God always do good while Satan does the opposite. In the scripture above, the teachers of the law accused Christ of doing the devil's work by HEALING a person possessed by demons. It is already clear that this kind of thinking does not make any sense. How can healing be considered evil? Satan would never heal a person by driving out demons. It goes against the nature of Satan to do that. While some accused the Neocatechumenal Way of being evil, evidence shows that some marriages have been saved, that some families and itinerants have given up everything to go on mission for Christ, that vocations into the priesthood and convents have been inspired among its members, and that the youth remain active in participating in World Youth Day pilgrimages.
The NCW have also built up their parishes through volunteer work. If one were to visit the parish, one would find some members of the NCW serving as lectors, Eucharistic ministers, altar servers, CCD instructors and coordinators. Some of them were elected into parish councils and have helped the parish in various ways. Some have even volunteered their service in the parish choir and in maintaining and cleaning the parish grounds. Others have donated time and money in renovating the parishes and donating flowers for the Church. All these were done without any cost to the parish. All these were done as a result of the brother's desire to serve God and His Church.
This volunteer work is also found in the NCW itself. There are no rules of forming a Catechist, Responsible, and Co-responsible in the NCW. It was all done with the person's desire and zeal to volunteer their service to God. It was done with a "yes" response after they were asked to become a Catechist, Responsible, or Co-responsible in the Way. Missionary work was also done voluntarily. Sometimes, the person who volunteered to do a service without pay and with only their desire and zeal can turn out to be a better volunteer than one who was paid to do the job and holding a degree.
Brothers stand on solid ground persecuation is strong. Church bashers in force against our way. Hold Firm to truth persecuation will pass.
ReplyDeletewhat is meant by "There are no rules of forming a Catechist, Responsible, and Co-responsible in the NCW".
ReplyDeleteNCW Catechist must be approved by Archbishop Byrnes. Non approved Catechists may not function in this Archdiocese. To be a catechist you must be approved by a pastor then the Archbishop and his Council. To present a catechist without approval will lead to serious consequences for the NCW.
DeleteDear Anonymous at 7:13 am,
DeleteThe current Catechists were already approved by Archbishop Apuron. Furthermore, the NCW must follow the Statutes of the Way, which was approved by Rome. According to the APPROVED Statutes:
Article 17, Section 3:
vote some brothers and sisters to undertake the task of catechists. These are chosen from among those who give guarantees of a life of faith and of moral life, who participate in the Way and in the life of the Church and are able to bear witness, grateful for the goods received through the Neocatechumenal Way. These, if they accept this designation, having been previously approved by the pastor/parish priest and by the catechists who guide the community, constitute, together with the presbyter and with the responsible of the community, a team of catechists, to evangelize and guide new communities, either in their own or another parish, or in another diocese,69 at the request of the respective pastors/parish priests or diocesan ordinaries. The catechists are formed in a suitable way (see art. 29).
Article 29:
Art. 29
[Formation of catechists]
In order for the catechists to acquire – as required by the General Directory for Catechesis – “the evangelical attitudes which Jesus taught his disciples when he sent them on mission…: to seek out the lost sheep, announce and heal at the same time, to be poor, without money or knapsack; to know how to accept rejection and persecution; to place one’s trust in the Father and in the support of the Holy Spirit; to expect no other reward than the joy of working for the Kingdom”,121 they are suitably prepared:
1st. the basis of their formation is participation in the Neocatechumenate, which guarantees their gradual maturation in faith and in witness,122 with a corresponding deepening of their biblical, patristic and theological formation, with particular reference to the documents of the Magisterium of the Church;
2nd. they prepare themselves to transmit the word as they in their turn have received123 and lived it: they are trained by accompanying their own catechists several times for the initial catecheses and the various passages of the Neocatechumenate;
3rd. they complete their formation by participating in appropriate convivences and meetings of catechists, called by the International Responsible Team of the Way or by a team delegated by them, in which fundamental themes of the Church’s Magisterium are addressed;
4th. they participate in the meetings of the Diocesan Neocatechumenal Center - referred to in the following article - for the formation of catechists;
5th. finally, they prepare each catechesis and passage of the Neocatechumenate, together with the presbyter in so far as is possible, reading in an atmosphere of prayer the corresponding passages of Sacred Scripture, of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and of the Orientations
for the Teams of Catechists, which revive in them the “word of salvation” (Acts 13:26) which they themselves received orally from their own catechists.
Article 28, Section 1:
§ 1. The teams of catechists are composed of some lay faithful, elected in conformity with art. 17 §3, and a presbyter.
I was watching the KUAM Live Stream of the Update to the Faithful by Archbishop Byrnes yesterday. The focus was on the training that the ministries of parishes have to undergo from the task force for the protection of minors. Are the NCW catechists attending this parish training? Will they be trained separately? Or are NCW catechists exempt from this training?
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous at 6:52 am,
DeleteDuring the celebrations of the NCW, there are ALWAYS more than two or three adults just like in the parish Mass, and the parents are usually with their kids. Should ALL adult parishioners who attend the Parish Mass be trained including the parents who attend Sunday Mass with their kids? Or do you automatically expect the parents to already know that they are responsible for their minor children during Mass? Child abuse do not take place DURING the Mass or celebration where everyone can see them.
I think it would be good for all parishioners to attend the training. That way, if any parishioner wants to do volunteer work in the parish, they would have already received the training.
DeleteDear Anonymous at 5:30 pm,
DeletePoint taken. That is indeed a good idea. :-)
In my parish (not in Guam) all the catechists and all brothers and sisters of the communities who have anything to do with someone else's children have done the training prescribed by the diocesan policies of protection of minors. I myself have done the training many years ago and ever since participated in all the follow up, continuous formation and re-certifications. It isn't a big deal to do it, and it is very helpful. No need to be afraid if the Guam catechists and faithful serving in different ministries will be required to do such training. Although, I am sure also many members of the NCW in Guam have also participated in such training, even if "NCW" wasn't written in their forehead. Courage, dear brothers in Guam! Just follow what your coadjutor archbishop tells you and pray for those who hate you and persecute you. You are an example for all of us around the world. We pray for you!
ReplyDeleteI am in the Way and I also received the training because I volunteered as a CCD teacher in the parish. As Diana pointed out, the NCW members volunteer in different ministries of the Parish. We're receiving the training at the parish level.
DeleteDear Anonymous at 5:01 pm,
DeleteI agree with what Guam's NCW is doing. We are being trained with the parish in their various ministries rather than separately. After all, the NCW is part of the Parish and serves the parish. If I am not mistaken, there are also training sessions being held so anyone interested can attend.
Does the NCW catechists undergo parish training to be considered catechist of the parish and are they allowed to go to other parishes to catechized?
ReplyDelete