Pope Francis should be more discerning with regard to the Neocatechumenal Way

There are many within the Catholic Church who are rightfully concerned about the Neocatechumenal Way and its approach to Catholic teaching and liturgy.  See here for example.  Back in 2002, I prepared a report on the Neocatechumenal Way for Our Lady's Warriors.  See here.

At EWTN's website, one Catholic notes that the Neocatechumenal Way has, "..un-Catholic beliefs and practices. The REALLY solidly Catholic magazine 'Christian Order' has two articles available on its website giving examples of this. They are: The Neocatechumenate: Testimonies www.christianorder.com/features/features_2000/features_feb00_1.html The Neocatechumenal Way -- A Fearful Danger to the Faith (by Father Enrico Zoffoli) www.christianorder.com/features/features_1995/features_apr95.html This group would seem to be an example of those who have 'deceived the elect'. The abuses noticed by your questioner are not the only problems, as you will gather from the title of the article mentioned above, and the problems are inherent in the group, not just in any 'individual branch'. As far as I know, the group has no canonical status, but has managed to spread all over the world. Complaining to the Bishop or the Vatican is, unfortunately, unlikely to have any effect, because the group is large and influential. But it could be tried. Avoid this group and spread the word about its errors and dangers."  See here.

Pope Francis seems to have no problem whatsoever with the Neocatechumenal Way and encourages and fully supports the movement.  See here.

This is disturbing since, in his article cited above, Father Enrico Zoffoli refers to heresies fostered by the movement, writing:

"The accusation of heresy is aimed at the doctrinal positions, not the persons, whom we still regard as worthy of respect and who can be inspired by the best intentions.

1. SIN: man cannot avoid committing it, in the same way as he can neither accomplish good nor acquire merits for himself;

- conversion is possible only as recognition, by everyone, of their own moral poverty, not as a determined wish to correct one's faults which sanctity tends to realise;
- sin cannot offend God, and man does not incur the duty to expiate it by satisfying the requirements of His justice.

2. REDEMPTION: Jesus has not brought this about by liberating man from his faults and reconciling him with God;

- the passion and death of Christ has not been a true sacrifice offered to the Father in order to remedy sin and to redeem man;
- Jesus saved the world by virtue of His Resurrection: in order to enjoy the fruits of His work it is enough to confess to be sinners and to believe in the power of the risen Christ.

3. THE CHURCH was not founded by Christ as his only Sheepfold: it is also possible to save oneself by following other religions;

- the Church is not a juridical and hierarchical society, but a spiritual, charismatic one;
- in it there is not found a priesthood derived from the sacrament of the Order - as it is sufficient to have the Baptism which, incorporating all the believers in Christ, makes them participants of His priestly dignity.

4. THE MASS is not a "sacrifice": the Church, at the altar, does not offer to God any Victim;

- in place of the altar, there is nothing but the table, which in the Eucharist allows a festive party to be celebrated among brothers united by the same faith in the Resurrection;
- the consecrated bread and wine are only the symbol of the presence of the risen Christ which unites the fellow-guests by communicating their own spirit, thus making them participants in his triumph over death;
- the Mass, thus conceived, is not celebrated by the priest, but by the Assembly, from which "springs the Eucharist."

5. EUCHARISTIC WORSHIP does not have any meaning, it negates the true, real and substantial presence of Christ under the sacramental species. Acts of faith such as genuflections before the Tabernacle, frequent Communions, hours of adoration, benedictions, processions, congresses, etc. are not therefore justified.

6. CONFESSION is reduced to the sacrament of Baptism: their distinction does not go back to the primitive Church:

- the Church "gestates and leads to the conversion." "The important thing is not the absolution" of the priest, because the value of the confession is essentially its community and ecclesial nature;
- in the "passages" and in the, "scrutinies" the acknowledgement of one's transgressions, including the serious ones, is public, as can still be the case during the "redditio."
7. THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, as a voluntary effort of self-discipline, and therefore an exercise and progress in virtue, is an illusion;

- everyone remains intrinsically a sinner, incapable of obtaining true justice as a perfection of the love of God and of one's fellow creatures;
- on the other hand, Jesus has not been presented to anyone as a "model" to be imitated;
- He has commanded that we should actually hate our parents, brothers, relatives etc, not just, if necessary, to be prepared to prefer Him to them;
- in order to follow Christ, we need to sell our own goods; but, once this renunciation has been accomplished, it is permissible to acquire others and to enjoy all the pleasures of life. "Poverty" as understood by St. Francis, is inspired by the "natural religion," and was also practised by the pagans: it is not a Christian virtue;
- Jesus, having suffered for us, has made our sufferings superfluous, therefore the austerities of the ascetics, the slow martyrdom of the Saints and the religious life itself, involving the effective practice of the evangelical counsels, are not justifiable;
- eternal salvation is offered freely to all by the mercy of God, who forgives everything. Hell should not exist, nor should one speak of Purgatory, of prayers and of indulgences for the dead.

8. THE HISTORY of the true Church founded by Christ comes to an end with the Pax Constantinia and does not resume its course until the 20th century with the Second Vatican Council, having remained frozen for about 1,600 years ... ;

- in this long interval, the exercise of the triple power of the hierarchical Church (teaching, sanctification, guidance) would have been improper, illegitimate ... ; and in particular the Council of Trent would be responsible for the paralysis of the Church, determined to fix formulae of faith, liturgical rites, disciplinary, rules ... ;
- the interpretation of the Word of God is not reserved for the Hierarchy, it is possible for all believers: "the Bible is explained by itself." This freedom of examination in the exegesis excludes the ecclesiastical Teaching, the tradition of the Elders and the doctrine of the theologies."

Pope Francis addresses the Neocatechumenal Way here.