The Guam Clergy Sex Scandal

 The Guam Clergy Sex Scandal started with John Toves, who is now deceased after struggling with cancer. Je accused then Archbishop Anthony Apuron of sexually molesting his relative, whom he has never spoken to. After John admitted that he never spoke to his relative. His relative never even came out to support John's allegations. So, no one believed John Toves. 

Then four other people came out in public to accuse then Archbishop Anthony Apuron again. According to Tim Rohr:

Had Apuron admitted his crimes or even met privately to apologize to his initial accusers, the archdiocese might have been spared the loss of millions and millions of dollars in legal fees and properties, most of which had been given to the Church by common, hard-working Catholics who sacrificed their own comfort and family security to help the Church they loved. 

This is my response: 

SERIOUSLY!!! They came out in PUBLIC, accusing  Apuron of sexual abuse, and you want him to meet them in PRIVATE! SERIOUSLY!!! You also want him to admit to the crimes.Then Rohr said this (the bold is mine):

In fact, Apuron, if he really did not do what he was accused of, would not have even had to apologize. He could have just met with those initial accusers and heard them out. I was involved with those initial accusers and I can state for a fact that all they wanted to do was confront the man they believed who had hurt them in their childhood. They did not want to sue - there was no way for them to do that in the beginning anyway, they did not want to hurt the Church, they did not want to do anything other than to assuage their childhood pain.

Apuron DID say that he did not do what they accused him of. He claimed to be innocent to this day. And what did the four accusers do? They proceeded to sue him and the Archdiocese for 2 million dollars. According to news report:

Four people who publicly accused Archbishop Anthony S. Apuron of sexually abusing altar boys in Agat in the 1970s filed a libel and slander lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Agana, Apuron and up to 50 other unnamed defendants for calling them liars and for accusing them of “instilling hatred, ignorance and violence in the people.”

The plaintiffs in the suit are Doris Y. Concepcion, Roy T. Quintanilla, Walter G. Denton and Roland Paul L. Sondia. Through their attorney, David Lujan, they filed the lawsuit in the Superior Court Friday morning. The plaintiffs are seeking no less than $500,000 each for all general damages, for a total of at least $2 million

Well, so much for not being interested in money. Even before the sexual allegations came out against Apuron, Rohr wanted Apuron to step down as Archbishop of Guam. According to KUAM news

In Tumon, local blogger Tim Rohr spoke before island Rotarians. Rohr writes Jungle Watch, a blog that covers issues involving the island's Catholic community. Even prior to the removal of Monsignor James Benavente Rohr has been highly critical of Archbishop Anthony Apuron for his controversial removal of Father Paul Gofigan last year from the Santa Barbara Church.

Rohr said, "My only hope is that the archbishop for his own health resigns ASAP."

One Rotarian questioned, "There seems to be a lot of conviction on your part on the archbishop's part - do you see any amicable meeting or meeting or meeting of the minds or compromise?", to which Rohr replied, "Absolutely not." He then reaffirmed his belief that the archbishop needs to resign.

Rohr announced this in 2014, two years BEFORE Roy Quintanilla publicly came out to accuse Apuron of child sexual abuse. 

At any rate, although they claimed that they were not doing it for the money, they went ahead and pushed forward a bill that would give the four accusers to bring a lawsuit against the Archdiocese for 5 million dollars. Again, so much for not being interested in the money. 

Then others came out of the woodworks also seeking 5 million dollars from the Archdiocese. Many of these accusers couldn't be identified because they only used their initials, and many of them accused dead priests. No investigation was done to verify their stories. Some of these accusers came from: 

1.  A Protestant who claimed to be an altar server in a Catholic Church.

2.  A person who claimed to be a "back-up" altar server.

3.  A female who claimed to be raped by Father Brouillard during a "Boy Scouts" event.

4.  A person who claimed to be raped during a fiesta where hundreds of people were present 

5. A person who claimed to be sexually abused by Fr. George Maddock just a few days after his death and while other youth praised the priest. 

Are there any real victims out there? I'm sure there were, but their numbers have been overshadowed by the numerous false claims.

At the End of the Day

 In his post, Tim Rohr wrote that Father Harold of ten years ago is not the same Father Harold today. More than 10 years ago, Rohr had only good things to say about the Way. In 2008, Tim Rohr wrote positive words about the Way and the priests walking in the Way. According to Rohr’s letter (the bold is mine):

4. The NCW is producing vocations. And I know that the seminarians are learning Latin and Gregorian Chant in conformity with the true wishes of Vatican II. I don’t see that happening anywhere else.

5. I see NCW priests wearing their clerics. They are visible to the community. God Bless them for that.

6. I was sitting with Fr. Ivan and Fr. Eric Forbes when Fr. Ivan asked Fr. Eric if he would teach the seminarians how to say the Traditional Latin Mass. Fr. Eric responded positively and also offered to teach them the theology of this beautiful Mass. This is in conformity with the wishes (if not command) of the Pope in his recent Moto Proprio. I don’t see anyone else rushing to embrace the Pope’s desires in this regard.

7. The NCW is teaching people to study their faith. They are studying the Scriptures, the Catechism, and the Early Fathers. It’s wonderful to see.

8. I understand that the NCW is also active in the prison. I used to teach in the prison for GCC and saw how active non-Catholic groups were with the prisoners. The majority of the prisoners are Catholic. Where is the Catholic ministry? The NCW is now there.

9. I see the NCW going out 2 by 2, knocking on doors and inviting people back to the Church, in other words, doing exactly what Christ commanded. The only other group that I know that does this is the Legion of Mary, so good for them too.

10. Most of all I am moved by the politeness, the kindness, the general charity of those I know in the NCW, especially the priests and seminarians, but essentially most everybody I know personally who is connected with it.

Rohr wrote this about 16 years ago. Today, Troy wrote:

My dad was part of the Way, and I never knew him to be a happier person prior to his membership in the community where he belonged. In fact, every person I know and I have met who has been in the Way is a joyful, excited Catholic.

 So, Rohr had positive things to say about the NCW and the priests walking in the Way more than 10 years ago. TODAY, Troy said positive things about Father Harold and some people walking in the Way. Therefore, it was not the priests, seminarians, or those walking in the Way who has changed. It was Tim Rohr who changed. 

Regarding Troy’s Reflection

 Troy’s story can be found here. According to Troy (the bold is mine):  

Here's the ironic twist. As a returning newcomer to my Catholic faith, I wasn't much informed of the politics surrounding the archdiocese and I had no idea Father Harold was among the priests often targeted by JungleWatch due to his association with the Neocatechumenal Way. I remember finding that out a few weeks into my journey back into Christianity and thinking, 'Gosh, I have no idea what's so wrong with Father Harold, and now I wonder about all this other stuff being said against the Way.'

There are always two sides to every story. Unfortunately, Troy only heard one side. Had he heard the other side, he would have met Father Harold sooner. Ten years ago, Father Harold was persecuted simply because he walked in the NCW and was a seminarian in RMS. He was even nicknamed "Boboboy" by Tim Rohr. When Father Harold was assigned to Talofofo Church, the parishioners there opposed him so much because of the stories told by JungleWatch. They never gave him a chance. So, Father Harold's assignment to Talofofo Church was rescinded, which was a loss for Talofofo Church. Today, if one were to speak to the parishioners of San Dimas and San Dionicio, they will tell you that he is an excellent priest especially to the youth. He is also well-loved in St. Anthony Church where he previously served. So, Talofofo Church lost out because they listened to the jungle folks.

Father Harold was persecuted by JungleWatch only because he walks in the Way and was an RMS seminarian. It did not matter that Father Harold is a diocesan priest of the Catholic Church. It did not matter that he was an excellent priest who was capable of reaching our youth and to people who do not walk in the Way. According to Troy Torres (the bold is mine): 

The scapegoating of the Way reminds me a bit of Guamanians who blame crime on Chuukese people, forgetting that Chamorros commit more violent crime than our Micronesian brothers and sisters do.

Scrapegoating is correct. 

Grateful for the NCW

 I posted the following about five years ago, and I decided to copy and paste the same post, which I wrote:

I, for one, am very grateful for this charism, the NCW.  How can one be so ungrateful especially after seeing the fruits from first hand experience?  Many thanks to RMS priests such as Father Alberto, Father Nino, Father Santiago, Father Edivaldo, Father Krysztof and other priests and deacons who encouraged people like us to join the Way.  How grateful they would be to see us continuing our walk and bearing fruits.  Some of the fruits of the Way include:

1.  Families who are open to life. 
2.  Mission families who are willing to leave everything behind to evangelize. 
3.  Celibacy among single people.
4.  Itinerants who are willing to evangelize in other countries.  
5.  Community members who forgive others and ask forgiveness from those whom they have wronged. 
6.  The faith being transmitted in the family from parents to children.
7.  The calling of members into the priesthood or the monastery.
8.  Marriages were saved.

Of course, we are no better than our brothers who are not walking in the Way.  We all face the same problems and struggles.  From time to time, even we fall into sin.  But the most important thing is that Christ is there to help us get up so that we can continue our walk. After all, salvation is a process, a journey toward holiness.  I, for one, am very grateful that God was able to help me and my family through this charism.  I am most especially grateful to the RMS priest who encouraged us to attend the first catechesis. The happiness of a priest would be to bring his sheep to God for that is his role.     

The NCW is not for everyone, but God allowed so many different charisms in the Catholic Church to meet the unique needs of His people.  I, for one, am grateful for this charism."    

I would also like to add that we have many youth in the Way who participate in evangelization and pilgrimages. Our next pilgrimage will be to Rome next year. Plans are already being made for the Rome pilgrimage.

50th Anniversary of the NCW in USA

 According to Catholic News Agency:

20,000 attend Mass marking 50th anniversary of the Neocatechumenal Way in U.S.

ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 11, 2024 / 16:30 pm

More than 20,000 people participated in a Sunday, July 7, Mass marking the 50th anniversary of the Neocatechumenal Way in the United States. The Eucharist was celebrated by the apostolic nuncio to the U.S., Cardinal Christophe Pierre, and held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

A news brief from the Neocatechumenal Way sent to ACI Prensa, CNA’S Spanish-language news partner, said that the Mass was in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the 1974 visit to New York by the initiators of this apostolate, Kiko Argüello and Carmen Hernández.

Participating in the Mass were thousands of young people from different parts of the United States who arrived in Brooklyn after having made several days of pilgrimage to shrines and holy places in the country.

“At the end of the liturgy, about 1,000 young men rose up to show they are entering a seminary to begin their preparation for the priesthood; another 1,500 young women stood up to express their desire to give their lives to Christ by entering a convent or as missionaries,” the news brief highlighted.

Although Argüello did not attend the Mass in person, he joined the celebration with a video call from Madrid, Spain.

He recalled how in 1974 he visited several parish priests in New York from a list given to him by the then-archbishop, Cardinal Terence Cooke, and how only the last of the priests he met agreed to start a community of the Neocatechumenal Way.

Pierre’s homily

“On this significant anniversary of the Neocatechumenal Way in the United States, I greet you on behalf of Pope Francis and reaffirm his support and appreciation for the work that the Way does in the service of evangelization,” the prelate said at the beginning of his homily.

Next, the cardinal recalled what the Holy Father told the members of the apostolate in 2018 in Italy: “Your charism is a great gift from God for the Church of our time. Let us thank the Lord for these 50 years.”

After recalling the importance of going out to find “the lost sheep,” the nuncio recalled that “Pope Francis often speaks of opening the doors to people who live in all the situations of moral poverty, to those who have strayed from God, and accompany them back. It is necessary for the Church to open a way back. Is there a way back from addiction, from violence, from despair? God can make a way where it seems impossible.”

“There is a thirst for God that secularization cannot satisfy … This is the mission of the Church: to open the door for sinners to return,” he stressed.

The French cardinal also said that “our failures prepare us for the mission, so that we won’t judge the sins of others: Only those who have experienced the power of grace can show sinners the way back to God.”

Accompanying Pierre at Mass were Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, with Auxiliary Bishops Michael Saporito and Elias Lorenzo; Bishop Robert Brennan of Brooklyn with Auxiliary Bishop James Massa and Bishop Emeritus Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn; and other American bishops, in addition to about 300 priests.

In the United States there are 1,100 communities, in addition to hundreds of families on mission.

There are also nine Redemptoris Mater diocesan seminaries, where 300 seminarians are now preparing for the priesthood and a total of 270 priests have already completed their formation. The seminaries are in Newark, New Jersey; Washington, D.C.; Boston; Denver; Dallas; Brooklyn, New York; Bridgeport, Connecticut; Miami; and Philadelphia.

What is the Neocatechumenal Way?

The Neocatechumenal Way, a July 3 statement notes, was “officially approved by the Holy See in 2008, not as an association or movement, but as a post-baptismal catechumenate, as an instrument to help parishes and dioceses in the work of evangelization.”

The Neocatechumenal Way is present in 135 countries with some 25,000 communities, making a total of more than 1 million members.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Biblical and Modern Day Jews

 In the Old Testament, God chose the Jews as His chosen people. The Jews founded and built the land of Israel. It became the homeland of the Jewish people. The Jewish Diaspora started in the Babylonian Captivity but grew after Rome destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD. A majority of the Jews were driven out of the Holy Land. However, there were some Jews who remained in the Holy Land; therefore, the Jews always held a continued presence in Israel. The Jews who remained continued to reside in Jerusalem, Hebron, Safed, and Tiberius while other Jews were driven to Europe, North Africa, and around the world. So, the modern day Jews and modern day Israel originated from the biblical Jews and biblical Israel just as the modern day Catholics originated from the biblical Catholics founded and built by Christ. The Jews did not simply disappear after 70 AD, no more than the biblical Christians of the Bible. 

The Biblical Jerusalem is the same modern-day Jerusalem. Anyone who has been to Israel can easily see that. Many members in Guam's NCW have been to Israel. The last time we were in Israel was in 2022. Being in Israel made the Holy Bible come to life. It demythologized the Bible and gave it essential meaning. Did anyone think that the biblical Jews suddenly stopped existing after 70 AD? Did anyone think that the biblical Church that Christ built simply stopped existing after the death of the Apostles? 

Today, there are attempts to rewrite history and assert that the Jews are foreign occupiers with no connection to the land of Israel. Those spreading this lie argue that the Jews have no historical connection to the land of Israel and that Zionists (those who believe that Israel should exist) came to colonize the land. The truth is...the Jews were on that land long before the Arabs came and called themselves "Palestinians." The Jewish claim to Israel is supported by abundant artifacts and historical records. In history, art, and literature, there is no trace of any Muslim people referred to by anyone as "Palestinians." In fact, both the Bible and Qu'ran do not mention the name "Palestine." But the name "Israel" is found in both the Bible and Qu'ran. Thus, the Jews were not the occupiers. 

The Jews were in favor of a two-state solution: A Palestine and Israel state. For over 50 years, two-state solutions were offered to the Palestinian leaders, but it was all rejected by the Palestinian leaders. Why? Because their intention was never on a two-state solution. They wanted ONLY a Palestine State from the river to the sea.

So, the question and real challenge is how does one establish peace between two groups of people in which one group works to kill the other?

New Nuncio

 The Holy Father has appointed His Excellency, Archbishop Gábor PINTÉR as the Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand, CEPAC, and Apostolic Delegate to the Pacific Islands. Welcome Archbishop Gabor Pinter.

In Response to an Anonymous Poster

 This post is in response to an anonymous poster who wrote in my blog. According to his/her comment, which can be found here:

AnonymousJuly 14, 2024 at 12:56 PM

Everything you mentioned are things anyone can do even if they’re not walking in the Way. So, what makes you unique?

That is true. Anyone can bring flowers to the altar. Anyone can set up to make the place of the celebration beautiful. But how many of us can stop making judgments or take criticisms? The Neocatechumenal Way is an itinerary of Catholic formation at the service of the bishop as one of the diocesan ways of implementing Christian initiation and ongoing education in the faith. It is one of the many organizations in the Catholic Church that brings our conversion. 

Conversion takes place in a community. In the Way, it is no secret that we decorate the altar with flowers, but one would be surprised to find that the brothers can judge others over flowers. We cannot please everyone. Some people will say that the flowers on the altar is very little and more flowers are needed. Others will say that we put too many flowers on the altar that it looks like a jungle.  We can never please anyone. Nevertheless, comments like these can hurt the person who spent much time and effort arranging the flowers. One person I know took the judgment personally that she retaliated. This is a human reaction. Later, she returned to apologize for the outburst. Another person I know took the criticism with humility. She thanked the person for the judgement. Most people do not react that way. We can only say that she found the Holy Spirit to take the judgment with humility. As for the person making the judgment, I am certain that the humble gratitude shown may have made her think twice about her judging attitude the next time around. 

The Neocatechumenal Way is one of the many organizations in the Catholic Church to help people have a closer relationship with Christ and to convert. God said, "Be holy for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16). Holiness is possible only with God. The holy saints in Heaven were once sinners like us. Therefore, it is possible that sinners like us can one day become holy saints like them. The Way is not for everyone. But God has created many organizations within His Church to help His people convert and be closer to Christ. 

Furthermore, our duty as baptized Catholics is to share the gospels to everyone so they can also come to know Jesus Christ. We have seen the miracles in our history, and we share our testimonies during evangelization. 

50th Anniversary of NCW in USA

The 50th Anniversary of the NCW was posted on the Internet. Guam is in the front, wearing our white and green Hawaiian shirts. 

https://youtube.com/watch?v=p0MwofbYxMU&si=B1jzpFwFGepyOlzH

50th Anniversary of the NCW of the U.S.

The NCW of Guam joined many others who participated in celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the NCW of the United States. We also evangelized in the U.S. The photo below was taken in Barclay's Center in Brooklyn, New York where the Eucharist was held. Thousands of the brothers and sisters worldwide came to celebrate together. Like the Charismatic Catholics, the NCW could fill up a whole stadium.

The New Archbishop of Agana, Guam.

 Pope Francis has finally appointed an Archbishop for Guam. Bishop Ryan Jimenez from the Diocese of Chalan Kansa as the new Archbishop of the Metropolitan of Agana, Guam. Welcome Archbishop Ryan Jimenez. 

 

Being in Community

The brothers in the community are not perfect. We are sinners like everyone else. But we help each other grow in faith. There is indeed a lot of work we do. We prepare for the Celebration of the Word and the Eucharist. We prepare the Eucharist to make it into a beautiful and memorable event. We help each other out. Someone would prepare the flowers, and we help each other by communicating who would bring what. Others would bring the icon and other signs. We work together so that we celebrate a beautiful Eucharist. And if a brother needs help, someone would step up and respond out of love. 

Jungle Fabrication

 It was brought to my attention that Rohr was attacking Father Romy, our Apostolic Administrator. According to JungleWatch:

In the above press release, Fr. Convocar states the following:

According to archdiocesan records, Father Luis was arrested on March 17, 2015 on Guam for custodial interference. He resigned as Pastor of San Dimas, Malesso and San Dionisio, Umatac. He was prohibited from hearing confession and restricted from celebrating Mass publicly. He may celebrate Mass only privately. Those restrictions of his faculties have not been lifted. Former Archbishop Anthony Apuron sent the priest off-island to a priestly renewal program after the incident in 2015.

Other than the fact that Camacho was arrested on March 17, 2015, none of the rest is true. 

1. There was no restriction of Camacho’s faculties....

 The truth is Father Luis was placed on restriction back in 2015. According to the Guam Daily Post dated March 19, 2015 (the bold is mine):

The archdiocese issued a short statement Wednesday evening regarding Camacho’s arrest.

“The Archdiocese of Agana was made aware that Father Luis was booked and released yesterday, March 17, 2015. The alleged offense is custodial interference, according to information provided by the Guam Police Department. The archdiocese has initiated a canonical investigation and is cooperating fully with civil authorities. In the meantime, Father Luis’ faculties have been restricted,” said the statement by Vice Chancellor Rev. Jose Alberto Rodriguez.

If Rohr can get this simple fact wrong, one then has to wonder what else are in error as a result of hatred for the Way. 

 

Rome has spoken!

 According to the Guam Daily Post, Father Luis Camacho has returned to Guam. A statement was released from Father Romy, the Apostolic Administrator. You can also find that statement in the Guam Daily Post. Nevertheless, the most important thing to remember in regards to Father Luis Camacho is that Rome has already spoken. 

Rome opened a canonical investigation on Father Luis following the incident in 2015. Though the Vatican has not been able to make a canonical ruling due to insufficient evidence, the case is not closed. The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith informed then Archbishop Byrnes on November 18, 2022 that the case is filed in the archives at this time as it is not possible to proceed with any canonical action.

 Rome has spoken! 

Love One Another

 In today’s reading, St. John instructs us to love one another not in words or speech, but in deed and truth. However, human beings are incapable of true love especially towards their enemies and persecutors. Which one of us can forgive the thief who broke into our homes and stole from us? Which one of us can turn the other cheek without retaliating as they are being taunted and bullied?  Rather, it is easier to love family and friends. Nevertheless, it is possible to love and pray for our persecutors. But it is not us who do this but God Himself acting through us. We have seen God acting in our lives, so we go out to share our testimonies. We evangelize other Pacific Islands and participate in the Great Mission every Sunday. The Church often speak of the New Evangelization, and the NCW does this very well. It is by their fruit that one can know the true disciples of Christ. 

Matthew 7:16-18 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 

Christ also warned His Church that they will be persecuted just as He was persecuted. So, let us not forget that we are Christians, the followers of Christ. Let us not forget what happened at the Antonio B. Wonpat International Airpot in April 2016 when Professor Giuseppe Gennarini arrived in Guam. It is by their fruits that you will know who the true disciples of Christ. What happened in 2016 is also a great testimony of God acting in our lives. As you see in the video below, the leader of the NCW quietly goes to a car and loads his luggage and without retaliation while being harassed, bullied, and taunted by the Concerned Catholics” (CCOG). Mr. Gennarini forgave these people. This is the kind of leader who leads the NCW. 

The Truth Behind Hamas

Pope Francis told Christians in the Middle East not to take sides between the Jews and the Palestinians in the ongoing conflict. Rather, we are to seek to establish peace between the two instead of picking sides. However, there comes a time when one must choose a side. I once said that a person must choose to either stand with the persecutor or the persecuted. Below is an interesting video regarding the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. 

Pilgrimage to the United States

The NCW in Guam is going on another pilgrimage. We will be traveling to the United States to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the NCW in America. Our pilgrimage will start in Florida and end in New York. Both the youth and adults are invited. The trip will be toward the end of June. 

Zionism

To those who are Anti-Zionist, the word "Zionism" is defined as: 

an international movement originally for the establishment of a Jewish national or religious community in Palestine and later for the support of modern Israel.

This was taken right out of the Merriman-Webster Dictionary. And this is what Jacob Syechiel, a Jewish American, have to say to those who are  Anti-Zionist. He has a hilarious way of conveying the truth. 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3Gd2sTvMDD/?igsh=dm5sOW8zNzh5cHJh

My Answer

 I said I would respond to the anonymous commenter in a post. The person wrote the following:

Anonymous January 28, 2024 at 3:47 PM

Diana, was Dr. Eusebio telling the truth when he came publicly and said that Apuron only dealt with the St. Louis nuns rather than Mother Dawn regarding the 2 million dollars? Asking for a friend

I apologize for the late reply. Yes, Dr. Eusebio spoke the truth, and he had the emails between Archbishop Anthony and Mother Stella. However, I do agree with an anonymous commenter who wrote that Dr. Eusebio should have focused on the allegation that Mother Dawn made of Archbishop Anthony revealing the identity of the donor. Once people learn that it was Mother Dawn who revealed the donor’s identity to Tim Rohr who then published it on his blog for the entire world to see, her credibility will be gone. And whatever she had to say about RMS and the Archbishop’s letter will be ignored. The media would not listen to her.

It would be like the John Toves scenario. People and the media listened to John Toves when he accused Archbishop Anthony of sexually abusing Toves’ relative. However, once he admitted that he never spoke to his relative, the people and the media stopped listening to him. His credibility was gone. 

As for CCOG’s report on Guam’s RMS, did anyone listened to what Andrew Camacho said when he started his press release?  Listen carefully to what he said in the video below. The very first thing that Andrew Camacho said was “In my OPINION, the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Yona is a sham.” Then he goes on to read why he believes it was sham. There were absolutely no facts or data in the report he read. There were absolutely no documents to back it up because it was only CCOG’s OPINIONS. The Vice President of CCOG admitted it in his press conference.  The reliable source whom Andrew Camacho would not name was Frenchie who never visited Guam RMS (See the weblink here.) All someone had to do was point out what he said, and it would put the credibility of CCOG into question. All this was a witch hunt against the Neocatechumenal Way, the Redemptoris Mater Seminary, and Bishop Anthony Apuron. 

Itinerant Convivience

The Itinerant Convivience will be taking place in Israel. Yes, you heard that correctly....Israel. The Itinerants in the United States and Guam will be in Israel. The parishes and the Archdiocese will not need to put in a single cent for those who are worried about the money they contributed to the parishes. 

Some may wonder why Israel, considering that the country is at war with Hamas. We can never understand why God chose for the itinerants to have a retreat in Israel. At any rate, we pray for the itinerants to have a safe travel to Israel and to always stay safe. Please pray for them.

Anniversary Death of Father Pius

 

The Complete Timeline

Those who have been reading my blog for a long time are aware of the circumstances surrounding Mother Dawn, the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Guam, and Archbishop Anthony Apuron. On November 15, 2016, Mother Dawn came out publicly and revealed the donor of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary and accused then Archbishop Apuron of not respecting the donor's wish to remain anonymous. According to KUAM news (the bold is mine):

In a rare press conference, Mother Dawn talked to local media to share her side of the story relating to the RMS property in Yona. You see, after years of speculation about who was the mystery $2 million benefactor that allowed for the archdiocese's acquisition of the RMS property.

he finally came out, saying all it took was a phone call to her Carmelite sisters in the US mainland. "There was no he, it was a she - and it was me," she said. "So the truth of where the money came from is as easy as that."

According to the mother superior, her wish to remain anonymous was not respected. 

The JungleWatch blog also had its own timeline regarding Mother Dawn, which you can find here. However, that timeline is incomplete. According to Rohr's post:

JAN 02, 2003: The Carmelite community in St. Louis, MO, agrees to lend Archdiocese of Agana the money to pay off the approximate 2 Million dollar mortgage note, interest free. (The offer of a loan eventually became a free and clear gift).

DEC 17, 2014: Mother Dawn Marie, on business for her Carmelite order, is in the office of the St. Louis Carmelite community when an email from Archbishop Apuron arrives addressed to the Prioress of the St. Louis community. In the email Apuron asks the St. Louis Prioress to sign a pre-written letter stating that the original intent of the 2003 donation was for the "purchase of the Accion Hotel for the Archdiocese of Agana for the purpose of housing the Redemptoris Mater Seminary and the Theological Institute for the formation of priests."

These are the facts: 

January 2, 2003: The Carmelite community in St. Louis, MO agrees to give the Archdiocese of Agana 2 million dollars to acquire the Redemptoris Mater Seminary. 

August 6, 2014: Mother Dawn contacted Tim Rohr and told him who the donor was. Tim published it in his blog, which you can see here. According to Tim Rohr dated August 6, 2014 (the bold is mine): 

The 2 million dollar gift to purchase the Yona property did not fall from heaven. Mother Dawn, because she is devoted to our Catholic Church, spearheaded the effort to find a donor through her order and specifically through her fellow Carmelites in St. Louis, Missouri. 

August 7, 2014: Patty Arroyo spoke with Mother Dawn. Mother Dawn also revealed who the donor was to Patty Arroyo. So, the news media already knew. Patty Arroyo made a comment in the jungle about her interview with Mother Dawn. According to her comment:

Patti ArroyoAugust 7, 2014 at 7:29 AM

I have spoken personally with Mother Dawn Marie on this. All reported above on the "deal" for Redemptoris Mater Seminary is true, especially the part about the notion that the Carmelites had an extra 2 million laying around. Because the conditions of the "gift", not loan were violated people think the Carmelites don't need help. In fact, they live on $30 each a day and Mother Dawn Marie is currently scouring the country for financial support. If anyone is interested in a solution...help the Carmelites. It's the most productive, personal effort you can make to help fix an otherwise out of control holy war.

December 17, 2014 (taken from Tim's own blog): Mother Dawn Marie, on business for her Carmelite order, is in the office of the St. Louis Carmelite community when an email from Archbishop Apuron arrives addressed to the Prioress of the St. Louis community. In the email Apuron asks the St. Louis Prioress to sign a pre-written letter stating that the original intent of the 2003 donation was for the "purchase of the Accion Hotel for the Archdiocese of Agana for the purpose of housing the Redemptoris Mater Seminary and the Theological Institute for the formation of priests."

November 15, 2016: Mother Dawn comes out publicly to blame Archbishop Apuron that the donor's wish to remain anonymous was not respected (See KUAM news.)

So, you see, it was never Bishop Apuron who revealed the donor's identity. It was Mother Dawn herself. She first revealed it to Tim Rohr who published it in his blog in August 6, 2014, two years before she came out public. The donor's identity was already published in a blog for the entire world to see before Bishop Apuron even sent his email. 

Why did I bring this up? Canon lawyers suspected that the guilty verdict of Bishop Apuron had nothing to do with child sexual abuse. In fact, many canon lawyers concluded that the guilty verdict must be something else. However, the Vatican never said what Apuron was guilty of nor did they mention what charges were brought against him. See the news report here. 

What I do know is that Bishop Apuron appealed the verdict against him after he was found guilty. Right after that, I received an email from Father Pius, asking me to email him the evidence that Mother Dawn revealed the donor's identity to Tim Rohr and that Rohr published it in his blog. Unfortunately, the verdict was upheld by the Vatican without even reviewing the evidence. So, the evidence was never presented.  

It is also possible that Rohr knew the identity of the donor since 2013 because of what he published in his blog. According to Rohr's post dated November 26, 2013 (the bold and underline is mine): 

However, even the extremely low price was still a lot of money for the archdiocese. Arrangements were made to purchase the property on terms, but the completion of the purchase was accelerated when the archdiocese received a large gift to assist in the purchase of the property through a religious order based in the states. 

The gift had the condition that the source remain absolutely anonymous. The condition of anonymity was critical because the donor did not want to hurt the religious order through which it came, and of which, there is a branch on Guam.

 So, the bottom line is that Bishop Apuron never revealed the identity of the donor as shown in my timeline. The donor was already revealed when it was published through the JungleWatch blog for the entire world to see.  

Correcting the Jungle Again

 From Rohr’s title in his post, So There Are Two Chosen People, he must believe that the Jews were replaced by the Christians as God’s chosen people. This belief is called “The Replacement Theory,” which was rejected by the Catholic Church (See the article on Catholic Answers, written by Jimmy Akin.)

Yes, there is a New Israel. And if there is a New Israel, that means there is also an Old Israel. There is a New Testament and an Old Testament. There is a New Covenant and an Old Covenant. There is a first Adam, and there is a second Adam. There is a first Eve and a New Eve. So, it only takes common sense that if there is a New Israel, there is also an Old Israel. The Jews are the Old Israel. However, the question is are the Jews still the chosen people of God? According to the Catholic Church, the answer is YES. So, who should you believe.. Rohr or the Catholic Church? According to an article in Catholic Answers, written by Jimmy Akin (the bold is mine):

The Church rejects the idea that the covenant with Israel has been nullified or revoked.

The Old Testament is an indispensable part of Sacred Scripture. Its books are divinely inspired and retain a permanent value, for the Old Covenant has never been revoked. (Catechism, 121)

While the role of preparing the world for the arrival of the messiah has been fulfilled by the Jewish people, they still are God’s chosen people whose fidelity to God remains a light to the nations. The Jewish people were called to a unique and special relationship to God that included preparing for the messiah but was not limited to that one role.

In addition, when asked if the Jews are still God's chosen people Cardinal Ratzinger responded: 

God has not, then, retracted his word that Israel is the chosen people?

No, because he is faithful. Of course, we can see that Israel still has some way to go. As Christians, we believe that they will in the end be together with us in Christ. But they are not simply done with and left out of God's plans; rather they still stand within the faithful covenant of God.

So, yes, the Jews are still God's chosen people, and this is what the Catholic Church teaches. Rohr's teaching is not Catholic. Jesus did not come down to invent a new religion. His purpose was to bring redemption to mankind. God remains faithful to Israel...to both the New Israel and the Old Israel, for both are His chosen people.  God is "the Judeo-Christian God" because the Jews and Christians are His chosen people who know His real name.

According to Tim Rohr: 

The DIANA, who claims to only speak for herself and not The Neocatechumenal Way (NCW) - which she constantly speaks for - says - within the current context of the Israel v Hamas conflict - that she "stands with Israel." 

Is Rohr calling me a liar when I stated the following? 

Although I walk in the Neocatechumenal Way, this is my blog and does not express the views of other members walking in the Way. Neocatechumenal Way, Insider's View is the view of only one person walking in the Way. My political views may be different from the others walking in the Way. Nevertheless, they are my political views and mine alone. 

The title of my blog is "Neocatechumenal Way - An Insider's View."  "An Insider's View" means exactly that, and it was written in the singular tense It is NOT The Insiders' Views (plural). It is the view or viewpoint of one person walking in the Way for several years. So, as one person asked me in my blog earler whether Spanish is being recited in our Eucharist, I answered that as far as I know, it is not. So, what part of "An Insider's View" does Rohr not understand?  

As for the Palestinians, have you ever wondered why the Arab neighbors closed their borders to the Palestinian refugees? When Russia attacked Ukraine, their European neighbors took in the Ukrainian refugees, which consist mostly of women, children and the elderly. But the Arab world closed their borders to the Palestinian refugees. The Arab world are aware that the majority of Palestinians elected Hamas whose goal is to murder all Jews and destroy the State of Israel and make it into an Islamic state.  This is a fact that many in the West chose to ignore. And today we see the reason why as antisemitism finally reared its ugly head in the western world. 

Celebration of the Three Kings

Yesterday, the NCW celebrated the Epiphany. The children with their families organized the celebration, and people were invited. Flyers were sent out to the communities regarding the celebration. It turned out to be a great success. Even the weather was sunny! 

I Stand With Israel

Although I walk in the Neocatechumenal Way, this is my blog and does not express the views of other members walking in the Way. Neocatechumenal Way, Insider's View is the view of only one person walking in the Way. My political views may be different from the others walking in the Way. Nevertheless, they are my political views and mine alone. 

God has promised the land to the Jewish people. God is truth and will always keep His promises. In addition to promising land, He also called the Jews His chosen people. It was through them that Christ was to be born. And today, they are still His chosen people for the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable. 

Deuteronomy 7:6 For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be His people, His treasured possession. 

This truth is irrevocable. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church: 

CCC 839 ......To the Jews "belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ:, "for the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.

The Land of Canaan was given to the Jews over 3000 years ago, but the Jewish people who inherited the land were not the Jews who were enslaved in Egypt. The Israelites who conquered the seven nations of Canaan were the descendants of those enslaved in Egypt. Even Moses never stepped on the Holy Land. He was only allowed to view it from afar.

Numbers: 14:22-23 not one of these people will ever enter that land. They have all seen my glorious presence and the miraculous signs I performed both in Egypt and in the wilderness, but again and again they have tested me by refusing to listen to my voice. They will never even see the land I swore to give their ancestors. None of those who have treated with contempt will ever see it. 

God was true to His word because He is the God of truth. None of the Israelite slaves in Egypt entered the land of milk and honey. It was their descendants who conquered the seven nations of Canaan and took the land. That land became Israel. 

Fast forward into the first century. Jesus was incarnated as a man. He was the Messiah whom God had promised to His chosen people, but many Jews did not recognize Him. Many rejected Christ as the Messiah. Many of the Jews believed in a political Messiah similar to Moses. Just as Moses rescued the Israelites from slavery and oppression in Egypt, the Jews believed that their Messiah would rescue them from Roman oppression. So, they waited for a political Messiah and did not recognize Jesus as their Messiah. 

In 70 A.D., the Romans destroyed the Jewish temple and scattered many of the Jews to Europe and other neighboring countries. The Romans renamed the land of Israel to "Palestine" because of their hatred of the Jewish people. The Romans wanted to wipe out the name of Israel out of hatred of the Jews. Yet, some believed that the Jews were driven from the Holy Land because they rejected Christ, the Messiah. In fact, some of the Traditional Jewish religious thought stated that the Jews had been exiled from their homeland as a punishment from God and could only return in Messianic times. Just as the original Israelites slaves did not inherit the land for their sins against God, so the Israelis were driven out of the land for their sins in rejecting Christ. 

During World War II, Nazi Germany persecuted many Jews. Approximately 6 millions Jews were murdered by Nazi Germany. And again, the Jews cried out to  God to save them just as they cried out to God to save them from Egyptian oppression. History repeats itself. Many of the Jews who returned to the Holy Land to escape death and persecution in Europe were the descendants of the Jews who were displaced after the Romans drove them out in 70 A.D. 

As more and more Jewish descendants returned to the Holy Land, they came into conflict with the Arabs who were also living there. The United Nations intervened and tried to resolve the conflict between the Arabs and the Jews by dividing the land of Israel (known as "Palestine"). In 1948, the Jewish people accepted the UN resolution, took their part of the land that was given to them by the UN, and declared their state "Israel." The Arabs could have also done the same thing. They could have taken the part that was given to them by the UN and declare their Palestine State, and a Palestine State would have existed in 1948. Instead, seven Arab nations attacked Israel in 1948. Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia (under the Egyptian command), and Yemen attacked Israel. Israel won the 1948 war. More than 3000 years ago, the descendants of the Israelites fought against the seven nations of Canaan to establish Israel, and in 1948 the descendants of the Jews fought against seven Arab nations to restore Israel. Again, history repeats itself. God has not abandoned His chosen people. 

There may be some brothers who will argue that we Christians are now God's chosen people. Both the Jews and the Christians are His chosen people. The Jews are known as Old Israel, and Christians are the New Israel. Christianity came from Judaism, and our Founder Jesus Christ was Jewish. Therefore, we are also God's chosen people. Israel is here to stay. For 75 years, seven 2-State proposals were given to the Palestinian authority so that a Palestine State would exist alongside Israel. All seven proposals were rejected by the Palestinians. You would think that a 2-State proposal would be the solution to the conflict. Indeed it is. The problem, however, is that the Palestinian Authority never wanted a 2-State solution. They want only a Palestine State WITHOUT Israel. In other words, they do not want Israel to exist. So, I stand with Israel because they are fighting for their existence against a terror organization that wants to annihilate both the State of Israel and the Jewish people.

And for those who believe that Israel is the occupier, see the video below: 

                      

Happy New Year!

The year 2023 is finally gone! Goodbye 2023. Welcome 2024! We hope the new year will be better than the previous year in that we receive more blessings from God. We are also hoping and praying for an Archbishop. Hopefully, we will get one this year. The evangelization of the Pacific region still continues. We hope to add more brothers with us when it is time to participate in the 2027 World Youth Day in Seoul, South Korea. The NCW in South Korea must be excited to have the WYD in their country.