Vocations

The Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Guam produced 17 priests for Guam. That was the fruit of the Neocatecumenal Way. The Seminary would still be here today if Archbishop Byrnes (God rest his soul) had not removed the Deed of Restriction. The Deed of Restriction protected the Seminary from being sold in the bankruptcy case of the Archdiocese. With it gone, the Seminary was sold, and no more priests were produced for Guam. So, what happened to the many RMS priests who studied here? They were rejected by Archbishop Brynes and were told to find another diocese elsewhere. According to news report:

"The main reason for closing the seminary is that it is just not a sustainable model for the Archdiocese of Agana," he said, adding that the RMS model envisions a type and formation of priesthood that works in a place like Denver or Miami, for example, where there are millions of Catholics.

According to Jokers Wild (the highlight is mine):

The four Chamorro Seminarians met one on one with AB Byrnes and it was his decision not to ordain them under the Archdiocese of Agana because he felt the RMS was not the acceptable model of priest formation for Guam. Guam has lost these four Chamorro Seminarians to U.S. mainland Archdioceses during a time when Guam really needed younger priests to begin replacing some of the aging and sickly priests on Guam.

The Neocatechumenal Way in Guam currently has 2 Seminarians studying off-island for the priesthood, but they will be ordained in other dioceses. Guam is experiencing a shortage of priests, especially since we have now lost 2 priests: Father Antonio "Nino" Caminiti and Pale Mike Crisostomo. So, Guam is in dire need of priests. This is where we are today. 

Let Us Not Forget #2

Let us not forget that the ones who brought up the sale of the seminary was Richard Untalan and the former Finance Council. In a 2012 letter sent to then Archbishop Anthony Apuron Untalan wrote:

"Selling the property, then valued at $75 million, could eliminate the archdiocesan debt."

The former Archdiocesan Finance Council were dismissed in January 2012. Let us not forget that the JungleWatch Nation believed that the seminary was given away by Bishop Anthony. However, there were no Deed of Gift nor any Deed of Sale. Instead, there was a Declaration of Deed Restriction. A Deed Restriction is a private agreement that restricts the use of the property. The ownership remains the same. Nevertheless, the Jungle tried to convince people that the property was given away and no longer belongs to the Archdiocese. Let us not forget that the title of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary listed the Archdiocese of Agana as the owner.  Even Archbishop Hon publicly stated that the Archdiocese of Agana owns RMS. According to KUAM news:

It's a multimillion dollar question: who owns the Redemptoris Mater Seminary? According to the Vatican-appointed apostolic administrator, the Yona property is owned by the Archdiocese of Agana. "The archdiocese owns that property. No doubt of it....

Let us not forget that Archbishop Hon was called a "liar" for saying that the seminary was owned by the Archdiocese of Agana. One would think the jungle would be happy and relieved to hear Archbishop ensure that the seminary belonged to the Archdiocese, but they were not happy nor relieved and called him a liar. Let us also not forget these four facts: 

1.  Report from the Pacific American Title confirming that the lots on which the RM seminary sits identified the owner as the Archbishop of Agana.

2.  Report from the law firm of Lewis Roca Rothgerber LLP in Denver, Colorado showed that the Archbishop of Agana retains substantial authority over the RM seminary. 

3.  Document of the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts, which has the highest authority in the Catholic Church for interpreting the laws of the Church concluded that there was no alienation of the property

4.  The Certificate of title from the Department of Land Management listed the Archdiocese of Agana as the owner of RMS.

With these four facts, you would think that the Jungle would be thrilled and jumping with joy that the seminary still belonged to the Archdiocese of Agana, but they were not. In fact, they wanted Land Management to remove the Archdiocese of Agana as the owner in the Title because it did not fit their narrative. Official documents exist showing the ownership of the seminary to be the Archdiocese. 

They were so angry that CCOG demanded the removal of five priests because they believe that the Certificate of Title showing the Archdiocese of Agana as the owner of RMS was a fake document (see news report here).  Nevermind the rest of the facts. Nevermind the fact that it is an official document from Land Management. Then comes along Archbishop Michael Byrnes. For some reason, he was misled into believing the jungle rumors, thinking that the Archdiocese of Agana does not own the seminary. All he did was used his authority to rescind the Deed of Restriction, which he alone is capable of doing simply because he WAS the owner to begin with (see news report here). No one in RMS or in the NCW signed any documents giving the seminary to Archbishop Michael BECAUSE the Archbishop was the owner. It would be ridiculous to sign a document handing over something that already belongs to you. Archbishop Michael believed the jungle rumors so much that he went so far as to file a lawsuit against HIMSELF....yes, that is correct...a lawsuit against himself. According to the Pacific Daily News (the bold is mine):

Archbishop Michael Jude Byrnes is seeking a court order, affirming the church's control over the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Yona, according to a lawsuit filed in Surperior Court of Guam.

A hearing in the case Wednesday morning was pushed back until May 3 because none of the defendants have received the lawsuit. 

Exactly, who were the defendants? Of course, no one received the lawsuits because there is no document showing anyone to be the owner of RMS except the Archbishop himself. And all Archbishop Michael had to do was read the Certificate of Title, which clearly stated that the Archdiocese of Agana was the owner. In fact, he can even refer to the report of the Pacific American Title.

Furthermore, the jungle have always accused the seminary of human trafficking and money laundering. Human Trafficking and money laundering are criminal acts; yet, none of the accusers ever went to the police to report such crimes. Why? Because the accusations are all false. They never had any evidence, just unfounded accusations. They never had any evidence of their accusations.

 

Papal Nuncio Praises RMS

 The following article can be found here.

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Papal Nuncio Praises Redemptoris Mater Seminary For Its Work

DANBURY—Redemptoris Mater Diocesan Missionary Seminary honored Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States on Sunday, who praised them for forming men who will go out as missionary disciples in the name of Christ to a world in need of evangelization.

More than 400 people attended the 5th Annual Gala Dinner, which recognized Archbishop Pierre, along with James Larkin, retired vice chairman of American Express International.

“The Church needs missionary disciples,” Archbishop Pierre said. “Missionary activity is one of the greatest challenges facing us today. Those of you who support the Neocatechumenal Way are doing a vital mission for the future of the Church.”

The Redemptoris Mater Seminary is under the direction of rector Father Marco Pacciana, along with Father Giandomenico Flora, spiritual director. Redemptoris Mater (Mother of the Redeemer) seminaries are under the auspices of the Neocatechumenal Way, a 55-year-old charism in the Church dedicated to Christian formation and the New Evangelization. The seminaries form men as missionary diocesan priests to serve the local church or in any part of the world the bishop chooses.

The seminary in Stamford was established in 2015 on the Feast of Immaculate Conception through the efforts of Bishop Frank J. Caggiano. Several years ago, Archbishop Leonard P. Blair of the Archdiocese of Hartford asked for a section of the seminary to prepare men for vocations in the archdiocese, Father Pacciana said.

Bishop Caggiano, in his opening prayer at the gala, which was held at The Amber Room Colonnade in Danbury, praised the seminarians, and said that one day “We hope to see them ordained to be your sacred priests.”  The Church needs missionary disciples,” Archbishop Pierre said. “Missionary activity is one of the greatest challenges facing us today. Those of you who support the Neocatechumenal Way are doing a vital mission for the future of the Church.”

The Redemptoris Mater Seminary is under the direction of rector Father Marco Pacciana, along with Father Giandomenico Flora, spiritual director. Redemptoris Mater (Mother of the Redeemer) seminaries are under the auspices of the Neocatechumenal Way, a 55-year-old charism in the Church dedicated to Christian formation and the New Evangelization. The seminaries form men as missionary diocesan priests to serve the local church or in any part of the world the bishop chooses.

The seminary in Stamford was established in 2015 on the Feast of Immaculate Conception through the efforts of Bishop Frank J. Caggiano. Several years ago, Archbishop Leonard P. Blair of the Archdiocese of Hartford asked for a section of the seminary to prepare men for vocations in the archdiocese, Father Pacciana said.

Bishop Caggiano, in his opening prayer at the gala, which was held at The Amber Room Colonnade in Danbury, praised the seminarians, and said that one day “We hope to see them ordained to be your sacred priests.”

Father Pacciana expressed his gratitude and said, “I am very happy and grateful for all of you coming tonight for your support.” He said the seminary has had many milestones over the past year, including the ordination of one of the original seminarians, Ricardo Batista Comim, to the transitional diaconate.

In his comments, Archbishop Pierre praised the seminary for its work forming men to be priests who are missionary disciples, who “shine like diamonds among the people of God.”

He said true missionary priests must have the ability to see where mercy is needed and bring a “healthy zeal” to their vocation so they can share the healing power of God’s mercy with others.

He said Redemptoris Mater produces men who give themselves to the Lord and their flock by bringing the joy of the Gospel to the world…and they must be willing to go out into the world.

“It is easier to stay home surrounded by those who love us, but this is not Jesus’ way—he does not use half measures,” the archbishop said. “He gives his disciples one word: Go.” It is “a powerful word that resonates in every cranny of missionary life.”

The men, he said, “must be in a permanent state of mission” and understand the territory of their mission—and their territory is the Diocese of Bridgeport and the Archdiocese of Hartford. He said, “This territory has a rich Catholic history and tradition, and it is still a missionary territory for those who have fallen away and who are on the margins of society.”

In order to announce Christ, the men must be “free of worldly attachments, and at Redemptoris Mater, seminarians learn to renounce the things of the world and develop an understanding of the beauty of freedom that only following Christ can give.”

Father Pacciana gave him a silver plaque and thanked him for his message and support. He also thanked James Larkin, who could not attend the gala, for his commitment to the seminary and the Church.

“The Nuncio is very supportive of the work of the Neocatecumenal Way and the Redemptoris Mater Seminaries in the USA,” Father Pacciana said later. “This dinner conveyed an atmosphere of joy and communion. People came from the tristate area and also from Pennsylvania and Massachusetts to support the seminarians, but we were all together as one family, the family of the children of God, to celebrate and to support these men.” He said that most of the people at the gala rediscovered their baptism through the itinerary of Christian initiation that is the Neocatecumenal Way.

“Many of these were brothers and sisters from the communities where these seminarians too are rediscovering their baptism, and it is from this itinerary that their vocations come, and through this itinerary they are nourished and strengthened,” he said.

Father thanked Archbishop Pierre for attending and “showing with his presence the love and support of the Holy Father for the work of the Neocatecumenal Way and the Redemptoris Mater Seminaries.”

He said the archbishop presided over a vocational meeting in Gettysburg last July attended by more than 10,000 brothers and sisters from the Neocatecumenal Way, and “he saw firsthand the work of the Lord in their life, when young men, young women and entire families answered the call to become priests, nuns or to leave as a family for the mission to evangelize everywhere in the world.”

Father Pacciana also thanked Bishop Caggiano.

“He has honored us with his presence and is the man without whom none of this would have been possible in our diocese,” Father said. “Because of his great prophetic vision, we saw the opening of this seminary, which is an answer to the crisis of vocations and the larger crisis of faith our Church is going through.”

He thanked Archbishop Blair, “who had the same vision when a few years ago decided to open a section of our seminary for the formation of vocations for the Archdiocese of Hartford.” He thanked Bishop Juan M. Betancourt of the Archdiocese for his support and “the great work he is doing in fostering vocations in the Archdiocese of Hartford,” and Bishop James Massa, “who has always accompanied and supported us, both as auxiliary bishop of Brooklyn and as rector of St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, where these men study theology.”

He praised everyone involved in making this year’s gala a success and say next year’s dinner will be held on June 4.

In his final comments, Bishop Caggiano thanked Archbishop Pierre for his great witness to the United States, and he praised the seminarians: “These men, each in their own unique way, are very much committed. They are surrendering themselves to the hands of the Lord and will one day be our shepherds and missionary disciples. The Church will be in very good hands with these young men. I know them and I live with them.”

In offering the final blessing, Archbishop Blair said, “Lord, we are privileged to be together and celebrate as one on this feast of Corpus Christi, the great Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ.” He said the Blessed Virgin, who is the Mother of the Eucharist, is the patron of the Redemptoris Mater Seminaries (Mother of the Redeemer) and that the seminarians have all the help they need through the prayers of the Mother of God.

Archbishop Christophe Pierre was ordained on April 5, 1970, in Saint-Malo, France and incardinated in the Archdiocese of Rennes. He was parochial vicar of St. Peter and St. Paul Parish in Colombes, Diocese of Nanterre, France.

He has a master’s degree in Sacred Theology and a doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Lateran University, Rome. He completed his studies at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome and started his service in the Diplomatic Corps of the Holy See on March 5, 1977. He was appointed first to the Pontifical Representation in New Zealand and the Islands of the Pacific Ocean. Subsequently, he served in Mozambique, in Zimbabwe, in Cuba, in Brazil, and at the Permanent Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.

He was elected Titular Archbishop of Gunela on July 12, 1995 and received the Episcopal Consecration on September 24, 1995, in Saint-Malo, France.

Archbishop Pierre was appointed apostolic nuncio to Haiti in 1995, where he served until 1999. He has been the Apostolic Nuncio to Uganda and then to Mexico. He was appointed apostolic nuncio of the United States by Pope Francis on April 12, 2016.

Honoree James Larkin is a 50-year parishioner of St. Mary Church in Greenwich,  a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and Wharton Graduate School.  He and his wife Dr. Susan Larkin, who is an art historian, have two children and seven grandchildren.

A Korean War veteran, he served two tours of duty as a Marine Corps infantry officer in Korea, Japan and the U.S. and was discharged as a captain.

He spent 40 years in the international communications and financial services fields. His 12 years with American Broadcasting Company were comprised of cooperative liaison with the government’s counter-Castro undertakings in Central and South America. He retired as vice chairman of American Express International after previously serving as president, Europe, Middle East and Africa for the company.

Since 1992, he has been a supporter, contributor and collaborator in the international Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches. In 1994, he was an Ecumenical Patriarchate delegate to the peace conference on Bosnia-Herzegovina in Istanbul.  In 2000, he was the first American Catholic to be awarded the Cross of St. Andrew by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Istanbul and is Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.  He also received a citation from the General Assembly of the State of Connecticut for building unity between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches.

Pray for Father Julio

Please continue to pray for Father Julio Malagon, who is currently in ICU with severe pancreatictis. Also, pray for Father Miguel, who has been at his side.  The seminary of Brooklyn also needs our prayers.  

RMS in Macau Gains Worldwide Attention

Recently, I posted about the RMS that will be established in Macau.  Apparently, it has gained such worldwide attention that it has been in numerous news media.  I remember Kiko Arguello once saying that he wanted to bring about 12,000 priests from China into the Catholic Church.  With an RMS established in Macau, that could actually happened.  After all, there are currently more men in China than women due to China's campaign of killing female babies in the past. 

As many already know, there are a few junglefolks against having an RMS in Macau. These are basically the same people who opposed Guam RMS.  However, do not be discouraged, brothers.  The NCW have the support of four popes including Pope Francis.  According to a letter by Pope Francis sent to the Neocatechumenal Way dated March 5, 2015:

And today I confirm your call, I support your mission and I bless your charism. 

Any bishop who opposes the Neocatechumenal Way and the Redemptoris Mater Seminary should bear this in mind: If one is truly in communion with Pope Francis, then one should support what the Pope endorses rather than oppose it.  The same goes for the laity.  Pope Francis has already expressed his support and given his blessings to the Neocatechumenal Way.  Those who do not support what the Pope has blessed and endorsed have placed themselves outside God and His Church.  The following article can be found here.
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Macau to host new seminary for Asian evangelization

HONG KONG - A new seminary to train priests for all of Asia will open in the Chinese territory of Macau in September.

The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples has entrusted management of the Redemptoris Mater College for Evangelization in Asia to the Neocatechumenal Way, ucanews.com reported.

The seminary was established by a decree signed June 29 by Cardinal Fernando Filoni, congregation prefect, after an audience with Pope Francis.

Filoni told Agenzia Fides, information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies, the college is “the fruit of apostolic creativity that looks to evangelization in that continent and expresses a will of decentralization of the congregation.”

The Neocatechumenal Way has long-standing experience of forming priests for the mission in Asia, he said.

The new college’s “specific nature is to take care of the formation for missionary priests who will have the evangelization in the territories of Asia at heart,” he continued.

The choice of Macau, a former Portuguese colony returned to China in December 1999, is linked to its history as a gateway for Jesuit missionaries such as Matteo Ricci, Francis Xavier and Alessandro Valignano who passed through it before going to China or Japan.

The seminary is being opened in response to St. John Paul II’s 1990 encyclical Redemptoris Mission (“Mission of the Redeemer”), which identifies the Asian continent as a territory where “the Church’s mission ad gentes (to the nations) ought to be chiefly directed.”

It is also a response to the call of Pope Francis, who in his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (“The Joy of the Gospel”) invited the church to “go forth” to always proclaim the Gospel.

Filoni said Macau “has historically represented the door or a bridge for the mission of the Church in the East and as a promoting center for evangelization in the Far East.”

Bishop Stephen Lee Bun-sang of Macau accepted the congregation’s request to host the new college. However, appointments and authority over it will remain the direct prerogative of the congregation.

The Neocatechumenal Way was founded in Madrid, Spain, in 1964. It is estimated there are more than 100 Redemptoris Mater seminaries, 40,000 communities and 1 million members worldwide.

The Conspiracy to Destroy Guam RMS

It was in 2010 when the Pacific Daily News reported the incredible story of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Yona.  According to that news report (the bold is mine): 

 He provided us with the building that is now our seminary, a previous hotel, built by Japanese, somewhat along the lines of a Spanish monastery. It was place too big for our little faith, but for God nothing is impossible. When God gives, He gives abundantly! Imagine, a property worth millions acquired by the diocese for free! 

Yes, the Lord provided the place and the benefactors to make the purchase possible. Seek and you will find! Thus the new facility gave lots of room to accommodate more seminarians and to create new liturgical spaces needed in our formation.

In 2010, Father Pius mentioned to the Pacific Daily News that the benefactors made the purchase of the seminary possible; however, he never said who those benefactors were.  On August 3, 2014, Father Pius once again told the Pacific Daily News that an off-island benefactor helped make the purchase of the seminary possible; and once again, he never named who that off-island benefactor was.  According to news report (the bold is mine): 

The money for the purchase of the hotel was donated to the archdiocese by an off-island benefactor who offered it with the explicit intention of erecting the seminary and the theological institute. The previous owner of the hotel sold it for just $1.9 million with the proviso that the building be used as an educational facility. Actually, the archdiocese did not put down a penny.

None of the NCW members knew who that off-island benefactor was.  They were never told by the catechists or by Archbishop Apuron.  In fact, there were a lot of speculations in the NCW as to who the benefactor was.  Some NCW members such as Jeff Skvaril thought the benefactor was a rich NCW member in Guam.  On August 12, 2014, Jeff Skvaril wrote the following letter to the Voice of the People in the Pacific Daily News.  According to Mr. Skvaril:

The Redemptoris Mater Seminary did not cost the archdiocese one penny to establish but was a gift of God to the people of Guam, bought and paid for by an anonymous Guam resident. 

Other NCW members thought that the benefactor was a rich NCW member from the States.  As it turned out, the NCW members were incorrect.  All these were speculations because the leaders of the NCW NEVER revealed who the benefactor was.  HOWEVER, Tim Rohr already knew who the benefactor was since November 26, 2013.  Tim Rohr wrote on November 26, 2013 in his blog (the bold is mine):

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. 

While NCW members were speculating that the benefactor was an anonymous wealthy NCW member, Tim Rohr already knew that the donation came from a "religious order" of which there was a branch on Guam.  How did he know that the donation came from a religious order?  None of the NCW ever suspected the donation came from any religious order.  Most of us suspected it came from a wealthy NCW member from Guam or the U.S.   

Then on August 6, 2014, Mother Dawn told Tim Rohr the NAME of the donor or the NAME of that "religious order.", and that information was published on Junglewatch on August 6, 2014.  According to Junglewatch:

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. 

Through the Carmelites in St. Louis, Mother Dawn was able to identify a donor, a private person, who agreed to give the money on two conditions:

• That the gift be used to purchase a defunct hotel property for the "purpose of a seminary"
• That the identity of the donor NOT be made known

Archbishop Apuron immediately proceeded to violate both of those conditions:

As many of us already know, Mother Dawn came out on November 2016 and spoke to KUAM.  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.

She 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. 

Mother Dawn stated that her wish to remain anonymous was not respected.  The truth was....it was respected.  Archbishop Apuron nor Father Pius ever revealed the identity of the donor.  The NCW members also did not know the identity of the donor.  It was Mother Dawn HERSELF who revealed the donor's identity on social media back in August 6, 2014. August 6, 2014 was the day the donor's identity was made public through Junglewatch and was the beginning of the conspiracy to bring down not only Archbishop Apuron, but also Guam RMS. Why Mother Dawn chose to reveal the name of the donor is something only she can answer herself since it was she who identified the donor through social media on August 6, 2014.   

7th Annual Gala Dinner Video Presentation 2019

Below is a video of the 7th Annual Gala Dinner Presentation in Miami, Florida. You can see Father Edivaldo and some of the former RMS seminarians from Guam.  You can see James, Juan Pedro and Martin.  Excellent presentation!   

Just For The Record

An anonymous poster gave a list of names of those ordained in Guam RMS and another list of those who were borrowed from the Philippines.  It is a matter of fact that before the Neocatechumenal Way came to Guam, Guam have been borrowing priests from other countries, mainly the Philippines.  Below is a list of the Filipino priests who were borrowed from the Philippines.  As the anonymous poster pointed out, many of the Filipino priests love Guam and are well-liked by the parishioners.  Below is a list of the Filipino priests who were borrowed from the Philippines.  These priests remain obedient to their bishops back in the Philippines.  If they are called back by their bishops, they cannot be retained in Guam.  

Abad, Fr. Jose Antonio (Blessed Diego Luis De San Vitores Church)
Alvarez, Fr. Jonathan (Nino Perdido y Sagrada Familia Church)
Bien, Fr. Danilo (Santa Barbara Church)
Camina, Fr. Melchor (Our Lady of Guadulupe Church)
Convocar, Fr. Romeo (Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral Basilica)
De Los Reyes, Fr. Joel (San Vicente and San Roke Church)
Ferrandiz, Fr. Danilo (Our Lady of Lourdes Church)
Trajano, Fr. Danilo (Assumption of Our Lady Church)
Trenchera, Fr. Manuel (Nuestra Senora De Las Aguas Church)Vila, Fr. Carlos (Nuestra Senora De La Paz Y Buen Viaje Church) 

Archbishop Apuron was looking for the good of the island.  He was not seeking anything to benefit himself. The calling to the priesthood was few in Guam, and our Guam seminarians had to be sent off to a seminary in the United States.  With the introduction of the Neocatechumenal Way, the communities were growing, and a Redemptoris Mater Seminary was founded by Archbishop Apuron.  As a result, Guam had 17 new seminarians ordained as priests.  These 17 men are: 

Acampora, Fr. Vincenzo (San Vicente Church)
Akinyemi, Fr. Julius (San Dimas Church)
Asproni, Fr. Francesco (Hospital Chaplain)
Bushu, Fr. Edwin (Hospital Chaplain)
Camacho, Fr. Luis (on mission)
Caminiti, Fr. Antonino (San Juan Bautista Church)
Cervantes, Fr. Miguel Angel (on mission)
Colorado, Fr. Harold (Saint Anthony Church)
Durango, Fr. Pedro (on mission)
Faiola, Fr. Fabio (Italy)
Granado, Fr. Jason (on mission in Saipan)
Jucutan, Fr. Michael Vincent (Santa Barbara Church)
Oliveira, Fr. Edivaldo (on mission)
Rodriguez, Fr. Jose Alberto (Mount Carmel Church)
Sanchez Malagon, Fr. Julio Cesar (on mission)
Stoia, Fr. Aurelius (on mission)
Szafarski, Fr. Krzysztof (Santa Bernadita Church)  

Clearly, Archbishop Apuron was looking out for Guam's future. By establishing RMS in Yona, he not only ensured that there would be enough priests for Guam, but Archbishop Apuron was also looking ahead in evangelizing the Pacific region.  Since the founding of the seminary in Yona, Guam didn't send any seminarians off-island, and the Archdiocese was able to save a lot of money.  According to EWTN:

More than three hundred years after the first efforts, we are witnessing the fruition of history in the mystery of the "new" identity of the Church in this region, more and more comprised of its own human faces. The first priestly ordination in the seminary took place in 2005, and with the last 2 ordinations celebrated on 19 November 2011, the number of priests from the Redemptoris Mater of Guam is now ten. The Church can now say that she is nurturing the faith of the islands as she watches 45 men prepare themselves for the presbyterate, four of whom were born in Guam, all of them, once ordained, to be incardinated in the Archdiocese of Agana, Guam. Furthermore, the Redemptoris Mater of Guam is presently welcoming several seminarians from the Samoa islands who were sent to Guam by their bishops to take advantage of the Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores Institute for Oceania, affiliated to the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, for their seminary formation. 

Yes, even the bishops of the Samoa islands were sending their seminarians to Guam and was also paying for their education in RMS Guam.  However, the seminary has been shut down.  As a result, Guam has sent only four seminarians to California, and the Archdiocese is fundraising for their education. Nevertheless, the NCW continues to foster different vocations.  In fact, I know of one young Chamorro male in my community who stood up to the calling of the priesthood.  Will he be a priest for Guam?  Probably not.  

The NCW also continues to evangelize outside of Guam.  The first community in Palau was already formed, and they attended the 50th anniversary of the Neocatechumenal Way in Rome last year.  More communities are being formed in Palau.  The Bishop of Chuuk is also interested in the Way and will be participating in the retreat in Jerusalem.  

Redemptoris Mater Seminaries

All Redemptoris Mater Seminaries are diocesan seminaries.  They are not Neo-seminaries”.  The men who enter these seminaries are mainly from the communities of the Neocatechumenal Way who encourages its members into different vocations, including the priesthood.  The seminarians were also trained to be worldwide missionaries rather than local missionaries. The following article describes the Redemptoris Mater Seminaries. 

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“The spiritual gift which priests receive at their ordination prepared them not for a sort of limited and narrow mission but for the widest possible and universal mission of salvation ‘even to the ends of the earth’ (Acts 1:8), for every priestly ministry shares in the universality of the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles. The priesthood of Christ, in which all priests really share, is necessarily intended for all peoples and all times, and it knows no limits of blood, nationality or time, since it is already mysteriously prefigured in the person of Melchisedech. Let priests remember, therefore, that the care of all churches must be their intimate concern. Hence, priests of such dioceses as are rich in vocations should show themselves willing and ready, with the permission of their own ordinaries (bishops), to volunteer for work in other regions, missions or endeavors which are poor in numbers of clergy … To accomplish this purpose there should be set up international seminaries … by means of which, according to their particular statutes and always saving the right of bishops, priests may be trained and incardinated for the good of the whole Church.” (Presbyterorum Ordinis 10)

The “Redemptoris Mater” seminaries are not seminaries of the Neocatechumenal Way, but have been set up in accordance with their Statutes and Rules of Life, as true diocesan seminaries, which depend directly on the local Bishop. The seminarians being formed in the Redemptoris Mater Seminaries receive the same theological formation of the other diocesan seminaries of their area. Upon Ordination they are incardinated into the local diocese and serve in the parishes and institutions of that diocese. After some time of priestly ministry in their diocese, according to the discernment of the Bishop, they are available to be sent in mission.

The “Redemptoris Mater” seminaries are not seminaries of the Neocatechumenal Way, but have been set up in accordance with their Statutes and Rules of Life, as true diocesan seminaries, which depend directly on the local Bishop. The seminarians being formed in the Redemptoris Mater Seminaries receive the same theological formation of the other diocesan seminaries of their area. Upon Ordination they are incardinated into the local diocese and serve in the parishes and institutions of that diocese. After some time of priestly ministry in their diocese, according to the discernment of the Bishop, they are available to be sent in mission.

One of the main characteristics of these seminaries is their international nature, which makes concretely visible the deep communion and unity of all peoples as announced by the Christianity. This is shown in these seminaries which form young men from all over the world and prepare them as evangelizers, available to be sent to the ends of the earth.

Experience has shown us that the union of the priestly formation with an itinerary of initiation to Christian life, provided by the Neocathecumenal Way, constitutes a great help for the psychological, affective and human formation of the forthcoming priests (prior to becoming priests, they are first of all Christians, and in their initiation to adult faith in the Neocathecumenal Way they deeply live and learn the true nature of communion, Christian obedience, the importance and practice of prayer, …). This formation also prepares them to serve in parish ministry. Their formation helps them to nurture living communities, which live an adult faith with a missionary nature, in communion with their parish priest and their Bishop.

This is in line with the suggestions of St. John Paul II, who founded the first Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Diocese of Rome. In Pastores Dabo Vobis 68, his letter on priestly formation, he emphasized that: “Associations and youth movements, which are a sign and confirmation of the vitality which the Spirit guarantees to the Church, can and should contribute also to the formation of candidates for the priesthood, in particular of those who are the product of the Christian, spiritual and apostolic experience of these groups. Young people who have received their basic formation in such groups and look to them for their experience of the Church should not feel they are being asked to uproot themselves from their past or to break their links with the environment which has contributed to their decision to respond to their vocation, nor should they erase the characteristic traits of the spirituality which they have learned and lived there in all that they contain that is good, edifying and rich.(210) For them too, this environment from which they come continues to be a source of help and support on the path of formation toward the priesthood.”

The Fruits of Guam RMS

Since 2013, the jungle had always called Guam RMS a fake seminary.  CCOG even claimed that they conducted a report on Guam RMS.  According to a report done by CCOG on August 29, 2016:

RMS Guam is also below par compared to other Redemptoris Mater Seminaries in the U.S. mainland, such as Newark, Denver, D.C., and Boston.  Why would this be?  Because the bishops of those diocese require RMS seminarians to take courses in another seminary to ensure they receive all the required education as part of their formation for the priesthood.  

Guam RMS was officially shut down on December 15, 2017.  And lo and behold...ONLY four months after it was shut down, Martin Munoz and Victor Vitug were ordained Deacons in April 2018.  If Guam RMS was such a sham as CCOG claimed, it would have taken much longer for a former Guam RMS seminarian to be ordain a deacon, but they had excellent instructors....instructors who were approved by the Pope's University in Rome.  Subsequently, other Guam RMS seminarians became ordained into the clergy.  In May 2018, Juan Alberto Gomez, was ordained a priest and in June 2018, another Guam seminarian, Paul O'Reilly was ordained a deacon in Ireland, and the list goes on.  We congratulate all these men from Guam RMS.  Their calling from God is true, and they are happy.  Their communities rejoice with them on their ordinations.  The death of Guam RMS has produced many fruits for other dioceses in the universal Church.  Below is a photo of two men from Guam now serving other Dioceses: Deacon Darren Santo Tomas and Father James Arriola.  

UPDATE:

Someone sent me a photo of Deacon Preston Perez.  Not all the seminarians were from other countries.  A few were from Guam.  Preston Perez, Darren Santo Tomas, and Father James Arriola are from Guam, but now serve other Dioceses in the United States.  Kudos to them!  The fact that some RMS seminarians from Guam were able to be ordained into the clergy only four months and shortly after Guam RMS was shut down is a proven fact that Guam RMS was indeed a true diocesan seminary.  

News From RMS in Galilee

GALILEE – On Friday, February 15, 2019, in the Church of the Twelve Apostles and seventy-two Disciples of the Domus Galilaeae, on the Mount of the Beatitudes, the Patriarchal Vicar for Israel Fr. Hanna Kildani presided over the ceremony of the Admissio ad Ordines of five seminarians of the Missionary Seminary Redemptoris Mater of Galilee: Giovanni Bovi, David Sotgiu, Kacper Jurczyk, Michel El Khouri, Pedro Figueroa.

Some relatives of the candidates were present at the event, the Neo-catechumenal communities in which the candidates complete their permanent Christian formation, as also the team of the leaders of the Neo-catechumenal Way in Israel, Jordan, Palestine, Cyprus and the United Arab Emirates, seminarians, formators, and brothers in mission.

The celebration was introduced briefly by Fr. Rino Rossi, director of the Domus Galilaeae, who, returning from meeting with the Pope in Panama in recent days, and the subsequent vocational call made by the founder of the Neo-catechumenal Way Kiko Argüello, he wished to express his gratitude to the Lord for the generosity shown by many brothers to offer their lives for the priesthood and evangelization. “Today, said Fr Rino, we have the confirmation of this gift desired by the Holy Spirit, because five young men of this seminary ask to be admitted to orders and thirteen seminarians have been ordained presbyters and, soon, another will be in June.”

The Rector of the Seminary, Fr. Francesco Voltaggio, presented to the Vicar the five candidates and the various realities present in the gathering, underlining the important role that families and communities have had in the formation of the five young men.

Fr. Hanna Kildani, during the homily, addressed touching words to the five seminarians and to all the faithful, saying that each one, even before creation, was thought of and loved by the Lord. To adhere to the project that God has thought for everyone, Fr. Hanna emphasized that we need a formative journey during which it becomes possible to accept God’s call, as did the Virgin Mary announcing her “yes” to the will of the Father ( Lk 1: 26-38). It is also necessary to have the courage of Peter who, despite his weakness, said he was ready to give his life for the Lord (Jn 13:37) and not fear as the rich young man had before the invitation to follow him ( Mt 19:16-22). It is also necessary to fight to defend one’s call as Jeremiah (Jer. 20) and to be available as Isaiah (Is 5:6-8) and not fear to employ the talents that God has given, without hiding them (Mt 25:14-30).

Citing the second letter of St. Paul to Timothy (2Tim 2:13), the Patriarchal Vicar affirmed that God is faithful and does not deny Himself to those who invoke Him; he wished to encourage those present to offer their lives to God, sure of His help.

He also expressed his gratitude to the Lord for the help and support that the Neo-Catechumenal communities of the five seminarians gave to their formation, thus contributing to the life of the Church.

At the end of the celebration there was a big fiesta with music and a rich banquet, prepared by the brothers of the communities: the event ended in an atmosphere of great joy and sharing.

The Future Priesthood of Guam

Despite its closure, Guam RMS continue to produce more fruits.  According to Jokers Wild:

AnonymousDecember 9, 2018 at 7:49 AMDiana I believe there was also an Ordination to the Priesthood for Eneliko and by Guam time today, Antonio will also be ordained. These two are part of the group of seminarians from Samoa.I dont understand these past few years and I probably never will but seeing and hearing of all these fruits and despite all the negative comments and unjust actions, I believe it in my heart that our prayers and support of the former Guam RMS was not in vain. I will forever hold all of the memories and ponder them in my heart.I also support the seminarians who are in the mainland for formation. I know most of them and also did some ministry work with Junee in the past. I hope that they see it through and remain steadfast in their answer to the will of God, no matter what it may be.Pas!-Jokers Wild

Congratulations to Eneliko and Antonio from Samoa. 

With the bankruptcy cloud hanging over the Archdiocese, the future of Guam's priesthood appears very bleak.  Guam currently have four priests in a California seminary. Coadjuator Archbishop Byrnes has learned that it cost an arm and a leg to send even one seminarian off-island.  Coadjuator Archbishop Byrnes is trying very hard to help the formation of our Guam seminarians through a golf tourney fundraiser.  August 2018 was the second golf tourney fundraiser he held to support our Guam seminarians, and this golf tourney was sponsored by the Archdiocese, not by CCOG.  He was able to raise $33,000 (See the story here).  However, the cost of one seminarian in California is approximately $40,000 per year. RMS was able to produce 17 priests for Guam at very little cost. Today, we are struggling to help pay for the formation of 4 Guam seminarians. The money raised in the Second Golf Tourney was not enough to pay for even one seminarian.    

Yes, we are already struggling in assisting our four Guam seminarians in their education, and I do not see CCOG anywhere in this picture. Will the Archdiocese be able to afford to send other men off-island to train for the priesthood?  Probably not......but then again......the Archdiocese can resort to borrowing priests from the Philippines.  Borrowing priests from the Philippines is now the cheapest way to go.  
  

Upcoming Ordinations

I just received some good news today.  Our Asan 1 brother seminarian Jose Santos Hernandez is being ordained a priest on February 8, 2019 in Mexico.  He was one of the seminarians who was rejected by the Archdiocese.  I just wanted to share this good news that was brought to me.  Hopefully, by February, I will be able to get some photos after his ordination.

As for the four seminarians who were accepted by Archbishop Byrnes, they are currently in the St. Patrick's seminary in California.  These four are Junee, William, Ronald, and Derek.  According to Guamboy, out of the four, only two of them are on track to being ordain a deacon next year.  Those two are Junee and Ronald. Both Junee and Ronald are the product of the Blessed Diego Theological Institue on Guam, which is the same schooling as the RMS seminarians.  

As for the other two, Derek was accepted this past summer into the seminary for the Archdiocese.  And William, who earned a Masters Degree in Theology from the Philippines was told that his credits were not recognized.  Therefore, he was pushed back several years before being ordain a deacon.

At any rate, we also look forward to the two Guam seminarians (Ronald and Junee) who will be ordained a deacon next year.  Both of them received the same training as the RMS seminarians and both of them remained on track.  We also look forward to the ordination of Jose Santos Hernandez into the priesthood.  There are also four other RMS seminarians who will be ordain as deacons or priests in May, 2019.  We also look forward to those ordinations.  Despite that the Yona seminary has been closed down, kudos goes to the Yona seminary and the Blessed Diego Institute for producing all these fruits.         

Remembering RMS Guam

Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Guam

September 12th is the anniversary of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Guam.  Nineteen years ago on September 12, 1999 at Porto San Siorgio, Italy Archbishop Apuron opened the first and only Redemptoris Mater Seinary in Guam, and Guam was given 12 seminarians to start the seminary.  

What a miracle that was!  Those of us there remember that the people of Guam did not spend a single penny to obtain this seminary.  Truly that was a miracle.

And from the 18 years of its existance (up to December 15, 2017 when it was officially closed) we saw 17 priests ordained and 42 seminarians remained until they were all distributed to the other RMS: Newark, Philadelphia, Denver, Miami, Texas, 1 to Peru, 1 to Mexico, and 1 to Ireland.

What marvels the Lord has done!  Even though Guam did not receive them, the universal Church received them!  And already some of them have been ordained into the priesthood.  So, remember the good times and what a blessing it was to have the seminary.  But never worry.  God have something better in store.  

More Misinformation In the Jungle

The Vatican has announced that it will establish a Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Tokyo, Japan.  According to the Editor's note of Catholic World News (the bold is mine):

Citing his concern for the evangelization of Asia, Cardinal Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, announced that the Redemptoris Mater seminary for Asia will be established in Tokyo. Cardinal Filoni said that the project has papal approval. The archbishop of Tokyo said he was “confused” by the decision and that he had not been consulted.

It was also brought to my attention that the jungle is once again spreading misinformation about the NCW.  Because the Archbishops in Japan were not consulted about erecting an RMS in Tokyo, Chuck White cites the Statutes of the Neocatechumenal Way to mislead people into thinking that the NCW violates its own statutes. According to Chuck White: 

This, despite the fact that the Statute of the Neocatechumenal Way specifically says that the Neocatechumenal Way “is at the service of the bishop“ [Art. 1] and that it is “under the jurisdiction, direction of the diocesan bishop” [Art. 2] 

 The Statutes of the Neocatechumenal Way is ONLY for the Neocatechumenal Way.  Nowhere in that Statutes does it even mention "Redemptoris Mater Seminary."  Why?  Because RMS has its own Statutes and bylaws to follow.  RMS does not follow the Statutes of the Neocatechumenal Way.  RMS is not owned by the Neocatechumenal Way, and RMS has its own statutes and bylaws to follow.....plain and simple.

   

Redemptoris Mater: Where seminarians are trained to stay in Holy Land

Letter From the Bishop of Brooklyn

The following was a letter from Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn dated June 2018.

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Dear Brother Bishops, 

On behalf of the Cardinals, Archbishops, and Bishops noted in the attached letter, I am pleased to share with you this joint statement on the Neocatechumenal Way. 

With every best wish, I am 

Sincerely in Christ, 
Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio
Bishop of Brooklyn 

You can view his letter in the screenshot below: 

I also have the attachment, which reads: 

                              Statement Conference of Bishops

Just a little more than a month ago in Rome, our Holy Father, Pope Francis, presided over the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the beginning of the Neocatechumenal Way, at the presence of over two hundred thousand people from all over the world, 16 cardinals and 138 bishops. 

The Holy Father concluded his remarks, before the solemn singing of the Te Deum Laudamus, with these words:  "Your charism is a great gift of God for the Church of our time.  Let us thank the Lord for these 50 years."

We join the Holy Father in thanking the Lord for all the gifts that God has given us through the Neocatechumenal Way here in the United States during the last 41 years: marriage rebuilt and open to life, men and women eager to know more deeply the Word of God and to spread the Good News and particularly many vocations to the priesthood.  

With the even more recent opening of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary of Brooklyn, there are now nine such seminaries throughout the United States: Newark, Denver, Boston, Washington, Dallas, Miami, Philadelphia and Bridgeport.  During the past years, numerous priests have been ordained from these diocesan seminaries.  These priests have been a great help not only in their own dioceses, but also in many other dioceses in need throughout the United States and the world.  

Looking at the future, we hope and trust that even more gifts will arrive to us here in the United States, as well as to the whole world, through this charism of the Neocatechumenal Way. 

Please join us in thanking the Lord for this gift.  

The above attachment with the names of the bishops can be viewed through the screenshots below: