Saturday, June 1, 2019

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.  

9 comments:

  1. The past 30 years showed that AB Apuron cared about his flock. He stood up against gambling and same-sex marriage. I don’t believe he sexually molested anyone. The attack on the seminary started with the removal of Fr. Paul, who disobeyed when he was told to remove a sex offender from working in the parish.

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  2. They need to reinvestigate this case again, Private "Investigation" not the church.

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  3. Case closed, convicted, sentenced, appealed, sentenced stands. NEOs need to make amends and move on. With or without the traditional catholics. Peace.

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    1. Dear Anonymous at 8:03 pm,

      Open your eyes. You do not see the NCW protesting the verdict, do you not? We have accepted just as Archbishop Apuron accepted it. Although we can express our opinions on the verdict, but that has not affected our walk. We continue to walk the tripod.

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    2. Brothers in the Way need to make amends for what? We obeyed Bishop Byrnes to celebrate Eucharist in the church with a consecrated altar. You don't see brothers in the Way seeking media attention like CCOG. 'Move on?' As Diana said, we continue to walk the tripod.

      What is a traditional Catholic? I guess you mean someone who just goes to Sunday Mass. Someone who is not part of the many charisms of the Catholic Church. So are CCOG traditional Catholics who loudly protest anything that is not in line with their defintion of what a Catholic should be?

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  4. CCOG folk seem like future Sedevacantists.

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  5. It would be nice if Byrnes would be interested in attending the retreat, so he can understand the NCW better.

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  6. Hafa Adai Diana,

    It has been several months since I last commented.
    Just for clarification, the following priests have been incardinated into the Archdiocese of Agana.
    I have known some personally and spoke with many. But in all honesty, it was Archbishop Apuron who accepted their decision to be excardinated from their former diocese and be incardinated here.

    Here are the following priests:
    Abad, Fr. Jose Antonio "Lito"
    Bien, Fr. Danilo
    Convocar, Fr. Romeo
    De Los Reyes, Fr. Joel
    Trenchera, Fr. Manuel

    Hope this helps.
    God Bless

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    1. Dear Guamboy,

      Thank you for the clarification. It only goes to show that Archbishop Apuron saw all Diocesan priests as equal regardless of whether they were RMS or not.

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