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.

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. 

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.

Jesus Christ v. Jesus Barrabas

 According to The Catholic Miscellany, which is a magazine from the Diocese of Charleston:

In the first volume of Pope Benedict XVI’s Jesus of Nazareth, the pope emeritus notes that Origen, an early Church Father, maintained that many manuscripts of the Gospels identified Barabbas as “Jesus Barabbas” until the third century. Bar-Abbas means “son of the father,” and “son of the father” was a title attributed to messianic – or those presumed to be the messiah – figures. Pope Benedict XVI also observes that the Gospel of Matthew describes Barabbas as “a notorious prisoner.” He cites this as evidence that Barabbas held a prominent place in the resistance and argues that Barabbas was likely the leader of the uprising that had landed him in prison.

These points taken together, the pope asserts, suggest Barabbas was also a messianic figure. That is, like Jesus, some people believed Barabbas to be the promised and expected deliverer of the Jewish people. So, not only were Jesus and Barabbas charged with the same crime, they may have shared the same first name, and been assigned the same title. (Though Jesus of Nazareth is the only one to have claimed – accurately, we might add –  the title for himself.)

 After walking in the Way for many years, I realized that we are taught to be martyrs or to die for the other. Spouses are often taught to die for each other. We often hear to choose Christ rather than Barabbas. To turn the other cheek rather than to retaliate. 

At any rate, this is my opinion of Barabbas. I am entitled to express my opinions despite disagreements from my brothers in the community. I am surprised that Barabbas not only has the first name “Jesus,” but his surname is Aramaic, meaning “son of the Father.” Barabbas was a freedom fighter. He fought for the Israelites’ freedom from Roman oppression and stood against the injustices brought to his people. Fighting for freedom and justice is not a bad thing. On the other hand, Jesus is also a freedom fighter, but his way of fighting differs from Barabbas. Christ’s way freed us from death.

Depending on the situation, some have chosen Christ and some chose Barabbas. If a wife lives in an abusive environment where her husband consistently beats up on her, would she be advised to turn the other cheek and die for her husband? What if the husband beats up on the kids? Would not this be the time to choose Barabbas? By this, I mean that the wife should turn to the civil authorities to have her husband locked up in jail. Sometimes, it is necessary for couples to separate if there is a clear and evident danger. 

History has also shown the outcome of both situations. Martin Luther King Jr. chose Christ, and racial segregation fell. Mahatma Ghandi was not Christian, but he chose a path similar to Christ. A British soldier slapped Ghandi, and Ghandi did not retaliate but gave the soldier his other cheek. Consequently, Ghandi managed to get the British out of India. However, would this way work in defeating Adolf Hiltler and Nazi Germany? I highly doubt it. The Bible tells us that there is a time for everything (See Ecclesiastes 3:1-17). There is a time for peace and a time for war.

The Fourth of July is just around the corner. Independence Day is important to many Americans for it is the birthday of the United States of America. The American colonists in 1776 chose Barabbas’ way to bring about the birth of a nation. They fought against the injustices and tyranny of the British under the rule of King George III. Today, some would even argue that the American colonists were in the wrong for taking land from the Native Americans and claiming it their nation.

Nevertheless, it is worth noting that although the Jewish people at that time chose Barabbas over Christ, God the Father freed them both. As a Christian walking in the Way, it is always best to choose Christ because choosing Him means choosing mercy for those who are guilty of sins because in the end, we are all Barabbas. According to Catholic Moral Theology:

Ultimately, the moral of this story is not that we would have been better off to let Barabbas suffer and die.  As noted at the start, this is not about correctly identifying who is deserving of mercy and who is deserving of punishment.  Because, in choosing the Son of the true Father, we are choosing the one who has mercy in mind for all, including even those involved in murderous rebellions.  The great beauty of this scene with Jesus and Barabbas is that, while the earthly authority offers to release only one prisoner, our God offers to release them all. 

To Anonymous Poster Who Posted on June 5th

 I will not publish your comment under one of my previous post posted a few years ago because it is a hateful comment. Do not condemned someone to Hell, especially when it is a known fact that the two brothers have repented. They also served their time in prison and have not committed any crimes after that. Please be civil when posting under this blog.

Opening Ceremony of Beatification for Carmen Hernandez

 The following is the video of the opening ceremony of Beatification of Carmen Hernández, which can be found in YouTube. The video is long but worth watching.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

The Root of the Problem

 An anonymous poster brought up an interesting remark.  He/She stated: 

AnonymousNovember 19, 2022 at 8:13 AM  

Jane Doe, you got that right! We see that in the US where conservative speech are being censored while hate speech from liberals are being tolerated. All this nonsense comes from somewhere, and my guess are the colleges taken over by liberals

 I agree.  People in our society did not simply wake up one day and decide that Donald Trump is the epitome of systematic racism and should not run for President of the United States.  Members of BLM, ANTIFA, and some members of the Democratic Party were brainwashed into thinking this way.  They did not simply wake up one day and say, "Okay!  Enough is enough!  Donald Trump is a racist and is the very epitome of systematic racism in America because he is against immigration."  Trump has always stated that he is against ILLEGLAL immigration.  He is not opposed to immigrants who enter the United States legally.

Hatred is taught.  It is not something a child is born with.  And unfortunately, in many of America's universities, Socialism and Marxism are promoted while traditional conservative values are being suppressed.  Universities and probably even high schools are where these ideologies are being taught.  There is always a root cause of where all this hatred is coming from. Is this not the reason why the LGBTQ+ community are promoting the teachings (or should I say "indoctrination") of Critical Race Theory into the elementary schools, where children are most impressionable. The video below points out the problem that America is facing in some of its universities.  When a person or an institution demonizes and persecutes another person (in this case Trump) or a group of people (in this case the MAGA crowd who voted for Trump), they are simply causing division and hatred. Disagreeing with a person is not hate speech nor violence.  Apparently, some of the educational system in America needs to be revamped to foster civil dialogue and learn the difference between speech and violence.  

 

My Opinion of Donald Trump

 Donald Trump is one of the greatest Presidents of the United States.  He has indeed accomplished a lot during his one-term as President.  However, not everyone likes his personality or his character.  He is arrogant and has a lot of pride.  Recently, he made negative remarks of the Governor of Florida and the Governor of Virginia, both of whom are Republicans.  Both Governors recognize Trump’s achievements and understood that his policies worked for the country.  Trump has also announced that he will be running again as President of the U.S. in 2024. One of my friends supports Trump and would vote for him again in 2024.  That friend asked my opinion of him.  This is my opinion:

While he was President, his policies were a benefit to the country, and he did put America first. Unfortunately, his arrogance has earned him a lot of enemies including among those of his own party. Saying negative remarks about Ron De Santis and Glenn Youngkin is not going to get him re-elected by the people of Florida and Virginia. Nevertheless, Trump seems to have a lot of affect on his enemies that they cannot forget him and continue to persecute him to this day.  If Trump were elected in 2024, he can continue to do great things for America, but I do not think he can unify the American people.  There are people whose hatred of him runs so deep that they have become so obsessed with seeking his downfall regardless of the good things he has done. 

With that said, I am sure that there are many Donald Trumps out there. In fact, I know one person in my community who have the same personality.  Yet, is this not the reason why we walk in a community and attend Mass....to put out the old man and allow the new man to emerge in us?  I can say for certain that my brother in my community have changed a great deal that I do not see much arrogance in the brother. Then again, could it be that I changed and have learned to accept the brother’s character? Perhaps, we both changed in our walk, but one thing is for certain, we are still struggling with pride.  Is this not true with many people regardless of whether they are in the NCW or not?  Pride is the worst of the deadliest sins.  No one can change Trump’s attitude and personality.  That is up to him to change, and he can change with God’s grace. In the same way, Trump cannot change his enemies’ hatred of him.  

Heartbeat Bill

Kudos to Senators Telena Nelson, Chris Duenas, Tony Ada, and Frank Blas Jr. for introducing the Heartbill law, which was patterned after the Texas law.  The bill prohibits doctors from performing an abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected.  The bill would only allow an abortion when the woman’s life is in danger.  According to The Pacific Daily News:

The “Guam Heartbeat Act of 2022” prohibits doctors from performing abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. Exceptions are made for medical emergencies “where a pregnant woman would lose her life or her health would be severely impaired.”

The passage of this bill would save thousands of unborn babies and would also for couples to act more responsibly toward sex.  Archbishop Michael also came out and publicly supported the bill.  You can read Archbishop Michael’s letter here.  We are hoping and praying that the bill would pass the Guam Legislature.  Again, a big thank you to Telena Nelson, Chris Duenas, Tony Ada, and Frank Blas Jr.  

Request for Beatification of Carmen Hernandez

 A request has been made to open the beatification cause of Carmen Hernandez, one of the initiators of the Neocatechumenal Way.  The story can be found here.  This is fantastic news for the Way!  

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Rome Newsroom, Jul 20, 2021 / 04:40 am

A request has been made to open the beatification cause of Carmen Hernández, co-founder of the Neocatechumenal Way, who died five years ago at the age of 85.

On July 19, the anniversary of the Spanish woman’s death, Cardinal Carlos Osoro, the archbishop of Madrid, offered Mass in the Cathedral of Santa María la Real de la Almudena.

At the Mass, Osoro was presented with the “Supplex Libellus,” a collection of documents requesting that the diocesan phase of Hernández’s cause for beatification be officially opened.

“Carmen wanted in her life to be a spokesperson for Jesus Christ,” Osoro said in his homily. “How many times do we hear from her own lips that what man needs most is to love with the love of Christ himself and to experience the love of the Lord?”

Hernández, who died in 2016, founded the Neocatechumenal Way together with Kiko Argüello in Spain in 1964.

The ecclesial movement draws its inspiration from the practices of the early Catholic Church, providing “post-baptismal” Christian formation in some 40,000 small, parish-based communities.

The movement is present all over the world, and says it has an estimated membership of more than a million people.

According to Vida Nueva magazine, the postulator for Hernández’s cause has begun investigations into the co-founder’s life and has already collected more than 16,000 pages. The next step, if the request to open the cause is granted, will be recording statements from witnesses, historians, and theologians.

Speaking to Vatican News ahead of the July 19 Mass at the Madrid cathedral, the postulator said: “There are many who want to come and say even just a ‘thank you’ to Carmen for what, directly or indirectly, she has done for their life.”

Hernández was born in Ólvega, Spain, but mostly grew up in Tudela. She studied chemistry in Madrid, and afterward joined the Institute of Missionaries of Christ Jesus. After graduating with a degree in theology, she started the Neocatechumenal Way with Argüello.

In the interview with Vatican News, postulator Carlos Metola said that Hernández was a prolific writer and notetaker.

“Carmen wrote every day and every night, after having lived a tiring day or even traveling for hours; already at dawn, she woke up and wrote about what had happened to her,” he said.

“She also surprised us by the quantity of her studies and her research: many drafts, annotations on the Fathers of the Church or on the origins of the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist, the roots of the Jewish Passover,” he continued. “She was a true researcher, she tried to prepare well before any speech or catechesis.”

“Kiko talked more, Carmen wrote a lot. In many of the books in her library (about 5,000 volumes) there is often a ‘K’ marked in red. They were the books she wanted to pass on to Kiko for him to read and study.”

Systematic Racism or White Privilege

 I was reading the Guam Daily Post in the morning, and an article written by Peter J. Santos caught my eye.  I disagree with his letter to the editor.  He wrote that White privilege or systematic racism exists and gave examples of his own experience.  However, what he experienced was not systematic racism or White privilege but plain prejudice or racial bias, which does exist.  You can find Mr. Santos letter here. 

First of all, it is not the right-wing extremists who is claiming that White privilege  exist.  It is the left-wing extremists who are making that claim.  Systematic racism or White privilege does not exist in the United States.  However, racism and prejudice still exist.  If White privilege exist, Barack Obama would never have been elected President of the United States.  He was voted by the majority of White people who make up about 61% of the U.S. population.  Barack Obama could not become President without their votes.  In addition, Mr. Santos would also never be able to accomplishe anything nor be in a position he is in today if systematic racism exists.  I find it ironic that those who claim the existence of systematic racism are people who have made accomplishments in their life.  For example, Oprah Winfrey is a millionaire and she claimed the existence of systematic racism and White privilege.  Oprah Winfrey, Barak Obama, and many others are examples that systematic racism does not exist.  If one wants to make it in the U.S., all it takes is hard work, determination, and perseverance. Today, the racial group with the highest income are NOT Whites.  Asian Americans make up the highest income bracket.  According to an article, which cited a 2019 Census Bureau survey, Asian Americans were found to have the highest income.  They surpassed both the Blacks and Whites.  This is evidence that systematic racism does not exist.  However, prejudice and racism still exist and it exist in anyone, including people of color.  

The following YouTube video is an interesting one to listen to.  According to Morgan Freeman, race has nothing to wealth distribution and he and Don Lemon are both proof of that. 

                                             

Today, the Left-wing radicals focus so much on the color of a person's skin, which is why they have such movements as BLACK Lives Matter and Critical RACE Theory being placed in some American schools.  These Left-wing radicals are offended when people say, "All Lives Matter" or when parents oppose CRT in the schools.  When one focus simply on race or the color of the person's skin rather than on the character of the person, it only serves to cause division and promote racist attitudes.                                                                                                      

40th Anniversary for NCW in Malaysia

For many people, the year 2020 will be remembered for COVID-19, the lockdown to contain the virus, the death of George Floyd that sparked protests against police brutality across the nation and the rioting and looting that took place afterwards.  However, the year 2020 also  marks the 40th anniversary for the NCW in Malaysia, which will be remembered by the NCW communities in the country.  You can find the following article here.

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Neocatechumenal Communities celebrate 40th anniversary

This year, 2020, marks the 40th year of the Neocatechumenal Way's existence in Malaysia.  The first neocatechumenal community was formed on Sept 7, 1980 at the Sacred Heart Cathedral (SHC) parish when the late Fr Tobias Chi was the Rector. 

Bishop Simon Fung was the first bishop to open the door for the formation of these communities in Malaysia.  Over the past 40 years, the number of communities have grown to a total of 43 in the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu, the Diocese of Sandakan and the Diocese of Sibu, in Sarawak. 

Fr Paul Lo, Rector of SHC parish, presided over a Eucharist with the 1st Community of the Neocatechumenal Way to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Way in Malaysia on Sunday Sep 6, 2020. 

Con-celebrating with him were three other priests: Fr Saimon Williams, an assistant parish priest at SHC; Fr Joshua Liew, who is on study leave; and Fr Tony Mojiwat who is presently serving at St Pius X Parish, Bundu Tuhan.  

The communities have produced a souvenir booklet to mark the occasion, in which they recorded a brief history of the Neocatechumenal Way in the country. 

During the early 1980s, catecheses were given at the SHC parish in Kota Kinabalu, Stella Maris Church at Tanjung Aru, St. Paul's Church at Dontozidon, St. Thomas' Church at Kepayan, St. John's Church at Tuaran and St Mary's Church in Sandakan. 

The booklet gives an account of the visits of the initiators of the Way, Kiko Arguello and Carmen Hernandez with Fr Mario Pezzi in 1996 and again in 2002 in conjunction with the Asian Bishops' Convivence in April that year.  

The gathering of 374 participants, including bishops, priests, catechists and families in mission from Asian countries, was hosted by the Diocese of Kota Kinabalu.  

Bishop John Lee, as head of the diocese, said in his welcoming remarks on the first day of the bishops' meeting that the church in Asia was moving into "a new way of being Church". 

He added that the journeying together in small communities seemed to be the common pastoral goal. 

The booklet also gave an account of Archbishop John Wong sending out about 120 men and women, priests and lay people from the neocatechumenal communities in Sabah and Sarawak on a 2-by-2 mission to announce the Gospel without money, hand phones, or a change of clothing in July 2017.  

After the Eucharist at the SHC parish centre, the community continued with the celebration of their 40th anniversary with a banquet at a local restaurant--CS

Back To Lockdown

I'm glad to see that the Church remained open despite that it is a parking lot Mass.  Better a parking lot Mass than no Mass at all.  In the first lockdown, all church buildings were shut down, and Mass was conducted on the Internet.  Church is essential, and I'm glad that the Archdiocese of Agana were able to work cooperatively with the government in allowing the churches to remain open despite that it is a parking lot Mass.  The parishes have done an excellent job in following the emergency health guidelines and protocol to ensure the safety of its parishioners.  Church is essential.  

According to the Pacific News Center, there was a 1,150% increase of calls to the crisis hotline in the last six months while Guam was under the pandemic.  Many people called in seeking out help to deal with the mental stress caused by the lockdown and the pandemic.  The Church also helps in alleviating this mental stress.  The word of God and the Eucharist are nourishment for our troubled souls as we struggle through this crisis.  People are laid off and jobless.  Businesses are closing.  People who are still employed have the virus to worry about, but there are those who feel more stressed because their livelihood have been destroyed due to a loss in job or closed business. 

Due to the lockdown, the Neocatechumenal Way have resorted to Zoom.  Listening to the word every week is nourishment for our soul.  It helps us to overcome the daily stress we are facing and to rely on God's providence.  God provides, and we have seen this first hand in our lives.  God bless Guam and may the Lord strengthen us in our faith as we go through this second lockdown.      

The Church is Essential

I was reading an article in the Guam Daily Post written by Helen Middlebrooke.  She stated that freedom of religion is a fundamental right needed at this time during the pandemic.  She is correct to some degree.  Freedom of religion is a fundamental right, but there is a difference between the right to believe and the right to practice those beliefs. The right to practice those beliefs can be limited by the government especially if it endangers the life, safety, and health of the people.  On the other hand, she is correct when she stated that the Church is essential.  And when I say "church," it is in reference to the people, not the church building.  The people is the church, and we are essential.  

The Church advocates the right to life to every unborn child, which is the reason we oppose abortion.  This right to life also extends to the church (the people).  It extends to her members.  And this Christian belief is put to practice when Archbishop Michael Byrnes closed down the parishes. It is for the life and safety of the Church.  Stay home and practice social distancing.  Observe good hygiene by washing your hands frequently.  Wear a mask and gloves when you go out for essential business.  The secular government is incorrect in stating that the Church is NOT essential.  Man is composed of both body and spirit.  When our bodies are injured, the hospital is the proper place to heal our bodies.  But our spirits can also be broken, and Christ is the only physician who can heal broken spirits.  Therefore, despite that we cannot physically be present, the Mass is televised or streamlived on the Internet so that the faithful can listen to the Word of God.  I agree that this is not good enough, but it is only temporary until the pandemic is over.  

It is the secular world that teaches that the Church is not essential.  As Christians, do not forget that what the secular world teaches is not always in conformity with Christian teaching.  The Church is essential.  God is essential in our lives everyday especially during this pandemic.  

The following article is on Bishop Peter Baldacchino, the Bishop of Las Cruces, New Mexico.  If you recall, Bishop Peter was appointed to head the Diocese of Las Cruces in New Mexico, making him the first Diocesan Bishop associated with the Neocatechumenal Way.  You can find the following article here.
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Washington D.C., Apr 15, 2020 / 04:45 pm (CNA).- The Bishop of Las Cruces, New Mexico, has lifted a diocesan ban on the public celebration of Mass, issued guidelines for distribution of Holy Communion, and told priests they may resume sacramental ministry if they follow state-ordered health precautions.

“We [as priests] have been called by Christ and ordained to serve the people of the Diocese of Las Cruces, to bring them hope and consolation during this difficult time,” Bishop Peter Baldacchino wrote in a letter dated April 15 and obtained by CNA.

The announcement came days after New Mexico's governor banned gatherings of more than 5 people, a restriction Baldacchino said priests must observe, even as the bishop expressed his objection to it.

Baldacchino is the first U.S. bishop known to have amended a previously declared diocesan ban on public Masses since the coronavirus pandemic took hold of the U.S. last month.

The bishop also made provision for priests to resume weddings and funerals in accordance with state regulations on social distancing, and granted permission for them to be held outside on Church property for the duration of the pandemic.

Christopher Velasquez, communications director of the diocese, confirmed the letter to CNA on Wednesday evening.

Velasquez stressed the "essential ministry of hope" the Church is called to undertake during the pandemic. He added that the diocese urges all Catholics in at-risk demographics to exercise prudence, remain at home and watch the Mass on livestream whenever possible

In his letter, Baldacchino said that “At the outset of the pandemic, I ordered the priests of the Diocese of Las Cruces to suspend all public Masses as we assessed the situation and established a safe way to continue to bring Christ to the people, both through the Word of God and the Sacraments."

"These past few weeks have allowed me to further analyze the situation and discern a safe way to proceed,” the bishop wrote.

“It has become increasingly clear that the state shutdown will last for some time. Depriving the faithful of the nourishment offered through the Eucharist was indeed a difficult decision, one that I deemed necessary until I had further clarity regarding our current state of affairs, but it cannot become the status quo for the foreseeable future.”

Dioceses across the United States have suspended the public celebration of Mass, and many have restricted priests’ ability to hear confessions and anoint the sick. While priests in some dioceses have tried to find ways to provide sacramental ministry, including drive-in Masses and Eucharistic adoration, some bishops have banned these practices.

Baldacchino said in his letter that the public danger posed by the coronavirus had to inspire renewed reflection by the Church, and demanded a response from ministers. He also said that his action was in part inspired by the deaths of two priests, close friends and seminary classmates, who contracted the virus.

“We are all aware of the tragedy caused by the Coronavirus, I myself have lost two close friends of mine, priests I studied and served with. I am fully conscious of the death and sadness these days seem to bring. And yet there is more. The Coronavirus can also be a help to us. How long have we settled down in our ‘usual way’ of doing things? For how long have we grown comfortable with our routines? For how long have we taken the grace of the sacraments for granted? Or the beauty of the assembly at Mass?”

Baldacchino said the crisis created by the pandemic had brought about “a time for renewal.”

“In the events of these days and weeks the Lord is calling us out of our comfort zone, he is calling us to seek new ways to reach the people. In addition to this mission with which we are entrusted, we also have the mission to keep people safe. The two must be equally pursued,” he said.

“While it is true that we need to take every reasonable precaution to reduce the spread of Coronavirus, it is equally true that we offer the greatest ‘essential service’ to our people. The past few weeks have brought to light many unintended consequences of the ‘stay-at-home’ order.”

The bishop pointed to reports that the Disaster Distress Helpline, a federal crisis hotline run by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, has seen an 891% increase of calls during the pandemic, with large spikes also being recorded at suicide prevention hotlines. He also noted reports of increases in domestic violence in places under lockdown.

“Simply put, in the midst of financial uncertainty, fear for one’s health, pandemic induced anxiety and confinement to their homes, people definitely need a word of hope,” he said.

“We, as priests, are called to bring the Word of Life to people, we are called to minister the life-giving sacraments. Televised Masses have been an attempt to bridge the gap during this time, but I am increasingly convinced that this is not enough,” Baldacchino said.

“The eternal life offered in Christ Jesus needs to be announced. It was precisely the urgency of this announcement that drove the first apostles and the need is no less today. Christ is alive and we are his ambassadors.”

Revoking the suspension of public Masses, in place in the diocese since March 16, the bishop said that priests are now allowed to celebrate Masses in the presence of the faithful “while maintaining all current health precautions set forth by the state and federal government.”

Baldacchino’s letter noted that the state of New Mexico recently updated its Public Health Order, which no longer includes churches as “essential services.”

“I strongly disagree,” he said. “Sadly, the Governor is no longer exempting places of worship from the restrictions on ‘mass gatherings.’ It seems to me that while we run a daily count of the physical deaths we are overlooking those who are dead interiorly.”

To comply with the governor’s directive, guidelines issued to all priests limit attendance at Mass in church buildings to 5 people, including the celebrant, and insist that a minimum safe distance of six feet be observed and all seating sanitized after Mass ends.

Baldacchino also authorized priests to celebrate Mass outdoors, in compliance with state guidance on social distancing, and specifically recommended setting up an altar in the parish parking lot with parishioners remaining in their cars with an empty space between each vehicle.

“Parishes that lack sufficient parking spaces may celebrate the liturgies in open cemeteries or other available open spaces. Parishioners should maintain at least a six feet separation at all times,” the guidance states.

Over the Easter Triduum, the bishop had a stage erected outside the Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and celebrated the liturgies of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil for local Catholics who remained in their cars.

Bishop Peter Baldacchino celebrates Mass on Holy Thursday. Credit: David McNamara/Diocese of Las Cruces

Cardinal Pell Mentions Kiko

The following article is an Easter message from Cardinal Pell.  You can find article here.




Cardinal George Pell said Friday that suffering can be offered to God for good, and that Christians see Christ in the suffering, and are obliged to help them. His message came days after his release from prison, and amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

“The sexual abuse crisis damaged thousands of victims. From many points of view the crisis is also bad for the Catholic Church, but we have painfully cut out a moral cancer and this is good. So too some would see COVID-19 as a bad time for those who claim to believe in a good and rational God, the Supreme Love and Intelligence, the Creator of the universe,”  Pell wrote in an Easter message published by The Australian April 10.

“It is a mystery; all suffering, but especially the massive number of deaths through plagues and wars. But Christians can cope with suffering better than the atheists can explain the beauty and happiness of life,” the cardinal added.

Pell was convicted in December 2018 of sexually assaulting two choirboys at the Melbourne Cathedral in 1996. On April 7, the Australian High Court unanimously ruled that the evidence presented during the trial would not have allowed the jury to avoid reasonable doubt and ordered Pell’s acquittal and release after more than 400 days in prison.

The High Court’s Tuesday decision marked the end of a nearly three-year legal process which began in June 2017, when the cardinal was charged with several counts of sexual assault dating back decades. The majority of these charges were dropped before they could be brought to trial.

Pell, who was most recently the Archbishop of Sydney before he left Australia in 2014 for a Vatican position as prefect of the Secretariat of the Economy, has returned to Sydney after his release from prison.

In his message, the cardinal acknowledged his incarceration, writing that “I have just spent 13 months in jail for a crime I didn’t commit, one disappointment after another. I knew God was with me, but I didn’t know what He was up to, although I realised He has left all of us free. But with every blow it was a consolation to know I could offer it to God for some good purpose like turning the mass of suffering into spiritual energy.”

“The only Son of God did not have an easy run and suffered more than his share. Jesus redeemed us and we can redeem our suffering by joining it to His and offering it to God,” Pell added.

In a reference to the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, Pell noted that in times of plague and difficulty, Christians were unique in the ancient world for their commitment to nurse and care for the sick.

Pell cited Kiko Argüello, co-initiator of the Neocatechumenal Way, for having noted how “a fundamental difference between God-fearers and secularists today is found in the approach to suffering."

“Too often the irreligious want to eliminate the cause of the suffering, through abortion, euthanasia, or exclude it from sight, leaving our loved ones unvisited in nursing homes. Christians see Christ in everyone who suffers — victims, the sick, the elderly — and are obliged to help,” he wrote.

The 78-year-old’s release from prison this week has been controversial, and was met with protest in Australia.

Hours after Pell was exonerated, St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne was vandalized. The cathedral’s door was spray-painted with a cartoon image of a devil, along with the message “ROT IN HELL, PELL.” Other doors were daubed with upside-down crosses and the words “NO JUSTICE,” “PAEDO RAPIST,” and: “The law protects the powerful.”

Archbishop Peter Comensoli of Melbourne told Australian media that while he was upset about the vandalism, he was “not entirely surprised.”

“There remains such strong emotions around all of these matters,” Comensoli told Australian news network 3AW.

The cardinal’s Easter message included a proclamation of the Gospel: that Jesus of Nazareth died, and was resurrected bodily. “It was a return of his entire person from death, breaking the rules of health and physics, as Christians believe this young man was the only Son of God, divine, the Messiah...who redeems us, enables us to receive forgiveness and enter into a happy eternity.”

On April 7, the day he was released from prison, the cardinal told CNA that "prayer has been the great source of strength to me throughout these times, including the prayers of others, and I am incredibly grateful to all those people who have prayed for me and helped me during this really challenging time.”

Easter 2020

This year's Easter will always be remembered unlike all other Easters we have experienced.  It is an Easter where the brothers are not present.  The celebration of the Mass takes place online.  The celebration of Easter will also take place online because we are still on lockdown.  Social gatherings are not allowed due to COVID-19.  However, some of the brothers in the NCW communities were able to celebrate Holy Thursday and Holy Friday through the Internet and video conferencing.  One of the changes made in Holy Friday were the addition of ten solemn intercessions:

The last prayer in the solemn intercession was very touching.  "Let us pray, dearly beloved, to God the Father almighty, that he may free the world from the suffering of the present time; take away the Coronavirus pandemic, drive out hunger, wipe out hatred and violence, grant health to the sick, strength and support to those work in the health care system, hope and comfort to families, and salvation to those who have died."

This coronavirus pandemic came during Lent.  In some ways, it came as a blessing.  It caused many of us to reflect on what is truly more important in life and how we have taken many things for granted.  There was a time, when some Traditional Latin Mass Catholics would criticize the NCW for receiving the Body of Christ by hand.  They were so many arguments regarding HOW to receive the Body of Christ.  Emphasis was placed more on the "HOW" rather than on the fact that the Body of Christ was received.  Whether by hand or tongue is irrelevant.  So much emphasis was placed on WHERE the NCW should be holding their celebration rather than seeing the fact that all celebrations are one regardless of whether it was held in a home, church building or social hall.  

Now, with the COVID-19 lockdown, who can receive the Body of Christ?  Who receives it by hand or by tongue?  Where now are the faithful celebrating the Mass?  It is no longer in the church building in front of a consecrated altar.  It is in the comforts of our home in front of a computer or TV screen.  The Mass has entered the virtual world in which the faithful cannot receive the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.  Perhaps, God allowed the physical Mass to be taken away because some people worshiped the RULES of the Mass rather than God.  They made the rules their idol just as the Pharisees did.

John 4:20-21 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem."  "Woman," Jesus replied, "believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 

This is an unusual Easter because we are not physically present in the celebration.  We cannot receive the Body and Blood of Christ.  Nevertheless, we are the Body of Christ, never separated from the Head, our Lord Jesus Christ.  We are with Him and in Him.  When the Militant Church on earth physically celebrated the Mass, the angels and saints were present together with us.  This time, the Triumphant Church will be celebrating the Mass together in Heaven and the Militant Church will be spiritually present with them.  

Happy Easter to everyone!!! 

  

Unity Amid A Crisis

Sadly, the COVID-19 virus has claimed a second person on Guam.  The first person was a 68 year old woman.  Today, a 79 year old man passed away at GMH (See story here).  

The United States also leads the world in having the most confirmed cases of corona virus, surpassing China and Italy.  They also have the most deaths recorded.  The United States currently has 164,359 of confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 3,173 deaths.  The state of New York has the most confirmed cases and the most deaths.  The health care system in the U.S. are reaching their capacity.  They are getting bombarded with so many patients, that some of these patients will be unable to receive proper care due to its health system being overwhelmed.    

People we need to come together united as one and do our part in ceasing the spread of this disease.  There are many information on the Internet on how to battle the corona viruses.  First and foremost, stay home.  Practice good hygiene and do not touch your face.  Many of us are used to touching our face.  Times are now different.  This is a time, we need to learn not to touch our face.  Take care of yourselves and others so we can get through this crisis.  We get through this crisis only if we stand together united.  

Furthermore, Father Alberto sent a message to the communities regarding Palm Sunday.  On April 5th, Palm Sunday, put a branch on the door of your house or on the window to celebrate Palm Sunday.  It could be any green branch.  Despite that we are physically isolated, we are not separated.  Remember always that we are united as the Body of Christ.  We can express this unity as we celebrate Palm Sunday despite our social isolation.  Thank you, Father Alberto for such a wonderful idea. 

The following video is a tribute to all the doctors, nurses, scientists, health care officials and all those on the front lines helping people stricken with the corona virus.  We can do our part in helping those on the front lines by staying home.  God bless you all!    

    

Updates: Some Good News

I apologize for it has been a while since I wrote in my blog.  Since the Beginning of the Year Convivience in October, things have been very busy with me and my family.  My blog never comes first before my family, so I apologize for not always being on here.  

At any rate, things are moving forward. One of the good news is that a pontifical RMS in Macau has been established.  I say "pontifical" because it was Pope Francis who established it.  Therefore, it cannot be shut down by any other bishop.  With an RMS in Macau, the NCW will move forward in evangelizing Asia.  In time, we are hoping to ordain 20,000 priests.  That number may seem unrealistic to some people.  However, China is indeed an excellent place to start, considering the fact that there are more men than women in China.  The RMS in Macau will be run by the NCW with the mission to evangelize Asia.  Already, we have moved forward in evangelizing other Pacific Islands: Saipan, Palau, and Chuuk.  A first community was already formed in Palau.  In time, more communities will be born there. In time, we hope to expand Catholicism into the Pacific region.   

Members of the NCW in Guam are still walking the tripod.  Our youth who attend public schools and the University of Guam have been active in inviting their friends and classmates into the Eucharist and youth scrutacio.  Their experience in the Eucharist and youth scrutacio have been very positive and many of them have returned.  Inviting them to the Eucharist and youth scrutacio is one way to evangelize the youth of Guam.  Our youth are also involved in the pre-vocations classes every month, where they discern God's calling for them.  At the Beginning of the Year Convivience, a video was shown of the many bishops who participated in the retreat in Israel.  These bishops were there to learn and experience what the Neocatechumenal Way was about.  Many of them came out with positive experiences. As more and more bishops participate in these retreats at the Domus Galilaeae in Israel, they are coming to a much more deeper understanding of the Neocatechumenal Way and its fruits.  Many of them are now coming to support the Way.    

Archbishop Jose Gomez

On November 12th, Archbishop Gomez was elected president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).  He is also the first Latino and first immigrant to head the conference.  Archbishop Gomez is not a member of the Neocatechumenal Way.  He is affiliated with Opus Dei; however, he made positive statements about the NCW and other charisms.  According to Catholic News Agency:

Gomez told CNA that groups like Opus Dei, along with other Church movements like the NeoCatechumenal Way and Communion and Liberation that have gained popularity in recent decades, emphasize “the universal call to holiness making a reality in the life of the Church.”

“All of those different institutions that are promoting the vocation of the lay faithful are a blessing for the Church.”

“By the work of the Holy Spirit there have been in the universal Church many groups of people working as a movement just to bring the beauty of the Chirstian life to the presence of the lay faithful all over the world,” Gomez added, comparing Church movements to the diversity of ministries and apostolates in parishes, which he called “the center of Christian life in the United States.”

You can find the following article here (the bold is mine):
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Washington D.C., Nov 12, 2019 / 07:25 am (CNA).- When he became a priest four decades ago, Archbishop Jose Gomez did not expect that he would one day lead the largest archdiocese in the U.S., or the country’s bishops’ conference.

“I just wanted to be a priest,” Gomez told CNA with a laugh, speaking about his election.

“Somehow God wanted me to do what I am doing, and I’m just counting on the grace of God to be able to be faithful to what God is asking me to do.”

“And also on intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe,” he added, explaining that he has entrusted all of his ministry as a bishop to the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Gomez, 67, was elected Nov. 12 as president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The archbishop, born in Monterrey, Mexico, and ordained a priest in Spain, is the first Latino to lead the bishops’ conference. He is also the first immigrant to head the conference.

His election is historic, but it was no surprise. Gomez became vice president of the conference, a central organizing body of almost 200 Catholic bishops with more than 300 employees, in 2016. The vice president is traditionally elected to the top job, so Gomez knew his election was likely.

But, he told CNA, the real surprise was becoming vice president three years ago.

“I was not expecting to be the president. Some people put my name forward for election as vice president [in 2016].”

“To my surprise I was elected vice president, then once you are the vice president, it is more likely that they elect you president. The whole process was a surprise to me, but I see that God is asking me to do it, and I just pray that with the grace of God I can do a good job.”

Gomez laughed, noting that he had never expected to become a Denver auxiliary bishop in in 2001, the Archbishop of San Antonio in 2004, or in 2010 head of the Los Angeles archdiocese, the largest local Church in the country.

The archbishop told CNA that his goal is to “try to live what I preach, and then, also, my ministry to the people — that’s the most important thing.”

His ministry, he said, includes serving “my brother bishops, priests, deacons, and also the lay faithful. Because really my vocation started with ministry to lay faithful.”

Gomez acknowledged that he spends a great deal of time on administrative responsibilities, and will have more of them as his term as president begins. But he said that even amid those responsibilities, and even while exercising them, he has time to build the pastoral relationships he finds so fulfilling.

“The fact that I am the Archbishop of Los Angeles gives me a beautiful opportunity to be with the people, because there are so many people active in the Church in Los Angeles. And also in the conference of bishops, really what’s its all about it serving the people, so I hope that I can have the opportunity to be with people, in events where people are, and that I can continue to be a pastor which is, I believe, my vocation.”

Gomez is the first bishop elected to lead the conference to be associated with Opus Dei, a Church group, founded in Spain and supported by Pope St. John Paul, that focuses on finding holiness in everyday life, and on the call to holiness of lay Catholics. The archbishop became affiliated with Opus Dei as a college student, and was a priest in the organization, formally called a personal prelature.

The archbishop’s vision of the Church, focused on collaboration and friendship between laity and clerics, and on the idea that everyone should be a saint, is informed by his experience in Opus Dei.

“The spirituality of Opus Dei,” he told CNA, “basically is to strive for holiness— personal sanctification — and ministry. Sharing our faith with everybody else.”

“Most of the members of Opus Dei are lay faithful living their lives and working and trying to share the faith and to be holy.”

“Everybody, starting with the pope and going through every single bishop, and priest, and deacon, we all are called to strive for holiness, with the universal call to holiness, provided to us by the Second Vatican Council, and also, as Pope Francis is insisting that we should be missionary disciples, so that means sharing our faith with everybody else,” he added.

Gomez told CNA that groups like Opus Dei, along with other Church movements like the NeoCatechumenal Way and Communion and Liberation that have gained popularity in recent decades, emphasize “the universal call to holiness making a reality in the life of the Church.”

“All of those different institutions that are promoting the vocation of the lay faithful are a blessing for the Church.”

“By the work of the Holy Spirit there have been in the universal Church many groups of people working as a movement just to bring the beauty of the Chirstian life to the presence of the lay faithful all over the world,” Gomez added, comparing Church movements to the diversity of ministries and apostolates in parishes, which he called “the center of Christian life in the United States.”

The archbishop said that in his own ministry as a bishop, he looks to the example of Pope St. John Paul II, and, that among American bishops, he has been influenced and inspired by a number of bishops.

“Obviously in the United States I had the blessing of working together with Archbishop Chaput because I was his auxiliary bishop, so he has been a wonderful example to me. But I have been influenced by many other bishops: Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza, Archbishop Patrick Flores, and then Cardinal William Levada, who just passed away, he was a good friend.”

Levada, Gomez told CNA, “asked me, when I was a young auxiliary bishop, to be a member of the doctrine committee of the USCCB. So that helped me to get to know the workings of the USCCB.”

Gomez takes the helm of the bishops’ conference in a difficult time.

The sexual scandals that emerged in June 2018, with revelations of abuse on the part of former cardinal Theodore McCarrick, have preoccupied bishops and lay Catholics.

The ecclesiastical landscape has shifted too; the pontificate of Pope Francis is different in emphasis, tone, and style from those of his predecessors. Some U.S. bishops have been accused of resistance to Francis, and bishops have responded to his leadership in different ways.

“The reality of the bishops in the United States is that we all are faithful to Pope Francis,” Gomez told CNA.

“I think we all are united. There is some perception that we are not. But the reality— what I see— is that we are united in our ministry and in our Church.”

“Every pope brings some different aspects in the life of the Church that he, by the grace of God, believes are important. And we, the bishops of the United States, are trying to be more aware of what those things are, and try to make it happen in our ministry.”

Gomez acknowledged that Pope Francis’ leadership is not similar to that of his predecessors.

“I think it takes time for people to really understand the spirituality of Pope Francis.”

“I think there are many, many aspects that are different. They are cultural and spiritual; it’s the first time in the history of the Church that there is a pope from Latin America. And some of us, who have that experience, know that it is different from the culture in Europe, or in the United States, or in Asia,” Gomez said. 

“It’s also the first time there is a Jesuit who is the pope. So every religious community, and the diocesan priesthood, have different spiritualities.”

“So I think we the bishops of the United States, and I personally, are learning how to appreciate the different aspects of the spirituality and the culture of Pope Francis.”

Gomez added that “every bishop has his own spirituality, and his own ministry in the diocese, according to the needs of the people in the diocese,” he said, noting the difference in his experiences while serving in Denver, San Antonio, and Los Angeles.

“San Antonio was basically a community of two cultures: Hispanic culture and the Anglo-Saxon culture. Now in Los Angeles we have people from all over the world. So my ministry is different.”

“One thing Pope Francis insists a lot is to respect the cultures of people, different ways of worshipping. People in Peru, or in Mexico, or people from Vietnam have different ways of worshipping and living. So the Church in the United States is learning how to address the needs of people from around the world,” Gomez added.

As he begins his term as president, Gomez told CNA he hopes to help the Church “to really understand the cultural realities of the people in the United States. I think it’s important for all of us to be more open to that.”

“With immigrants, what I talk about is not assimilation, but integration: that they be integrated into the life of the United States and the life of the Church.”

As Gomez discussed the importance of understanding the diversity of cultures in the Church, he also emphasized the source of the Church’s unity.

“Obviously I have the same truths as we all have, the teachings of Jesus Christ, in the Catholic Church.”