The Liturgical and Pastoral Spaces of Parish Renewed through the Neocatechumenate Communities

The events surrounding the Second Vatican Council helped to give birth to new charismas within the Church. One of these new charismas is associated with the Neocatechumenate. This particular way of understanding Christian life consists of: kerygmatic catechesis, formation of small communities, the triple method of Word-liturgy-community. In this way, the desire of the Council Fathers to inspire a renewal of the Church became a reality in these communities which celebrate the paschal mystery of Jesus Christ through powerful signs of presence in his Word and in the Eucharist. The Church which gathers to celebrate liturgy becomes the body of Christ. Metaphorically speaking, this body needs to be covered with clothing which in turn is built into a protective building. When artists and designers plan this building, they let themselves be inspired by the ecclesiology of the Council and their work in turn builds the Church community. Such a productive exchange, where communities effectively create liturgical and pastoral space, and in return, where the building with its symbols forms the community, results in renewed parish. A perfect example of this creative exchange is the newly built Church and Pastoral Centre of St. Bartholomew in Tuto of Scandicci near Florence. Besides the large space for Sunday liturgies, it has a number of rooms for other pastoral activities - these rooms are named the catechumenium. The liturgy with its symbolic and theological expressions finds common ground with architecture and its artistic expression.

Keywords: Neocatechumenate; Liturgy; Liturgical Renewal; Sacral Architecture