The local seminary, the Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores at the Redemptoris Mater, however, is fairly new. It's not yet accredited and, as Quitugua points out in the concerns he voiced in his email, it will not transfer the college credits he's already earned from the University of Guam.
Yet, according to the correspondence exchange between Father Adrian and Mr. Aaron Quitugua, it was pointed out that the Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores at the Redemptoris Mater is accredited. According to the letter which Mr. Quitugua received, which was published in Junglewatch it stated:
2) We are only accredited by the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, so the credits of the Institute could be transferred to any pontifical university in the world. In regards to other universities the transfer would depend on the board of that university.
3) Our students do not earn any philosophy degree, they earn a Baccalaureate Degree in Sacred Theology after completion of the six-year program (185 credits)
According to Father Adrian's email when he wrote on behalf of Professor Bosco Corrales, the Seminary is an accredited institution. The email never said that they were NOT accredited. Therefore, it is not a "fake" institution as Mr. Rohr stated in his interview to the Pacific News Center, but accredited by the Pontifical Lateran University giving students a Baccalaureate Degree. The Pacific News Center says that it has obtained copies of the correspondence between Father Adrian and Mr. Quitugua; unfortunately, it did not point out the fact that the institution is indeed accredited according to Father Adrian's email. The email also said that the students at the Seminary earn a Baccalaureate Degree in Sacred Theology and not a certificate as Mr. Rohr claims in his interview.
Furthermore, in Father Adrian's email, it stated that some college credits is transferable especially the ones on Philosophy or anything pertaining to theology. According to the email:
1) We can only transfer credits of classes that coincide in content and number of class hours with the program of the institute. General Ed. credits will be probably not transferred, but only philosophy and theology credits as much as they correspond with our program.
The University of Guam is an accredited institution, but if a student were to move to the United States and continue his/her education there, this does not guarantee that all the credits he/she takes is transferable to another accredited college or university in the United States. Even if one is transferring within the United States, one is still bound to loose at least a few credits in the process. It simply depends on the college or university a person goes to.
Furthermore, in Father Adrian's email, it stated that some college credits is transferable especially the ones on Philosophy or anything pertaining to theology. According to the email:
1) We can only transfer credits of classes that coincide in content and number of class hours with the program of the institute. General Ed. credits will be probably not transferred, but only philosophy and theology credits as much as they correspond with our program.
The University of Guam is an accredited institution, but if a student were to move to the United States and continue his/her education there, this does not guarantee that all the credits he/she takes is transferable to another accredited college or university in the United States. Even if one is transferring within the United States, one is still bound to loose at least a few credits in the process. It simply depends on the college or university a person goes to.
Diana, it is not the PDN as I see, but the PNC news media, right?
ReplyDeleteDear Zoltan,
DeleteThank you for correcting me. Yes, it is the Pacific News Center, not the Pacific Daily News.....My error.
It's okay Diana, the boy is try to side step his vocation. Tim White Tiger Rohr should teach him.
ReplyDeleteOld man in Santa Rita
You are so way off base! The accreditation is not mainstream. In other words, it only applies to affiliated schools. The way you manipulate context is wholly scandalous. You are only fooling yourself and making a fool of yourself if you continue down this path of rationalizing the irrational.
ReplyDeleteDear Anonmyous,
DeleteFirst Tim Rohr says that the Seminary is a fake institution because it's not accredited (See his interview with PNC), and here you are saying the accreditation is not mainstream?? So, which is it? Is it accredited or not? The answer is yes, it is accredited. Who accredited it? The answer is the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome.
The accreditation is not mainstream? Mainstream into what? This is a seminary that gives out Baccalaureate Degrees. And Mr. Rohr claims that the Seminary only gives out certificates.
Accreditation is tied to the affiliation of the Pontifical Lateran Unitersity. According to the article below, the Lateran University serves to oversee the acadmenic program of the seminary and passes its recommendation to the Congregation for Catholic Education, which gives its final approval. The Congregation acts as an accrediting agency by authorizing certain degrees to be granted in the name of the pontiff. The Redemptoris Mater Seminary gives out certain degrees, which can only be granted if it was accredited. See the article below on how St. John Vianney Theological Seminary got its accreditation renewal.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.archden.org/index.cfm/ID/4827/Seminary-gets-accreditation-renewal-by-the-Holy-See/
It looks like its Aaron’s desire to obtain a full fledge College Education while becoming a Priest. So shouldn’t that in itself be considered? Perhaps, Aaron has further dreams than that of just being a Priest in a Parish. Maybe at some point in his life he may want to teach young seminarians in the future. So we all know the 1st step in teaching is to have a college education (BA degree) so that he may pursue (in the future) obtaining a Master’s Degree to at least be an Adjunct Professor.This would allow him to teach in an Accredited University, would it not? All he needs is the Archbishop’s Blessing and he will pay for it himself, not to burden our Archdiocese what so ever. if he fails, he fails at his own cost.
ReplyDeleteI don’t know but I just feel there is more to this and that the Archbishop and his Chancellor is hiding something here. I mean its like a father telling his son that he can’t go to Stanford, Notre Dame or even Harvard because we have UOG right here. Why? Aaron is going to pay for it himself!
Dear Anonymous,
DeleteAaron Quitugua stated that he wants to serve the Archdiocese of Agana. To serve the Church means to obey the Church. If his plan involves to serve the Archdiocese of Agana, then he should listen to those whom he wants to serve. God has a plan for all of us including Aaron, and God's plan for Aaron are better and greater than what he plans for himself.
The Early Church Fathers says to obey the Bishops. This teaching goes back to apostolic times. Trust in God and His bishops and God will make everything fall into place. See my post on Obedience Taught By the Church:
http://neocatechemunal.blogspot.com/2014/03/obedience-taught-by-church.html
But, why force the would-be priest to become a neo priest? In this arch diocese, a layman cannot become a deacon unless he joins the NCW.....where is that requirement in other dioceses?
DeleteThe priests i grew up with had B.S. in mathematics, physics, political science, biology, law....these are real educated men and from gleaning this story about Aaron that may be his intention as well.
Why deny this man an education(on his own dime) and vocation in order to promote the NCW??
Neo in Tamuning
Dear Anonymous Neo in Tamuning,
DeleteAaron doesn't have to be an RSM-priest. He can join the Saint John Paul II Archdiocesan Seminary. There is one other seminarian there - Junee Valencia. The only reason Junee Valencia is the only one there is because he chose not to associate himself with the Neocatechumenal Way. Also, in due time, Mr. Quitugua can even enroll in the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome.
Mr. Quitugua had backuup plans in case he realized that he's not called to the priesthood. Did he have any backup plans in the event that the Archbishop decided not to sponsor him to Angels Seminary? Again, it boils down to who does Mr. Quitugua trust. Does he trust God to make future plans for him, or does he trust himself to make those plans on his own?
Trust in God. God chooses the foolish to make the wise look asinine. He chooses the weak to make the strong look feeble. A prestigious seminary is nothing to God for He can choose a priest from a non-prestigious seminary and make him greater than a priest in a prestigious seminary.
SJPII Seminary came into being in Dec 2013 or sometime right after the publication of Umatuna. Was this a response to this growing issue? who knows but why convert a such a slight building?
ReplyDelete"a prestigious seminary is nothing to God for He can choose a priest from a non-prestigious seminary and make him greater than a priest in a prestigious seminary" You're ranting here. i'm sorry. Unfortunately to move in a direction in one's faith you must do so through the real world. e.g. God helps those who help themselves...
An educated priest can certainly serve the island better. wouldn't it be great if our youth's biology, history, algebra, chemistry, physics teachers were priests or sisters? what a background of knowledge and faith to possess as such to frame a young mind in science in the context of our faith. Archbishop Apuron himself went to Maryknoll and the University of Notre Dame.
About the Archbishops requirement that all men who wish to be deacons in this archdiocese, must join in the NCW why is that? I checked the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, usccb.org, and nowhere within the requirements and statutes of Canon Law is it written that the aspiring diaconate must be in a Community.
I disagree with using the word persecution in modern times. Religious persecution in history carried the consequences of estrangement, martydom, death. NCW throw this word around because they hear it at the yearly convivences. But does their religious positioning, their vocalizations, their posturing, bring them closer to death, no, nope. They'd die sooner by smoke inhalation than a hail of rocks coming through the windows on a Saturday night. However i'm going to use it because, why not, everyone like to throw it around. It's not the NCW followers who are getting persecuted. It is also the traditional catholics here on Island. Archbishop Apuron should have never joined the Way. He should have allowed it yes. But he should have never had joined and ask that all the priests join too.
As Msgr. Bibi Arroyo said during a Eucharist one night, "...The communities are good but as Pope Benedict has said, you must return to the main Church and share the fruits of your faith."
Dear Anonymous,
DeleteTo move in a direction in one's faith one must do so through a trust in God rather than through the real world. There is nothing wrong in obtaining knowledge of biology, chemistry, math, reading, science, or history. All these things are good, but they do not come first before God's will nor the Church's doctrine. Since apostolic times, Church doctrine teach that we must obey the Church's bishops. What good is having the knowledge of history, science, and biology if one is to go against Church doctrine?
The Archbishop cannot make it a requirement to join the NCW to become a priest; hence, the reason for establishing a second seminary. It is also within the right of the Archbishop not to sponsor Mr. Quitugua. In other words, the Archbishop must serve God, not Aaron Quitugua. Perhaps, what God is telling Aaron to do is to remain on Guam rather than go to the United States. If God wishes Aaron to go to the Pontifical Lateran University, He can do so, but it is at the will of God rather than the will of Aaron Quitugua.
The modern word "persecution" is valid. The Neocatechumenal Way has websites of their own. Their websites don't say anything about the Traditional Catholics. The Traditional Catholics are also part of the Catholic Church just as we are.
Furthermore, I and my community do share the fruits of our faith. I still go to the "main Church" which is the Parish. I still attend both the Sunday Mass and the Way's Mass. Many of my brothers in the community do the same. In fact, we have been helping our Parish. Many of the brothers that I know volunteer their time in maintaining and cleaning the Church grounds. There are many in my community who volunteered to become lectors, alter servers, CCD teachers in the Parish in addition to walking in the Way. I know of members who contributed their time, money, and effort in helping the Parish whether it be fixing the plumbing for free or in donating an air-conditioner to the Parish. It was the Way who brought me out from sitting on the pews every Sunday Mass to getting more involve in helping the Parish through volunteer work.
I want to become neo catechumena member What can i do
ReplyDelete