Setting The Record Straight.

This was put forth in Junglewatch (See weblink below):  

http://junglewatch2.blogspot.com/2013/11/why-junee-must-live-apart.html#more

There are two sides to every story, and it's only fair to hear both sides and not only one side.  Here is the side of the Neocatechumenal Way.  Let us take a look at these five differences: 

Difference No. 1
First, neos (and we'll use "neo" for short) do not call it the "Mass."  They call it "Eucharist".  Nothing wrong with that, but it's still a difference.  We go to Mass.  They go to Eucharist. 

There is no difference between the words "Mass" and "Eucharist".  The Catechism of the Catholic Church uses both terms.  Below are examples taken from the Catechism:  

CCC #1360    The Eucharist is a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Father, a blessing by which the Church expresses her gratitude to God for all his benefits, for all he has accomplished through creation, redemption, and sanctification.  Eucharist means first of all "thanksgiving."

CCC #1332   Holy Mass (Missa), because the liturgy in which the mystery of salvation is accomplished concludes with the sending forth (missio) of the faithful, so that they may fulfill God's will in their daily lives. 

As one can see, the Catechism of the Catholic Church uses both terms "Mass" and "Eucharist".  Thus, this is simply a "play on semantics" to divide fellow Catholics......especially when one states, "WE go to Mass. THEY go to Eucharist."      

Difference No. 2
Next, the neo-Eucharist is not normally held in a church.  Canon 932 requires that the eucharistic celebration "be carried out in a sacred place unless in a particular case necessity requires otherwise; in such a case the celebration must be done in a decent place."  

As one can see, even the canon law uses the word "Eucharist" which the author objected to in Difference No. 1.  At any rate, why does one choose to look at the word "necessity" and limit "sacred place" to mean only the church building?  See my blog on "Why not celebrate in the church" which gives the explaination.  Whether one is satisfied with that explanation or not does not matter to me.  As I previously stated, the main purpose of this blog is to present information and insight from the side of the Neocatechumenal Way so that those not walking in the Way can better understand their brothers and sisters who are walking in the Way.  

Difference No. 3
The Neocatechumenal Way has a separate weekday celebration of the Liturgy of the Word.  This is allowed in the approved Statute (Art. 11), but nevertheless it is a "difference", since for the other faithful, a separate celebration of the Word is not permitted.

Anyone walking in the Way knows that in the Eucharist, we do not separate the Liturgy of the word and Eucharist.  They are together.  

In the weekday "liturgy of the word", a list of words is given to the neocatechumenates.  Let's say, for example, that the word for this week is "Covenant."  The group in the Way are instructed to read the Catholic biblical dictionary on "Covenant".  In the Biblical dictionary are also biblical verses, which the group is to look up.  From these biblical verses, the group chooses two Old Testament readings, one New Testament reading, and one Gospel reading that has to do with the word "covenant."  A celebration is then held with the rest of the community members where they are to reflect on these biblical readings that were chosen by the group.  The list of words given are already set.  An example of those words would be "rock", "covenant", "faith", "Abraham", "spirit", "law," etc.  So, the weekday of the word has nothing to do with the Sunday Mass.

Difference No. 4
The next difference is what happens in the celebration of the Eucharist.  The statute (Art. 13) allows for three differences: 1) the transfer of the Rite of Peace to after the Prayer of the Faithful, 2) permission to always receive communion under both kinds, and 3) to STAND, not sit, as before the Statute was approved in 2008.  

Those walking in the Way already know that we no longer sit when receiving the Body and Blood of Christ. We now stand.  That was the change that was made.  However, it is true that after receiving the Body of Christ, we do not consume the host immediately.  Instead, we contemplate on the Lord's Body until everyone in the assembly has received the Body of Christ.  One of the reasons we do not consume the Lord's Body is because the Priest himself has not taken communion yet.  The priest takes communion together with everyone in the assembly.  If the Way is in violation of not consuming the Body of Christ immediately, they would still be in violation if they DID consumed the Body of Christ immediately because the priest who gave it to the assembly has not taken communion yet.  

Difference No. 5
The next difference is the music at the liturgy.  However, since almost all parishes ignore the musical norms for the liturgy as prescribed in the post-conciliar document, Musicam Sacram (which provides the norms for sacred music as per the desires of the Council), I suppose we cannot take the neo-music too much to task.  However, the next time you hear music during the consecration at a neo-litugy or otherwise, you may want to note the following instructions: 

          While the Priest proclaims the Eucharistic Prayer "there should be no other prayers or singing, and the organ or other musical instrument should be silent"....(Redemptoris Sacramentum, par. 53) 

and: 

      The nature of the "presidential" parts requires that they be spoken in a loud and clear voice and that everyone listen to them attentively [CF. Sacred Congregation of Rites, Instruction, Musicam sacram, March 5, 1967, no.14: Acta Apostolicae Sedis 59 (1967), p. 304.] Therefore, while the Priest is prouncing them, there should be no other prayers or singing, and the organ or other musical instruments should be silent (General Instruction to the Roman Missal, par. 32).  

During the Eucharistic prayer, no instrument is being played, and there are no songs being sung.  The only one you can hear is the priest proclaiming the prayer who sings it in a loud and clear voice.  There are also priests I know who do not sing it, but say the the prayer because they don't know how to sing.  So, during the Eucharistic prayer, only the priest can be heard.  After the Eucharistic prayer is sung (or said) by the Priest, the assembly breaks out in a song of thanksgiving.