The English edition of the book Undivided Heart – Mission and Virginity in Carmen Hernández by Josefina Ramón Berna on the life of Servant of God Carmen Hernández, co-initiator of the Neocatechumenal Way, has been launched in South Africa.
This international translation of Josefina Ramón Berna’s work “Corazón indiviso” (Undivided Heart), dedicated to the figure and spirituality of the Servant of God Carmen Hernández, was prepared with the collaboration of Father Diego Arias Sobalvarro, whose contribution helped make Carmen Hernández’s spiritual and missionary message accessible to English-speaking readers around the world.
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 and throughout the world.
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 evangelising mission in the Church.
The English edition of the book, edited by Dino Furgione, head of the Neocatechumenal Way in Southern Africa, is a valuable tool for bringing Carmen Hernández’s testimony to many peoples and cultures, with particular attention to South Africa and the African continent. The book will be distributed in Christian communities, seminaries, families, and among young people.
For the South African launch, the first 100 copies of the book are now available, offering readers an opportunity to discover more deeply the missionary charisma and evangelical radicalism of Carmen Hernández.
Throughout the book, Carmen Hernández’s understanding of virginity emerges forcefully as an eschatological sign and a total dedication to Christ and the Church. This message is already helping many families and especially young people — particularly 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 Evangelisation 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.
- “Undivided Heart – Mission and Virginity in Carmen Hernández” is released in English for SA - May 23, 2026
- Pentecost Prayer - May 19, 2026
- Pope: Christ’s entire life is a movement of ascent - May 18, 2026
