God Always Calls For Unity And Reconciliation

Like all things on Earth, everything has a beginning and an end.  It has been over a year since Father Paul has placed his case in Rome. Yet, God still calls for reconciliation. So, let us pray for unity rather than division.  Let us pray for reconciliation rather than conflict.  Only God can bring unity and reconciliation.  So, we wait for Him. We keep up our hope and continue to pray.  Prayers are very powerful.  God is with all who hope and pray and trust in Him.  God always favor unity and reconciliation.  So, let us trust in God's power and strength rather than our own. 

 

Our Jewish Heritage

 

This is in response to "A Thoughtful Catholic" who stated the following regarding the "Beginning of the Year Convivience."  According to Chuck White: 

The Neocatechumenals celebrate their “Convivencia de Inicio de Curso” every year according to the Jewish calendar, without exception.........This adoption of the Jewish new year competes with our own liturgical year and only serves to heighten the sectarian walls the separates "the Way" from the Catholic Church.

http://thoughtfulcatholic.com/?page_id=43090

Christianity came from Judaism, and her roots is also found in Judaism.  The first Christians were Jewish, and the Founder of the Catholic Church (Jesus Christ) was also Jewish.  According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church: 

CCC 839
The relationship of the Church with the Jewish People. When she delves into her own mystery, the Church, the People of God in the New Covenant, discovers her link with the Jewish People, "the first to hear the Word of God." The Jewish faith, unlike other non-Christian religions, is already a response to God's revelation in the Old Covenant. To the Jews "belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ", "for the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable."

What does this means?  It means that the Catholic Church is the fulfillment and completion of God's self-revelation that started with Abraham.  God continued His revelation through Moses. His revelation is then conveyed across the next twelve centuries of the Old Covenant until they were prepared to receive Christ, who reconciled God with man in the New Covenant.  There is a direct line from Moses, who said, "Behold the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you (See Exodus 24:8) to Jesus, who said, "This is My blood of the covenant (See Matthew 26:28).  This ancient Jewish priesthood continues today in the person of the Catholic priest.  So, how can one separate Judaism from Catholicism when Judaism is part of our roots and our heritage?  In fact, Scott Hahn, an apologist, once stated that to understand Catholicism, one needs to understand Judaism.

Jesus Christ, His Apostles, and many of the disciples were Jewish. Jewish law states that a child born to a Jewish mother remains a Jew.  Thus, the Early Christians considered themselves completed Jews and continued to pray in the synagogues.  As a matter of fact, the Apostle Paul considered himself a Jew even after his conversion.

Acts 21:38   Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.”

Later, these Early Christians who viewed themselves as Jews were kicked out of the synagogues.  Our Jewish heritage is also found in the liturgy and Mass as Scott Hahn learned during his conversion period.  The priests' vestments, for example, have ancient origin.  His outer garment, the chasuble, a large cone-shaped cloth with a hole for the head, was often worn in Palestine during the Greek and Roman occupations.

Exodus 28:2, 4  And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty.  And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.

One of the things that converted apologist Stephen Ray into the Catholic Church was our Jewish heritage. The fact that the Neocatechumenal Way has highlighted our Jewish roots does not separate us from the Catholic Church, but serves as a reminder to appreciate where we came from and who our Founder is......a Jewish man named Jesus Christ. 

 

The Two Hour Eucharist

The Eucharist or Mass of the Neocatechumenal Way takes approximately 2 hours long.  It also involves a lot of time in setting up.  The bread has to be properly made, and fresh flowers are cut in preparation for the Eucharist.  The alter covers, corporeal, and purificators are ironed.  All the signs are set up before the starting of the Eucharist.  There is a lot of preparation involved.  Our catechists also tells us to always dress nice for the Eucharist.  The men usually come in with a nice shirt and tie.  

Yet, members of the Way including the youths continue to come to the two hour celebration despite that it involves much time and work.  After the celebration, the brothers would stay back to help break down and clean up.  The young children would rush to the altar table to take the flowers for morning prayers.  Young children always seem to look forward to morning prayers because their fathers would bless them at the table, which is decorated with flowers.  We usually end our Eucharistic celebration about 9:00 or 10:00 p.m. 

When we have an agape after Eucharist, more work is involved and most people do not even get home until 12:00 midnight  The agape table must be set up with tablecloths.  Everything must look nice.  

      

The Transmission Of Faith

In the Neocatechumenal Way, faith is transmitted through the family.  It is said that "the family that prays together stays together."  At a certain stage, families will go through morning prayer with the father leading the prayer.  Faith is transmitted to the very young as the father questions his very young children about morning prayer and who God is for them.  During morning prayer, the father blesses every child, and very young children appear to understand that there is something very special in morning prayer.  They even look forward to it.   

The youths spend their Saturday nights in a two hour Eucharist.  Many of the youths are cantors.  Even the small children are given tamborines, and they play along.  During the Eucharist, the priest would also ask the children simple questions about Sunday's readings. So at a very young age, faith is being transmitted to them.  By the time they are twelve or thirteen, they can join a community of their own.   

Youth scrutacio are also held every month on a Sunday afternoon.  Boys and girls are seated separately during the youth scrutacios.  Every youth brings their own Jerusalem Bible. The youth scutacio includes prayers, bible readings and reflections.  Youth scutacio is usually about 4 hours long and includes a nice dinner for them. 

The youths in the Neocatechumenal Way are always encouraged to attend World Youth Day.  The next one is coming up in Poland.  These youths look forward to World Youth Day to see the Pope.  The Way has always been well-known for sending thousands of youths to World Youth Day.  In Brazil, there were approximately 40,000 youths from the Neocatechumenal Way.  After each World Youth Day, a vocational meeting would be held by Kiko Arguello, Carmen Hernandez, and Father Mario.  Boys who wish to enter the priesthood are called, and girls who want to enter the convent are also called.  It is amazing to see the commitment of these youths.  

There are also pre-vocations meetings for both men and women in the Neocatechumenal Way held once a month.  In the pre-vocations, these young men and women spend their time discerning what vocation God is calling them to.

Una Gran Senal - Kiko Arguello Madrid 2011

There is a saying that goes like this:  "Music has a way of soothing the savage beast."  The one thing I admire about the Charismatic Catholics renewal is their music.  It is no wonder why they offer a challenge to the Pentecostals who speak in tongues.   Good music is also spoken in tongues but with great harmony.  Below we have Kiko Arguello singing with the Neocatechumenal Way symphony in Madrid in 2011.  Like the Charismatic Catholics, we also have our own songs.  And we have our own symphony of talented people.   :)   The song is entitled "A Woman Clothed with the Sun."   

Rumors Without Substance

An anonymous poster wrote the following comment in my last post: 

AnonymousOctober 23, 2014 at 12:36 AM

Six Popes have also condoned and applauded clergy sexual abusers (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/secrets-of-the-vatican/). That doesn't necessarily make it right. You have your triumph and bragging rights right now w/the blessings of the Pope. Like all things, time will tell and only when more people speak up against evil, will "the way" end. Enjoy your evil way for now my friend. It's days are numbered and when we stand before our Creator on judgement day, I will be the first to tell him that I had forgiven you, not through any effort on my own but solely because Jesus had forgiven me. Love you in Jesus' name, even though I don't agree w/your "way". God bless.

 

First of all, I have asked the poster to provide the names of the Popes who have condoned and applauded the clergy sexual abusers and the quotes from these popes.  The truth is.....no Pope has ever condoned nor applauded the sex abuse of children. 

 

In 2001, Pope John Paul II apologized for the sexual abuse done by Catholic priests.  According to the weblink below: 

 

 Pope John Paul II offered an apology Thursday for sexual abuse by Roman Catholic clergy, saying it has caused the victims "great suffering and spiritual harm" and has damaged the church.

 

http://articles.latimes.com/2001/nov/23/news/mn-7458

 

On September, 2010 Pope Benedict XVI apologized to victims of sexual abuse, saying that pedophile priests had brought shame and humiliation on him and the entire Catholic Church.  According to Pope Benedict XVI:  “I think of the immense suffering caused by the abuse of children, especially within the Church and by her ministers. Above all, I express my deep sorrow to the innocent victims of these unspeakable crimes …,”

 

Pope Francis also apologized to the victims of sex abuse by the Catholic clergy.  In fact, the website that the anonymous poster provided in his comment even showed that.  So, who are the Popes who condoned and applauded these sex abuse scandals?  Please provide your evidence.   

 

Secondly, I also asked the anonymous poster to list the "evil" things the NCW has committed.  Did the Founder of the NCW commit murder, sex abuse, or adultery?  The anonymous poster has provided a website that speaks about the sex abuse scandal.  Is he/she implying that the NCW has committed the sex abuse scandal???  Apparently, the anonymous poster failed to provide any evidence showing the "evil" the NCW has committed.  The NCW does not promote suicide, murder, or incest.  Only a cult does this.  The NCW is accused of doing "evil", but he/she failed to list what those "evils' are.  This is the kind of false rumors spread about the NCW.....rumors without substance.   

 

Finally, the anonymous poster stated: "Like all things, time will tell and only when more people speak up against evil, will "the way" end"

 

My response........If you are going to speak up against the Way, then make sure that you provide evidence to support the things you say.  You can start by giving the names of the Popes who condoned and applauded the sex abuse scandal.   

 

 

Homily Of Archbishop BJ Hickey

My dear friends, as it was said in the very beginning, it is a highlight of the Archdiocese of Perth that two seminaries have been opened in the one year: St. Charles' Seminary - I am very pleased that the students are here tonight - and now the Redemptoris Mater Seminary, that for the time being will be located in Morley; my two Seminaries.

 

The decision to open the Redemptoris Mater Seminary is one that has interested many people, is one that we must carefully explain, because, in the face of it, it is hard to understand why we have two seminaries, both of them diocesan. St. Charles' Seminary, the reason for it is clear. St. Charles will produce priests for our parishes, priests for the special work of this Archdiocese and the city of Perth, the Archdiocese of Perth should be large enough also to have a viable seminary and, although we have here only the first year seminarians, we hope, please God, that each year a new intake will make the seminary grow and prosper. And so, why a second seminary?

 

The decision to open a Redemptoris Mater Seminary has not been an easy one for me to make. There were very few here in W.A. to be consulted, because the idea is quite recent. So I informed myself, as well as I could, on my various trips to Rome and elsewhere in the last three years; and I have visited the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Rome on two occasions; I have visited very recently the Redemptoris Mater in Newark, in U.S.A., I am very pleased to see that one of the recently ordained priests is here with us and some seminarians also; we would have met a couple of months ago. And I have spoken to Cardinal Hume in London, where there is another Redemptoris Mater Seminary; I have spoken to those in charge of the seminaries. At the same time I have examined, as closely as I can, the very recent phenomena of the Neocatechumenal Way, that is so strong in many countries.

 

The reason I have finally decided to open the Redemptoris Mater Seminary is because I am convinced that we must take very seriously what the Holy Father calls the New Evangelisation. It is clear that over recent years, perhaps the past hundred years, the strength that Christianity has had in many countries has begun to weaken. It is clear in my own country here in Australia that the vast majority that belongs to the Catholic faith no longer attends Sunday Mass. It is clear that many, (the majority, who call themselves Christians) do not attend their own churches.

 

It is also clear that at a time of decline of attendance of Catholic and other Christian Churches, there has been an erosion of the standards that have been set by Christian principles in the past: erosion of standards set for marriage and its intimacy and its fidelity, erosion of standards set for family life, erosion of the various moral laws that protects life either in its infancy or in its old age; a shift from the recognition of an external moral order which we must bow before and accept into our life, to a situation where we become determinants of our own morality, it becomes personal choice and it has become what we think it is right or wrong.

 

That is perhaps the most serious thing that is happening, that the external moral order has been denied and morality has become subjective and belief has already suffered as a result, belief in God and belief in the ten sentences of God, belief that we are the creatures of God and therefore owe God obedience in our life.

 

With that, the clarity of the Good News of Jesus Christ is no longer what it was. That is the task of the new Evangelisation, to begin again to Christianise occident-orient, to preach the Good News to a world which has turned away from him. We who attend our Churches, who worship God at our Sunday Eucharist must be the best Catholics that we can possibly be, so that the Good News will radiate out through our own lives.

 

And I have committed myself to encourage those groups who are willing to go beyond their parish boundaries and go beyond the comforts of their homes and go into society generally and say "This is the Good News of Jesus Christ".

 

I have discovered that those who are following the Neocatechumenal Way prepare themselves for precisely that mission of the new evangelisation.

 

That those groups have produced many, many vocations to the priesthood and to the religious life around the world and the Way that they follow has a spirituality all of its own and it became clear that those who want to assist the Neocatechumenal Way as priests needed their own special type of formation amidst therefore their own seminaries.

 

I am pleased, after much prayer and deliberation, after consultation and deep thought TO ANNOUNCE THE FORMATION, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEW SEMINARY REDEMPTORIS MATER, in order to produce priests who are missionaries, priests who are urban missionaries, priests who understand the New Evangelisation, priests who will go beyond the normal fields in which priests work, to preach the Gospel to those who no longer walk with us.

 

They will assist this diocese in many ways, although they are not primarily destined to be parish priests, but that will maybe come about one day; they will assist neocatechumenal missionary families, who are working here in dechristianised areas and ready to go around the world to bear witness to the Good News. They will accompany those families and they will assist bishops in other dioceses where there is a serious decline of vocations and a great need of priests.

 

Therefore this Archdiocese of Perth is establishing this seminary is reaching beyond herself, beyond their own boundaries in order to foster a modern missionary movement, to be missionaries in the cities, to be missionaries in the areas of high population, to be missionaries in those places where Christ's reign was once honoured and where it is now almost forgotten.

 

Hence the need for two seminaries and there is no competition, there is no conflict between the two, because St. Charles' Seminary will draw young adult men from this Catholic community, they will come from our parishes, from our families and are formed to be priests for this Archdiocese.

 

The Redemptoris Mater Seminary will draw young men from the various communities which are established not only here but in other parts of the world.

 

Tonight I wish to read the Decree to establish the 'Redemptoris Mater' Seminary in Perth.

 

http://www.rmsperth.org.au/page20.html

Beginning Of The Year Retreat

It has been awhile since I wrote in my blog due to the fact that I was attending the Beginning of the Year Retreat.  There is a time to blog and a time to dedicate oneself to God.  :)   I have always enjoyed these retreats.  Listening to the Kerygma and the Magisterium of the Church is something I have always looked forward to.  Sometimes, I wish I could have the entire Magisterium to read for myself. 

At any rate, the Beginning of the Year Convivience started on Thursday night October 16th and ended on Sunday, October 19th.  There were approximately 400 people at the retreat, and that is mainly the Responsibles and Co-Responsibles.  There are about 1400 people in the communities of Guam.  Also, we found that many of the brothers who have not been walking have returned to the Neocatechumenal Way.  It is always great to see them back in the community. 

We also learned that it was Pope Benedict XVI who started the Neocatechumenal Way in Germany when he was Cardinal Ratzinger.  That was a time when the Statutes of the Way have not yet been approved and then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger started the Neocatechumenal Way in many of Germany's parishes.  So, before he was a Pope, he already saw the Holy Spirit working in the Way. 

The video they showed was very inspirational.  Who would ever thought that hundreds of families are willing to become mission families.  I noticed that in the video, Father Mario mentioned "Purgatory."  You see......the NCW believes in everything Catholic simply because it is Catholic.  The Magisterium discussed the attacks on the family and reinforced the teachings of the Catholic Church regarding sexuality and family.  The Church still believes that marriage is between a man and a woman. The doctrines of the Catholic Church has not changed for over 2000 years, and it will continue to carry on the same doctrines.

One of news we heard in the retreat was that Kiko Arguello received a Doctorate Honoris Causa.  Of course, this was already old news and I had posted this in my blog months ago.  At any rate, I was able to find it on the Internet: 

The Pontifical John Paul II Institute today gives Kiko Arguello an honorary doctorate because it recognizes a special fertility full assessment of the family as a social and ecclesial subject, fully in line with the thinking of John Paul II, through itinerary of Christian formation post-baptismal-initiated with Carmen Hernández and has generated abundant fruits worldwide...............

First having accompanied a path of fertility in family.  Second, have offered a concrete way of family worship.  And third, they have encouraged the mission of the family.

Kiko Receives Doctorate Honoris Causa

 

Start From The Beginning

The following comment was made by anonymous poster under my last post.  I agree that no one here was rejoicing or celebrating over David Mills' letter published in the PDN.  I copied and pasted Mr. Mills' letter from the Pacific Daily News and simply said that it was published in today's newspapers.  The first one who went to the media was Father Paul.  Before the Archbishop could explain his actions, the jungle had already spread the false rumor that Father Paul was removed because of the NCW. 

AnonymousOctober 14, 2014 at 10:55 PM

Many times it makes sense to go back to the origins of a story.

I was in Guam last year when the issue about Father Paul Gofigan came to light in the media. And I still remember that it was not the Chancery or Archbishop who made the issue public but Father Paul Gofigan. And I still remember that the media, in particular the radio talk show of Patty Arroyo immediately and gratuitously jumped to the conclusion that the real reason of Father Paul’s dismissal was his apparent refusal to start the Neocatechumenal Way in his parish. Tim Rohr soon jumped on the wagon decrying and blasting the Archbishop for this evil that he had allegedly done. The rest is history.

Now that this David Mills, whoever he is, has put the whole issue back to perspective, there is the predictable racket. What did Mills do? He just clarified in detail what were the accusations against this Lastimoza. Simply by speaking the truth, he vindicated the actions of Archbishop.

No one is so sick as to gloat over a rape and a murder. But the truth needed to be reaffirmed since falsehood had taken control of this story.

 

Remember Father John??

According to an anonymous poster he/she stated: 

AnonymousOctober 13, 2014 at 8:04 AM

People need to let the past stay in the past. Mr. L did his time. He got out and he decided to make his life better for his two kids and for himself. If he's a danger to our community, why would they even bother with parole? If he's a danger, why doesn't he strike again? He is not a harm to anyone. He has not hurt anyone after he got out. He's now happily married with two kids. He may have a dark past, but he's not letting it control his life. He's not out there hurting anyone. He's trying to live his life for the better. But sadly now everyone is throwing stones and spitting at him. People need to stop. We teach our kids that it isn't nice to say mean things about other kids, no matter how true they can be. But here we are, ignoring what we preach.

 

Because this person has changed his life and has not caused any problems for more than 30 years, we should let the past be the past.  Was that what the jungle did to Father John??????? 

 

Father John was also accused of a crime more than 30 years ago.  The BIG difference between him and Joseph Lastimoza was that Father John was never convicted of any crime.  In fact, he was never arrested or indicted.  There was no settlement of any kind regarding his allegation.  Father John also have not caused any problems for more than 30 years since that allegation.  Was he a danger to the community?  Did the jungle let the past be the past????  Father John was removed because his past was brought up by Tim Rohr. 

And now the jungle is planning on threatening Father Adrian for my copy and paste of PDN.  Below is what another Anonymous poster stated: 

AnonymousOctober 13, 2014 at 11:40 AM

Oh Diana, because of you cutting and pasting soon you will hear the story entitled " Here's Johnny".

Father Adrian will soon be echoing more garbage in his life. He wasn't totally honest the first time round. Can't wait to hear the remaining echoes from the Archbishop....Oh what slander this will be....Courage to eat the garbage that will be thrown out soon! Such fruits!

OH GEE.....why not go after PDN while you are at it??  As anyone can see....the jungle does not believe in free expression.  Not only is our jobs threatened, but so is our freedom of expression.