Friday, September 5, 2014

Father Efren's Comment

An anonymous poster brought this to my attention under my last post, which is found here.  The comment was written in the jungle by Father Efren.  The responses in red are mine. 

Diana, this was written by father Efren in JW.:

Fr. Efren AdversarioSeptember 4, 2014 at 8:55 PM

Tim,
It looks like my name made it to your blog again. As usual, allow me to use my name to make a point. I confirm what you and Father Blockley mentioned recently. There are indeed people behind the scenes who helped me with acts of kindness in time of need without the flourish of bells and whistles. Although seemingly miniscule, they are huge to me, and my gratitude to these people will remain a part of me for a long time. I had no desire to broadcast the personal struggles I endured because I see myself as a survivor. As any Veteran would testify, experiences of war leave you scarred for life, both physically and mentally, yet spiritually provide clarity on the important things and weed out the extraneous ones. I pray I never forget.

Dear Father Efren, Apparently, you forgot that God provides, and He uses people as His instrument to carry out His plans.  There is a reason why Christ tells us not to boast of the help we give to those in need.  Of course, now that you know who helped you, then naturally you start praising the names of men such as Blockley or Monsignor James.  However, all praise and thanks should be given to God who worked through these men.  Despite that you were not covered by health insurance, God provides for with God all things are possible.  Yet, you look to the Archbishop to provide for you?  Did it not occur to you that perhaps God allowed these events to take place in your life so you could learn to lean on Him and praise Him rather than men?   

Unfortunately, I see now in the jungle that they are encouraging Blockley to ask for reimbursement for your medical expenses.  I guess they forgot that when one freely and without complaint give aid to those in need, they would be rewarded in Heaven.  In assisting the poor and needy, we are to build treasures in Heaven, not treasures on earth with reimbursements.  

Matthew 6:2-4  “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.  But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

  
Some people prefer to see themselves as victims and take their feelings of persecution public and towards unknowing captive audiences. Some people who have had things handed over to them whether deservedly or undeservedly can start to feel entitled to what they think are owed them. They start to demand that "you owe me this or that" without considering more urgent needs of others. I see this happening in the current conflict whether the Archbishop has the wisdom to discern this or not due to his tunnel vision and his desire to ingratiate himself to his own drummer. The mandate is that we have to be good stewards of what is entrusted to us. The ordinary parishioner who gives to the Sunday collection must be going through the financial crunch of family obligations: sending children to school, health insurance, mortgages, so on and so forth. I surmise that most are trying to make ends meet but they give to the Church because they want to further the work of God on earth. They believe they are doing this for God. Meanwhile many of us who are in religious life never had it so good, even as seminarians.
 
The Archbishop did not take his persecution public.  How can he?  He remained silent while you speak about him behind his back through a blog.  You claimed your life was easy when you were a seminarian?  We have mission families and itinerants who gave up everything, surviving on only their faith alone. They understood that God never promised an easy life on earth. Nevertheless, they rejoice in their struggle because it brought them closer to Christ.    
 
How dare we squander that trust with wanton disregard for the donors' intent? Who pays for the VIP transport all over the globe? How dare we muddle the disconnect with suspect rationalizations? Who are we kidding with the ability to "sleep well at night"? How dare we cling to power and insist on our authority by ignoring the growing discontent and calls for transparency? Whose lives do we crush by piling lies after lies?

With all due respect, father, is money really all that important to you? You worry about the money the parishioners give?  As a priest, should you not be more worried about their souls?  After all, all the money you have in the parish is not going to bring you or any of the parishioners into Heaven. 

It was God who gave that authority to the Archbishop.  If you have a problem with that authority, take it up with God.  As for the financial report, that will come in time. 

The Church is the people, it is to them we are accountable, and not to questionable personal needs that have ballooned into ginormous caprices and quixotic projects. The Church is the people, and it is to you, the people we are sent to serve, that I humbly apologize, for we are not being good stewards by any stretch of imagination. Kool Aid or not.

 
On the contrary, it was God who chose you and who called you; therefore, you are there to serve God by leading the flock to His Son, Jesus Christ.  It was God who called you to be a priest....not the people.  Your last comment "Kool Aid or not" is very unchristian.   
 
If you want to serve the people, then by all means, please step down from the priesthood and become a politician.  You can run for Governor, Senator, or Congressman.  However, I will not be voting for you.  If you cannot keep your oath to be obedient to the Archbishop, then you certainly cannot keep any political promise you make to your constituents who would elect you. 
    

39 comments:

  1. The priest had no coverage that he had to fend for himself.....what kind of a father (archbishop ) would just throw his children out in the streets.? I am sure that if this were a Neocat, he would come a running to you all. Not our culture, and it will never be. You people have taken this too far.....

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    1. Dear Anonymous at 9:54 p.m.,

      From what I heard, God provided for him even without the medical insurance.

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    2. anonymous 9:54......you say that the Arch Bishop was uncaring.....solely at fault for not supporting a brother priest but the question that we ask is why God allowed this to happen? Jesus himself said we will suffer on this earth. We will suffer. What makes elfrin's comments unbecoming of a priest, a man of God, a bearer of peace is that he does not see God's blessings of his own suffering.

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  2. The Arch is still accountable to God for his lack of fatherly care. Thank God he moved others to care for Fr. Ef. Yes god works in different ways, but remember that God gives us free will; that includes the Arch. It was the Arch who chose not to care, not that God forced him not to care.

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    1. Dear Anonymous at 10:12 p.m.,

      Can you explain to me how Monsignor James was able to provide health insurance for Father Efren from the Archdiocese of Agana without the Archbishop's signature and approval????

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    2. At this point in time, who cares if the AAA signed, the fact remains that ONE of HIS OWN Diocesan PRIESTS was not afforded the insurance. What is it that you do not understand? The old Chamorro saying is akudi if familia-mu antes di un akudi Otro. If you are still young as you say you are, then you better have someone teach you about our culture and our custom.

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    3. Dear Anonymous at 11:53 p.m.,

      Who cares if the Archbishop signed??? From what I recall, people from the jungle appeared to care about the Archbishop's signature when Monsignor James was accused of financial mismanagement. And when the health insurance from the Archdiocese of Agana was given to Father Efren, suddenly, it is "who cares if the Archbishop signed.

      Before a priest start singing praises for Monsignor James, he should ask how the Archdiocese of Agana was able to provide him with the health insurance without the Archbishop's signature and approval.

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  3. You criticize this man anonymously, how utterly patethic. This is not about the provenance of God but the basic administrative duties and responsibilities of the Ordinary to his sons. Obviously there is favoritism here and your defense of such further supports all the arguments compiling against the Anointed one. How is it that fr.Julio is newly ordained and off island somewhere getting exotic eye surgery and this priest had to rely on donations for emergency treatment. I am a neo myself and your treatment of this matter sickens me. Let's have the Anointed one discard HIS health insurance and go off for heart treatment, let's see how comfortable he is on that bed, what's good for one of his sons should be good for the bishop as well!

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    1. Dear Anonymous at 11:42 p.m.,

      My question has still not been answered. Since Father Efren praised Monsignor James for providing this health insurance from the Archdiocese of Agana, I would like to know how he managed to do that without the Archbishop's signature and approval.

      God gives and God takes away. There is a reason why God took away from Father Efren. Obviously, Father Efren was unable to see the hand of God in it.

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    2. anonymous 11:42, I doubt very much that you are a brother; everything comes from God. EVERYTHING

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    3. Getting insurance for Father Efren was a miracle , just like the RMS was a miracle!

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  4. I was just wondering if Fr. Efren qualified for insurance because of his chaplain duties?
    Its seems like a hopeless case over at junglewatch, ever since those in the NCW started publicly giving witness to their experiences, tim rohr has been getting very reckless with his blog content. I dont understand how people are being fooled by his tactics. I asked him who specifically pulled the KOLG recording of the air and he never responded. He says one thing and does exactly the opposite.
    I will never tire of repeating how much I have come to realize through my experience in the NCW. All the criticisms that I once made against the NCW, I now know the truth of all the misconceptions.

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  5. @Diana- you should know- you work at the chancery and are deeply in the "inner circle" * nice to see your IP address. :-) Let us see if God will provide when the hammer comes down and you are a sent to the streets. Hope Kiko has a health plan and money to hire you all.

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    1. Dear Anonymous at 5:15 a.m.,

      Kiko does not give me any health plan. And the Catholic Church has taught me that God provides for all my needs. All I need to do is ask Him.

      Delete
    2. Very interesting comments Diana You really are a piece of work. We are just SOOOO glad that YOU (whoever you are) and the evil archbishop are both on the NCW's side. You both are very good advertisement for the demise of the NCW. Don't you think that by this time, the NCW's membership would have grown exponentially if people really believed in the good works of the archbishop and the teachings of the NCW? Quite the contrary.

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    3. anon at 5:15 a.m.: Are you really threatening Diana? Let me tell you this: if you guys from the jungle hurt our Diana by any finger, if you harm any hair of her head, then there will be hundreds and hundreds of the faithful walking in the Way who will know what you did. We will know exactly who you are. We know your IP addresses as well. Just remember: hundreds and hundreds of people won't ever forget. Do you understand?

      "As surely as the LORD lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for he did this today with God's help." (1 Sam, 14:45)
      "You will be hated by all because of My name. Yet not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives." (Luke 21:17-19)

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    4. Dear Anonymous at 6:45 am,

      If you really feel that the NCW is shrinking, then why is the jungle up in an uproar about the NCW taking over the Catholic Church?

      Delete
  6. "Miami’s new auxiliary, Bishop Peter Baldacchino, is a product of the Neocatechumenate, which his family joined when he was 13 in his native Malta. He describes the Way as “small communities of rediscovering the faith.” "

    Yes, Malta!! Beautiful. Read at: http://www.miamiarch.org/ip.asp?op=Article_14320205119777


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  7. Christus Rex claims: Popes Support the NeoCatechumenal Way

    Pope Paul VI, on May 8, 1974 during the Feast of the Madonna of the Rosary said of the Neocatechumenate movement: "What joy and hope you give us with your activities... Living and promoting this reawakening as a form of 'post baptism,' renewing in today's Christian communities the maturity and profundity of baptismal preparation in the early Church."
    Pope John Paul I met personally with Kiko and Carmen when he was still Patriarch of Venice in 1972, permitting them to open a community in his diocese, and encouraging the movement's progress in the following years.
    Pope John Paul II has always supported the movement, even in his days as cardinal of Cracow. He visited the Neocatechumenate community of Porto San Giorio on December 30, 1988, where, for the first time in our days, a Pope celebrated, the Pope praised the movement's "fruits" of personal conversions and missionary inspiration. In 1990, the Neocatechumenates received their first official papal recognition, in the letter to Bishop Cordes mentioned above.

    http://www.christusrex.org/www2/ncw/english/move.htm

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  8. Kiko's book, The Kerygma: In the Shantytown with the Poor, is available in English!

    http://www.amazon.com/The-Kerygma-In-Shantytown-Poor/dp/1586178601/ref=tmm_pap_title_0

    Introduction by Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera
    Kerygma explained by Cardinal Christoph Schonborn and the Abbey of St Dominic in Sora Italy

    A must buy! ;)

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  9. Fr. Efren was told he could not be given medical coverage because even though he is incardinated in the Archdiocese of Agana, he was off-island.

    If that's the case, why is it that RMS presbyters (Miguel & Edivaldo [while studying in Rome], Wadeson [while in San Francisco], Adrian [while in Denver], Jason [currently in Saipan], Santiago [currently in Japan], Fabio and Aurelius [currently in China], and Edwin [currently in Kenya]) are given coverage while they're off-island?

    Does God play favorites (just like the Archbishop) and provide more for the RMS presbyters than for the non-NCW priest, even though they are ALL incardinated in the same Archdiocese?

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    Replies
    1. Dear Anonymous at 10:05 a.m,

      Why do you only name the RMS priests? You don't think that Father Paul, Monsignor James, and other non-Neo priests here on Guam do not have health coverage?

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    2. Anon10:06 AM how do you know they have medical coverage? Did you see it?

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    3. "Why do you only name the RMS priests?"

      There's no dancing around this one.

      Apuron refused care to a non-NCW while he was mortally ill. He does not dare show or desire to show that same callousness to an RMS/NCW priest.

      It was God's will you constantly say.

      Well, Apuron is not God.

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    4. Dear Anonymous at 7:17 a.m.

      How do you know that he refused to care? I never said it was God's will that Father Efren go without health coverage. I said that God allows these things to happen.....meaning that the possibility exist that the Archbishop was unaware that Father Efren did not have health insurance. In fact, Monsignor James was also unaware of it UNTIL Father Efren said something about it. God allows things to happen for a reason. It was God who put Monsignor James in the right place with Father Efren so that he could tell his situation to Monsignor James. And it was God who moved the Archbishop's hand to sign the papers approving for health coverage for Father Efren for which the Archdiocese of Agana would pay for.

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  10. Diana, whoever you are, must be a neophyte in the Way, i know where your allegiance is to. Your response to the letter of Fr. Efren is just MEAN, unchristian. You do not address, the questions or issues being raised but parrot again the catechesis.... I know, you cannot hide from me through your pious catechesis. Speak from your heart. Wake up..

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    1. Dear Anonymous at 10:41 a.m.,

      It is not being unchristian to remind Father Efren that he is supposed to be a SERVANT of God.

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    2. It is also not being unchristian to remind the archbishop that he is supposed to be a servant of God and not just the neos.

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    3. Dear Anonymous at 6:57 pm,

      From what I hear, the jungle wants to destroy the NCW and have the Archbishop be obedient to the non-Neo priests.

      Delete
    4. "It is not being unchristian to remind Father Efren that he is supposed to be a SERVANT of God."

      Apuron is not God. Kiko is not God.

      They turned their back on a priest and left him to fend for himself while he was mortally ill. You say it is God's will. It was Apuron's will. The two are non synonymous!

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    5. Dear Anonymous at 7:08 a.m.,

      Where in my post or comments did I ever say that the Archbishop or Kiko is God? I never said it was God's will. I said that God allowed it to happen. God allows bad things to happen, but that does not mean He approved of these bad things. God allows bad things to happen because He respects the free will of mankind.

      Nevertheless, God knows how to turn it into something good. For example, the killing of His Son Jesus was a bad thing. It is evil to kill an innocent man, but God turned that into something good because Christ's death brought redemption to mankind.

      In the same way, the Archbishop and the rest of the Archdocese may have overlooked the health insurance of Father Efren, and God allowed this to happen for a reason. The reason is so that Father Efren would learn to rely on God rather than on men to take care of him.

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  11. 6:45 AM the WAY is not about numbers but saving one soul who is outside the Church. If the WAY is numbers are declining why a local Guam Priest Fr. Mike went around down south personally calling parishioner not to go to the cathechisist? Hmmmmmmm.

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    Replies
    1. Despite the attempts to discourage the people from attending the Merizo/umatac catechesis, it happens to be received by many this year, probably the most ever. I wonder if anyone knows how the catechesis is going in inarajan?
      Gods will overpowers mans will.

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  12. Diana I'm Filipino , Fr.Efren has crab mentality, looks like he would like to be a Senator rather than a priest. Be man sir and talk to your boss not a blog. My opinion this is cowardly behavior.

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  13. Anybody know where father elfren came from? What parish?

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  14. Pray for our priests, as it seems as if they forgot what the ultimate mission is. Apparently, there are priests who do not believe that God provides.

    I know realize that this conflict within the church is necessary.

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  15. Itenerants surviving, families in mission, only their faith, are you kidding Diana. It is a good life to be itenerant, to be in family in mission, the communities provide for everything to them. They have a good life. They get everything for free at the expense of real people. god does not provide in a vacuum. It is still the people in the community's expense.

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    1. Isaias -- God rewards these people because they are good, just like how Diana explains why Archbishop Apuron flies first class. For the rest of us bad Catholics, God makes us suffer just like Father Efren. I think I got that straight, right Diana?

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    2. Dear Anonymous at 8:51 pm,

      It is our sins that makes us suffer.

      Delete