OPENING OF THE CAUSE OF BEATIFICATION OF THE SERVANT OF GOD CARMEN HERNÁNDEZ

"MY JESUS, TAKE ME TO YOUR HOLINESS"; "YOU LEAD ME TO HOLINESS"

(«Diarios 1979-1981», n. 85; n.199)

On December 4, 2022, an "Act" of special intensity and significance for the entire Church took place in Madrid: the opening of the diocesan phase of the beatification and canonization process of Carmen Hernández Barrera, co-initiator, together with Kiko Argüello, of that itinerary of Christian initiation that is called the Neocatechumenal Way.<br>

PROCESS OPENING

In the solemn framework of the Francisco de Vitoria University of Madrid, in the presence of Cardinal Carlos Osoro, 2 cardinals and 41 bishops and at least another two thousand people from various countries in Europe and the world - the mission carried out by Carmen and Kiko It covers 135 countries on the 5 continents and many have asked to be able to participate in this solemn inauguration - the official Act of the Diocese of Madrid was held.

It took place in four moments: firstly, a greeting and a few words of introduction from Kiko Argüello, with a prayer and a reading from the Gospel (Mc 9,2-8), the passage of the Transfiguration of the Lord, a much-loved page from the Gospel by Carmen; then the opening session of the Cause, with the reading of the "Supplex libellus", that is, the request made by the postulator on behalf of the international team of the Path to the Diocese to start this process; the reading of the "Nihil obstat" of the Department of the Holy See for the Causes of Saints to start the process, followed by the invocation of the Holy Spirit to accompany all this work and the oath of the Archbishop of Madrid with the acceptance of the request formulated and the appointment of a diocesan tribunal to handle the entire process. One by one, the episcopal delegate, the promoter of justice, the notary (and her deputy), the postulator of the Cause took an oath: this moment concluded with the reading of the "Acts of the session" by the Chancellor-Secretary and the address by Cardinal Osoro.

In the third moment of the Act, the Symphony Orchestra of the Neocatechumenal Way offered two pieces, two symphonic poems composed by Kiko: "Aquedá" and "Hijas de Jerusalén". The first moment "Aquedá" makes present the sacrifice that Abraham was called to make, on Mount Moria, of his son Isaac and he voluntarily offers his throat so as not to make him invalid: this is how faith appears on earth; the second passage "Daughters of Jerusalem" is the moment of the encounter that Jesus, loaded with the cross, has with some women who weep for him; The Lord tells them: "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, weep for you and for your children..., for if they do this with the green log, what will be done with the dry one?" (Lk 23, 28.31) They are two poems full of drama and musical tension.

With a few brief final words, and the greeting of the Archbishop of Madrid, the Act has concluded.