To the Clergy and to people of the Diocese:
In September 1979 I welcomed the beginning of the Neo-Catechumenal" "Path with the sincere wish that it would be a fruitful and precious addition for the work of evangelism and energization of the Local church of Clifton.
Since this time and until lately, I received the reports and the piece of information that threw the doubt on the efficiency and the desirability of the Neo-Catechumenal" "Path in this diocese. These documents suggest that the methodology of the catecheses and the evangelism of the "Path" with his/her/its clean spirituality were and is the reason of dissension and a spiritual pain.
Therefore, as main Pasteur of the Diocese I established the jury of enqête in January 1996 under the presidency of M. Thomas Millington with the Same Reverend Barnaby Dowling and Mrs Valerie James to inquire into the veracity of these grievances and fears eprimees.
After having studied with care the findings of this investigation and a consultation spread with the Council Diocésain of Priests and other advisers, I concluded that the methodology and the spirituality of the Neo-Catechumenal path were the reason of a serious dissension and a spiritual pain among certain Faithful of the Christ, and therefore I enact as follows:
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[1] |
that the catecheses and the methods of evangelism of the "Neo-Catechumenat" are not beneficial nor suitable has the use of this diocese; |
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[2] |
that the "Neo-Catechumenate" will be stopped in the Diocese of Clifton, immediately. |
Makes to Clifton, this eighth twenty day of January of the year of Our Lord 1997 and the nineteenth year of the Supreme Pastorate of Our Holy Father Pope John Paul II.
Bishop of Clifton
