Josefina Ramón Berna’s “Undivided Heart – Mission and Virginity in Carmen Hernández” is released in English.
A release symbolically linked to May 8th, the day of the Supplication of Pompeii and the commemoration of the origins of the Neocatechumenal Way.
The English edition of “Undivided Heart – Mission and Virginity in Carmen Hernández” was published on May 8th. This international translation of Josefina Ramón Berna’s work “Corazón indiviso” (Undivided Heart), dedicated to the figure and spirituality of Carmen Hernández, features an introduction by Kiko Argüello and a prologue by María Ascensión Romero.
The publication date, chosen by Chirico Libri Editore, takes on a profoundly symbolic and spiritual significance. Indeed, May 8th is a day particularly linked to the history of the Neocatechumenal Way. In 1968, at the Shrine of Pompeii, Carmen Hernández and Kiko Argüello entrusted to the Virgin of the Rosary what would later become the Neocatechumenal Way in the Church. Pompeii thus represents a moment of spiritual foundation for the Way in Italy.
Also on May 8, 1974, the first official papal audience with the Neocatechumenal Way took place: Pope Paul VI welcomed the Way on the very day of the Supplication to Our Lady of Pompeii, encouraging its evangelizing mission in the Church.
The English edition, edited by Dino Furgione, presents itself today as a valuable tool for bringing Carmen Hernández’s testimony to many peoples and cultures. The volume will be distributed in numerous countries, starting from Africa and Europe, reaching Christian communities, seminaries, families, and young people.
Carmen Hernández’s missionary charisma and evangelical radicalism emerge forcefully throughout the book, particularly her understanding of virginity as an eschatological sign and total dedication to Christ and the Church. This message is already helping many families and especially young people—especially girls—discern their vocation.
The cover of the English edition, embellished with a work by Kiko Argüello depicting the Madonna and Child with the adult Christ, recalls the theological heart of the book: a life totally dedicated to mission and illuminated by the presence of Mary.
As Carmen Hernández wrote:
“God calls within the Church from the beginning to virginity, because it is an eschatological sign of the future…”
With this publication, Chirico Libri Editore launches its new International Evangelization Series, and thus the spiritual message of Undivided Heart continues its journey throughout the world, offering a living testimony of faith, mission, and hope for new generations.