Patience Is A Virture

Apparently, some people are in a hurry to get Archbishop Hon to fix the problem so there would be unity. Those who are in a hurry do not represent the vast majority of Catholics.  They only represent the small group walking the sidewalk in front of the Agana Cathedral.  Most people are patient, realizing that Rome is here and will allow Rome to do the job it came to do.  The jungle obviously have different ideas of what unity looks like and are very impatient.    

The division between the clergy and those of the laity are different.  The division in the clergy already existed before Father Paul was removed from the Dededo parish.  The division of the laity was a result of the jungle.  

I am certain that Archbishop Hon is addressing the division between the clergy. The CARA report of 2010 indicated a division between the RMS priests and non-RMS priests.  But of course, there are some non-RMS priests who are able to get along with the RMS priests and vice versa.  In his interview with Patty Arroyo yesterday, Father Mike said that he feels the clergy is not yet unified, but he is hopeful.  While they await for Archbishop Hon to bring peace and unity at the clergy level, this would be an excellent time for the clergy to reflect on their division.  Ask themselves why they are oppose to Archbishop Apuron and when did this opposition start.  If they did a reflection on this, perhaps they will discover the root of this opposition.  We can then discover that the problem is not outside but inside of us.  

This is a good time to remind the clergy about holding grudges against their brothers.  This is a good time to do a reflection while they patiently wait.  The following was emailed to me two years ago and can be found in my blog:

CERTAIN DEACONS’ MISCONCEPTION

Ten year ago, Archbishop suggested/mandated/recommended (it depends to which person you speak) the deacon class of 2003 to go and listen to the catechesis of the Neocatechumenal way. Some deacons claim that Father Adrian ‘threatened’ them that Archbishop will not ordain them deacons if they do not follow this directive. 

These catechesis are a fifteen talks-and-celebrations package, that may give way to the birth of a small Neocatechumenal community in a parish. At the end everyone is asked whether he wants to continue or not.

All of them, I believe, went to listen to the initial catechesis. Some opted to continue and are still in the Way. Others selected to continue but desisted after some months or years. Others decided it was not their soup and after the initial convivence, never bothered to stay.  All these thirteen men were ordained deacons.

These are the simple facts.

THE AFTERMATH

Some of these deacons are very grateful that the Archbishop insisted that they go and listen to the catechesis. I know, to give one example, that Deacon Ed Borja found the Neocatechumenal community a tremendous help in his battle against the terminal sickness that eventually ended his life.

Other deacons never forgave the Archbishop for this unspeakable sin. ‘What?! Forcing us to go and listen a catechesis!! Making this a condition for diaconal ordination. Unheard of. Canonically unjust. Archbishop is overstepping his authority… ‘

And they are still harping on this after TTTTEEEEEN long years!! When Archbishop Krebs came, apparently they strongly brought it to his attention. Again.

Why did the Archbishop do this? I do not know. I am not the Archbishop.  I know however that he loves his people and he knows that the Neocatechumenal Way can help certain people who are suffering. So I guess he saw in the Neocatechumenal Way a good pastoral tool to help the people discover their faith in a deeper way. He also saw this Way a good instrument to help former Catholics come back to the Church. This Way was/is producing results. And so Archbishop thought that it is good for these deacons in formation to taste this pastoral instrument.

He also believed that it could help them in their personal life. A deacon (or a priest) is a normal man who needs conversion, who needs a place that can help him face his issues under the light of the Word of God. Obviously the Neocatechumenal Way is not the only place where one can grow in faith, but it is also one valid place. Confirmed by the magisterium of the Church with a good tracking record of many years here in Guam.

‘He had no right to impose it or make it a condition for diaconal ordination’, one may argue. I am not a canonist and so I cannot really answer this objection. However the facts are that he ordained both those who went and continued in the Neo-catechumenal Way and those who did not continue.  

One needs to ask oneself whether the archbishop can and should determine certain aspects of the spiritual, academic and personal formation of the candidates, like their willingness to respect and obey the authority of the Church.  Ordination is not a right or a privilege.

I believe this was more a pastoral decision than anything else. A friend priest of mine always tells me that the Church is a mother and that the administration of justice in the Church has no other purpose than the salus animarum, the salvation of souls, as laid down in the last canon, 1752, of the Code of Canon Law. Perhaps this is what motivated Archbishop.

What I fail to understand is why some deacons are still harping on this after ten long years. Can’t they forget and let go? Let us say, for the sake of the argument, he made a mistake, can’t they excuse him? Do the Gospel values like forgiveness and lenience have any worth today?

Let us be grateful that we have an Archbishop who cares for souls and is trying to do something... 

UPDATE:

It appears that more people were interested in the three Filipino priests rather than the Deacon's ordination.  So, I have added an update to this post. These are my opinions.  Apparently, these three Filipino priests were borrowed from the Philippines.  From what I understand they probably wanted to become incardinated here on Guam so they could remain here as priests for Guam.  They were asked by Archbishop Apuron to walk in the Way to help the community and even inspire Guam's youth into the priesthood.  If they chose not to walk with a community, they can return to their home countries.  

This is what I think they should have done.  They should have walked in the Way as the Archbishop ASkED them to do.  After walking in the Way, they would become incardinated.  Those Filipino priests who would like to continue walking in the Way can continue.  Those who chose to opt out can also do so just as some of the deacons did.  In either case, they would have been incardinated in Guam and shown their obedience to the Archbishop simply because they chose to do as the Archbishop ASKED. 

However, since they chose a different path, then most likely they were not meant to be priests for Guam.  It was their choice to begin with. 

Many times, we are faced with two choices that we like or two choices that we do not like.  Since my son complained so much of taking out the garbage, I gave him a choice between two house chores.  He can throw out the garbage or clean the bathroom.  He did not like any of those house chores, but he chose one anyway.  He decided to throw out the garbage.