A special Mass will be held tonight at 6:30 pm at the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica in Hagatna. It is a new year...a year of mercy. All Catholics are asked to attend this special Mass, which can foster unity and harmony between all Catholic people. This will be an excellent start and opportunity to come together as God's family to be in communion with Christ and with one another.
God loves all people. He loves us for who we are. And who are we? We are His children made in His image and likeness. This is who we are. Even as sinners, God still loved us (Romans 5:8).
The one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church comes with many organizations because the Holy Spirit brings many different gifts as He recognizes the diversity of her members and their needs. It is a new year and a time to come together in unity and solidarity as a community and as God's family. Let us all come together in the Eucharist at the altar to be one with our Lord and with each other.
1 Corinthians 12:4-14 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, o another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues,. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He distributes them to each one, just as He determines. Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we are all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body - whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free - and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
I'm not walking in the Way, and I'll be attending the special mass at the Agana Cathedral. Quite frankly, I think the issue is a clergy problem that shouldn't involve the lay people. The Way has been in Guam for a quite a while now. The only time it became an issue was when Fr. Paul was removed from the Dededo parish. Before that, the Way was never a problem. If some priests have problems with the archbishop, they should settle it with him, but they shouldn't involve the laity to solve their problems with the archbishop.
ReplyDeletePriests vow obedience to their Bishop. Not just priests in Guam, but priests in all Catholic dioceses around the world. Priests know they may be reassigned to another parish in their diocese by their Bishop. Father Paul and Monsignor James are not the only priests reassigned to another parish. Since the time these two were reassigned, other priests in the Agana diocese have been reassigned - without public outcry in the media. The laity do not have the authority to dictate to the Bishop, or even their parish pastors, what to do. The Catholic Church is not a democracy. The pastor is responsible for his parish. The Bishop is responsible for his diocese. At least this is my understanding.
DeleteDear Anonymous at 11:02 am,
DeleteI agree that the laity should not get involve in clergy problems. If Father Paul and Monsignor James feel that their individual rights were violated, they can take the matter to Rome, and the laity should not be involved. From what I understand, the matter was already taken to Rome.
Obedience is a fluid promise a priest makes at ordination.
DeleteIt is fluid because obedience flows in its meaning like a river into the vast depth of the ocean.
Obedience flows in the vastness depth of a mans heart. Obedience is so deep it takes a hundred years to understand its meaning. Obedience is ultimately obedience to God. Obedience to the Holy Spirit who makes his will known to each person.
DeletePoetic words with no meaning!
Obedience a hundred years to understand.
What do you not understand?
Obedience means follow the Archbishop do as he says. Simple 10.39pm.
Poetic language confuses understanding for others.
Attending Mass, in and of itself, IS unifying. It doesn't matter your physical location. If you understood the Mass, you would know this.
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous at 4:39 pm,
DeleteI agree that attending Mass is unifying regardless of what parish the person attends. Nevertheless, a person should never suggest to another that he/she not attend this special Mass (or any Catholic Mass) simply because they hate the Archbishop. It is unchristian to hate a person.
I attended the Mass lastnite and it was beautiful. Sadly, only Father Jeff was there in regards to our local priests. If those priests think that their protest is going to accomplish anything, it wont! With their actions are they thinking of themselves or the church as whole? I will continue to pray for them. If they believe that the Archbishop was wrong in his actions is it then right to react in the way that they are doing so? When I look at the big picture and everything in general, those priests and all the other protesters, sorry for my bluntness but they seem like little children crying for their pacifiers. Where are all the capuchins too? Only Father Pat the provincial was in attendance. Then again theyre too busy selling DVDs.
ReplyDeleteIm glad that 99% of those in attendance at the Mass were all NCW brothers and sisters and the others who did attend, theyre the good people, theyre the angels of hope, that there is still some unity and mature faith in this Archdiocese. God Bless Guam! God Bless the Church!
I commend the organizers of the Mass for the visual presentations and how they utilized the Mission Families to remind us of our Past and Pope Francis' current and future call of Missionary work. To the ends of the earth!
I am reminded of what Saint JPII wrote to the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Rome. In it he reminded that the products of the Seminaries are not only responsible to the different Dioceses in which their are incardinated but that in their spiritual priesthood they take on the ministry of Jesus which was missionary in every aspect.
-Jokers Wild
Dear Jokers Wild,
DeleteI was there too. It certainly appears that this is a clergy problem. At any rate, the Mass was beautiful, and I am happy to see that all Catholics from all walks of life and from different organizations praying together.
(part 1)
ReplyDeleteDear Folks,
in an effort to pour clean water into the glass, let me show here an opinion of Josef Mangauta, or rather Joe Nangauta, who is originally from Malesso and now lives in Las Vegas. He himself spells his own name in two different ways for some mysterious reason. He did some Google search on the Internet on 'Neocatechumenal Way' and found some canned and outdated articles from many years ago. Now, he touts his finding as 'research' publishing some out of context sentences from these old articles in the PDN:
"Dear Mr. Zoltan Szekely FYI every things I post on my opinion piece both the first and second article is a research about the Neocatechumenal Way that is what concern the Guam catholics. Thru further reseach the two person who is the founder / organizer of the "WAY" after there prayer he himself ask the two young man do they change because his change. This show me that the NCW is recruiting people to be NCW member. To make things short read what I post because that is what I found thru my research. You ask yourself why some Catholics priest and older catholics as well young ones are against NCW! Indeed I found to be very disturbing and bothersome my self sir! I even seen vedio the NCW perform there praying that it's one sided denying even the most evident facts, a personality cult for the founder. Don't be scared to do research yoursef o the Neocatechumenal Way. . Indeed it's all there and please refer to your ( Proverbs 26:2) I also invite you to read ( Ephesians 6:11-21niv). I am from Malesso!"
http://www.guampdn.com/story/opinion/2016/01/03/peoples-mission-save-church/78198980/
I truly have hard time to find out the point of Josef Mangauta's opinion piece published at the PDN because of its poor articulation and confusing logic. But based on previous demands from CCoG that appeared in the PDN I assume this: Josef Mangauta and the CCoG want all the people of Guam who walk in the Neocatechumenal Way to immediately stop that or leave the island because
1. Josef did his 'research',
2. the founders of the Way asked two young men to change,
3. the NCW is recruiting people to become NCW members,
4. it is disturbing and bothersome that some Catholics are against the NCW,
5. on a video NCW prays in a one sided manner denying even the most evident facts,
6. there is a personality cult for the founder.
This is the most comprehensive list of charges ever has been made public yet from those who oppose the Way on Guam. I would like to know your opinion, the opinion of all those who have followed any part of this controversy enfolding during the last 2 years. What do you think of the charges of Josef? After much grumbling and hatred this list is the most our opponents are able to come up with in order to chase the Way away from Guam. Still, some of these points look more like praises rather than charges for good Catholics.
(part 2)
ReplyDeleteLet me reflect on Josef's list very shortly:
1. Doing research is something to applaud. Good research considers a wider selection of up-to-date and comprehensive articles to substantiate its finding. Any conclusion of research should be supported by relevant arguments and documentation.
2. A request to change our ways is a very frequent spiritual experience, especially if we are not perfect. Our response to this request qualifies our sincerity of faith.
3. Spreading the Good News is the great commission, entrusted on all Christians by our founder, Jesus Christ! "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19) If someone finds the Spirit of God at a meeting of the Way, who are we to block this person from walking with us?
4. People who don't like the Way don't need to join the Way. Why should they be disturbed or bothered if anyone else does?
5. Praying is always personal and should not be dictated. It is not the 'NCW' who prays but the believer. Saying that a prayer is denying 'even the most evident facts' seems to be an exaggeration. What facts are denied and how? Because the author does not elaborate we are justified to conclude that his charge is based on hearsay, gossip and superstition.
6. Showing respect to the founders of the Way and appreciating their work does not mean 'personality cult'. The author should explain how he arrived to his erroneous conclusion.
Dispelling hearsay, gossip and superstition about the Way should continue by clarity and reason because the assaults of the demagogues are still misleading many of the gullible.
"Don’t worry when someone curses you for no reason. Nothing bad will happen. Such words are like birds that fly past and never stop." (Proverbs 26:2)