Times have changed. We are living in an age where the Catholic layman is easily led astray by the false prophets of the world who offer fame, wealth, and the comforts of the world, which often become idols. Other false prophets come as wolves in sheep's clothing proclaiming the Word of God so that others might follow them.
It is time for priests to get out of their cubicle office, to go out and evangelize so that they can lead the sheep to Christ. For many years, the Jehovah Witnesses have come knocking at my door, but not one Catholic ever came by. It is time for the Catholic people to start knocking at the doors of the Jehovah Witnesses and the fallen away Catholics who have left the Church. These are the kinds of priests we need. We need missionary priests who are used to going door to door despite the rejections.
The Archbishop Anthony Apuron saw in the Neocatechumenal Way these missionary priests who are willing to go out to evangelize and help bring back the fallen away Catholics who left the Church. He saw in the Neocatechumenal Way an opportunity to help the youths of the island grow stronger in their Catholic faith.
It takes a certain type of person to go door-to-door as you suggest. And many people are busy with work and raising a family and have not the financial means to evangelize in this way. You are fortunate that you can go door-to-door sharing your neo experiences.
ReplyDeleteDear eileenbb,
DeleteIn the Way, we usually evangelize after Easter, and it usually takes about 3 to 4 hours on Sundays. This is what we call going in two by two. This year, we announce the good news in public squares as Pope Francis says. Personally, I like the two by twos best despite that sometimes we were rejected
No Eileen Blas not sharing neo but the GOSPEL of Jesus Christ.
DeleteYes, this is how Saint Francis went about evangelizing without saying a word, just by his actions. DID YOUNG fr. Tony ofm Cap go door to door when he was a young priest on Guam?? It's such a good idea.
DeleteAnonymousAugust 22, 2014 at 5:32 PM First of all have some respect, secondly he did it on his later age. Never to late.
DeleteMaybe the archbishop should leave the diocese and go out and evangelize in Africa then
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous at 3:18 p.m.,
DeleteWhy Africa when Asia is closer?
We fight to the finish!
DeleteMany neo seminarians came to the Guam seminary from Europe. Why did they choose Guam when there are neo seminaries in Europe? The archbishop might as well go to Africa if he is needed there. Actually, he should go where his spiritual leadership best serves fallen-away Catholics anywhere in the world. He successfully brought the neos here and started a neo seminary here. His ability to evangelize should be shared with other archdioceses. Perhaps he can take a sabbatical and serve as an archbishop in another part of the world. Fr. Adrian or Father David can serve as temporary archbishop. I would think that the archbishop would relish the challenge of introducing the neos to another archdiocese. He likes to travel--he should accept such a challenge! Maybe it'd be a good idea for him to get away with all the negative publicity and haters who are determined to "get" him. What do you think?
DeleteDear eileenbb,
DeleteThe seminarians did not choose to come to Guam. Many of them have never heard of Guam and do not even know where it is. It was chosen for them to come here, and they obeyed. The Archbishop should stay where he is and handle all the negative publicity and haters. I simply find it sad that his own people hate him.
Diana - it seems like Eileen in relation with a Priest, majority of the people of Guam does not hate the Archbishop is the cling-on priest were removed.
DeleteBut Diana...the Archbishop is NOT handling the negative publicity! He's the CAUSE of the negative publicity! Why isn't he meeting with groups and answering questions? Why is he always using others to speak for him? Why isn't he being a Shepherd? He's loosing his flock!
DeleteThe Neocatechumenal Way brought the Truth to many Catholics. That's ALL THAT MATTERS!
ReplyDeleteDo you know what the real Truth is? You have been blinded by the truth.
DeleteDear Anonymous at 6:06 p.m.,
DeleteThe truth is that priests should get out of their comfortable little office and evangelize. They should set the example to their sheep so that the sheep can also go out to evangelize. The Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses are doing what we should have been doing.
Diana, by your statement, "priests should get out of their comfortable little office and evangelize", you have just given an example of why the Neos are the recipients of criticisms by those outside the way. Once again, that perception given that somehow, you are the better ones. After all, those non-Neo priests are sitting comfortably in their little office...neglecting their call to evangelize and not being an example to their sheep! Can you see why they see Neos as acting "holier than thou?"
DeleteDear Anonymous at 9:12 a.m.,
DeleteFor your information, it was Pope Francis who told that to the priests. So, are you saying that every priest should sit in their comfortable little office and not evangelize at all????
Diana, You were talking about going door to door and evangelizing. Not everyone is called to do this. Everyone has a different mission. Priests too, have different missions. All are called to evangelize. I'm not questioning that. But not all are called to go door to door.
DeleteDear Anonymous at 9:25 a.m.,
DeleteAll priests are called to evangelize. Before Christ ascended into Heaven, He told HIs Apostles to go out and make disciples of all the nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The mission of the Church has always been to spread the Gospel to all peoples because Christ loved the world and desires all men to be saved. If they do not go out door to door, they can still evangelize in how they live. Mother Teresa, for example, was bringing Christ to the poor as she dedicated her life to serving the poor. That was how she evangelized. The Charismatic Catholics also evangelize through their music.
Ms. Eileenbb......we are all called evangelize but we cannot do this in grace unless we are led by the Holy Spirit. The leader of evangelization. Door to door sounds difficult but you can start with the person that God puts in front of you today.
ReplyDeleteI am working on my hubby.
DeleteRohr and White, no matter how many times we speak about what the Way has done for many of our lives, will never see it as important. They will still find ways to attack us, for example, whether we sit or stand when receiving the "body of Christ." There is no sense in arguing with them. They are not open-minded. They only resort to members who left (and hate) the Way. It is inevitable we will be in disagreement.
ReplyDeleteIn the end, they will still disagree with the Way, and we will still search for Christ in it.
This is not an attack. The questions about how your receive the Holy Eucharist is an important issue. When one of your members says, "What does it matter?" It shows a lack of understanding. IT REALLY DOES MATTER whether you sit or stand when you receive the "Body of Christ." Please! Learn for yourself WHY it matters! Do your own research. Study Church documents. Find out for yourselves!
DeleteI found out for myself years ago that it does matter very much how I receive the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord. I was one of those cradle Catholics who didn't know my faith very well. Once I started learning why we do what we do, why we have liturgical laws, the whys and how comes, etc., etc., that's when I fell down on my knees and thanked God for our beautiful Catholic faith. I stopped receiving Our Lord in my hands and instead received on my tongue. And no, I do not go to a Latin Mass. The last time I attended one was when I was growing up...before Vatican II. However, I understand why people have started preferring the Traditional Mass. When someone begins to comprehend the Church's teachings, it becomes a real concern to witness liturgical abuses in our church. So instead of believing that those who question your way of receiving Holy Communion are attacking you, try instead to understand why it's even a question that keeps coming up.
There is absolutely no hate in this post. I really do care for all of you, my brothers and sisters in Christ. I pray for an end to the divisions taking place within our Church on the island.
Dear Anonymous at 8:37 a.m.,
DeleteThe Pope has already granted the liturgy of the NCW. The changes that needed to be changed such as how we receive the Body of Christ was already made. We receive the Body of Christ standing up. The Vatican wanted us to follow the GIRM in regards to how we receive the Body of Christ, which is standing up. We consume the Body of Christ sitting down, and this was also approved by the Pope.
Why did Kiko feel they he needed to make changes to something that the Catholic Church had already established?
DeleteAnd they are still saying that we in the way are still causing the division in the Church
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous at 5:44 p.m.,
DeleteHe blames the Archbishop for causing the division. It is actually the non-neo priests who caused the division through their disobedience. Why is it that they do not want to participate in the Way...especially when it has to do with evangelization and helping the sheep? How can they be contented when they see that many Catholics do not attend Sunday Mass and some of them are joining Protestant religions? How can they be contented just to sit in their office waiting for a sheep to come to them when they have problems? It is the shepherd who should go out to seek the lost sheep.
Diana- the non RMS priest want mediocricy. Stay in their pigeon hole.
DeleteThey have eyes but see not, ears but hear not, ...... you get the picture?
ReplyDeletenot if i can't see nor hear
DeleteNon-neo priests causing the division through their disobedience? So are they just to disregard their "God-given intellect and their God-given conscience" to know when something is not right?
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous at 7:59 a.m.,
DeleteThey swore an oath to obey their Archbishop. Are they to ignore that oath? What does their God-given intellect and God-given conscience say about their oath to the Archbishop?
In the words of St. John Bosco:
Delete"Many people [in authority] oppose us, persecute us, and would like even to destroy us, but we must be patient. As long as their commands are not against our conscience, let us obey them, but when the case is otherwise, let us uphold the rights of God and of the church, for those are superior to all earthly authority."
But of course you probably won't post this, right Diana?
Dear Anonymous at 9:03 a.m.,
DeleteSt. John Bosco understood that God is in charge regardless if the Pope or Bishops sins. Christ always lead His Church into all truths. So, why don't you follow what St. John Bosco says. He stated to obey them. The Archbishop is not telling you to murder or steal. He is not even telling you to join the Way if you do not want.
Four Popes embraced the Neocatechumenal Way, two of them are Saints anonymous. Are you saying that these DISOBETIENT priests are more Catholic than these Popes? Who has recieved more God given intellect? Who has been more OBEDIENT?
ReplyDeleteDear Diana -- once again you fail to understand the message and twist it to your advantage.. He said to obey them, UNLESS your conscience tells you otherwise, then stand up and uphold the rights of God and the church. That's what these priests and many of us are doing. But since no amount of rationalization will change the neo minds, I believe the only way to restore peace is for the NCW to cut its ties from the Catholic Church and go on their own since it appears there is no turning back for them. You will then no longer be bothered.
ReplyDeleteI posted the gist of the last two sentences in an earlier post, but I see that you didn't publish it.
Dear Anonymous at 10:28 am,
DeleteDid you read the Catechism of the Catholic Church? It says that a man's conscience can have the wrong judgment or error. How do you know for certain that your conscience is not in error?
SERIOUSLY Diana? Your God-given conscience does not bother you that what the archbishop did to these non-neo priests is wrong? The removal of the two Filipino priests for not following "the way" and the removal of Father Paul, not to mention comments made by the arch to other priests insinuating that Father Paul was having an affair? The supposed danger Father Paul may have caused by hiring a repented sex offender and yet he incardinated Father Wadeson? All these are documented yet you refuse to use your God-given intellect to SEE all these injustices happening?
DeleteDear Anonymous at 5:19 p.m.,
DeleteThe only thing I disagree is the Archbishop insinuating that Father Paul was having an affair. That was wrong, and from what I understand the Archbishop understood it to be wrong as well. He called Father Paul privately and apologized to him about what he insinuated. That was the right thing to do.
Father Paul admitted that the Archbishop apologized to him, but he also admitted that his apology was not enough, and he wanted it in writing. And this is where Father Paul is now in the wrong. God said to forgive those who hurt you so that your Father in Heaven will also forgive you. If Father Paul did not want to forgive the Archbishop, that is his choice. The Archbishop realized his wrong and tried to make amends. If Father Paul does not want to forgive him, that is no longer the Archbishop's problem.
Father Paul did hire a convicted sex offender and whose name is still on the sex offender registry. Father John, on the other hand, is innocent because there was no arrest, no conviction, no complaint, no money exchange, etc.
As for the two Filipino priests, they were given a choice. If they really do not want to join the Way, they can always return to their home country. Now, why is it that they see returning to their home country and people as a torture?? Don't they want to see their people and families in their home country? Really? What is bad about going back to your country to see your people and family? Explain that to me.
"As for the two Filipino priests, they were given a choice. If they really do not want to join the Way, they can always return to their home country. Now, why is it that they see returning to their home country and people as a torture?? Don't they want to see their people and families in their home country? Really? What is bad about going back to your country to see your people and family? Explain that to me."
DeleteIf you can't see what's wrong with that, there is nothing anyone can that will allow you to see what's wrong with it.
Dear eileenbb,
DeleteThat is not an explanation. That is simply an insult. Explain why these Filipino priests find it a torture to return to their homeland, their people, and their families? I would think that anyone would be happy to see their people and their families.
On the issue of Father John Wadeson, if he was innocent, why didn't the arch step up and defend him? Why was he so quick to fire him once the story hit the media? Why was Father John so quick to leave the island? Why are his whereabouts being kept so secret? Explain this please!!
DeleteDear Anonymous at 10:56 p.m.,
DeleteBecause anti-Catholic SNAP would sue the Archdiocese 1 million dollars regardless of whether Father John was innocent or not. It was much easier to let him go, and Father John was obedient. He did not fight against the Archbishop nor turn against him. May God bless him and sustain him for his obedience.
By the way, I am still waiting for the jungle to produce the confirmation flight of Father John since they accused us of hiding him in the Seminary. They have not yet produced that confirmation flight.
TITLE IV.
ReplyDeleteTHE CRIME OF FALSEHOOD (Cann. 1390 - 1391)
Can. 1390 §1. A person who falsely denounces before an ecclesiastical superior a confessor for the delict mentioned in ⇒ can. 1387 incurs a latae sententiae interdict and, if he is a cleric, also a suspension.
§2. A person who offers an ecclesiastical superior any other calumnious denunciation of a delict or who otherwise injures the good reputation of another can be punished with a just penalty, not excluding a censure.
§3. A calumniator can also be forced to make suitable reparation.
Can. 1391 The following can be punished with a just penalty according to the gravity of the delict:
1/ a person who produces a false public ecclesiastical document, who changes, destroys, or conceals an authentic one, or who uses a false or altered one;
2/ a person who uses another false or altered document in an ecclesiastical matter; => Fr.Wadeson's leaked e-mail
3/ a person who asserts a falsehood in a public ecclesiastical document. Jungle Watch Blog identified as hate blog against Archbishop and innocent clergy affiliated from RMS.