Tuesday, December 16, 2014

WE WAIT ANXIOUSLY TO SEE IT

Yesterday, December 15, Archbishop Apuron did a pastoral visit to St. Francis Parish in Yona. During the opportunity for Q & A, parishioner Tommy Tanaka read a list of concerns to the Archbishop. The following is one of them:

Archbishop, I am concerned that the celebration of the Eucharist in the neocatechumenal communities is not in compliance with the exceptions to the liturgical books permitted in Statute of the Neocatechumenal Way.

The people receive the sacred host standing, but they do not consume it immediately as the rest of us are required to do. They wait till all have received then they sit and then consume. 

Is this practice of sitting to consume the consecrated host permitted by Rome, and if so, where?

And if it is permitted by Rome, why have you not made it clear to the entire diocese that this practice is permitted so that we are not scandalized by what we perceive to be a violation of liturgical norms?

This is a major concern for us because this practice separate the neocatechumenal way from the rest of the faithful and we feel that you have an obligation to clarify it for us.

According to some who were there, the Archbishop replied that the neocatechumenal way of distributing Holy Communion "was approved", but that he would have to look up the source.

If this is what he said, then great. We look forward to "the source". Because it must have come very recently since Benedict XVI, in an audience with the Neocatechumenal Way in 2012 said:

"The Decree approving the celebrations listed in the 'Catechetical Directory of the Neocatechumenal Way' has just been read. They are not strictly speaking liturgical but are part of the itinerary of growth in faith...It is the task of the celebration in the small communities — regulated by the liturgical books that must be faithfully followed, with the details approved in the Statue of the Way..."

- ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI TO THE COMMUNITY OF THE NEOCATECHUMENAL WAY, Paul VI Hall, Friday, 20 January 2012

There is NOTHING in the Statute of the Way which permits a communicant to sit and consume. There is NOTHING in the Statute of the Way which permits the priest to delay his own communion until he has first distributed the sacred host to the communicants.

Yet these are the practices of Archbishop Apuron himself when he celebrates his neo-eucharist with his community and the practice of every single neocatechumenal community. So the permission, the Archbishop is said to have referred to must have been granted since January 20, 2012.

We wait anxiously to see it.

24 comments:

  1. A very reasonable question. He will be visiting our parish in Mongmong come Friday, and I hope the answer is more substantial.

    I look to the Church and her wisdom when it comes to the disciplines she instructs and directs us to in the liturgy of the Mass. As far as I have read, the instructions pertaining to Eucharistic celebrations in the NCW, according to their statutes, is to follow the Roman Rite but with two exceptions: Moving the Rite of Peace, and Receiving the Eucharist in their place, however, while standing. There are no instructions that allow anything else that I am aware of or have discovered.

    The most important part of what is made clear in the NCW statutes is that no new rite was created; everything, save for the two exceptions, is to be in accordance with the Roman Rite.

    Mr. Tanaka is correct, the Archbishop needs to be he one to clarify and source the instructions for sitting down to consume. After all, he has provided directives before during the Lenten season. - why not for this?

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  2. I was present in this group meeting with the Archbishop and Deacon Larry, the Archbishop, our shepherd when presented the question of how to resolve the divide in the body of Christ caused by the NCW did not provide a single solution that can be constituted as a resolve or hope for a resolve. Not surprised at all..

    Deacon Larry seemed to indicate that the cause of the divide is the "Mis Understanding " of those not walking in the Way. He even had the nerve to suggest that we attend a catechesis in the Way so that we can be more informed before Critisizing that which we do not understand. This is clearly an insult to all present, and all nonNCW Catholics.

    Deacon Larry, wheather you want to accept it or not, the fact is that there is clearly a divide in the body of Christ, we are not imagining this rift exist. This divide is not due to our misunderstanding of the Way. We know for a fact that the Catholic Church in Guam is not alone in experiencing this divide in our Church, and we are sure that it is not just a misunderstanding but an inherant negative characteristics of the NCW.

    Your invitation for us to experience the way is analogous to asking us to fall in the ditch as many others have fallen in order to get a true account before we can render an informed opinion. We can learn from the negative experiences of others also, can we not?. Just the fact that you put the blame for the existing divide to the misunderstandings of those not in the way is a clear bias of your membership to the Way and a clear sign that there is no intent to bridge building or reconciliation towards restoring the Catholic Church in Guam from you or the archbishop.

    I invite all other parishes which the archbishop will be visiting to ask for your selves these very important questions about the state of affairs in our One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

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    1. Thanks for invite, Jose. BTW... Jose M is not exactly identifying yourself, is it?

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    2. Anonymous at 9:37am. Don't turn this around on me, my comments identify who I am exactly and those who read this know who I am.

      Do you have the courage to even sign in with your initials?

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    3. Jose, I know who you are! I don't know if you remember me, this is Sharon. We have met a couple of times when you were doing your parish work, I was doing mine and then we were both doing Pro-Life work.

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    4. 1:17AM. How can you know the negativity of the NCW when you stay in the sideline and riding this jungle. Don't knock it til you try it. The rift was created by this blog not the NCW. Here we go Rohr and White will wind up with ling winded justification.

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    5. No need for justification at all, "ling winded" or otherwise. You just provided everything we need to know.

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    6. The rift was created after a few years the NCW started to get established and people started to see how the neos were allowed to do things the rest of us regular Catholics were not allowed such as mass at hotels, beaches...etc. This conflict started many years ago. This blog didn't create the rift....AAA, David, Adrienne, and Pius did...the blogged provided a venue to talk about the truth..

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    7. The rift was not created by Mr. Rohr and his blog. The NCW has created rifts in many places it has established itself. Perhaps the NCW did not mean to cause rifts, but rifts are unavoidable due to the separation and lack of transparency and secrecy. I cannot believe the Vatican foresaw how separate the NCW was going to be, with separate masses, finances, and vocations. Part of the strength of the Roman Catholic church has been the unity of the church. I have been to Mass in many different cities and countries, and except for language, the Mass is the same. When we start doing things differently from each other, there are going to be schisms. Unity is gone. It does not matter if we call our priests - priests, presbyters, or "tizzlers", but we should be united in what we call them. We should be united in how we receive the sacraments of our church. We look to the Vatican to provide the guidelines to achieve that unity.

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    8. Anon 5:11 PM..
      You speak as if you have inside information on me, however little do you know..
      I know more about the heretical teaching of the NCW, the deviation from orthadox catholic teaching, the disobediance of the NCW leaders to the Magisterrium of the Church, the brainwashing tacticts that are subjected to valunerble innocent people lured into this sect.. The prideful spirit of some members who consider themselves as the elect and look down on otherrs. These and numerous reasons are why I and many do not care to align ourself with this divisive group. Our Lord tells us that if you are not gathering for the Lord, You are dividing, this is exactly what this group brings with them everywhere they exist.. The Bishops of Japan and the Holy Land recognized the divisive nature of this group and rightfully suspended their actions in their diocese. You see, we can judge the tree by the bad fruits they produce. We do not have to join.. Many of us are not as stupid as you think..

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  3. Need a count up for this to see how long it takes for the AA to answer

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    1. Tim, I second the emotion of this suggestion. A count-up on top of this blog will remind us everyday. Lest we forget.

      When asked who closed the museum, he answered Msgr James. And of course, it was hard to have a follow-up question of "Can you Archbishop open the museum?" without sounding disrespectful?

      The question of Mr. Tanaka is one question that needs no follow-up question. An answer is all that is needed. Let''s have a count-up.

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  4. You hit the nail right on the head (pun intended), Anon at 1:17AM. Your analysis of the responses of the Archbishop ("I'll check the source") and that of Deacon Larry (attributing the division within our Church to our not understanding the Way) are as lame, ridiculous, and dumb as they can come! AAA will have to fabricate another lie to produce the source, because there obviously is NONE! (Or will he pull one out of his hat, ..eer miter!) For all these years, he has been doing the practice, and now he is not sure of the source which allows him have been doing it! What kind of logic is that???

    As for Deacon Larry's attributing the division within the Church -- For centuries the Catholic Church in Guam has been ONE FAITH, ONE LORD, then all of a sudden comes this cult (NCW) and we are to be blamed for the division within OUR Church because we do not understand this invasive cult. Huh?? Do we need to immerse ourselves into the pile of shit (my own benign description; not a per se definition of NCW) to smell its putrid rancor??

    Come on, you guys (AAA and Deacon), put on your thinking caps before you open your mouths! The stench is suffocating us! Call a spade a spade, and not a f$!# shovel Because you can't find a better explanation in defence of your cult, you become good ostriches and bury your heads in the sand! Come up for some fresh air! Your cultic faith and practices are dilluting and polluting our Church. And how sad that this is coming from the leadership of our Church. Archbishop, you are betraying our people. You are worse off than Benedict Arnold - at least B.A. knew that he was betraying his country. You are so blinded by this cult that you don't even see your own error; you see it as the "truth".

    Wish more people will be as upfront as Tommy Tanaka was at the recent Yona parish visit, and confront the Archbishop at his other upcoming parish visits with the same type of questions, over and over again. Perhaps the message might sink in that our true Catholics are not as dumb and gullible as he thinks we are.

    Stand up and defend OUR FAITH. FANOHHGE CHAMORRO!

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  5. John C. "Typhoon Toves"December 17, 2014 at 2:00 PM

    YES! Stand up and defend OUR FAITH. FANOHHGE CHAMORRO! And - I do mean that literally! I ask all parishioners who attend the meeting in Mongmong with the Archbishop to stand up for the duration of the meeting! Be civil and courteous, and most of all, standing dignified! This will be your unspoken message in solidarity with all the faithful of the island who have had enough. Please consider doing this to add strength to our voices!

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    1. John, you weren't very successful were you? You and Tim are the same.

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    2. John was very successful. He got the Archbishop to act guilty as hell: hiding in his office, refusing to answer questions, surrounding himself with bodyguards, sending his little toy soldiers out to do battle with him, and keeping him in the news day after day after day. John Toves could not have hoped for more. He now has the evidence (Apuron's behavior) to go to the people who have the first hand account but till now would not share in addition to making sure every news story was sent to Rome. Perfect.

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    3. Fr.Matthew Blockley.December 17, 2014 at 8:08 PM


      Stand up to the school yard bully boy and stop the oppressive dictator. If the people of Guam allow the bullying to continue you have only self to blame. if you enjoy living in the oppressive dictatorship go ahead. But if you desire peace of mind and the freedom of living the authentic catholic faith than question the leadership and work for true renewal of the archdiocese. People have Guam have a choice, you desire freedom or you desire oppression. John has owned the way for freedom of speech, truth, justice, and democracy . Guam should follow Tim Rohr, CCOG, and John, and all who are working for an authentic return to the true Faith of our Church.

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  6. I was at the St. Francis Church Parish meeting and have to say that I was very proud of our parishioners. Prior to the Archbishop's meeting we had talked among ourselves and it was agreed that we would not plan our questions or what each of us was going to say. We were to speak from our hearts. Well, those who came did speak from their hearts and what they had to ask was once again at the heart of the division. The influence of the Neo movement over the Archdiocese. The abuses and non conformity to the GIRM. There was no-one disrespectful towards the Archbishop. If we had anything negative to say, we said it to his face and with genuine concern for the Church. Tommy Tanaka had prepared a long letter listing everything he felt needed to be addressed and it was a very nice letter that he promises to share with me when we see each other again.

    The questions and issues brought up from the parishioners, showed me how well each of them understand and have read the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. They had it on point as to the differences. Where does it say this or that? Why are they allowed to when....? Excellant-intellegent -- well thought out questions.

    We have to believe that the Archbishop was listening. We have to have faith that this can be resolved without much more harm to any one person or parish or Priest, etc. I am a little concerned since the Archbishop and Deacon Larry were insistant on us coming and trying to understand the Way. I wanted to say with all my heart that at one point of the meeting when Deacon Larry was trying to convince us that we can be saved through the Way, sitting right next to him was one of the Holiest, smartest, most read in liturgical studies, and MOST HUMBLE man I have ever met. I think he prays 20 of the 24 hours a day. He too has had many bad times, but he has always fallen on his knees before the Lord and has never left believing in God and the One Holy Catholic Church. And for Deacon Larry to imply that he needed to go try the Way to know??? Honestly.

    Larry is my friend and I have tried to tell him that what works for the Archbishop and Larry, are not what we want. There is only One God and One Church.

    Respectfully, Sharon E. O'Mallan

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    1. Thank you, Sharon, for your account of that evening. It's a great example of how concerned parishioners should conduct themselves while remaining firm. I have experienced a Saturday night with the NCW and there are stark differences in that service that are not to be found in any instruction of the Roman Rite, even in their own approved statutes.
      People ask, why does it matter? It matters enough for the Church to give us the GIRM and, as I have said many times before, I trust in her wisdom in the disciplines of the Mass above any innovation. I may not understand why we do certain gestures or pray specific prayers at certain points, but I know the Church will not lead me anywhere but towards Christ. In creating alternative liturgy, it's like telling the Church her guidance is not sufficient.

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    2. Mary Lou Garcia-PeredaDecember 17, 2014 at 5:49 PM

      Anonymous (December 17, 2014 at 3:26PM)/Sharon E. O'Mallan: Thank you for sharing your perspective of the recent pastoral visit to the St. Francis Church Parish by the Archbishop. It is interesting to note that both you and Anonymous (December 17, 2014 at 1:17AM) mentioned that Deacon Claros stated that those with concerns about the NCW should attend their "catechesis" in order to try to "understand the Way."

      While I admire your positive outlook — "We have to believe that the Archbishop was listening. We have to have faith that this can be resolved without much more harm …" — I must admit that I am unable to be as positive as you at this point. Clearly any concerns we may have are inconsequential to the Archbishop and Deacon Claros because they believe that we are not "properly catechized" as they are, according to THEE WAY.

      In closing — Sharon, may I suggest that instead of posting your comment as "Anonymous" and then signing your name at the end of your comment that you post with your name? It's really simple. When you scroll through the drop down menu in the Reply as: box:
      STOP on "Name/URL" (it's right before the "Anonymous" box)
      TYPE your name in the "Name" box (instead of at the end of your comment)
      CLICK "Continue" and choose Publish (OR Preview if you want to check your spelling/grammar)

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    3. Jose,
      You are correct, it really does matter, The Sacraments were entrusted to the Church by our Lord, and the Church is mandated to enact certain rituals and practices to protect the sacredness of the Sacraments. It is not a do your own thing kind of a deal.. I wish that the NCW realizes this. We are not complaining when we see abnormalities in rituals, but the holyness of the sacraments are important and should be maintained for all to see..

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  7. Deacon Claros should just call it "Their Way" IMO.

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  8. Sharon, I find Deacon Larry telling the faithful that they can be "saved" through the Way to actually reveal their belief that our church is no longer "useful" as a means of saving our souls. I am now even more horrified at this cult than ever before.

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