Monday, March 9, 2015

STEWARDSHIP GOES BOTH WAYS...

...unless of course it is the Archdiocese of Agana.

Deacon Larry Claros advised us in yesterday's U Matuna that he would be writing a series of columns about the history and purpose of the Annual Appeal. We can assume of course that the deacon's writing project is a response to the push back on the Appeal that his employers on "the hill" are already feeling. 

Seriously, Deacon, there is no need for a multi-column effort to get the faithful to open up their wallets for you. Instead of giving us all of the chancery-speak-appeal-mumbo-jumbo, simply:
  1. provide the same type of financial transparency that Pope Francis himself is fighting for and show us where the money is going;
  2. publish the current letter from the Lateran acknowledging the RENEWED (supposedly in 2012) affiliation with the Blessed Diego Institute - the alleged "institute" at which the seminarians are "allegedly" obtaining their "alleged" academic credentials;
  3. publish the accredited list of stable professors;
  4. publish the academic curriculum; and lastly
  5. advise your RMS grads to be careful about mocking the people who pay their bills because you never know when a recording ("meeellions and meeellions of dollars on food") is going to surface on this blog.

Simple, isn't it? What's so hard about this? The answer of course is that it is only hard if none of these things exist. Yet you want people to give you their money.

Funny, on the same page of the U Matuna there was a story about how young people in the archdiocese had attended a conference on stewardship. Did you also attend? Do you and your bosses know that stewardship applies to those who take the money as well as give it?

The people's demand for accountability by religions leaders is simply our call to you for stewardship. So let's not hear any more talk about stewardship until you show it. Start with the above list. 

We'll wait. 

NOTE: We are not asking for any evidence of what happens in the actual houses of formation (RMS and JP2). The above list is specific to the Blessed Diego Institute because it purports itself to be be an institution of higher learning which confers academic degrees. Thus, like any institution that purports to do so, it has a duty to the people who support it and who send or support students there to provide the basic documentation that would be asked of any institution purporting to do the same. 

As you know, the Government of Guam has already shut down a few of these "schools". Blessed Diego Institute could be next if it is unable to legitimate itself.

Hmmm. 

11 comments:

  1. Larry, no need to write articles . We want the truth as to where money goes. Island needs to stop,contributing to appeal until archdiocese becomes accountable to the people. It is the money of the people that supports our church and so we have a right to know how it is spent. Articles not enough. We want facts receipts of every expense made with appeal funds.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tim, thank you for putting it in the simplest of terms: all we ask for is accountability in how our money is spent. It is a matter of decency and standard operational procedure to provide a report to donors or members of an organization. How hard indeed is it for the Chancery to give us something in paper on those items you enumerated? Unless, of course, there isn't any forthright response that will further incriminate lies and criminal wrongdoings. Definitive answers to the five items you mentioned will move us to give more than necessary to these pleas, but first things first. Nothing from us unless these are answered satisfactorily.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It's ok for DLC to write a series so that we can challenge every word and sentence if needed or give a different view. Does Lack Clarity...Does Look Confused...Doesn't Like Catholics...Deacon Lacks Credibility..Does Like Cash...Deceitful Lies Crook...Deacon Losing Cause..Amen

    ReplyDelete
  4. Withhold donations until chancery provide substantial accounting of where funds go.

    Guam may be paying for all these odd bods flying in and out of Guam at our expense.

    ReplyDelete
  5. http://www.christianorder.com/features/features_1995/features_apr95.html

    Just wanted to share this from the late Father Enrico Zoffoli...an italian theologion...and what he sees as errors of doctrine of NCW and identifying, in his view, as heresies and liturgical abuses by the Neocatechumenal Way.

    I'm not sure if this information was already available here....if it is then...no need to publish this.

    thank you Tim for all your work!

    Alex

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alex - I think the article by the late Fr Zoffoli is an EXCELLENT critique of the NCW heresy. Wish others would take the time out to read it, if only to educate themselves! Sad that so many years after Fr Zofolli passed away, this erroneous sect/cult continues to exist - and now in our very own backyard! What would it take for our people to wake up? I feel so sorry for some well-meaning Catholics who got roped into the NCW, and now so entrenched in it that they cannot (or will not?) extricate themselves. Thanks for sharing this piece. - JJ.

      Delete
    2. Sho yo Right!
      Too bad Rome has not addressed Fr. Zoffoli's concerns, perhaps someone needs to take up the cause and continue the fight...

      Delete
  6. That's right, all we want is accountability from this Archdiocese.

    P Perez

    ReplyDelete
  7. I will post this message here as I'm not sure which thread to do this.

    I want to thank Junee Valencia and sisters ( I apologize for not getting their names) for doing the talk of Vocations to the confirmation students during the retreat at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Yigo. Junee did an excellent job in his talk, sharing his experience and struggles as a Diocesan Seminarian for Guam.

    I ask that we pray for our local seminarians and continue to support them in any way we can.

    God Bless!

    Alex

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was the first to publicly support Junee's desire to become a priest outside the Neocatechumenal Way. I still support him and the others but believe they also have a responsibility to do what Richard Kidd and Aaron Quitugua did. Truth has a price. They shouldn't be afraid to pay it. As far as we know, Blessed Diego Institute is a fake school. Worse than that, it's a LIE if in fact it's affiliation with the Lateran has not been renewed. I support establishing a fund to support their REAL education in an accredited diocesan seminary of their choosing. But nothing less.

      Delete
  8. Accountability is not a new concept. There are lists and websites that people can access to check whether a charity is a responsible recipient of donations it receives. These reports also reveal the issues they support and their beliefs/mission.
    Annual statements prove whether their mission statement was accomplished.

    We merely want assurances that we do not support error in our faith or morally objectionable issues.

    ReplyDelete