.- Carmen Hernandez, co-founder of the Neocatechumenal Way, died today at home in Madrid, Spain. She was 85 years old.

Hernandez, along with Kiko Arguello and Fr. Mario Pezzi, made up the international team responsible for the ecclesial movement, which focuses on post-baptismal adult formation. It is estimated that the movement contains about 1 million members, in some 40,000 parish-based communities around the world.

Over the last year and a half, Hernandez had suffered deteriorating health, although she was never diagnosed with a specific disease.

She was last seen publically March 18 at an audience that Pope Francis granted missionary families of the Neocatechumenal Way.

The Holy Father also spoke to her by phone on July 1, during an audience with Kiko Argüello and Fr. Mario Pezzi.