NEW ECCLESIAL MOVEMENTS

An introduction and analysis of the phenomenon of the new ecclesial movements that have sprung up in the Roman Catholic Church, mostly in the wake of the Second Vatican Council and almost exclusively spearheaded by highly motivated and uncompromisingly dedicated lay persons. Just as the Second Vatican Council was a significant surprise to the Church and the world, so too the emergence of these new groups has caused more than a little stir. Almost like an unexpected pregnancy, their arrival has brought a mixture of joy and dismay. Some, like Pope John Paul II, see them as a hope for the Church in the midst of difficult times; others, among them a number of bishops and high ranking officials in the Church, see them as usurpers and divisive at a time when the Church needs unity and clarity. This study looks at both sides of the question impartially and in examining three of them in some depth (Communion and Liberation, the Neo-Catechumenal Way and the Charismatic Renewal), concludes that “by concretely realizing the ecclesiology of Vatican II, these movements are putting before the Church a model of Christian communion” which promises to profoundly change the Church of our time for the better.

About the Author: Stephen Anthony (Tony) Hanna, former teacher and school counselor, is the founding member of an ecclesial community in Dundalk, Ireland know as the Family of God which has an Oratory in a shopping center where adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is available throughout the day. He holds degrees in Education and Divinity (First Class Honors) and took his doctorate in theology from St. Patrick’s Pontifical University, Maynooth, Ireland. Married with four daughters, he is widely published in the religious and theological press in Ireland and is a well known speaker in charismatic circles. His most recent publication for which he served as editor is Strategies for Building Faith Communities in Schools, which was published by the Centre for Education Services, 2005. He currently serves as Senior Education Consultant at Marino Institute of Education (headquarters of the Christian Brothers).