Pope Benedict XVI has approved the canonical statutes of the Neocatechumenal Way, leaders of the lay apostolate have announced. Leaders of the Necatechumenal Way were apparently caught by surprise by the news that the Pontiff had given final approval to their statutes.
Kiko Arguello, the founder of the group, was traveling in the Holy Land when the web site operated by Neocatechumate members in Rome announced the Pope's decision.
Canonical statutes for the Neocatechumenal Way were approved ad experimentum by the Holy See in 2002, for a period of 5 year.
But final approval was delayed, with informed sources suggesting that the Vatican remained concerned about some aspects of the organization, including unusual liturgical practices that had provoked a correction from the Congregation for Divine Worship in 2005.
In April the secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, Bishop Josef Clemens, told the Italian news site, Petrus, that final approval might not come for some time.
But the Pope's final decision was announced barely one month later. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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