Vatican tells movement to change some Mass, Communion practices

Published: 2005-12-28

ROME (CNS) -- The Vatican has told communities of the Neocatechumenal Way to join their entire parish at least once a month for Mass and to phase out their practice of receiving Communion seated around a table. The instructions were contained in a Dec. 1 letter from Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, published in late December by an Italian newspaper and an Italian magazine. Officials of the congregation and the Neocatechumenal Way were not available for comment Dec. 28. The letter said Cardinal Arinze met Nov. 11 with the leaders of the international parish-based faith formation program -- Kiko Arguello and Carmen Hernandez, who founded the Way, and Father Mario Pezzi -- to discuss the liturgy. According to the letter, Pope Benedict XVI requested that the changes be made.

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