NOTE BY THE CONGREGATION FOR DIVINE WORSHIP ON THE CELEBRATION IN GROUPS OF THE NEOCATECHUMENAL WAY.

       The Congregation for Divine Worship and for the Discipline of the Sacraments has often received requests, also on the part of bishops, concerning the celebration of the Eucharist in groups of the 'Neocatechumenal Way'. Concerning this, and without prejudice to further interventions, this Department declares the following:

The celebration of groups particularly gathered for their own specific formation are foreseen in the Instructions, Eucharisticum Mysterium of 25 May 1967, nn. 27 and 30 (AAS 59, 1967, 556-557) and Actio Pastoralis of 25 May 1969 (AAS 61, 1969, 806-811).

The Congregation consents that among the adaptations foreseen by the Instruction Actio Pastoralis nn. 6-1 1, the groups of the above-mentioned 'Way' may receive communion under two species, always with unleavened bread, and transfer ad experimentum the Rite of Peace to after the Prayer of the Faithful.

       The Ordinary of the place must be informed habitually or ad Casum of the place and time in which such celebrations will take place; they may not be held without his authorization.

       On the occasion of this declaration, this Congregation repeats what has been said in the Instructions cited above, and especially the following recommendations:

"Pastors of souls are greatly exhorted to desire to consider and deepen the spiritual and formative values of those celebrations. They achieve their scope only if they lead the participants to a greater awareness of the Christian mystery, to an increase of the divine worship, to insertion into the structure of the ecclesial community, and to the fruitful exercise of the apostolate and of charity towards the brothers and sisters" (Action Pastoralis).

       Given at the offices of the Congregation for Divine Worship and for the Discipline of the Sacraments, 19th December 1988.