AnonymousDecember 9, 2018 at 7:49 AMDiana I believe there was also an Ordination to the Priesthood for Eneliko and by Guam time today, Antonio will also be ordained. These two are part of the group of seminarians from Samoa.I dont understand these past few years and I probably never will but seeing and hearing of all these fruits and despite all the negative comments and unjust actions, I believe it in my heart that our prayers and support of the former Guam RMS was not in vain. I will forever hold all of the memories and ponder them in my heart.I also support the seminarians who are in the mainland for formation. I know most of them and also did some ministry work with Junee in the past. I hope that they see it through and remain steadfast in their answer to the will of God, no matter what it may be.Pas!-Jokers WildCongratulations to Eneliko and Antonio from Samoa.
With the bankruptcy cloud hanging over the Archdiocese, the future of Guam's priesthood appears very bleak. Guam currently have four priests in a California seminary. Coadjuator Archbishop Byrnes has learned that it cost an arm and a leg to send even one seminarian off-island. Coadjuator Archbishop Byrnes is trying very hard to help the formation of our Guam seminarians through a golf tourney fundraiser. August 2018 was the second golf tourney fundraiser he held to support our Guam seminarians, and this golf tourney was sponsored by the Archdiocese, not by CCOG. He was able to raise $33,000 (See the story here). However, the cost of one seminarian in California is approximately $40,000 per year. RMS was able to produce 17 priests for Guam at very little cost. Today, we are struggling to help pay for the formation of 4 Guam seminarians. The money raised in the Second Golf Tourney was not enough to pay for even one seminarian.
Yes, we are already struggling in assisting our four Guam seminarians in their education, and I do not see CCOG anywhere in this picture. Will the Archdiocese be able to afford to send other men off-island to train for the priesthood? Probably not......but then again......the Archdiocese can resort to borrowing priests from the Philippines. Borrowing priests from the Philippines is now the cheapest way to go.
There are four seminarians from Guam presently at the St Patrick Seminary in California. We pray that these four do complete their formation and be ordained priests on Guam. After these four, who are the next group of vocations?
ReplyDeleteCoadjutor Archbishop Byrnes closed the RMS ‘because its model of priest formation is not sustainable for an island like Guam’. RMS Guam produced 17 priests. The remaining seminarians who had to leave Guam are now one by one being ordained priests in other dioceses around the world who gladly accepted them. The RMS Guam received new seminarians every year. Seminarians with a zeal to go where God desires them to go. RMS Guam was forming priests for the Archdiocese of Agana. Just about every year, priests were being ordained.
It is hard for me to accept the decision of Coadjutor Archbishop Byrnes to close RMS Guam. Where are the vocations now?
Dear Anonymous at 12:06 pm,
DeleteWe are also praying that these four seminarians would be able to complete their formation even if the Archdiocese is unable to pay for their formation. I am sure that St. Patrick’s Seminary can make some leeway in accepting late and continued payments even after their ordination. As for the next group of vocations.....I do not see how the Archdiocese is making an effort in fostering vocations when the lawsuits have ALL their attention.
The vocations will still be there but they might not be able to study on Guam or for Guam considering the situation of the Archdiocese at the moment.
DeleteIts quite a shame.But trust me,God always tugs at the heart's of those he wants for the priesthood,even in a situation like this.
Dear Anonymous at 2:19 am,
DeleteI can see the vocations coming from the NCW. One anonymous person said that two people in his/her community stood up for the priesthood during the transmittal. However, Guam's local sons may become priests for other countries because they are walking in the Way.
Brothers,from the fruits you can discern if it is the work of the Spirit. Rms guam bear fruit in other places even if it died in its own soil. That is who we are. We die to give life to others.
ReplyDelete