Missio Ad Gentes: 'An Event of the New Evangelization' PART I

Missio Ad Gentes: 'An Event of the New Evangelization'

The missio ad gentes are called by Bishops to make an implantatio ecclesiae in areas where the Church does not exist or where it cannot reach people. The Bishop gives a missio to a priest, he entrusts to him an area that is generally secularized and gives him the faculty to baptize, marry, give the Sacraments, celebrate the Eucharist, etc. The Bishop has a contract with the responsibles of the Neo-Catechumenal Way, which guarantees the presence of these families and to care for them, so that they are not a weight for the diocese.

There is a Christian community behind each one of these families: the community of their parishes of origin, which helps them, pays for their trips, stays in contact with them, so that the community is involved in the evangelization. If a family does not find work, the community helps them until they do. To begin the Mission, these families look for a building where they can meet and form the community; they look for work, a place to live and their children begin to study in the local school. As time passes, the children invite their schoolmates and friends to their homes, and the latter marvel at seeing a Christian family: the majority of these children’s parents are separated, so they are surprised to see a numerous family, with the father and mother together. The parents make contact with their neighbors and acquaintances. Every week the families go out into the streets to sing with guitars and they carry out a mission in a public place where they meet other people. After some time, they invite people they know to listen to some catecheses: many are people who have left the Church; others are not baptized and they begin the Neocatechumenal Way as an itinerary of preparation for Baptism. All the missio ad gentes have already formed one or more communities of pagans.

Kiko Argüello, initiator of the Neocatechumenal Way, explained the role of the missio ad gentes.

Missio Ad Gentes: 'An Event of the New Evangelization' PART II

Today we are faced with a new era. There was a period in which the first evangelization was carried out by itinerant Bishops, such as Paul and Barnabas. The second evangelization was done by monks, Saint Boniface, Saint Columba, Saint Benedict. Then we come to the Middle Ages, from a feudal regime to a bourgeois regime. Then the cities appear, the bourgeoisie, money. Saint Francis’ father, [Pietro] Bernardone, was very rich and traded with France. However, in face of a new era, God awakens charisms to respond to this situation: the Mendicant Orders, because the Church runs the danger of installing herself. Then God inspired Saint Francis to go barefoot, without money, and Saint Dominic Guzman. After the Mendicant Orders we come to another era, which is the moment of Trent and Lutheranism, the step to modernity, the discovery of America: man is at the center of everything; there is a revolution of mentality and philosophy. And God awakens other charisms, such as the Jesuits. After the French Revolution, many Religious Orders arose that evangelized the whole world.

Today, we are faced with another new era, but there is a novelty: it is for the laity, for families to evangelize, but not as a discovery or an idea, but as a necessity because many people are no longer religious. This era was preceded by two World Wars, with 60 million dead, which caused a great nihilism and then new atheist philosophies: a whole situation by which man has become secularized little by little. In front of this situation, in the Symposium of European Bishops in 1985, Saint John Paul II said that there was a need to return to the very first apostolic model. When the first Christians had to leave the synagogues, they gathered in homes to receive the Apostles’ instruction, for the breaking of the bread and for prayer, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles. We think that this forms part of the very first apostolic model. So, following what Saint John Paul II said, these missio ad gentes, meet in homes amid the non-baptized.

In the Gospel, Jesus Christ says: “love one another as I have loved you.” There is a surprising point here for the world. Christ gave his life for us when we were his enemies. Well, there is a new quality of love here, something that in general is not seen anywhere, because the concern for justice, or rather the way we understand justice, impedes us from loving our enemy. Sartre said: the other is hell. In many modern nations today, people live alone. Relations with others is becoming ever more difficult. 78% of people in Scandinavia live alone; after having lived five or six experiences, they end up alone. This makes us see the difficulty of relating in love. So these people are surprised to see the relations of love in these families. Love one another as I have loved you, and in this love they will know, the pagans that are around you, that you are disciples of Jesus Christ. And he also adds: if you are perfectly one, the world will believe. That is, if your relationship reaches a unity like that of the Most Blessed Trinity: the Father, the Son, perfectly one in the Holy Spirit, the world will believe.
But, who will bring about this unity? The Holy Spirit that is given to us, and when the Holy Spirit descends upon a Christian, this unity of the Trinity becomes visible and the moral miracle appears, the Church appears as a sacrament of salvation for the world. We carry out missio ad gentes in the midst of many people estranged from the Church; we present this reality, which is the Church, with the love of the Most Holy Trinity. Families that are formed; that have 14, 17, 20 years of experience of the Way; Christian families that can show what the Church is today. The evangelization we are carrying forward in China and Asia also passes through these families. Today, we witness an enormous number of suicides, the crisis of relationships in the family, every four minutes a marriage breaks down in Italy and in Spain. The crisis of relationships that destroys so many families, makes the relationship of love of these Christian families a news, an event of the New Evangelization. The Neocatechumenal Way shows this new relationship of love, because all men desire to love. There are so many people who commit suicide because for many years they haven’t loved anyone. It’s difficult to live without love. If one doesn’t feel loved by anyone, life without love is hell. That’s why the world awaits us.

http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/44166

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Interview With Kiko Arguello

On February 18th, I stated in my blog, "And for the first time in history, there will also be a convivience for Rabbis.  Many Jewish Rabbis have asked Kiko assistance in transmitting the faith to their children who have strongly been influenced by the secular world."

http://neocatechemunal.blogspot.com/2015/02/lenten-announcement.html

This news was given to us at the Lenten Announcement.  During Kiko's interview with Zenit, he mentioned that the Jews has asked to meet with him.  According to the Interview with Zenit: 

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ROME, March 06, 2015 (Zenit.org) - It's difficult to describe the emotions expressed in Kiko Argüello's eyes. For him, the words addressed today by Pope Francis to the Neocatechumenal Way were a strong encouragement for this "itinerary of Christian formation valid for modern times", as defined by St. John Paul II.

 

Like his predecessors, Blessed Paul VI, St. John Paul II, and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Pope Francis has given the Church's blessing to the work of evangelization that the Way has brought forward for almost half a century across the globe, above all through the families.

 

In an interview with ZENIT, Argüello says that the Holy Father's meeting today showed how "God is so good to us."

* * *

ZENIT: Kiko, what were your thoughts on the Pope's words at today's audience with the Neocatechumenal Way.

 

Argüello: We are amazed by the love he has shown us! I already met with the Holy Father in a private audience before today's [meeting] and I showed him the work that the Way has done up until now, especially with the families: the missio ad gentes, the vocational meetings, Family Day…He was very impressed. And today, he wished to show the love he has for the Neocatechumenal Way. Maybe someone thought that after all those beautiful and positive things he said, there would be a "but"…Instead there was no "but"…We are very happy, also because the Pope's address is a program for the whole [Neocatechumenal] Way. It is also a way to help the Church understand what is a missio ad gentes and how it can act today. Because maybe, in the end, there might have remained an idea of the first missionaries who went to Africa, to America to evangelize. Instead, today there is a need for something new and I can say that the Way fulfills this mission with great creativity, showing an original form of presence of the Church in the world.

 

ZENIT: On a personal level, after almost 50 years since the Way began, remembering the first evangelization in the shanty towns of Madrid, and seeing now the fruits have spread throughout the world, how do you feel?

 

Argüello: It is beautiful! (Laughs) Today, especially, I feel consoled by God. Above all, I feel consoled by the words of the Holy Father. I admire this Pope very much. Also in the last convivence of itinerants from around the world, I expressed my sadness at the criticisms that have been addressed towards him. I hear many say that the Pope is a "populist", a "communist", too concentrated on the social…I think they are all mistaken because this Pope is 'declericalizing' the Church. And it is providential in today's times.

 

ZENIT: Returning to the families: in a time in which –as Pope Francis has noted that the family is struck from all sides - what do these mothers, fathers and children who leave everything to evangelize mean for the Church and for the world?

 

Argüello: The Christian family, open to life, is a salvation for the world…These families – those already in mission in all the continents, as well as those who leave today, who are 'formed' to evangelize after so many years in the Way – are a salvation for the Church but above all, for society. Because their children will be the future architects, lawyers, doctors…They will be, in short, the society of the future. And today's world needs Christian people who do not rob, who do not lie, who are not corrupt! Moreover, from these families come many vocations. It is also thanks to them that we have 103 seminaries around the world…

 

ZENIT: After this audience with the Pope, what lies ahead for the Neocatechumenal Way?

 

Argüello: In the next few months, we will be going around the world for the vocational meetings. I will be in Italy, in Genova, Palermo and maybe Macerata, and also in Spain. The novelty is that we will also go to Africa. Because there are so many brothers and sisters who ask me: "Kiko, when are you coming to Africa?" They are poor people, humble, very drawn to the words of Christ: "Come and follow me!" So they are also waiting to personally live through a meeting where someone asks them: "Are there families for the mission?"; to stand up and go. Now we are organizing a great meeting with almost 25,000 people. We will see…

 

ZENIT: Another historic event for the Neocatechumenal Way was the concert in Auschwitz, in the presence of many rabbis. Does this dialogue with the Jewish people continue?

 

Argüello: Yes! After the concert, the Jewish people were so amazed by our spirit of love towards them that they asked for a meeting of all the rabbis with me and the other representatives of the Way. We might do it in May, but it is not confirmed.

 

ZENIT: One last question: Thinking of what lies ahead for the Way and the words of encouragement from the Pope today, what is your hope today?

 

Argüello: (Laughs) That the devil does not get so angry that he tries to entrap me!

 

[Translation by Junno Arocho Esteves]

 

 

Father Santiago Flor Caravia Blessed By Pope Francis

Below is the full video of Pope Francis receiving Kiko Arguello and the Neocatechumenal Way on March 6, 2015. 

One of the priests who was called up was Father Santiago Flor Caravia who was sent on mission to Japan.  I was told by one of the NCW members that Father Santiago currently belongs to the Archdiocese of Hagatna, Guam. Therefore, we have an RMS priest representing Guam who was blessed by Pope Francis. Congratulations to Father Santiago and to all those RMS priests who were called during the audience with Pope Francis.  :-)  

Cleaning A Jungle Mess

An anonymous commenter made the following comment in my last entry post: 

AnonymousMarch 8, 2015 at 5:46 AM

Diana, Tim twists the Pope's words around and tells lies about it.

From Rohr:

"He even goes on to underscore this point by mockingly suggesting that Kiko paid him to do it!

"I’m doing that not because I’ve been paid to: No! (laughs) I’m doing it because I want to. "

The pope blesses hundreds of groups every year, you will not find any example of him even suggesting a joke about being paid to give a blessing. But he does so with Kiko!"

 

So, Tim Rohr stated:  "The pope blesses hundreds of groups every year, you will not find any example of him even suggesting a joke about being paid to give a blessing. But he does so with Kiko!"

 

The follow statement came from a news article.  It did NOT come from Zenit, but from Vatican Insider (the bold is mine):

 

In today’s audience with the Neocatechumenal Way founded by Kiki Arguello, the Pope confirmed their call and blessed their charism. "I’m doing that not because I’ve been paid to: No! I’m doing it because I want to,” the Pope joked.

 

“How much solitude, how much suffering, how much distance from God in the many peripheries of Europe and America, and in many cities of Asia!” The Pope said this during today’s audience with members of the Neocatechumenal Way in the Paul VI Hall. “I want to confirm your call, support your mission and bless your charism,” Francis said before cracking a joke (“I’m doing that not because I’ve been paid to: No! I’m doing it because I want to”).

 

http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/news/detail/articolo/francesco-francisco-francis-39557/

 

As anyone can see, Tim Rohr was incorrect.  He misinterpreted the Pope's statement about the NCW just as he normally does.  The Vatican Insider reported that the Pope was cracking a joke.  It appears that the Pope feels at ease and comfortable cracking a joke with Kiko Arguello and the NCW due to our close relationship with the Pope. 

 

 

Papal Speech To NCW

From 2015-03-06 Vatican Radio  (highlights are mine.) 

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis received in audience on Friday (March 6th) members of the Catholic missionary movement, the Neocatechumenal Way, and thanked them for the great benefit they bring to the Church. 

Please find below a translation into English of the Pope’s address to the Neocatechumenal members:

Dear brothers and sisters,

Peter's task is to confirm his brothers and sisters in the faith. So you too have wanted with this gesture to ask the Successor of Peter to confirm your call, to support your mission, to bless your charism. And I want to confirm your call, support your mission and bless your charism.  I’m doing that not because I’ve been paid to: No!  (laughs) I’m doing it because I want to.  You will go forth in the name of Christ into the world to bring His Gospel: Christ will precede, Christ will accompany and Christ will fulfill the salvation of which you are bearers!

Together with you I greet all the Cardinals and Bishops who accompany you today and who in their dioceses support your mission. In particular I greet the initiators of the Neocatechumenal Way, Kiko Argüello and Carmen Hernández, with Father Mario Pezzi: I also would like to express my appreciation and my encouragement for the great benefit they bring to the Church through the Way. I always say that the Neocatechumenal Way does great good in the Church.

As Kiko said, our meeting today is a missionary commissioning, in obedience to what Christ asked us: "Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.”  And I am particularly glad that this mission is carried out thanks to Christian families, united in a community, who have the mission to give witness to our faith that attract people to the beauty of the Gospel, in the words of Christ: “This is how all will know that you are my disciples"(cf. Jn 13:34), and "be one and the world may believe" (cf. Jn 17:21). These communities, called by the Bishops, are formed by a priest and four or five families, with children including grown-up ones, and are a"missio ad gentes", with a mandate to evangelize non-Christians. Non-Christians who’ve never heard about Jesus Christ and the many non-Christians who’ve forgotten who Jesus Christ was, who is Jesus Christ: baptized non-Christians but who have forgotten their faith because of secularization, worldliness and many other things. Re-awaken that faith! So, even before words, it is your witness of life that manifests the heart of Christ's revelation: that God loves man to the point of laying down His life for us and that he was raised by the Father to give us the grace to give our lives for others. Today’s world badly needs this great message. How much solitude, how much suffering, how much distance from God in the many peripheries of Europe and America, and in many cities of Asia! Today, in every latitude, humanity greatly needs to hear that God loves us and that love is possible! These Christian communities, thanks to you missionary families, have the essential task of making this message visible. And what is this message? “Christ is risen, Christ lives. Christ lives amongst us””

You have received the strength to leave everything behind and set off for distant lands through a process of Christian initiation, experienced and lived in small communities, where you have rediscovered the immense riches of your Baptism. This is the Neocatechumenal Way, a true gift of Providence to the Church of our time, as my predecessors have already stated; especially St. John Paul II when he said: "I recognize the Neocatechumenal Way as an itinerary of Catholic formation, valid for society and for our times" (Epist. Whenever, August 30, 1990: AAS 82 [1990], 1515). The Way is based on the three dimensions of the Church which are the Word, Liturgy and Community. So obedient and constant listening to the Word of God; the Eucharistic celebration in small community after the first Vespers of Sunday, the family celebration of lauds on Sunday with all the children gathered round and sharing their faith with other brothers and sisters are at the origin of the many gifts the Lord has given to you as well as the many vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. It is a great consolation to see all of this, because it confirms that the Spirit of God is alive and active in His Church, even today, and that He meets the needs of modern man.

On several occasions I have insisted that the Church has to move from a pastoral ministry of simple conservation to a decidedly missionary pastoral focus (cf. ibid., N. Evangelii gaudium, 15). How many times, within the Church, do we keep Jesus inside and  don’t  let him go out. …. How many times! This is the most important thing to do if we do not want the waters to stagnate within the Church.  For years now the Way has been undertaking these missio ad gentes among non-Christians, for an implantatio Ecclesiae, a new presence of the Church, where the Church does not exist or is no longer able to reach people. "How much joy you give us with your presence and your activity!" - said Blessed Pope Paul VI during the very first audience with you (May 8, 1974: Teachings of Pope Paul VI, XII [1974], 407). I also make these words my own and encourage you to move forward, entrusting you to the Blessed Virgin Mary who inspired the Neocatechumenal Way. May she intercede for you with her divine Son.

My dearly beloved, may the Lord accompany you. Go forth, with my Blessing.

1

Audience With The Pope

Dear Brothers:

Here is the information regarding the Audience of the Neocatechumenal communities with the Holy Father that will air at the following times:

                US:  Friday, March 6, 5:30am & 1:00pm ET

                Europe:  Friday March 6, 11:30am &8:00pm

                GUAM : Friday March 6, 8.30PM and Saturday March 7, 4.00 am (repeat)

Here is the page on EWTN website for the schedule—the viewer can click the region of the world at the top of the page:

https://www.ewtn.com/multimedia/weekly-schedules.asp

The website schedules are in the process of being updated with the correct times.

The event is being broadcast in English, Spanish and German on the appropriate satellite.

It is also going to be streamed live on the Vatican site : http://w2.vatican.va/content/vatican/en.html

Reason For JPII Seminary

There has been questions as to why we have a second seminary on Guam.  The jungle claims that it is because the RMS seminary was not a diocesan seminary, which is further from the truth.  In fact, Tim Rohr is even claiming that he was the one responsible for the establishment of the second seminary, which is false.  Tim Rohr had absolutely nothing to do with the establishment of a second seminary. 

According to a press release dated December 17, 2013 (the bold is mine): 

The new Saint John Paul II Archdiocesan Seminary will complement the Redemptoris Mater Archdiocesan Missionary Seminary in Yona, which opened in 1999.

Both seminaries are diocesan seminaries owned by the Archdiocese of Agana; however one will underscore the local mission in the archdiocese while the other will have the added element of availability for the world wide  mission.

http://cathnews.co.nz/2013/12/17/second-seminary-open-guam/

According to the Articles of Incorporation for RMS, Article III (capitalization and bold is mine): 

"The purpose of the Corporation shall be to establish and conduct a House of formation to prepare men for the priesthood for the NEW EVANGELIZATION  following the life and practice of the Neocatechumenal Way."

To put it simply, the RMS priests are NOT being trained to be Neocatechumenal Way priests.  Rather, they are being trained for "world wide evangelization".  The practice and life of the Neocatechuemenal Way deals with this new evangelization (which is a world wide evangelization).  The mission families and itinerants of the Way are sent on a world wide mission.  They are sent on missions to foreign countries.  The Redemptoris Mater Seminary is an institution preparing men for priesthood for world wide evangelization - a world wide evangelization which the Neocatechumenal Way practices.  The jungle claimed that the second seminary was established because the RMS is not a diocesan seminary.  This is only a rumor started by them.  Another rumor started by the jungle is that the Redemptoris Mater Seminary is forming Neocatechumenal Way priests.  The truth is the Redemptoris Mater Seminary is forming priests for the NEW EVANGELIZATION.     

A second seminary was established because some seminarians do not want to go on world wide missions.  Both seminaries are diocesan seminaries and both seminaries produce diocesan priests.  The only difference is that it is the RMS priest is the one being prepared to go on world wide missions while those in the JPII seminary are not. 

Pope Francis On Obedience

Pope Francis: The ministry of the bishop is accepted in obedience

(CNA/EWTN News) During his weekly general audience on Wednesday November 5, Pope Francis said that a Church which does not foster communion with the bishop is unhealthy.

In his remarks to the crowds gathered in Saint Peter’s Square, the Pope called on Christian communities to “nurture a sincere and profound communion” with the bishop, “starting with the priests and deacons.

“There is no healthy Church if the faithful priests, deacons are not united around their bishop,” he said. “This Church not united around their bishop is a sick Church.”

“It is in the Bishop that the relationship of each Church with the Apostles is visible and with all the other communities,” he said, “united with their bishops and the Pope in the One Church of the Lord Jesus, that is our Holy Mother the Hierarchical Church.”

Turning to the reading of Paul to Titus read out during the audience, Pope Francis acknowledged it is “not easy” to practice the “many virtues” which Saint Paul commends to bishops, “because we are sinners.”

He therefore asked for prayers that they “can at least hope to be closer to the things that the Apostle Paul advises for all Bishops.”

Of all the “ordained ministries” to which Christ gives rise “in order to build up the Christian community as His Body,” the Pope said the ministry “of the bishop stands out.”

“Assisted by priests and deacons,” the Holy Father said “it is Christ himself who is present” in the bishop, “and who continues to take care of his Church, ensuring his protection and guidance.” In their “presence and ministry,” he added, “we can recognize the true face of the Church: she is our Holy Mother the Hierarchical Church.”

He explained that “the Church exercises her motherhood” through her bishops, priests, and deacons, sustaining the faithful from Baptism until death.

This motherhood is “expressed in particular in the person of the bishop and in his ministry,” the Pope said.

“As Jesus chose the Apostles and sent them out to preach the Gospel and shepherd his flock,” he said, “so the bishops, their successors, are placed at the head of the Christian community, as guarantor of their faith and as a living sign of the presence of the Lord among them.”

Pope Francis stressed that theirs “is not a position of prestige” or “an honorary role”: rather, it is one of service.

The Holy Father went on to say there is no place in the Church for a “worldly mentality”, in which the title of bishop is understood in the context of an “ecclesiastical career.” Rather, “being Bishop means keeping ever present the example of Jesus, as the Good Shepherd, came not to be served but to serve (cf. Mt 20:28; Mk 10:45), and to give His life for His sheep (cf. Jn 10:11).”

As shown by the many bishops who have been declared saints, the Pope said, “one does not ask for” this ministry, nor can it be bought.” Rather, it is accepted “in obedience, not in an attempt to climb higher but to lower oneself,” just as Jesus ‘humbled himself and became obedient unto to death, even death on a cross’” (Phil 2,8).

“It is sad when we see a man who seeks this office and does all he can to get it and when he gets it does not serve, instead goes around like a peacock and lives only for his vanity,” the Pope said.
Another “precious element” of the bishop’s ministry is their unity, Pope Francis said.

Just as the Apostles were “united as one family” around Jesus, so too the “Bishops too are a single college, gathered around the Pope, who is the guardian and guarantor of this profound communion that was so dear to Jesus and His apostles themselves.”

The Holy Father noted the beauty of such collegiality expressed by the bishops, alongside the Pope, such as was recently witnessed in the Synod of the Family.

“Despite living in places, cultures, sensibilities and traditions that are different and distant from each other,” Pope Francis said, there is nonetheless an “intimate bond” with one another “in Christ, in their communities.”

http://fll.cc/en/inspire/pope-francis-the-ministry-of-the-bishop-is-accepted-in-obedience-en/
 

From Antoine Tajalle

Dear Antoine Tajalle,

I apologize for the delay in publishing your comments.  For some reason, a few comments have ended up in my spam box, and I have not checked my spam in a while.  It appears that the first half of your comment was in my spam box while the other half went to my inbox.  This is about the third time comments that should have gone into my inbox ended up in my spam box.  At any rate, I placed all three of your comments together as an entry post: 

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Antoine TajalleFebruary 20, 2015 at 1:40 AM

Diana, If I could, please allow me to respond to comments that have been addressed to me over at the junglewatch blog. I only commented on that blog in response to an anonymous commenter who called me out. I refuse to directly comment on that site. You may have to post it as a new entry. I apologize for having to do this here but I am encouraged to do so because I know you will guarantee its publication

1. My whole intent in commenting was to request to meet with the individual who did not have enough courage to identify himself/herself but had the decency to name me. I was really bothered by this because, they connected me to a previous comment whereas the writer used the quote from Padre Pio, PRAY HOPE AND DONT WORRY. This quote is seen as my signature on any email correspondence that I may have. This is where it hurts me, my email activity is very limited, I only correspond with close friends and family.

2. The experiences that I decided to share, were my experiences. As usual the bots have decided to take it into their hands to criticize and analyze my personal experiences.

3. In no way was my intention to "drag" Father Mike Crisostomo into my attempt to meet this individual. I did not want to share with the whole world but to put things to rest let it be known, that as soon as a commenter accused me of dragging Father Mike into this, I requested and did meet with him that same evening to reconcile and be clear of any misunderstanding.

4. In the same instance that I was accused of inappropriately dragging someone else into this, another commenter decided to drag my dear grandmother into this. Despite the commenter remaining anonymous I am very aware of who this is. This person was walking in CP and is very unstable, I will excuse and forgive them for this, because just as close as I am to my grandmother, he is also.

AnonymousFebruary 18, 2015 at 12:07 AM
Antoine, this is the second instance that I have witnessed your bringing up father mike's name in a conversation about neo vs nonneo. Sure, you prefaced it with "I have a lot of respect for father mike" etc etc but you end that thought with the same divisive tone that permeates the entirety of your comment. What's your beef with him? Don't answer that, I'm not looking for an answer. Just disturbing to me that while you get your panties in a bunch about somebody naming you, you do the same thing by dragging father mike's name into this conversation. Lest there be any doubt of the division in our church, you have just provided the final nail. Thanks. And can't wait to hear your answers.

5. In my initial response I shared the experience of gossip, myself being shunned and excluded from certain things. An anonymous commenter from the San Dimas Parish decided to go ahead and share their judgement of myself. To that I would like to explain a few things.

- I was not speaking solely about my parish of San Dimas. If you knew me better you should have known that my ministry goes beyond the parish. I go where I am called. In regards to the Parish, you would have known also that I personally followed Father Mike to Toto, I left the parish for some time, but Father Mike instilled something in me that I never forgot. San Dimas is my Parish and will always be, even when a priest is transferred I should stay and support the new pastor and continue to minister.

-If you knew what and how things are happening in the Parish you would also know that I am not a Fuel Pump Catholic. I do not go to Mass, leave and come back when my tank is empty. This is fine for some but not for me. If you see me speeding away into the office during the blessing of the food, opening of the table, did it ever dawn on you, who was actually planning these events? Im not sharing this to boast but let me tell you, there is nothing more on my mind than that of the parish. If you think I was being paid for my endless hours in the office, think again, it was all voluntary. How long have I been directing the choir? Since ever since. Almost every Pre-Con and Confirmation retreat for the past 15 years, was organized by me and with the help of others from around the island. Who was organizing the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament with the Youth during Father Wolcheks term? Who took the lead when the parish co-hosted the Archdiocesan World Youth Day? Whos idea was it to have a Parish Picnic? Who helps Father Luis plan the pilgrimages? Who took the lead in the week long summer camp last year? Who designs and publishes all the posters and holiday cards for the seasons? Who reminds the different liturgists of things that need to happen? Who cleans the office? Who is still pushing for the bathrooms to have a waterless tank system because our water bill is too high? Who is constantly thinking of ways that we can possibly raise funds for our mortgage loan? Who is concerned about the water coming up through the church floor? Who is pointing out that we do not have any designated Disabled Parking? Who organized the fundraiser Dinner this past December that put us ahead in our financial obligations? Many others also assisted, but if you didnt know, we are very few these days, and we continue to look into ways to get more to begin helping out or to return to the parish.

 

These are insufficient compared to the graces that I have received from the Lord. In no way have I mentioned these things to boast about them. All I know is that my retirement benefits are out of this world. But Please do not criticize me about running away into the office when its time to eat. Get real! Can a brother have a seat sometime? Have you seen the way I walk? If I could run into the office I would. Dont ever say that I have separated myself from the parish. I cant even find a job because I struggle with the fact that i may not be able to devote as much time to the parish. I wish I could be on Payroll at the Parish office, just to help me out with a minimal amount, but this looks distant for the time being. I accept donations if you are a cheerful giver...your prayers(minus your judgement is sufficient enough).

Lastly, remember, I am the one with the recording of the parish ministers talking about the NCW inside the church and in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. If you have proof of the contrary, please share.

6. There were questions addressed to me in junglewatch and to that I would like to say, I will not answer it. Not because I cant but because past experience speaks for itself in the jungle. They want answers but when we give them the answers they are not satisfied. Its the same in regards to the Archbishop, they want him to explain his actions and when he does, they still have a problem with it. Also, what I did say was when I am approached with questions from close friends and family, I answer. I do not have any friends or family with the name "anonymous". I have the courage to use my name, use yours.