Mark 6:7-9 Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt.
One of the things that impressed me about the NCW is that once a year they would evangelize in two by twos following the instructions of Jesus to His disciples when He told them not to take any bag or money. I have seen Jehovah Witnesses going out from door to door. They have with them their cars, wallets, and bibles. Once a year, the RMS priests and seminarians would go out in two by twos for about two weeks. But they carry only a plane ticket or bus ticket to take them to their destination and back, a passport, and their bible. They do not bring their wallets or money, and they do not bring any luggage.
This year, they will be doing that again. The itinerants, seminarians, priests, and families in mission will be meeting in Newark on July 9th in the evening. They will be sent out to all corners of the United States. They will go out without any money or food, just a plane/bus ticket and their passport. On July 25th, they will return to Newark to relate their experience on how God has provided them regardless of the fact that they brought no food or money with them. They are important witnesses to everyone. In the past, there were some priests who have shared their experience with the communities. I still remember Father Jucutan's pizza story. :-)
Some people may criticize the Way for evangelizing in America. Well, Christianity in America has decreased according to statistics. We are all called to be God's light. We should not hold back in sharing the Gospel just because we are in America (or even in Guam). People in America are just as much in need of Christ as they are anywhere else in the world.
Also, this September Pope Francis will be coming to Philadelpha for the Family Day and for the canonization of Father Junipero Serra. He will meet with the families on September 26th and 27th. Kiko, Carmen, and Father Mario will be meeting with the families and the youth on September 28th. The meeting will be presided by Archbishop Chaput, and there will be many Cardinals and Bishops. These are historic events and the communities are invited to participate.
Hi Diana,
ReplyDeleteThis is a very expensive undertaking. How many NCW members on mission from Guam will be in Newark? Where does the funding come from? Does the chancery pay for all on mission to attend? I guess this is why the archbishop needs more money for his appeal.
Eleanor Aguon
Dear Eleanor,
DeleteThe funding comes from the community. If you had been walking in a community, you would have known that the airfare and lodging of the seminarians who were sent to the Philippines to see Kiko Arguello came from the community that the seminarians are walking in. The Archbishop also has a community of his own.
Because you are not in the NCW, it is best that you simply ask questions and not make any unnecessary judgments. If you want to know where the money for the Annual Appeal is going, you can find that information in the Umatuna. Ever since Monsignor James was removed, the 2012 and 2013 financial report has been published, and all annual appeals have also been published. We are only waiting for the 2014 financial report to be published.
Hi Diana,
ReplyDeleteI am not making any judgments but I would like to know how much this undertaking costs. I give generously at Sunday Masses in my parish. I also give extra for Easter and Christmas collections. I would like to see a breakdown of what is funded by the chancery. Most people give only a dollar for the Sunday collections. The Lord has blessed me so that I may give more to my parish. I honored my pledge for the archbishop's appeal. Wanting to know monies are spent (an itemized breakdown) is not making a judgment.
Eleanor Aguon
Dear Eleanor,
DeleteAsking for an itemized breakdown of the annual appeals is fine, and you can find that information in the Umatuna website. Therefore, it is insulting when you make this statement: " I guess this is why the archbishop needs more money for his appeal".
If you want to know where your Sunday contribution is going in your parish, you can pick up your parish bulletin. Every month, your parish should publish all monies that are turned in and how much is being spent on utilities, supplies, etc. I know that my parish publishes its financial report every month. If your parish is not publishing its financial report in the parish bulletin, you should complain to your parish priest.
Your money has nothing to do with the NCW because you are not in any community. The funding for this event is coming only from the members of the NCW.
Whay happens if a member who walks in the Way is unable to contribute financially?
Delete-GSN
Dear GSN,
DeleteWe do not know how much each brother in the community contributes financially. So, if a member is unable to contribute, we would not even know. If a brother is unable to contribute, they do not need to worry. Members who are able to contribute usually contribute more than their share.
Why do only the brothers contribute? Can single women walk in the way? Tnx
DeleteDear Anonymous at 4:41 am,
DeleteWhen I say "brothers", it means both men and women. Some of us in the community use the archaic word "brothers" (meaning "brethren), which refers to everyone. Others in the community say "brothers and sisters."
Do the itinerants only wear sandals? If not, then they are not following the instructions of the Lord. You can't have it both ways. Either it is meant to be taken literally - which is what you imply, or it is not a literal instruction at all.
ReplyDeleteAnd obviously, they are much better than the pope, who doesn't go "two by two", nor does he leave his bag at home, or carry no extra clothes, when he is "evangelizing".
Dear Anonymous at 10:47 am,
DeleteActually, they are like the Pope. Pope Francis is a Jesuit. The Jesuits are a religious order of men who take a vow of poverty. They also go out and evangelize just like the Apostles. According to the weblink below:
"Evangelization is exactly what the first Jesuits did as they conducted missions in the towns of Italy. They lived lives of evangelical poverty."
http://americamagazine.org/issue/599/article/what-distinguishes-jesuits
Jesuits do not go out in "two by two" to evangelize. They are well educated people who are intellectually very well prepared and take their faith very seriously. They spread Christianity by being role models and by thorough doctrinal teaching. They do not teach a handful of Gospel stories only but teach the whole of it as one big book of knowledge! Do you believe in a partial Gospel truncated by wish or the whole, intact Gospel as Jesus had taught us?
DeleteGoing out in "two by two" by those uninitiated who have never read or understood the Bible teaching as a whole is more like the Watch Tower Society's style. They are trained to ask a few basic questions and give a few directed answers and that's it. They have no ability to go deep about Jesus. It is no wonder Jesus said to the APOSTLES to evangelize. Yes, there were only 12 apostles and they were all well versed in the teaching. Jesus had never said to the plain folk to go "two by two", because plain folks with no knowledge about Him would mislead people resulting in distorted teaching and fake Christianity. Do you want to spread false, incomplete teaching about Jesus? He had never wanted to have uneducated plain folks to speak for Him! This is why He talked to the APOSTLES. Consecrated people and not plain folks are the spiritual heirs of the apostles. Do you deny that?
So yes, go out in "two by two" and spread the word, but only if you are confident that you have grown up in your faith and education to be an exemplary instructor of genuine Christian doctrine, a true and faithful apostle of Jesus Christ! Think of St Paul the apostle who went out to evangelize in "two by two" if he had someone else to join him, but also in "one by one" when he did not! Do you think you measure up to St Paul the apostle?
Dear grow up in faith,
DeletePope Francis said that all Catholics are called to evangelize, not just the priests. Some evangelize by living their faith. Others evangelize by preaching the Gospel, and still others evangelize by doing works of mercy.
Hi Diana,
ReplyDeleteI know how my contributions are spent in my parish. I do not know how money that my parish gives to the chancery is spent.
The chancery funds the RMS. How much does this cost per year? I will look for this information in the umatuna. My intent was not to insult the archbishop by saying he needs more money for his appeal which is true.
Eleanor Aguon
Dear Eleanor,
DeleteThe information in the Umatuna will tell you that the Archdiocese funds only 10% of the RM Seminary. The other 90% comes from contributions off-island and from fundraising.
Hi Diana,
ReplyDeleteI do recall fundraisings for RMS. Do contributions come from off-island NCW communities?
Eleanor Aguon
Dear Eleanor,
DeleteNo, the contributions from off-island are not from NCW communities.
Where is Fr. Santiago? I really am fond of him and his homilies. He is one preist who walks in the Way that makes me feel comfortable. I know many people who are not neo in Chalan Pago that miss him...and he is a neo.
ReplyDeleteYes, he is one of the very few along with Father Jason who was in Agat.
DeleteWhat a load of bull. I can show you how the chancery supports RMS. (got tons of leaked documents- years of it) I will forward to the Jungle for publication. Billing statements of various companies, fuel, travel, insurance, banking, wholesale, rentals, and so on. Lots of statements, notices of "non-payment and over due" and other information. The intricate web and back channels that neo parishes have in supporting the seminary, seminarians,and shifting costs so the classify as "parish" employees. Apuron should be careful who he trusts to keep his "secrets" because they are leaking everywhere. Locking file cabinets, limiting access? That is a bit too late. Do not be afraid. I will redact private information but the last names, location of services, amounts will remain to show the TRUTH. The off island contributions are a lie- very rare and 99% sure it came from ncw black trash bags. The archdiocese pays for it well, wait a minute more like doesn't PAY and just owes a ton of vendors.
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous at 9:19 am,
DeleteSo, go ahead and produce your so-called documents. I am a Co-Responsible in the Way. As a Co-Responsible, I am called upon to count the money that we collect in the trash bags. And as a Co-Responsible, I have seen where that money goes. It certainly did not go to the RM Seminary. It went to paying the hotel bill for our convivience. I even have the paid receipts of those hotel bills. It went to purchasing our crucifix, icon, and tapestry that we now use in the community. Those things do not come for free. It went into the parish for their electricity bills. It goes to the airfare and lodgings of one of our seminarians who went to the Philippines to see Kiko Arguello. This seminarian is a brother in the community. Some of the money also went to our youths walking in the community and who want to attend the World Youth Day off-island. I am a Co-Responsible who have seen where the money from the trash bag goes. So, go ahead and produce your so-called documents.
Hi Diana,
DeleteI find collecting money in trash bags intriguing. Why are trash bags used? It makes me think that money is dirty but this can't be the reason trash bags are used. Does the NCW provide financial reports to members showing them exactly how trash bag monies are spent as the chancery does with reports in the umatuna? Why does the NCW use icons and art work only by Kiko Arguello? Is there a book available about Kiko Arguello's formation and influences as an artist? I would be interested in reading about his formation as an artist. It might be interesting to have a showing of his art work and icons so that non NCW members can appreciate his art work as well if not his take on Catholocism.
Eleanor Aguon
ReplyDeleteDear Diana.
I was told by a member that archbishop contributes two hundred thousand each month from funds to rms. He is also giving free first class air tickets to every seminarian to fly to their destination. Above this international chefs are.now preparing meals in the seminary hotel. There is even a housekeeping service daily making seminarians beds cleaning suits. This is a real problem to us. Expensive to maintain and a very high life style.
Dear Anonymous at 10:51 am,
DeleteYour information is a rumor. I have the letter from Giuseepe and Claudia and Fr. Angelo Pochetti, who are in New Jersey informing the Responsibles and Co-Responsibles of how we are going to participate in the two by two evangelization and so forth. The communities were already given instructions. The Archdiocese of Agana is not going to contribute any funds for this event. It will come only from the members of the NCW.
Furthermore, there is no paid housekeeping services. The seminarians do their own housekeeping, and members of the NCW also volunteer their services to the RM seminary for free. Also, the brothers are the ones washing and dry-cleaning the clothes of the seminarian in their communities. They also provide the transportation of the seminarians. When a community acquires a seminarian, it is the duty of the brothers to provide transportation for that seminarian including washing and dry-cleaning his clothes.
Dry-cleaning?? That sure is a luxury. It must be nice. Why can't the seminarians do their own laundry?
DeleteDear Anonymous at 9:45 pm,
DeleteSome of them do their laundry, but have to share the washer and dryer at the seminary. Those walking with a community get help from their brothers to do laundry.
ReplyDeleteDiana. last week I took one jacket and two pants to dry cleaners. My bill was $120. There are thirty plus seminarians in rms dry cleaning bill alone each week is expensive. Above this is power. Power bills over ten thousand Usd a month in rms. I find it hard to believe that NCW members would be willing to wash iron the cloths of all these seminarians. Even if NCW members did the washing ironing what message does this convey our people? Every week I have to sit in the laundry shop placing coins a machine to wash cloths. Two hours a week I sit looking into the window of the washing machine cloths going around. Many people have to work hard to survive to have thir cloths washed. What do these seminarians do? Do you sit in laundry shop watching cloths go around. No. You are rich you have lower members of your members doing the washing. Almost communist system you proclaim in NCW. People have to work hard to live today. NCW lives off the goodness of our Money. This is the Problem. You don't understand it is about money.
Dear Anonymous at 12:21 pm,
DeleteYou stated: " I find it hard to believe that NCW members would be willing to wash iron the cloths of all these seminarians."
Well, believe it because I have seen it. When a community is given a seminarian, we see it as a blessing. The brothers in the community take turns washing and dry-cleaning that seminarian's clothes. We do not have any "lower members" in the community to do these tasks. People take turns doing it so the job is not left to one person alone. The seminarian is also provided transportation to and from the celebration and preparations by the brothers in the community. If a seminarian does not have a community yet, he usually washes his own clothes in the Seminary.
In the RM Seminary, the seminarians are also tasked with housekeeping, washing clothes, cooking, and ground maintenance. Some of the NCW members also volunteer to help do housekeeping at the seminary or help with ground maintenance. At the beginning of the year convivience, a calling was made for older females who want to volunteer their time to help clean and or cook in the RM Seminary. If I recall correctly, there were about 3 older women who stood up
The NCW is not set up as a communist system. We do what we do by choice. It is voluntary. And many of us are members of the community with jobs as nurses, police officers, lawyers, doctors, etc. Other members are retired, and are able to do volunteer work at the RM Seminary or even at the parish. You will even find NCW members cleaning their parish Church and the Chancery. We simply do not advertise ourselves.
the NCW it has been a blessing in my life. before I met it. my life was becoming a mess, I abandoned the catholic church and ended up with the protestants. I place that I have enjoyed until a very important pastor started talking bad about the catholics. all I felt was a deeply sadness in my heart. And I felt that a voice told
ReplyDeleteme return to your roots the catholic church, which I did but felt very empty until one day I heard the invitation to come and listen to some cathequesis. and since then my life is been changing every day because before I didn't care about abortion, marriage, be open to life all I could thing was me myself and I
now I feel in contact with God through the tripod the word celebration the eucarist and the monthly convivence every day is a day of conversion every day is new, every day is a new adventure with all the problems of money, work bills my family 7 seven children an opportunity to see the presence of God in my life how he always shows me his love always respecting my freedom