The Graces From God

Dear Brothers and Sisters, 

This week, the pilgrims who attended the 50th anniversary of the NCW are on their way home. Some of them already left on May 7th. We all came on different flights and will be leaving Rome on different flights. Nevertheless, the pilgrimage was outstanding. Meeting the Pope was the best! 

As many of you already know, Guam's media and those who oppose the Way are already downgrading the meeting with the pope and taking his words out of context. Guam's media is biased. Remember that one of the accusers of Archbishop Apuron works for PDN. Many of us also know who owns the building which PDN is in. The Pope's words were taken out of context. For example, they point out that the pope stated in his address to the NCW to respect other cultures.  However, Pope Francis also stated:

But how do we go? It is necessary to travel light, you cannot take all your household goods with you. The Bible teaches this: when God frees the chosen people, He makes them go into the desert with only their trust in Him as baggage. And making Himself man, He Himself walks in poverty, without having a place to lay His head (cf. Lk 9: 58). He asks the same style of His followers. 

The Pope made the above statement to the NCW. Yet, even those who hate the NCW are fully aware that its members evangelize in two by twos take no money or cars with them.  They carry only their bibles and passports with them.  How the NCW evangelized, taking nothing with them has been recorded in many news media.  Therefore, the pope was not chastising the Way in how they evangelized. It is recorded in the media that the Way evangelizes the same way as the Apostles, taking nothing with them; yet, the pope made the above statement. Therefore, the pope was not chastising how we evangelized.  Rather, he speaks words of encouragement to continue God's work.  The same is also true when he stated to "respect other cultures".  

Brothers, we who walk in the Way already know that the RMS priests have told us not to follow superstitious beliefs, such as asking permission from the taotaomonas to pass through the jungle whenever we go on hiking trips. We are Catholics, and the Catholic Church does NOT teach that the spirits of people who died inhabit the trees or the land. That was a belief that the ancient Chamorros believed in before Christianity came to the island. However to this day, many people who profess to be Catholics still follow the old superstitious beliefs. And the opponents of the NCW use this as a way of saying that we do not respect culture.  The TRUTH must be proclaimed!  There is a heaven, hell, and purgatory. When a person dies, his/her soul goes to one of those three.  His/Her soul does NOT remain on earth to inhabit the land, and the Catholic Church never taught to ask the spirits permission to pass through the jungle.  This teaching does not oppose "culture".  It is a declaration of truth.  We are the witnesses. We have heard these things taught by the RMS priests, but those who hate Way twist the words to discredit the Way.

Courage!  Those who oppose the Way are inventing stories, saying that the Pope was unaware of Archbishop Apuron being on stage with him. We who were on the pilgrimage are the witnesses.  We know and can declare that Archbishop Apuron was invited to attend the ceremony.  The chairs were already set on stage as to the number of Bishops, Cardinals, and priests who were invited to attend. We are the witnesses because we were there and have seen and heard.  We were called forward by security to enter past the fence and closer to the stage. Guam was also the SECOND on the list to be called during the presentation. The first were the brothers from Australia who was with us inside the fence.  Rejoice!  It was the persecution that brought us to the front together with Australia whose cardinal is facing a civil trial on sexual abuse.

In the pilgrimage, we are told not to despair the closing of the seminary. The RMS in Guam existed to fulfill God's plan to evangelize the Pacific.  As some people pointed out in the pilgrimage, its closure did not defeat God's plan.  The first community of Palau was born despite the closure of RMS and the moratorium imposed on the NCW.  There were about 20 brothers in Palau who joined Guam in this pilgrimage.  

Courage!  Pope Francis is grateful of the Way and gave thanks to God for the NCW. Anyone who read his address can see that.  Those who have eyes can see and read for themselves.  Courage and do not be afraid of the persecution.  We are being persecuted as Christ was. However, Christ rose from the dead, and so shall we.  Do not be afraid of the persecution and of dying because those who live in Christ cannot die.

Remember the Japanese Church who were persecuted? The Japanese Christians were killed. Their priests were executed.  Did they die?  Of course not.  They survived.

Matthew 5:10-12  Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Brothers, the word I received from the pilgrimage is this:  
Rejoice for we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.  We are witnesses of God's work. There were 300 brothers on this pilgrimage. Many came with families and this is a miracle.  Look at the hundreds of thousands in the Way who came to this pilgrimage......from over 100 countries and people of all ages.  Look at the many fruits. Christ said that it is by their fruits that you shall know his disciples.  

Pope Francis spoke of the New Evangelization as the top priority of the Church.  According to Pope Francis:

Go. The mission demands that we leave. But in life, there is a strong temptation to remain, not to take risks, to be content with having the situation under control. It is easier to stay at home, surrounded by those who love us, but it is not Jesus’ way.

The formation of the RMS priests has been exactly that.....to be missionary priests.