Songs of the Neocatechumenal Way

Introduction

If the psalm prays, pray; if it cries, cry;if it gives thanks, rejoice; if it hopes, hope;if it fears, fear (St. Augustine - On Psalms).

In the neocatechumenal way, we see today the humble and essential service of the cantor coming to light.

In this itinerary of initiation to Faith, the cantor has the mission of helping to create the liturgical community, or, still better, of recreating it; of transforming often a plurality into a unity of worship: into only one voice, with one heart and one soul. This spiritual worship is expressed in the liturgical action of the community. Spiritual worship which, along our journey grounded in history, is the inexhaustible source of what is most deeply innocent: that is today the awareness of our sin enlightened by the ineffable love of Someone who loves us in such a way, who loves us though we have been His enemies; source of conversion, source of Faith.

The aim of this book is not only to spread the songs, but to offer to the cantors of the Neocatechumenal communities the original texts and musical cords, so that they can in a better way be faithful to the oral tradition that they have received. For this reason, we thought it suitable to present them in a progressive order following the steps of the way, in the very same manner in which they came to light along the years, in which they led us on our way, from the initial catechesis through the various passages.

Also, we have divided the song cards with different colors to give an indication of this gradual advancement, articulated by the different scrutinies in which some songs are “handed over.”

1. White cards for the Precatechumenate
2. Blue cards for the songs of the Catechumenate

3. Green cards for the songs of the Election
4. Yellow cards for the Liturgical songs

In order to find the songs easily, there is a general index (where we have put more than one title for each song, according to what has already been confirmed by a certain tradition), a biblical index (since practically almost all of our songs are taken from the Bible), and another one according to the different liturgical seasons and moments of the celebrations and especially the Eucharist.

Note for all the cantors

This print of Passover 2018 has been reviewed and updated, and many errors have been corrected; different points have been re-examined by Kiko who wanted to specify some chords and words that previously have been written differently; it could be that some errors have not been seen or that there could be some print errors, but be careful that it may not be something expressedly from kiko: some chords present dissonances that to the ears of those who know a little music could suscitate perplexities, but have been done purposely to give certain effects.

Therefore the cantors, who are called to do a service in the Liturgy of our Communities, even if they have tapes of different versions of the same song, are called to follow with humility the text printed here because it seems to us the closest to the one Kiko has chosen: in such a way that even other Communities, occasionally gathered for Liturgies, can maintain a unity in singing.

Thank you for your collaboration. Peace!

Pope Paul VI to the Neocatechumenal Communities

“…another group, this is the group of priests and lay people who represent the movement, a movement -behold the post conciliar realities - of the Neocatechumenal Communities.How great is the joy, how great is the hope, which you give us with your presence and with your activity!Your resolve, which for you, is a conscious, authentic way of living your Christian vocation, becomes an efficacious witness for others, you make an apostolate just because you are what you are, a stimulus to rediscover and recover the true, authentic and effective Christian values which otherwise might remain almost hidden and dormant, and are only too easily diluted in ordinary life. But no! You make them stand out, conspicuous and give them a moral splendour which is truly exemplary, precisely because, with this Christian spirit, you live your neocatechumenal communities. To live and foster this re-awakening is what you call a kind of “Post-Baptism,” which can renew in our contemporary Christian communities the effects of maturity and depth which were achieved in the early church during the period of preparation before baptism. You do this afterwards. ‘Before’ or ‘After’ is secondary, I would say. The fact is that you aim at the authenticity, fullness, coherence, sincerity of Christian life.This is the greatest merit, I repeat, which consoles us enormously, prompts and inspires our wishes, prayers, and most abundant blessings on you, on all those who help you, on all those whom you can, with your greeting and message, greet on your behalf.”

During the general audience of May 8, 1974.

Pope John Paul II to the Neocatechumenal Communities

My dearest ones, we are living in a period in which we are experiencing a radical confrontation - and I say this, because it is also my experience over many years - a radical confrontation that is everywhere. There is no one single manifestation of this, it is diverse in the world; faith and anti-faith, Gospel and anti-Gospel; Church and anti-Church, God and anti-God, if we can put it like that. An anti-God does not exist, an anti-god cannot exist, but an anti-God can exist in man, the radical denial of God can be created in man. We are living this experience in our history, and more so than in previous times. In this age of ours, we need to rediscover a radical faith, radically understood, radically lived, and radically fulfilled. We have need of such a faith.I hope that our experience is born within such a perspective, and may lead towards a healthy radicalism of our Christianity, of our faith, towards an authentic evangelical radicalism. This is why you need a great spirit, a great self control, and also, as your first catechist has said, a great obedience to the Church. This has always been the case. This witness, this proof, has been given by the saints: By St. Francis, by various charismatic people in different ages of the Church. It is true that radicalism of faith is needed, yes, but it must always be situated within the life of the Church, and with her guidance, because the Church in her entirety has received the Holy Spirit from Christ in the persons of the apostles after His resurrection...This joy that is in your surroundings, in your songs, in your behaviour, may very well be a sign of your southern temperament, but I hope it is a fruit of the Spirit, and I wish that it may be so. Yes, the Church needs joy, because joy, with its different expressions is a revelation of happiness. So here man finds himself faced with his fundamental vocation, we can say almost natural: man is created to be happy, for happiness. If he sees this happiness, if he meets it in the expression of joy, he can start a way. Here I must say to you: the songs are good, your expressions of joy are good, but it is the Spirit who is the One who initiates this way.

During the visit to the parishes of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament

and the Canadian Martyrs, Rome, November 2, 1980.