Pope Francis received a commission from members of the Neocatechumenal Way and learned through Kiko Argüello that the beatification process of Carmen Hernandez has been officially opened in the diocesan phase.
Pope Francis and Kiko Argüello. Source: Vatican News
Newsroom (27/06/2022 7:42 PM, Gaudium Press) Pope Francis received on Monday, June 27, 5,500 members of the communities of the Neocatechumenal Way.
The Pope arrived at the Sala Nervi in the Vatican, walking with the aid of a cane. At the beginning of the meeting, Kiko Argüello greeted the Pontiff and thanked him for sending the families present on mission.
Kiko Argüello gave Pope Francis the news that the Archdiocese of Madrid has opened the diocesan process for the cause of canonization of Carmen Hernandez (1930-2016), one of the initiators of the Neocatechumenal Way, together with Arguëllo.
Carmen Hernandez
Carmen Hernández began her apostolate with Argüello in the late 1960s. Both evangelized the marginalized people in the peripheries of the Spanish capital. Then they began the evangelizing work with missionary families.
The cause for Carmen’s canonization has 1500 testimonials of graces and favours received through her, among which many reports, without apparent explanation, cures of illnesses.
Carmen Hernandez died on July 19, 2016, at age 85. Her tomb is in the Redemptoris Mater seminary in Madrid and has received more than 40,000 people and 25,000 requests for intercession.
The Pope’s Address
The audience with Pope Francis lasted a little over an hour. The Pontiff, in an impromptu speech, encouraged the missionary spirit of the families of the Way.
“This missionary spirit, of letting oneself be sent, is an inspiration for everyone. I thank everyone for this and I ask for docility to the Spirit who sends you, docility and obedience to Jesus Christ in his Church,” Francis said.
The Pontiff went on to say that “various cultures but the same Gospel, various peoples but the same Jesus Christ. This is what we are called to do. The faith grows but is always the same. This missionary spirit is an inspiration for all”.
Blessing at the sending forth of the missionary families
The Holy Father blessed 430 families who have been sent on mission to countries like Russia, Estonia and China. Some seminarians were also sent to Macao.
The Neocatechumenal Way Way is currently present in 134 countries and has 21,300 communities in 6270 parishes.
Around the world, 1668 missionary families are in action, among which 216 are in non-Christian countries. (FM)
Compiled by Gustavo Kralj
