Friday, May 9, 2014

AND HE IS ULTIMATELY CULPABLE


Anonymous May 8, 2014 at 12:24 PM left the following as a comment:
So here is Diana's response again to receiving communion... receive the host standing up, the sit and consume it. 

Dear Anonymous,
I accidentally deleted your comment, so I will post it here. You stated:  
"If consuming the body of Christ sitting down is ok, why do your Statutes say: 'Regarding the distribution of Holy Communion under the two species, he neocatechumens receive it STANDING, remaining at their place,'?"  
This is my answer:
The Statues said that we are to RECEIVE it standing. It did not say we are to CONSUME it standing. We are following the Statutes. As I said, we RECEIVE the Body of Christ by hand standing up, then we sit down and later CONSUME it sitting down.
This, of course, has been at the center of our dispute with the Neocatechumenal Way. It is more than just a variation or an anomaly. It is a practice that speaks loudly about 1) the rebellious arrogance of its leadership, and 2) a theology of the eucharist that in conflict with that of the Catholic Church.

And because the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith, what we believe about it and how we treat it determines to what degree we are in union with the Church. And on this count, the Neocatechumenal Way, at least its leadership, is NOT. 

Let's review. Prior to 2008, the neocatechumens received the Eucharist (the consecrated species) remaining in their place and sitting. In addition, they did not consume the consecrated bread until all the communicants had received it and were signaled by the minister to consume it. 

In 2002, St. John Paul II, ordered a study of the teachings and practices of the Neocatechumenal Way for a five year "ad experimentum" period. After three years of study, one of the practices that the Holy See asked to see suspended was the manner of receiving the consecrated species described above. 

On December 1, 2005, Cardinal Arinze, Prefect for the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, beginning his letter with "The Holy Father wishes you to know...", wrote to the leaders of the Neocatechumenal Way (Kiko, Carmen, and Fr. Mario), instructing them as follows:
On the manner of receiving Holy Communion, a period of transition (not exceeding two years) is granted to the Neocatechumenal Way to pass from the widespread manner of receiving Holy Communion in its communities (seated, with a cloth-covered table placed at the center of the church instead of the dedicated altar in the sanctuary) to the normal way in which the entire Church receives Holy Communion. This means that the Neocatechumenal Way must begin to adopt the manner of distributing the Body and Blood of Christ that is provided in the liturgical books. (emphases mine)
There are no if, ands, or buts here. It is a straightforward demand by the Holy Father through the Congregation to the Neocatechumenal Way to change its practice and do as the rest of the Church does. Period. 

The leaders of the Neocatechumenal Way immediately objected causing the Holy Father a few weeks later to issue a direct personal plea to the leadership in front of a large gathering of neocatechumens to please heed the directive: 
Precisely to help the Neocatechumenal Way to render even more effective its evangelizing action in communion with all the People of God, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments recently imparted to you in my name certain norms concerning the Eucharistic Celebration, after the trial period that the Servant of God John Paul II conceded. I am sure you will attentively observe these norms that reflect what is provided for in the liturgical books approved by the Church.
By faithfully keeping to every Church directive, you will make your apostolate even more effective, in tune and in full communion with the Pope and the Pastors of every Diocese. And in so doing, the Lord will continue to bless you with abundant pastoral fruits. (ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI TO MEMBERS OF THE NEOCATECHUMENAL WAY, Paul VI Audience Hall, Thursday, 12 January 2006)
Every person in the Neocatechmenal Way during this period KNOWS that their leaders, and in our case even the Archbishop who is a member, IGNORED this directive. So what else are we to make of this other than insolence? How are we to respect the Neocatechumenal Way and even the Archbishop if our Holy Father will not be respected by either? 

What are we to think other than this is a group that has placed itself outside the Church? One can disagree with the Pope on many things. But in matters of the liturgy, which is ultimately the Pope's domain, while one can disagree, NO ONE can disobey without separating oneself from the Church. 

With the approval of the Statute of the Neocatechumenal Way in 2008, THE ONLY CONCESSION given in the matter of distributing the consecrated species was that the neocatechumens could remain in their place. Everything else in the 2005 directive applies. And to emphasize that it applies the Statute includes both the 2005 directive from the CDW and the Holy Father's January 12, 2006 address in the footnote to this section of the Statute as well as the explicit following directive (emphases mine):
For the celebration of the Eucharist in the small communities the approved liturgical books of the Roman Rite are followed, with the exception of the explicit concessions from the Holy See. Regarding the distribution of Holy Communion under the two species, the neocatechumens receive it standing, remaining at their place. (Art. 13 § 3)
Let's review. There is NO permission to receive the Holy Eucharist in any way, shape, or form differently than the rest of the Church other than when the Eucharist is celebrated in the small communities, the neocatechumens may "receive it standing, remaining in their place." That's it. Everything else MUST BE the same as the rest of the Church.

The "rest of the Church" CANNOT take the host back to the pew and sit down. The "rest of the Church cannot continue to hold the host. The "rest of the Church" CANNOT wait to consume until all have received. The "rest of the Church" is directed to consume the host "as soon as" it is received, NOT "as soon as" everyone has received. (GIRM 161)

And as we have noticed many times before, the only defense the NCW offers for this blatant violation is either "so what?" or "we haven't been told to stop." 

Well, that's because the BISHOP of each diocese is charged with the protection of the liturgy and seeing to it that the norms issued by the Holy See are followed!

And this is why we have constantly implored Archbishop Apuron to please advise the flock entrusted to his care to instruct us if some other permission has been issued other than what is stated in the Statute of the Neocatechumenal Way. Otherwise the scandal and division will continue to grow and he is ultimately culpable. 



26 comments:

  1. I hate to say this, but Diana seems to always refer to the Statute written by Kiko and Carmen as if this was the NCW's BIBLE and TEN COMMANDMENTS ALL ROLLED INTO ONE.

    I never see according to the Decree/Dogma from the Vatican this is what it says. It is always about what the statutes say. THE STATUTES,THE STATUTES, THE STATUTES!

    It is very clear that "George of the Jungle" and " Dear Abby" will always defend the "Pied Piper of Hamelin"

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    1. The final statute, as approved by Rome, was the work of many people. And in fact, all we are doing here is holding them accountable to it. So we too say, as I do above, "the statute, the statute, the statute." The fact is they ignore the statute.

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    2. The statutes seem to be a rather sloppy job. They allow deviation in multiple levels. One major loophole in the statutes that allows deviation is that you communicants RECEIVE the Host while standing. It does not say you CONSUME it while standing.

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    3. They do not need to say it. There is no loophole. There is the expectation that the liturgical books will be followed excepted for what is an explicitly noted exception. Otherwise every church document would have to list everything that one can and cannot do. The church simply states: "For the celebration of the Eucharist in the small communities the approved liturgical books of the Roman Rite are followed", and then notes the one exception. Intelligence is assumed. Perhaps that's the problem.

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  2. It’s obvious the neo hierarchy on Guam have shunned and continues to shun Vatican orders by their warped attempts to weasel out of what the Pope has instructed them to do about this!

    That our Archbishop would stoop to join in and be in cahoots with such league as the neo hierarchy who not only ignores (and therefore DISOBEYS) but also debases a Pope-appointed messenger in Cardinal Arinze is beyond our comprehension and is certainly a grievous scandal. Did not the Archbishop, himself, question the credibility of Arinze on the radio saying “who does Arinze think he is?”

    Get out of kiko's and his co-horts grips already, Archbishop; we implore you!

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    1. Actually, the Archbishop said this:

      "I don’t know what credentials he has, I mean I don’t want to get into an argument in terms of an individual but Cardinal Arinze, with due respect, uh, I, you know uh, I don’t know why he uh uh wants us to conform..."

      http://junglewatch2.blogspot.com/2014/02/by-what-authority.html

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    2. The Archbishop can't get out! He is very much tangled in a WEB!

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    3. maybe it's the breadiness of the bread! lol

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  3. Glad to be Back to Holy Mother ChurchMay 9, 2014 at 11:50 AM

    What many people don't understand is that it is no easy task, getting out of the NCW. You are made to feel guilty, that you are abandoning God, you are abandoning your salvation, you are being selfish and weak.
    It was a terrible struggle for me, and most others I know who have finally cut ourselves out. The Archbishop is not a man who easily makes friends. I think before the NCW came along he was a very lonely and sad person. Then the NCW offered something he was longing for. . . acceptance and companionship. This is not a bad thing. But in the case of our Archbishop, it grew to the point that the only time he now feels comfortable is when he is in his community. Then along comes an opportunity to start a seminary on Guam at FD. The NCW seminarians who came showered the Archbishop with love and affection, and the feeling of acceptance grew into a feeling of near Godliness. Those men in Yona lift him like he has never been lifted before. It is now an addiction, and you can see it in his face.
    Being an Archbishop is no easy task, and it can be a true grind on the spirit. And then when he goes to the seminary, or the breaking of the Word, or his community celebration on Saturday, you can see his face light up. When he visits the seminary to deliver ice cream to them, he has a feeling of companionship he never had before.
    But when he is pastor to the rest of us, you can see a marked difference. You can see his heart is not in it. You can see that he is merely going through the motions. Look at him the next time he is at your parish for Confirmation, or a fiesta. He is constantly looking at his watch to see how much longer he must endure until he can leave.
    He has no general relationship with non-NCW priests.
    So to Anon 5/9 @ 10:06 who said: "Get out of kiko's and his co-horts grips already, Archbishop; we implore you! ", understand that it is no easy task. I was not showered with all the adoration that the Archbishop gets, and it was HARD for me to get out. How much more difficult for the Archbishop when he would have to give up so much!
    We must pray very hard for our Archbishop. But it is becoming more and more apparent that in order for us to get a shepherd that cares for the entire flock, our Archbishop may have to choose one or the other. He cannot serve two masters. Pray that he makes the decision on which master to follow soon.

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    1. I completely understand and completely agree. However, it's made even more tragic that he is showered with love because he is useful to them. "What good is to love those who love you? Even the heathen do that!" - Jesus

      The Archbishop has, by virtue of his ordination and consecration as a bishop has all the grace he needs to do what he ought. He has no more excuse than we married people do, which is NONE. By virtue of our baptism and the sacrament of Matrimony we have all the grace we need to stay faithful and endure. We have only to call on it.

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    2. Glad to Be Back To Mother Church's blog posting is very perceptive and compassionate in regards to the archbishop. I too noticed that as soon as the archbishop became involved with the NCW way he became much, much happier. In fact, although I don't like the NCW myself, I was grateful to them for giving the archbishop so much joy and consolation. It was only when Fr. Paul was ousted so brutally that I started to realize the great damage the NCW was causing our church. Now when I pray to our Lord Jesus, Blessed Diego and Mother Mary (and now our two new saints) to motivate the archbishop to stop "walking" in the NCW, I also add that they enable the archbishop to find another way to meet his profound emotional and spiritual needs. I don't think "grace" comes automatically for the asking-otherwise there wouldn't be so many alcoholic priests and bishops.

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  4. Interesting comment by Diana.. Please note last paragraph...WE ARE TOLD.....

    In the Neocatechumenal Way, the members receive the Body of Christ by hand standing up. After receiving the Body of Christ by hand standing up, we sit down still holding the Body of Christ. We do not consume the Body of Christ because the priest did not receive Holy Communion yet.

    For those who do not believe what I just stated above or do not find my statement above credible, you are always welcome to go to the Eucharist of the Way this Saturday and see for yourself.

    At any rate, we do not consume the Body of Christ immediately because the priest did not receive Holy Communion yet. Before consuming the Body of Christ, the priest proceeds to say "Behold the Body of Christ........" Then the members say, "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof....." Then, we consume the Body of Christ together after the priest receives Holy Communion. And we consume the Body of Christ, sitting down.

    If your next question is 'why we consume the Body of Christ sitting down, ' the answer is because we are told to do so by the Team Catechists. The members are obedient to the Team Catechists who is in communion with Kiko Arguello who is in communion with the Pope. According to the Team Catechists, these instructions came from Kiko who in turn received the same instructions from the Pope.

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    1. How come we were not instructed to do so? Are we not of the same One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church?

      Where is the documentation that says they Pope Instructed Kiko to consume the sacred host sitting down?

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    2. Wait a minute... the Pope said this to Kiko??? I don't think so. Whoever said this does not know anything about Catholic faith. The Pope does not whisper secret instruction to anyone's ear. This is ridiculous.
      This theology about team catechists, well, is anyone who knows what is it exactly? Do they give orders like military officers do? Why should anyone follow what they say? Are they free to rewrite liturgical elements in the mass? How about the priest? Would he also follow command from lay catechists? Wow, I just can't believe it is true.
      How is this possible in a Catholic church where all hierarchy is based on a consecrated order of ordained priests?!

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    3. You need to remember the motto:

      DO NOT QUESTION!
      SILENCE!
      LISTEN!
      OBEY!

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    4. What does the Church say to those who have committed or turned a blind eye to abuses?

      Let bishops, priests, and deacons, in the exercise of the sacred ministry, examine their consciences as regards the authenticity and fidelity of the actions they have performed in the name of Christ and the Church in the celebration of the sacred liturgy. Let each one of the sacred ministers ask himself, even with severity, whether he has respected the rights of the lay members of Christ’s faithful, who confidently entrust themselves and their children to him, relying on him to fulfill for the faithful those sacred functions that the Church intends to carry out in celebrating the sacred liturgy at Christ’s command. For each one should always remember that he is a servant of the sacred liturgy (186). Penny

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  5. The neo way has no special permission from Vatican nor the Pope to do what they wish. Contrarily, the way does otherwise by inserting their own rituals in their celebrations such as the lay preaching, Eucharistic prayer, and the reception of Holy Communion, which certainly does not conform to the norms of the Church. Over the years, the movement was caution numerous times to adhere to the norms of the liturgical books. It is so clear that there are liturgical abuses in the manner of the distribution of Holy Communion and other methodology the way celebrates their Eucharist and it begins with the Archbishop because he continues to allow it occur. It is truly up to the Archbishop to resolve this whole issue but the big essential questions remains unanswered. I am not too sure, whether it will ever be! Penny

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    1. Leadership of the neo was given private verbal permission from three popes to evangelize in the way. These instructions were private confidential directives given to members. If you join you will be told the directives. But it's only for members not all Catholics now.

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    2. Anonymous 1:01... REALLY? 3 popes said so .. all in private, verbally? And there is no record of the directives at all? And you actually believe this? Wow, just wow!

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    3. 4.11am. Three popes met privately in the Vatican with the leadership. Popes are allowed to give secret blessings to certain people granting them special permissions . Kiko was given secret papal documents only for the leadership to know.

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    4. That's fine, but the liturgical actions of the Neocatechumenal Way are NOT secret. The word liturgy itself means "public".

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    5. Anonymous 5:01 If there was SECRET permission given to change the method of receiving communion then why do we (all those of us that read this blog) all know what you are doing??

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  6. Who has the authority to regulate the liturgy?

    The regulation of the sacred liturgy depends solely on the authority of the Church, which rests specifically with the Apostolic See and, according to the norms of law, with the bishop (SC 22 §1).

    Christ’s faithful have the right that ecclesiastical authority should fully and efficaciously regulate the sacred liturgy lest it should ever seem to be “anyone’s private property, whether of the celebrant or of the community in which the mysteries are celebrated” (14, 18, cf. EE 52).

    May the bishop regulate the liturgy any way he wants? In particular, may he remove options that are in the Church’s liturgical books by forbidding priests or laypeople to exercise them?

    It pertains to the diocesan bishop . . . “within the limits of his competence, to set forth liturgical norms in his diocese, by which all are bound.” Still, the bishop must take care not to allow the removal of that liberty foreseen by the norms of the liturgical books so that the celebration may be adapted in an intelligent manner to the Church building, or to the group of the faithful who are present, or to particular pastoral circumstances (21; cf. CIC 838 §4).

    Does the bishop have an obligation to take action to prevent liturgical abuses?

    It is the right of the Christian people themselves that their diocesan bishop should take care to prevent the occurrence of abuses in ecclesiastical discipline, especially as regards the ministry of the word, the celebration of the sacraments and sacramentals, the worship of God, and devotion to the saints (24).

    Do bishops or bishops’ conferences have the authority to authorize experimentation with the liturgy within their own area?

    As early as the year 1970, the Apostolic See announced the cessation of all experimentation as regards the celebration of Holy Mass and reiterated the same in 1988. Accordingly, individual bishops and their conferences do not have the faculty to permit experimentation with liturgical texts or the other matters that are prescribed in the liturgical books. In order to carry out experimentation of this kind in the future, the permission of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments is required. It must be in writing, and it is to be requested by the conference of bishops. In fact, it will not be granted without serious reason. As regards projects of inculturation in liturgical matters, the particular norms that have been established are strictly and comprehensively to be observed (27).

    Someone has been showing me a document that was drafted by a committee of the conference of bishops, but as far as I can tell it was never voted on by the full body or approved by the Holy See. What authority does it have?

    All liturgical norms that a conference of bishops will have established for its territory in accordance with the law are to be submitted to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments for the recognitio [approval], without which they lack any binding force (28). Source: http://www.catholic.com/documents/liturgical-abuses Penny

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  7. The sad thing in all of this is the archbishop has allowed himself to be used by this organization. A seminarian at r,ms told me he dislikes Guam and is only here to get ordained.after ordination he will leave Guam and the international leadership will consult with him over the mission. He shared with me Guam is just the place to get ordained. Most of the seminarians have no desire to stay. Once more it's a free seminary as the people of Guam pay. This is rather strange thinking and very unfair to the local parishes.

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  8. To annon at 1:01 am. It is not the Pope who secretly gives directives. No such thing! It is Kiko who gives the directives and these so-called directives are totally unrelated to the statutes of NCW. Everything is done according to Kiko and Carmen and the rest of the "Kikos". You must be talking to Diana. Penny

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  9. Pay close attention to the secon to the last paragraph about what Emeritus Pope Benidict XVI says.......NOT OPTIONAL!!!!

    This CDW, Pope, Correct Neocatechumenal Novelties

    The Vatican Information Service reported January 12 that Pope Benedict XVI received a group from the Neocatechumenal Way, including 200 families embarking on evangelizing missions in various countries.

    The Neocatechumenal Way, whose constitutions were approved in 2002 by Pope John Paul II, was founded in 1986 by Spaniards Kiko Arguello and Carmen Hernandez, and the Italian priest Mario Pezzi.

    In his message to the group, Pope Benedict stressed the importance of the liturgy in evangelization: an “indispensable way to build vibrant and lasting Christian communities”.

    He also stressed that corrective norms concerning the Neocatechumenal Way’s celebration of the Eucharist must be observed. These norms were contained in a letter from Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (CDW), “in keeping with the guidelines issued in the meeting with you on November 11 of this year, I am to inform you of the Holy Father’s decisions”.

    This letter, dated December 1, mentioned abuses and novel practices of the Neocatechumenal Way, such as its celebrating Masses on Saturday evening in small groups of 20-30 gathered around tables for Communion.

    “In the celebration of the Holy Mass, the Neocatechumenal Way will accept and follow the liturgical books approved by the Church without omitting or adding anything”, the letter began. It provided corrective norms for several problems, and said that Neocatechumenal communities are to join the rest of the parish at least once a month for Sunday Mass.

    The letter also stated: “The Neocatechumenal Way will be granted a transition period (not exceeding two years) from the common method of receiving Holy Communion in its communities (seated, using a decorated table placed at the center of the church instead of the dedicated altar in the sanctuary) to the manner in which the entire Church receives Holy Communion. This means that the Neocatechumenal Way must move toward the manner foreseen in the liturgical books for the distribution of the body and blood of Christ”.

    A spokesman for the Neocatechumenal Way in the US responded to the directives, suggesting that Cardinal Arinze’s letter was intended as an endorsement of the group’s practices. Giuseppe Gennarini, who is responsible for Neocatechumenal communities in the United States, told Catholic News Service in Rome December 29, “The most important thing about the letter is that it allows certain liturgical adaptations”.

    Gennarini also told CNS that he believed that their novel practice of distributing Communion would be reviewed again after the two-year transition period.

    In his January 12 message, however, Pope Benedict made it clear that the changes outlined in Cardinal Arinze’s letter are not optional:

    “I am sure that you will attentively observe these norms, which are based on liturgical texts approved by the Church. By faithful adherence to all Church directives, you will render your apostolate even more effective, in harmony and full communion with the pope and the pastors of dioceses”.

    - See more at: http://www.adoremus.org/0206NewsViews.html#sthash.APFs8mDB.dpufis taken from the Adoremus Bulletin.


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