Love for Christ and the Church and a tireless commitment to the proclamation of the Gospel

Last November 29, the Italian edition of the book on the co-founder of the Neocatechumenal Way, entitled "Carmen Hernández. Biographical notes", by Professor Aquilino Cayuela, was presented in Rome, in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.

The book has an important value because it recounts the events, stage by stage, of Carmen Hernández's life, and also because the volume was useful for the opening of the diocesan phase of the cause of beatification and canonization, which began in Madrid last July.

Carmen Hernández, born in Spain in 1930, animated since her youth by the desire to dedicate her life to the mission, met Kiko Argüello in 1964 while she was working in helping the marginalized in the shacks on the outskirts of Madrid. In the midst of the poor, both discovered the power of the Paschal Mystery and the preaching of the Kerigma (the Good News of Christ dead and risen) which gave birth to a first community whose life, based on the Word of God, fraternal communion and liturgy, fully responded to the elements of renewal indicated by the documents of the Second Vatican Council.

Especially as a result of the encouragement and paternal support of Mons. Casimiro Morcillo González, at the time archbishop of Madrid, Carmen abandoned her intention to found a religious missionary institute and began to collaborate full-time with Kiko bringing to parishes - first in Madrid, later in Rome and since then to other cities and nations - this work of renewal of the Church, this charism that Pope Francis has called: "a great gift of God for our time."

The event was attended by a delegation from the Dicastery with the Under- secretary, Linda Ghisoni and a letter from the Prefect, Card. Kevin Farrell, addressed to Kiko Argüello, was read, in which the cardinal stressed the importance of this volume in "fostering a deeper knowledge of Carmen's life, her love for Christ and the Church, and her tireless commitment to proclaiming the Gospel."