Jehovah's Witness style.

• redditio: telling your life story in front of the whole parish. Mentioning your sins is not optional — if you don't, people may even think you are a good person. Terrible.

• merkabah: the draw that assigns mission destinations by chance.

• the market: the arrangements made before the draw. The hand of God, assisted.

• being sent to the Domus: you are a teenager with multiple socio-psychological difficulties and are sent to a remote location in Israel. Neocat rehab. (How many of us know priests or seminarians sent there?!)

• berakah: blessing before a meal.

• ketubah: the marriage contract between God and the community. You are married now. Mazel tov!

• pagan: anyone not in the Way. Jews excluded.

• child of the Way: born in the group. Has never known anything else.

• to sell your birthright: to leave. Comes with complimentary threat of damnation.

• fantastic / wonderful!: deployed after someone discloses something terrible. Meaning: things are bad, but nobody cares. A close relative of Courage!

• Judas: anyone who questions or calls out the NCW on their bullshit

• crisis: having second thoughts or rebelling against the Way

• rebellion: being a normal teenager that sees the NCW as the cult and/or making shit up so you can shout it from the microphone (usually sexual in nature)

Lies and Deception: They never tell you they are with the Neocatechumenal Way

Why do they keep it from you? Why don't they ever tell you they are with the Neocatechumenal Way or what you're getting yourself into is a new subchurch, or parallel church? - because they deceive from the outset. 

Readers of the The Thoughtful Catholic might remember the "God gives you cancer guy"Francesco Gennarini,://thoughtfulcatholic.com/francesco-gennarini-cancer-is-sent-by-god/  ,nepo baby of Kiko's replacement, Giuseppi Gennarini https://thoughtfulcatholic.com/giuseppes-islands/. Recently Francesco, his latest child and his wife were seen at the recent Papal address to the Neocatechumenal Way; which was a gigantic departure from years past. 

Just four years ago the Neocatechumenal Way met with Pope Francis, as they had met with previous Popes, in the Nervi Auditorium. In all previous years the audience was full of large familes, priests, cardinals and of course, Kiko's team. Kiko led the huge crowd like he does at every Kiko gathering, singing his songs, calling on the various groups representing their countries of origin; followed by a lecture to the Pope on how the Way operates its scheme... er steps. 

https://therecord.com.au/news/international/preach-the-gospel-obey-the-church-pope-francis-tells-neocatechumenal-way/

This year, Pope Leo XVI would have none of that, opting to meet with them in the Vatican Hall of Blessings, a significantly smaller space. Kiko led no songs or lecture and no introductions to the various delegates, one being the Gennarinis.

In this Hall, the Pope went down the isle blessing two infants and one toddler, in what was otherwise a gathering of seniors citizens.  

https://zenit.org/2026/01/19/live-your-spirituality-without-ever-separating-yourselves-from-the-rest-of-the-ecclesial-body-pope-leo-xiv-to-the-neocatechumenal-way/

A recent photo was sent by a reader who fled the NCW to a parish sans NCW,  only to find they were introducing a "Lenten Mission" by none other than Francesco Gennarini and family. The ad insinuates the Pope himself sent this family to Aurora, Colorado because who is going to argue with the Pope!? "The team is composed of a priest, two young men, and a couple with their 11 children"; this couple with the 11 children, the Gennarinis, haven't traveled on mission from Rome to "spread the gospel" but rather have been living in the Denver Metro area for about a decade. How do we know? The "cancer sent by God" speech was at a church mere miles away from their new target. Junglewatch published "Confusion and Division Wherever it Goes" https://www.junglewatch.info/2016/08/neocatechumenal-way-confusion-and.html a translation from Cruxsancta (https://cruxsancta.blogspot.com/2016/08/neocatecumenado-el-arbol-malo-da-malos.html) TEN YEARS ago - this same parish was where the Thoughtful Catholic published the "Cancer is Sent by God" post. Furthermore, the Gennarini's and children have been actively involved in St. James Parish in Denver, where the NCW dominates the school and parish there. 

This "invitation to hear a word" is complete deception. Living in Colorado, going to Rome to see and be seen by the Pope,visit Rome, and return home, is far different than the Pope sending them to the parish.  This mission of theirs tries to pull at any problem you have and then manipulate the emotions into thinking the NCW has the answer to your suffering. They say God gave you that suffering rather than allowing it and then they want you to focus on that suffering, indulge in the suffering, so much so that you become proud and boastful in it and boast of your sins. 

The wallowing in sin and suffering turns them into yelling, miserable, monsters who swear at and name call the poor parishioners who were duped into thinking they were just being a good Catholic, following their pastor into a parish Lenten mission. For the Way, the presence of suffering means that God is present and therefore you should be happy, however, the absence of suffering isn't happiness, neither is the presence of suffering; but the absence of God is suffering and the presence of God is happiness. Maybe that sounds like arguing over a glass half full or empty, however, to put it more plainly,  a neocat would say "suffering brings me joy" like some sadist, whereas a true follower of Christ simply says "my joy is in the Lord". The cancer here is not one sent by God but that of the Neocatechumenal Way, and the evidence is found in parishioners with the same, sad stories all over the world. 

So you've been invited to a catechisis? https://carmenkiko.wordpress.com/2022/09/07/youve-been-invited-to-a-catechesis/'

The Forgotten Victims

The following entry is reposted, with permission,  from a person who grew up in the Neocatechumenal Way. Although the Pope's recent admonishing words were the harshest a Pope has delivered thus far, it is likely to fall on deaf ears with the leaders of the Way. Pope Leo XIV, like all previous Popes that addressed the Way in this format, took more control of the NCW audience and didn't allow the theatrics in prior years with his predecessors. Pope Leo, like his predecessors balanced praise and encouragement for the good works, with words of caution and rebuke, being more direct in his speech, perhaps because, he knows all too well the aftermath and abuses the Way inflicts on a diocese from his time cleaning up the mess in Callao, Peru. 

Sadly, it won't be enough. Those who have been in the Way, like the following writer; know all too well that Kiko and company will take only the praise and ignore the admonishments. Only a direct "cease and desist", clearly outlining exactly what they must STOP doing, might they actually listen. Furthermore, this group of "catechists"  and members, only seem to comprehend words that are yelled and emphasized with arm gestures likened to Mussolini or Stalin, or any other nerfarious dictator in history that has a podium and microphone. The following is a heartfelt, and poetic look into the lives of many who, miraculously, still hold on to faith - despite the Way, and still look to the Holy Roman Catholic Church for guidance and hope in Christ. How long must they wait? When will consolation and reconciliation come for them? How I wish the church would consider those not only left confused and abused by the Way, but all those who have LEFT the church because of the Way, and worse, those who have ceased believing  because of the Way. 

Spiritual Abuse, Institutional Betrayal, and Abuse of Conscience - Reflections on the recent Papal Audience with the Neocatechumenal Way: The Forgotten Victims

I have been reflecting on the Pope’s words during his recent meeting with the leaders of the Neocatechumenal Way. I attended those meetings many times myself, first as a child and later as an adult. I know the atmosphere well: after the "convivence" in Porto San Giorgio, where you are lofted in spiritual heights, you feel part of something extraordinary. In that context, the Pope’s warnings must have felt deflating to those present, despite his expressions of appreciation. But within the movement, the internal logic is to simply shrug it off. The mindset is that the Pope doesn’t truly know what is happening on the ground, and the only thing that matters is that we were "sent." The Church has approved us; it doesn't need to understand us. As usual, the Pope’s address was a mix of gratitude for the "good work" and warnings against "excesses." It is a familiar cycle—nothing new under the sun. By taking this approach, the institution keeps everyone satisfied: members point to the praise as a shield, and critics point to the warnings as a sword. But who is forgotten? The victims. The victims of these "excesses" are not being acknowledged. There is no call for reparation, no justice for the broken. This "balanced" approach only perpetuates the same pastoral negligence that allowed these abuses to happen in the first place.

It is painful to acknowledge, but the institution of the Catholic Church—through its priests, bishops, the Vatican, and the Pope himself—has played a role in allowing these abuses to occur. Our Mother failed to protect us. We were violated in the most sacred and intimate sanctuary that exists: our conscience. We were told we were safe within the Womb of the Church, only to be spiritually aborted. This hurt is constant. Our cries are muffled by an anonymity born of necessity, intended to protect our lives, yet leaving us to suffer in silence. We are mocked from all sides. From within, we are branded as rebellious or deceived by the devil. From without, we are dismissed as disgruntled, bitter, and angry. I turn to Jesus Christ, the Good Samaritan, asking Him to look upon us with compassion. I pray that the suffering we bear in silence will eventually yield the fruit Christ intends for the Church and the world—a fruit of truth and real accountability.

How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?

For the full context of the Pope's address to the Way with commentary go to:

https://thoughtfulcatholic.com/address-of-his-holiness-pope-leo-xiv-to-the-leaders-of-the-neocatechumenal-way/

Why Can't You Catholics Just Shut Up and Listen!?

A new storm is brewing on the southern border.

It has been a long while since we have posted, partly because all that can be pointed out about the problems with the Neocatechumenal Way has been said, not only here - but ALL OVER THE WORLD, many times over. However, the first Neocatechumenal Way Bishop in the United States (an actual bishop formed in the Way,
not just one that embraced the Way) Reverend Peter Baldacchino, of the Diocese of Las Cruces, New Mexico has a new group to contend with. The Voice of the Catholic Faithful of the Diocese of Las Cruces -is a lay group of people that have had negative experiences in their parishes and seek to have their grievences heard.

View the video recordings of two of their meetings. The first, you'll see is testimonies of more of the same crap the Neocats have pulled everywhere they go. https://youtu.be/o2_4iX_79tg?si=9Mej4yAfgjaEUL4k

The second, the Bishop and his henchman, Vicar General Rev. Kevin Waymel, show up. After the organizers try to regain their meeting, at the 8:26 mark, Fr. Kevin Waymel, yanks the microphone away from the organizer. https://youtu.be/XAsCCZ0B7XE?si=x1YvfnpXmiuXKs_1

The issue goes something like this:

The diocese of Las Cruces is relatively small compared to surrounding diocese, however, being a small diocese means the neocats weren’t able to hide their plans for long.

It seems the parishioners there have the same negative experiences as others from all over the world when the Neocatechumenal Way infiltrates their parishes.

The Way is still doing the same deceptive tactics of “come to the parish advent mission or marriage preparation or OCIA” then, unbeknownst to the Catholic or potential Catholic, they find themselves at a Neocatechumenal Way parallel church.

The poor parishioners of Las Cruces have walked the same path that many from all of the world have
experienced:

• The parishioner voices their issues and is ignored, lied to that what they saw, heard and/or experienced didn’t happen, isn’t true or, at best, they just misunderstood.

• The parishioner tries to go through the proper channels, such as talking to their pastor first, however it turns out he’s a neocat, and the parishioner finds themself admonished, told they simply just don’t know and are left feeling as though they need to put up and shut up or leave.

• The parishioner goes to the bishop and is met with gatekeepers, these gatekeepers are also neocat, and they talk to each other and the Bishop, who is also neocat and the parishioner gets nowhere.

• These parishioners multiply and they decide to hold a meeting off church grounds, to discuss their grievances, what to do, learn and hope that, maybe, if there’s a group of them, the Bishop will hear them. The pastor hears of these gatherings, invites them to “come and listen” because they are spreading “lies and misinformation”, again, they are told they are wrong and invalid, and they just don’t understand what the Way is trying to do in their parish.

• The group continues to meet, realizing they will get nowhere trying to have their grievances heard and know that they will need a formal petition or letter, sent through the proper channels in order to get to the Pope - they organize.

• The neocats MUST convince these “simple” parishioners that they just don’t know that what they see and hear and experience is just fine. The neocats fear having ANOTHER scandal, OR that people in the area will find out they are this parallel church and they can’t dupe people into their “catechisis” anymore so they tell the people, if only they would shut up and listen and obey everything would be fine because they, the Neocats, know better about the Neocatechumenal Way and everything will be fine.

• The Bishop and pastor/vicar general show up, unannounced, to the meeting that the parishioners have paid the time and space for, off of church grounds, and take over the microphone & podium, and act as though they are in charge. The first step of the Way is what again?? HUMILITY?? Oh sweet Jesus, if it weren't so wrong and divisive it's laughable. When the parishioners try to speak up for themselves, they are shut down, interrupted, talked over, and denied the microphone and space they created for themselves.

• The Bishop and Pastor/Vicar general show disregard yet again for the people’s concerns, stating they can’t understand why the people won’t ask their questions to them, the experts of the Neocatechumenal Way.

THE ARROGANCE IS ASTOUNDING!

They Lie and Lie and Lie

Proverbs 6 :16-19 “There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.”

While in the Way, there was often drama. Some people were definitely prone to it and some people were driven to it by so called catechists sowing discord among us. If we weren’t being critical, confronting each other over every annoyance, we were told we were being fake, wearing a mask so to speak. On one occasion, a man in my community, who wasn’t directly affected by the drama of the day, stated to me that “everyone lies”. He said it with a smile as if he were the honest one by saying he and everyone else lies or has lied.  To which I responded “I don’t lie”.  That’s not to say I haven’t ever, but his statement and expression suggested he really thought everyone is in the habit of telling lies; in which case no, not everyone finds it natural to lie. In fact, many, myself included, find lying very stressful and unnatural.  I found his casual attitude regarding lying was similar to the Catechists and everyone else who had any authority in the Way. (Read here for an expansion of that topic – https://carmenkiko.wordpress.com/2022/12/05/humble-pie-in-the-face/ )

It has been stated on this blog and several others that the Neocatechumenal Way has inflated its membership numbers for many years – possibly from the beginning just to gain momentum. Each and every gathering, whether it is the local diocese of communities embedding themselves in parishes for a gathering with the local Bishop or the vocational meeting immediately following the Papal Mass the next day to hear “their Pope” Kiko; they will list off their community or country of origin and the number present as they stand and get acknowledged.  Why do they do this?  If they do not show that they are gaining members, just as with ANY organization,  religious or not, it means it is not working. Quantity over quality has been the motto of this group.  It does not matter how faithful a member, how far along, how invested; they just want every single person present when it counts (meaning when the bishops, cardinals or Pope are in their presence). 

At one of the many annual gatherings with our very own Archbishop in the Archdiocese of Denver, we were told as a community to make sure everyone was there and to invite anyone in our family that would come regardless if they were in the Way or not.  We also were told to call anyone, and I mean anyone, that had gone to the catechesis, regardless if they attended the initial retreat or not, to these meetings.  The number of people is a show to the Bishop – that their way of evangelization is working.  Those of us who have sampled this “new evangelization” whether just through the initial talks or in community for a number of years, know this show very well. 

 

Let’s examine this point in a very defined way.  World Youth Day Lisbon, Portugal just came to an end. Following the end of the week with the Papal Mass with all the “unsalted, unenlightened, non-chosen, natural religious” Catholics (their words not mine) they met with Kiko the following day in similar but very much smaller fashion.  

Our very own Archbishop Aquila, along with other duped OR complicit clergy to this scam attended with Kiko on stage, to look out at the crowds. Archbishop Aquila tweeted his attendance stating:

“WYD2023 meeting with the Neocatechumenal Way and Kiko – 20,000+ in attendance to hear the gospel”

Then he corrected himself (i.e. one of his Neocat handlers did) stating there were 80,000 in attendance!

I truly tried to find the best aerial shot of the crowd in Lisbon for the vocational meeting, to capture the crowd as best as possible, and this is the best I could do as the Way tends to scrub the internet of things that don’t fit the narrative.:

Now Archbishop Aquila is not a stupid man, and it’s doubtful his own eyes deceived him. So what does a crowd of 20,000 look like (https://blog.lime.link/visualizing-crowd-sizes/)

How about 50,000

And 75,000:

One can see that even if I spliced two of the best crowd shots together from the WYD Neocat Vocational call together it wouldn’t equal even half of Notre Dame Stadium.  I believe that Archbishop Aquila’s original estimation of 20,000 was a generous and more correct estimate. 

Two things can be true at the same time.  

True, numbers may not mean much to the Neocat.  Is it still an impressive gathering of people – yes. Do they exaggerate their claims for their own benefit – yes.

Have they garnered vocations from this meeting – yes.  Do they take the euphoria of one young man’s impulse to run to the stage, take note, and heavily pressure him, lure him with talks of destinations like the coast of Italy or somewhere out of his impoverished country, and then make it very hard to leave – yes.  (an Irish seminarian in our Archdiocese some years ago said “these f**ker$ just won’t let you leave!”) https://carmenkiko.wordpress.com/2022/11/21/time-to-fry-the-fruit/

Has the Way influenced people to have large families that otherwise wouldn’t have – yes.  Have these large families experienced criticism or neglect for “making each other an idol” by not adhering to the many lengthy commitments or faced awful abuse at the hands of overwhelmed or narcissistic parents – yes.  https://thoughtfulcatholic.com/?page_id=36383

Have they gained in numbers and established themselves within the Catholic Church – yes.  Have they lost many members but neglect to adjust the rosters (there are more ex-neocats than current). – yes.

Did they gain some approval from the Vatican – yes? – Did they take any endorsement or step of the approval process and make a sweeping claim as to their approval – yes. https://carmenkiko.wordpress.com/2022/12/09/approved-or-not/

Do the Neocats strive to practice their faith diligently – yes.  Likewise do protestants strive to practice their faith – yes.   https://carmenkiko.wordpress.com/2023/03/27/cult-fiction-20-years-later-part-1/

https://neocatecumenali.blogspot.com/search?q=foundation

Do they hold parish mission talks advertising an answer to your suffering – yes.  Do they deliberately hide that they are the Neocatechumenal Way and intend to follow a formulated plan to end up having you in a program separate from your parish mass and activities – yes https://carmenkiko.wordpress.com/2022/09/07/youve-been-invited-to-a-catechesis/

Again, two things can be true at the same time!  

Truth matters in both small things and big things. Someone who lies and deceives from the start no matter what possible good intentions for doing so – will continue to lie to you. Some of their lies may be smaller lies like inflating numbers or maybe they don’t tell you they are the Neocatechumenal Way much in the same way someone doesn’t tell you they are trying to sell you Amway. Or they are BIG lies like hiding and defending pedo priests https://neocatecumenali.blogspot.com/2018/06/ferrovia-sotterranea-neocatecumenale-per-i-predatori-sessuali.html

Kiko and company got far too comfortable with their lies thinking no one would show the receipts. They became too accustomed to not having the internet with recordings and photos, to show their deceit.  https://thoughtfulcatholic.com/?page_id=44740

My own pastor Fr. Felix Medina, devoted Neocat, weaved his own web causing division and confusion (http://www.junglewatch.info/2016/08/neocatechumenal-way-confusion-and.html) among the various groups and didn’t think anyone would actually talk to each other. As one frustrated fellow parishioner showed me the text messages received from him that were proof against his statements and e-mails of “I never said…..” the frustrated parishioner simply stated “I’m so sick of his lies”.  Yes – so sick of the lies. 

Proverbs 12:22 “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.”

Proverbs 26:28 “A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin”

Psalm 5:6 “You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.”

Exodus 23:10 “You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness.”

The Way's Exclusive Hymnody

The following is a translated and adapted excerpt from a 2022 case study by Valerio Ciarocchi, an Italian scholar, university professor, and expert in sacred and liturgical music. The abstract, as well as a link to the full PDF essay (in Italian), can be found here. The study, entitled The Repertoires of Ecclesial Movements, looks at the use of liturgical music in various "movements" within the Church. Obviously, our excerpt here concerns the Neocatechumenal Way.

Two footnotes, referring the reader to printed sources, have been omitted from this excerpt (but are retained in the original linked above). Two others have been retained but edited to fit the text. An additional intertext citation to a non-specific web source has also been omitted.

---

Neocatechumenal songs have a different style from traditional sacred and liturgical music. They are characterized by a sustained rhythmical quality, a preferential use for guitar and percussion instruments, and a vocal outpouring that intends to refer to the Jewish tradition and to the primitive Church.

The songs of the Neocatechumenal Way are collected in a hymnal entitled Resucitò [or He Rose from Death in English. "He Rose from Death" is also the name of one of their most popular hymns. A PDF version of the English hymnal is available from The Thoughtful Catholic.] At each presentation of new songs, training sessions are scheduled to explain their function and purpose. They have a clear biblical emphasis and are characterized by a laudatory point of view and a "kerygmatic" proclamation.

German theologian Sven Amuth notes, "Although there is a book of Neocatechumenal songs, the members of the Way do not use it in liturgical celebrations because they know them by heart, and this normally does not allow guests to be able to sing with them."

According to Kiko Argüello, for the Neocatechumenal, sacred music "has the power to awaken, to make faith ring out, something important in our age today, in which this kerygmatic aspect is very much lacking."

The Neocatechumenal Way considers the use of songs essential, both in the liturgical and extra-liturgical spheres: "The Neocatechumenal Way uses a hymnal of songs taken from the Word of God and from the Christian and Jewish liturgical tradition, which underline the contents of the different stages and passages" (Article 11 of the Neocatechumenal Way, approved by the Holy See on May 11, 2008).

We emphasize that the musical experience within the Neocatechumenal Way is quite "unique." Never, in the history of the Church, has there been the presence of a single author (the founder Kiko Argüello) for words and music that cannot be revised or corrected; this also applies to the playing style. In other words, the principle of adaptability to the cultural and social context is missing. Unlike the repertoires of other movements, the Neocatechumenal repertoire excludes performance in other contexts, because the songs are dedicated to the internal path of the Way itself. Conveniently, because being conceived for the celebrations "of" the Neocatechumenal Way, the songs would be "foreign" to other celebratory contexts.

We believe this to be limiting because it would seem to indicate an "exclusivity" which is not legitimized by the systematic Magisterium on sacred music.