Thursday, August 14, 2014

WHO IS BLOCKLEY? PART 2

Let us pick up from the final paragraph of the previous installment to this story:

In 1998, Archbishop Apuron and Fr. Pius, through Fr. Roger Tenorio, began making inroads into Saipan with the Neocatechumenal Way. Knowing the history of the NCW in England, where I was from, and its having been denounced there by several bishops including the bishop of Clifton who called the NCW a form of “spiritual enslavement,” I worked to stop its growth on Saipan.

I was very vocal about my opposition to the Way. Fr. Pius got very angry with me. He told me that I was preventing the will of God, and that the Neocatechumenal Way would be formed in Saipan with or without me. 


I cannot say that what I am about to recount next was related to my opposition to the Neocatechumenal Way, but as you will see from the second threat on my life, this first threat could have also been related:

It was night. I was driving through one of the villages. I was stopped and taken out of the car by an armed man who threatened to kill me. I was then kept hostage for several hours. He never told me why he was holding me. Maybe it was just to scare me. He released me after a few hours. 

Meanwhile, besides my opposition to the Neocatechumenal Way, I had already clashed with Bishop Camacho on a number of issues that I had, out of conscience, refused to cooperate with him on. I will not relay what those issues were right now. But my relationship with him continued to worsen and I began to feel threatened, especially since my parish was now being regularly vandalized.

About that time (2000) I reached out to Archbishop Apuron for help since he is the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Agana of which the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa is a suffragan diocese. However, he sent word back through Fr. Roger Tenorio that he had no interest in assisting me and in fact he wanted me OUT of the islands. I felt that his wanting me to get out of the islands was due to my opposition to the Neocatechumenal Way, especially after how Fr. Pius had shown me so much anger. 

With the demand from Apuron to get out of the islands, I knew that he and Camacho were now conspiring against me. However, I decided to stay and fight and I got in touch with Archbishop Covney who at that time was the Apostolic Delegate to our region. 

However, before Archbishop Covney could intervene, Bishop Camacho informed me that since I had not given into his demands (I assume that one of those demands was permitting the NCW in my parish, but there were other issues as well), I must sign a letter of resignation resigning from my posts as parish priest, acting financial director, and director of development. And if I did not, then MY LIFE WOULD BE IN DANGER.

I told him that I intended to fight him and that I would go to Rome. He repeated his demand to sign the letter of resignation, yelled at me to get out of his diocese, "or else your life is in danger!" I laughed at him and told him that "my mouth may not keep the secrets that he and Apuron wished to keep." 

Shortly after that, while returning home from the Aqua Resort Hotel where my parents were staying while visiting from England, I became aware that I was being followed. I tried to lose the car and thought I did. However, upon arriving at my apartment I was accosted by two men. One man pointed a gun at my heart. They said they would kill me unless I signed the resignation letters the next day and get out of Saipan. 

You can imagine the fear in my heart. I still wanted to fight but I had no protection. The next day I met with Bishop Camacho and told him what had happened. He only repeated his demand that I sign the letters or "your life is in danger." 

I told him "I will sign the resignation letters and will leave Saipan but I do so under severe stress and anxiety which you have instilled. You can use your fear tactics as a Catholic bishop and you will win, you have power, I do not. I just hope God forgives you." I signed and I  left. 

To be continued.

For those who cannot get the video to work mentioned in the comments below:

 

28 comments:

  1. What is Father Jason doing up there? I asked him and he laughed nervously and said "It's God's Will." And still no Bishop.

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  2. This is really a shocking story. Bishop Camacho, is this true?

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  3. Video is not available. Is there a Title to this video?

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  4. Works on my end, just copy and past.

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  5. Please say this isn't so and it is just a made-up Hollywood script! I am trying not to despair and lose hope in our local Catholic Church. My husband reminded me that these are tools the devil likes to use to win souls and maybe this is a test of my faith. I know our leaders are only human and make big mistakes like the rest of us, but still, it is most difficult to hear.

    Fr. Matthew, wherever you are, I send my prayers to you. I have received some back-lash from signing the petitions for the investigation of Fr. Pius and the restoration for both Frs. James and Paul, but nothing on the level you have experienced. Being shunned is one thing, but having your life hang in the balance is another. If I were in your shoes, I think I would have completely lost it.

    Despite all that has happened, I hope you are in a better place. Thank you for being brave and supporting us now. G-d Bless you.

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  6. Not so shocking. Saipan has had much exposure to mafia behaviors (so many dead bodies found in the 80's) that may have rubbed off on the clergy. But I am so grateful for all of these personal revelations about how The Way has muscled their way into the Mariana Islands. Thank you Fr. Blockley for doing your best to stop the NCW.

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    1. Fr. Blockley Knows a lot more .

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  7. Deeply Disturbing Story. Saipan after five years has no bishop. Smell a rat.

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    1. What is the association with Blockley's bad experiences with Camacho and Thugs and no replacement for Saipan?? Connection?

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    2. I believe we will find out more in part 3.

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  8. Can't sleep. Need part 3.

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  9. kidnapping and armed assault are serious crimes. this is unbelievable, hollywood kind of stuff.

    fr blockley: did you report all this to law enforcement? if you did, we should have someone (preferably in the news media) look it up in the records. verified documentation of incidents like these surely would be the straw that broke the camel's back--the dirty camel which is this mess in the church.

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    1. I checked with him and he did not report. Not to discredit the police, but he feared them as well. Saipan is "very small". He fled Saipan. More to come.

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  10. and it's distressing to hear that all bishop camacho did was tell him to resign or else. why didn't the bishop try to report it to the cops himself? surely it's not because bishop camacho feared them too.

    if all this is true, there really is a great evil lurking in the church, operating in the shadows. what kind of people do this kind of stuff, and for what ends? and in the marianas, of all places??

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    1. Reread the story, at least according to Fr. Blockley, it was Bishop Camacho who was threatening Blockley's life. I don't have any documentation to prove that it is true. What I do know is that I have engaged Fr. Blockley for nearly a year and grilled him with many questions before I decided to allow my blog to be used for his story. And yes, there IS a great evil lurking in the church, what else would motivate a bishop to tell his priest to resign or face "an arduous and painful closure" to his assignment, or make a bishop smear his priest in the press. And THAT, we do have on record!

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    2. perhaps in my naïveté i interpret "your life would be in danger" to mean "there are threats against your life that i'm aware of but am unable to stop," and not "i'll be sending my thugs after you." crazy, crazy stuff.

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    3. Here's the tell tale paragraph:
      I told him that I intended to fight him and that I would go to Rome. He repeated his demand to sign the letter of resignation, yelled at me to get out of his diocese, "or else your life is in danger!" I laughed at him and told him that "my mouth may not keep the secrets that he and Apuron wished to keep."

      It will become clearer when we find out why Camacho waited 8 years to put out an APB on him after he kicked him out. Blockley knows stuff.

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    4. Romans interested in Fr.Blockley.

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  11. A few questions to clarify and place in time: What year did Fr. Blockley sign this resignation?
    Did he obtain a copy?
    Is the original in existence on Saipan?
    Has this document been presented in answer to the AWOL inquiry/APB issued by Bishop Camacho?

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    1. According to Fr. Blockley, the year was 2000. I'll ask him about the other. However, he did not attempt to answer the AWOL inquiry, nor did he return to Saipan. Still feared for his life. I've asked him to elaborate on this part.

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  12. i'm usually hate to speculate in public on things like this, but i wonder if the 8-year duration has anything to do with some kind of statute of limitations. if so, it will be sad, disturbing stuff indeed. Lord have mercy.

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  13. Video story is freaking me out.

    Means corruption in the church in our islands. Corruption to the highest degree.

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  14. Appears certain priests have been smeared by the bishops. Given to what happened to Fr. Paul, Monsignor James. Is it possible that priests are being threatened by the NCW?

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    1. After what happened to Fr. Matthew Blockley anything is possible. Do the words "painful and arduous" ring a bell? God help our priests.

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  15. Unfortunately yes. Besides the local case of Father Blockley, threatening of priests seems to be a problem in the Diocese of Callao Peru. This diocese also has a bishop who is a member of the NCW(José Luis Del Palacio y Pérez-Medel) and he also wants to replace traditional diocesan priests with NCW presbyters according to a news report on 1/18/2015, http://www.americatv.com.pe/cuarto-poder/reportaje/balas-no-sanctas-noticia-14497?ref=hdest. Are there more priests that are being threatened and have not come forward due to fear? Probably. Very disturbing!

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  16. The island of Guahan has been silenced by leaders for 400 years. Now it seems like the island people have taken a lead to turn it around by saying "No More". While the world watches, this rather shy quiet culture and people I can't help but ponder, that perhaps it is the destiny of this courageous faith filled small Pacific Island group of people to step up revealing truths long held behind closed religious doors.

    Demonstrating enormous courage and demanding open investigations and transparency of leaders actions, Guahan's Catholics are leading the way for others to take a stand. To stop this terrible secrecy and abuse of power in high positions not just on Guahan but anywhere and anytime it occurs with anyone with in the church.

    This actually seems like a direct reflection of what is happening world wide, to the on going abuse of women and children that has concurrently occurred for centuries. I am sure you will agree that we can all be grateful for the increased awareness on these terrible issues and atrocities and the fact that changes are now happening all around the world to address them. No matter how slow the changes appear to be, women and children can now experience a greater sense of freedom on multiple levels world wide. And yes more still needs to be done.

    I think this global movement for truth and justice is needed and good. I see that it somewhat parallels our Guanhan Catholic Church. In no way am I saying that it makes the behavior of apruon acceptable, right or good. Nor do I condone his or any others appalling behavior in anyway. However, if you can bear with me. When I get past the point of sadness, disgust and disappointment I am very grateful that Guahan Catholics are taking a stand to reveal these terrible truths. Not just for the injustice done to our island's priests, but for all church staff, laity, children and the community at large. I am grateful because injustice and abuse has to stop. I am grateful because it will be the cause to effect the future of the church on Guahan, which will ultimately be for the good of all.

    I am grateful that Guahan has someone such as apuron as catalyst for this needed change. I am grateful that we know how to forgive and that we can all pray for the highest and greatest good of apuron. I am sure a very sad confused man who needs all our prayers. I am grateful for Jungle Watch, Thoughtful Catholic, Guam Concerned Catholics non profit and "Diana" (whoever she is) and all the people who take part electronically to share their genuine concerns and for the many solutions posted to these issues. I am grateful to the calling of our honorable, brave wise priests who are relentless in their faith, hope, love and practice of the Roman Catholic Church on Guahan. I am grateful to all the faithful who have a vision of what is morally and spiritually right and who by clinging to that vision will not give up. Lastly I am grateful to all those who believe in the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and who are living their lives in prayer with discernment and intention. May God's Great Blessings Abundantly Fill All Our Hearts and Minds Forever Amen.

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  17. Thank you 10.18am for this sharing. Over four thousand people from varied backgrounds on island are joining together for the cause of truth justice of our island church. We all stand united to now question the moral leadership of Anthony Apuron. A leadership which as of today is unacceptable to over four thousand Catholics in the community.
    Important to question a leadership which has no integrity or dignity to manage this archdiocese.

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  18. Over 4000 thousand people taking a stand to join together for truth and justice of our Catholic church on Guam is 1/4 of the population. With that taking place in year 2015 knowing how people live busy lives, and people are distracted by things other than the church. 4000 people united together as one because of their church. That is a mighty powerful action step that simply can not be denied or ignored in no uncertain terms. Something bigger than all of us is happening here. Other wise this unity of humans for spiritual integrity and purpose would never happen. God is Great!!

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