The Mustard Seed

 Mark 4:30-32  Again he said, "What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it?  It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth.  Yet, when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade."

Some of our youth in the Way are currently off-island on a pilgrimage.  When they return to Guam, they will tell their experiences to the brothers in their communities.  It is always good to listen to their experiences.  These pilgrimages have also fostered vocations for some of our young men and women.  It is where they hear God calling them to the priesthood, the convent, or to itinerancy. Some of the young men in the pilgrimage may answer God's calling to the priesthood.  And when these sons of Guam answer the calling, they will be sent by their communities to a seminary in the U.S. mainland or another country where they will continue their studies to the priesthood.  They will serve the universal Church in either the U.S. mainland or the country they were sent.  The NCW started as a small mustard seed whose faith continues to grow among its members.  It continues to promote and foster vocations even when the Guam Redemptoris Mater Seminary was sold.  It continues to be fruitful in promoting vocations and in the new evangelization.    

Kudos to the young men and women who are participating in the pilgrimage off-island.  Imagine how eager these youth were to participate in a pilgrimage rather than attend a rock concert.  They will continue to evangelize in their pilgrimages off-island so that the vocations and the Catholic Church in the U.S. mainland and other countries will increase.   

In Response to Question From Jeff

This post is in response to Jeff who emailed me from Colorado.  His email was not published since it was addressed to me.  Nevertheless, he asked me a question in the email that I believe is worth addressing in my blog.  The NCW members may even find the question and answer beneficial.  Jeff's question was: 

Also was curious to ask you about this article below — The archbishop recognized the good that the movement has brought to many people’s lives, and he noted that it is recognized and approved by the Holy See.  However, it is imperative that it adhere to liturgical norms, he said, and this adherence “will only enrich the fruits of the Neocatechumenal movement.” https://cruxnow.com/global-church/2017/03/guam-bishop-aims-resolve-distress-neocatechumenal-way/Arap  

 First of all, the link is not working.  Nevertheless, you stated "The archbishop recognized the good that the movement has brought to many people's lives, and he noted that it is recognized and approved by the Holy See.  However, it is imperative that it adhere to liturgical norms..."  I assume you meant Archbishop Michael Byrnes. 

The Holy See gave the Neocatechumenal Way the Statutes and General Directory.  The Statues of the Neocatechumenal Way is what we are supposed to follow.  According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the term "Statutes" is defined as: 

1 : a law enacted by the legislative branch of a government

2: an act of a corporation or of its founder intended as a permanent rule

3: an international instrument setting up an agency and regulating its scope or authority

In short, the word "Statutes" means "LAW" and is even synonymous with "LAW."  Therefore, the Statutes of the Neocatechumenal Way, which was approved and ratified by the Holy See, is what the Way is mandated to follow.  In fact, it is the LAW, that we are to follow.  This LAW was given to us by the Vatican, and it is this LAW that the NCW should strictly follow.  In a speech, Pope Francis listed 7 points.  According to the seventh point, Pope Francis stated:

SEVENTH: The Neocatechumenal Way is the one that knows the most about the Christian Initiation. Consult them and, if necessary, correct the catechists, the communities…(because to correct is to love)…but correct with the Statutes in your hands.

Notice that in the Statutes, the Easter Vigil is mentioned (Article 12, Section 1).  The Holy See has given the NCW permission to celebrate the Easter Vigil on its own.  Unfortunately, our critics believed that the NCW is being disobedient simply because of this rule found in the Liturgical book (the bold is mine):

Of this night’s Vigil, which is the greatest and most noble of all solemnities, there is to be only one celebration in each church. 

Thus, our critics falsely accused the NCW of disobedience despite the fact that we have told them that we were given permission to celebrate the Easter Vigil apart from the parish Easter Vigil, and we were branded as liars.  The only time our critics believed us was when it was reported in a Catholic news article that the Vatican had allowed the NCW to celebrate the Easter Vigil.  This is the very reason why Article 12, Section 1 was placed in the Statutes.  According to that news article (the bold is mine):

The episcopal council of the Rome diocese, in a document distributed March 1, said the unity of the diocese — seen especially through the unity of the bishop and pastors of parishes in the celebration of the Eucharist — is especially important to emphasize during the triduum: the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper, the Good Friday liturgy of the Lord’s Passion and the Easter vigil Saturday night.

“To express visibly the unity of the holy people of God and express the deepest meaning of belonging to an ecclesial community,” the council said, those who frequent non-parish churches, chapels and oratories or who belong to special groups, associations or new movements “are exhorted to take part in the celebrations of the Easter triduum in parish churches.”

An exception exists for “national churches,” like the U.S. Catholic community at St. Patrick Church in Rome, and for members of the Neocatechumenal Way, whose Vatican-approved statutes allow for small-group celebrations of the Easter vigil, Father Midili said.

Exceptions were made for members of the Neocatechumenal Way, whose Vatican-approved statutes (LAW) allowed it.  And what else did the LAW mentioned?  It also mentioned the Eucharist (Article 13, Section 1-4).  Therefore, the NCW is also mandated in their statutes (LAW) to celebrate the Eucharst in small communities.  The Statutes declared that the celebrations of the Eucharist in the Way are part of the Sunday liturgical pastoral work of the parish and open to others who are not in the NCW communities.  The Eucharist in the NCW is celebrated following the approved liturgical books of the Roman Rite and with the exception of the explicit concessions of the Holy See.  Those explicit concessions can be found here.  

The NCW is mandated to follow its approved statutes (law) given to them by the Holy See.  And as long as the NCW follows its Statutes, it will bear more fruit.  As for the Archbishop, his role is to continue to be in communion with the Pope.  And Pope Francis have already given his support and blessings to the NCW. 

Congratulations to Deacon Ashton Wong!

 Ashton Francisco Wong, another son of Guam was ordained a transitional deacon on May 23, 2021 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark.  You can find the information here.  Ashton will be ordain a priest in 2022.

Ashton Francisco Wong

Home Parish   
Holy Family in Nutley

What inspired you to discern the priesthood?

Before the seminary, I lived my best life: as a teenager on Guam, I was a successful scholar-athlete; this culminated in a basketball scholarship to Dallas University. I enjoyed all the benefits of being a popular high school athlete: attention from girls, going to parties, and living the ‘good’ life. Although I had everything I wanted – success in academics and athletics, an abundance of friends and admirers, and a secure career path – I felt empty and unsatisfied.

Ashton Francisco Wong

Through the Neocatechumenal Way, I encountered the love of God actually and concretely in my life. I was looking for life from people and things that couldn’t give me life. I found authentic fulfillment in my encounter with Jesus Christ, especially through the Eucharist.

On World Youth Day, I witnessed many priests who were happy with their vocation. They were happier than I was, even though I had sports, fame, friends, and girls. I wanted to know why they were happy, and I wasn’t. So, I decided to respond to God’s call. So far, he hasn’t given me a reason to leave the seminary. The best years of my life have been this time in the seminary.

What inspired me to discern the priesthood was God’s persistent interest in me even though I was not interested in him. He won me over with his faithfulness and generosity, undeserving as I am.

What saints have influenced your discernment the most and why?

The saint that has influenced my discernment the most has been St. John Paul the Great. He was a talented man who loved sports and had every reason to hate God (World War II was not nice to him). In his suffering, he didn’t reject God but sought him out.

He was an awesome Pope whom the Lord used to renew the Church. Although he was very talented at many things (academics, theater, sports) and could have made a career in any of these things, he responded to God’s call to the priesthood. What made him attractive was not his talent, good looks, or personal brilliance, but his relationship with the Lord manifested in his priesthood and papacy. I guess he’s great because he allowed the Lord to work greatly in his life.

His life is a huge help for me because the allurements of the world are tempting. Although John Paul II had more reason to pursue worldly success, he didn’t. His life reassures me that God wants to give me the best, that he wants to give me a life that the world can’t possibly give me.

Congratulations to Father Gabriel Camacho!

 Gabriel Camacho was a seminarian in Guam RMS and a son of Guam.  He was recently ordained a priest on May 29th by Cardinal Joseph Tobin in the Cathedral Basiica of the Sacred Heart in Newark.  Congratulations to Father Gabriel Camacho!  According to the article: 

 

Gabriel Celis Camacho

Age: 31
Birthplace: Tamuning, Guam
Home parish: St. Columba’s Church, Newark; Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral Basilica, Hagåtña, Guam
Education: Bachelor of Sacred Theology (Lateran University); M.A. in Systematic Theology from Seton Hall University

Growing up in Guam, Father Camacho did all the things that were expected of him. He studied hard, got a good job, a car, and a social life. Yet, something was still missing.

“The Church came to find me and offered me an alternative, which I fought against for many years,” he explained. “Seminary life and becoming a priest was never appealing to me. ‘What a sad and boring life,’ I would say. But as I was entering my sophomore year of college, this part of my Life was the clearest definition of a ‘sad and boring Life.’ It was necessary for me to hit rock bottom to submit to entering into a seminary. My best decision yet.”

Father Camacho entered the seminary in 2009 and was immediately struck by the various backgrounds of his fellow seminarians who came from all different parts of the world. With this diversity came different personalities and cultures.

“Since the very first day, I saw the seminary as a kind of Zoo, with all sorts of animals living together,” he said. “There are five different ways to play soccer, 13 different opinions about which country has the best food, but only one way to eat pasta.”

Father Camacho said the challenges were the fondest memories: “To put a bunch of men, from different backgrounds, under one roof. Only God can do that! To witness disagreements and arguments on one day, and then see them smiling and laughing together the next? Only God can do that!”

When asked why he wanted to become a priest, Father Camacho responded, “Why not be a priest? If this is how God wishes to bring happiness into my life, Amen! So be it!”

These are challenging times, he said, but that is precisely the point.

“Everyone is looking to be secure, to be safe, but more than anything, we are all, including myself, just looking to find happiness, to find a sense of satisfaction. Happiness can only be found in doing what God has planned out in our lives. That is based on personal experience. He is our Father, and He only wants what is best for all of us. Why on earth would I depart from this awesome adventure? I say, ‘Lord, let us move forward.'”