TIC TOC, TIC TOC !!!

 (Posted by Frenchie)

Unlike the sand glass, that a few of us still use to time the cooking of our eggs, most people prefer the allegory of the clock's tic toc to illustrate the time that goes by. Some would add reluctantly .

A week ago today, many of us attended the official intronisation of our New Archbishop: Ryan Jimenez.

As I noted earlier, the new leader of our local Church, said and did all the right things. I observed that we should wait and see what actions, decisions, positions he would take in the coming days and weeks to address (or not) some of the issues that have plagued us for years.

Let us not fool ourselves, the problems are numerous and complicated, and bringing a satisfying solution to them is a sizeable challenge. This blog has identified these issues over the years, and closely monitored the attempts to solve them. (in some cases, to sweep them under the rug)

The largest problem taken on by Archbishop Byrnes during his tenure, had been addressing the victims of the years of sexual abuses, going back to then Bishop Flores and throughout the corrupt reign of Apuron. In order to address this monumental challenge, the Archdiocese initiated the process of Bankruptcy, which came to a tentative close in our federal court not long before Archbishop Byrnes became physically incapable to continue what he had started. The dossier was followed in the interim by the Vatican appointed Apostolic Administrator in the person of Fr Concovar, who discreetly and diligently continued that ungrateful work.

This is where we stand as a new shepperd takes over the challenge.

Tim Rohr, myself and several other contributors have underlined over the past few years, that one of the major challenges that Archbishop Byrnes failed to address was in fact a corner stone of all the other issues currently facing us. Yes the Archbishop had put a moratorium on the NCW, yes he had engaged in reaching out to the victims of the Clergy, yes he did reach out to several of the Catholic groups around the island, and reorganized many of the parishes. Sadly one thing he did not address, or at least head on, was the remaining in power of what some consider as the deep state of our Archdiocese. Certainly some of the most egregious actors like Cristobal or Lirch ran away, one was defrocked. But the core of the administration of the Archdiocese has remained the same.

The same people that eagerly and zealously covered up for Apuron, stayed in power, and never faced the consequences of their actions or lack thereof.

Following the Assumption of Mary celebrations, Archbishop Jimenez reached out to the media the following Friday. Upon being asked about the Church reaching out to sinners, lapsed Catholics, drug addicts, sex addicts and divorced people, Archbishop Jimenez gave a typical church of nice answer, that could have been delivered by Pope Francis, without explaining, what needs to happen for these people to save their souls. 

Pressed further about some of the appointments at the Chancery, we found that Fr Crisostomo was kept in his position as delegate to the Clergy.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle the British physician turned novelist, famously had his hero, Sherlock Holmes, the genial fictional detective and crime fighter, explain how he solved the clue of one of his mysteries by noting" it is not what he did, but what he did not do"

So far, this is not what Archbishop Ryan has done, but what he has NOT done. He has not taken a strong position on the blinding sins of our secular leaders. (Archbishop Byrnes had taken the first steps, to warn Gov. Lourdes Leon Guerrero-Cook, on her advocacy for the infanticide of babies). So far until now he has kept the same individuals in charge at the Chancery and in position of decisions.  Granted, he has only been officially in his role for a single week, but in reality he has been working in the background for months. The honeymoon I am afraid will be quite short, if he goes that path. 

Tic Toc, Tic Toc

Santa Maria Kamalen pray for us.