Everyone recognizes that the presence of the Capuchin friars in Guam is a wonderful gift from God. Their pastoral work in Guam has been amazingly fruitful and they still run five parishes - Sinajana, Agana Heights, Mangilao, Yona and Talofofo. Our Archbishop is also a Capuchin. He has been Archbisop for 28 years - since 1986.
I came across a very interesting news item recently on the relationship of the Neocatechumenal Way and the Capuchins.
Exactly three years ago, in
September 2011, the Capuchin Fathers organized a meeting – called a ‘Chapter’
in religious jargon –in Krakow, Poland. Special guests for this meeting were
none other than Kiko Argüello and Carmen Hernandez, the initiators of the
Neocatechumenal Way. This Chapter attended by 165 friars from 20 different
European countries, looked for an answer to the problem of secularization and
the crisis of faith that affects all of us. Brother General, the Swiss Fathers Mauro
Jöhri participated.
During this three
day meeting, on the second day Kiko Argüello announced the Kerygma and
explained the Neo-catechumenate way of evangelization as a return to the
apostolic model, stressing that the heart and soul of evangelization is the
Holy Spirit, who imparts zeal and courage and is the driving force impelling
people to become fishers of men. He was given a full morning to speak to the
friars. (See video below.)
This
is not the first time that the superiors of the Capuchin Order validated their
openness to the Neocatechumenal Way. Two decades ago, when Brother Flavio Roberto Carraro was Minister General
of the Capuchins (1982-1994), he wrote a letter to all his friars speaking how
consonant the Capuchin charism is to the Neocatechumenal Way, in particular to
their itinerant catechist vocation. He even encouraged his friars to think
seriously to offer themselves to this ministry and if they have problems to get
permission locally to pursue this vocation, to contact him directly
Two outstanding prelates of the Catholic Church in the United States are Cardinal Seán Patrick O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston and Archbishop Charles Chaput, Archbishop of Philadelphia. Both of them are Capuchins and both of them openly support the Neocatechumenal Way. And… both started a Redemptoris Mater Seminary in their archdioceses. Archbishop Apuron is following the steps of the wise! “Whoever walks with the wise, becomes wise”, say Proverbs 13.
I am
including two photos – one of Brother General at the Chapter in Krakow and the
other of the seven Capuchin Bishops with
Kiko who attended a meeting at the Neocatechumenal Center in Israel in 2011.
Diana, I truly like when you place the Way in a geographically wide, general context. You talk about the wise Capuchin Archbishops who were not afraid from the Way, but in the contrary, they embraced it in their own archdioceses. What a wonderful collaboration for the renewal of our beloved Catholic Church! It is a wise and wonderful thing that works all around the world.
ReplyDeleteNow, we understand better how narrow-minded are those who spew fire and brimstone against our own Capuchin Archbishop, because he also acted wisely. It is incredible how Jungle blog could so insipidly target and single out our Archbishop Apuron, as if he would do something unusual. No, it is not unusual to support the Way at all, especially not among wise Archbishops all around the world who truly take the Catholic renewal to their hearts! It is a most natural thing and it would be unusual if the Neocatechumenal Way would not be supported by Archbishop Apuron.
However, people at the Jungle blog are adamantly follow the blog owner. Despite the fact that he lost his good manner altogether and started yelling insanely mad anger outburst and utterances in his blog. The very last post on Jungle blog is full of outrageous vocabulary that no decent person would ever say to anyone. Especially not a Catholic believer to another.
The purpose of these insane outbursts is to mask the blog owner's real intention. He only wants to distract attention from his own role in the messy finances of the Cathedral. He is spewing fire and brimstone so that you don't even notice his pocket full of goodies from these disastrous Cathedral businesses. He got involved in these spoils by taming some priests for his own purposes. He is a smart guy, a business man after all, as Ernie pointed out a couple days ago.
When we look out in the world and see how the Way is accepted around the globe by wise leaders of the Church and by the Catholic faithful, then we can only feel pity for these misguided people who cannot look beyond this tiny island and cannot place the renewal of the Church in its proper spiritual context. I feel pity and pray for them so that they allow the Lord Jesus to enter their hearts. His love is wise and His guidance is our peace.
"13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,
but a rod is for the back of one who has no sense.
14 The wise store up knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool invites ruin."
(Proverbs 10)
20 He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will suffer harm.
21 Adversity pursues sinners,
But the righteous will be rewarded with prosperity.
(Proverbs 13)
Bernie
Thanks for the post, also the eastern Catholic who recognize the WAY.
ReplyDeleteWhat r u trying to say here, that the Caps need to follow!
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous at 12:36 p.m.,
DeleteI am saying that the Capuchins and the Neocatechumenal Way can get along together. It is only people who hate who cannot get along with others.
I wish Apuron was a fair leader and didn't "hate".
DeleteDear Anonymous at 2:23 p.m.,
DeleteThe Archbishop does not hate anyone. He remained silent. The bad things I hear are coming from the jungle. I hear the jungle calling the Archbishop a liar. And there is even a picture of the Archbishop lying on a train tracks with a train ready to kill him. So, the hate is coming from their side.
anonymous, 12:36 ..read the comments of Brother Carraro.....read and understand before you comment. Read and understand before you start implying a statement that contradicts what the Brother was saying.
ReplyDeleteDiana, this was written by father Efren in JW.:
ReplyDeleteFr. 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.
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.
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?
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.
Fr Efren Adversario
In Arduis Fideli
Look like Father Efren pleading his the victim. Man up as Pope Francis say. Your gossiping in a hate blog.
ReplyDeleteAnd What El Camino......This was a priest without insurance who is incardinated here. He was neglected and put out into pasture to fend for himself. If a priest is not a Neo, he is screwed to the teeth by your Archbishop and his team of Kikolitists.
DeleteWe will forge forward come RED OCTOBER! Nothing will stop us, not even the slanders that the Archbishop will give. We know better than to sit and wait. NOT ANYMORE, WE STAND TO FIGHT!
Dear Anonymous at 8:38 p.m.,
DeleteWhat slanders did the Archbishop made, which he did not already apologized for? For the most part, he remains silent.
8:38 PM my question is, why Fr.Efren was not man enough to ask his boss? That was not smart, instead of gossiping in a HATE blog. He was also told not to post in the jungle but instead he continue to gossip. Where is the obedience here?
DeleteCamino, this happened in the past. It is a recount of his past experience. it wasn't that he was on a hospital bed blogging his predicament. LTR please.
DeleteFr Adversario, you as as a priests should affirm that the Lord does not need money for his work. We struggle throuhout life in the pursued of money, leaning on money instead of our Lord who truly provides. You acknowledge your benefactors who probably gave you their excess rather than our Father who gave you his Son....who gave you his life. Forgive me Father but who is the biggest sinner? Me or you?
ReplyDeleteIf you have ever served in the US Military you would know how invaluable an good Chaplain is. Chaplains have helped my soldiers through the toughest of times in war and in garrison. Fr. Efren, fulfilling his duties faithfully and as Catholic Priest, has experienced more and helped many in his time in service. You forget, he does not consider himself a victim and has never portrayed himself as such. He is a survivor and will survive this tumult as well. It is not gossiping when one is telling the truth.
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous at 9:41 p.m.,
DeleteGossiping is speaking ill of someone behind their back. If Father Efren has a judgment against the Archbishop, he can speak to the Archbishop about his judgment.
If Father Efren came to Guam in answer to the calling of God, I assume he came in obedience to Gods authority as represented by the Arch Bishop. In answer to what I percieve as an injustice to him, rather than address the issue directly to Gods authority, Father chooses another course. He acknowledges his earthly benefactors in the internet. I question whether Father see the presence of God in the recent events of his life and perhaps ask himself, God...was this a test for me to see my reality? Did I lean on you or did I lean on my benefactors.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't we take the health insurance away from the Archbishop! My word, The Lord will provide for him too. You people should stop thinking about the others instead of focusing on yourselves! You have shown your true colors!
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous at 11:40 p.m.,
DeleteI am pretty sure that the Archbishop understood that God will provide for him even without the health insurance - something that Father Efren was unable to understand. He praised men rather than God who actually provided for him. And he even enjoyed seeing his name on a blog.
So the Archbishop understood that God will provide for Father Efren even without insurance. So wny only Father Efren and not the others who have insurance? Your statement really does not make any sense.
DeleteDear Anonymous at 7:32 a.m.
DeleteThat is not what I said.