TIM ROHR SAYS "NO" TO HON'S PHOTO-OP FOR UNITY

Posted by Robert Klitzkie

Question: How does one deal with the Apostolic Administrator?
Answer: Very carefully. 

Yesterday, Tim Rohr received several phone calls, texts, messages, and emails from different members of the clergy and chancery staff advising him that Archbishop Hon desired his presence at today’s press conference, called by Hon for 10 AM at the Agana Cathedral. 

Tim replied to each message: “Why does he want me there and what is he going to say?”

DEAR MR. GET-TO-IT

Mr. GET-TO-IT challenged me to publish his lengthy comment. Of course he didn't need to challenge me at all. The comments are open and are immediately published upon submission. But to make sure he knew I published his comment I also published it as a post. One person has already replied at length, but I wanted to take the time to address his questions, since he raises some good ones.

Tim - Then let's get to it. If you know something then stop the speculation and come out with it, otherwise stop stringing us alone like somebodies fools. I am in the Neo and I have seen all that you have written. Although I don't necessarily agree with you, you at least lay out your facts so people can judge. But is it so irresponsible to string this out and allow all kinds of other neer do wells to comment on things they know absolutely nothing about.

I am not sure what it is that I am stringing out. I have been fairly consistent from the beginning that the central issue as regards the NCW is the decision by its leadership not to comply with Rome in the manner of distributing Holy Communion.  In fact GET-TO-IT's comment is made on the post THE CENTRAL ISSUE where I thoroughly clarify what the central issue is and after the post AND YOU WONDER WHY PEOPLE ARE MAD where I thoroughly document this decision not to comply. 

AS EXPECTED

As expected, because there is no refuting the facts I lay out, opponents have taken to personal attacks on me and my motives. The typical theme they choose is traditionalists against the NCW. This is some serious grasping. You will not see anywhere in this discussion any encouragement to become a traditionalist, whatever that is. 

I certainly have encouraged people to find another parish if they can no longer worship in peace and good conscience at the one they attend. I have not recommended any other parish in particular. 

According to my opponents, my aim here is to rid the island of the NCW. If that was my aim, I would not have kept quiet all these years. I had the evidence in hand - as documented - from 2006 onward. I had little care to use it and really could care less if the NCW did not follow their norms. As stated on several occasions, it didn't affect me. Guam had bigger problems in my estimation, and my record on addressing those bigger problems stands on its own. 

The reason the conversation has moved from Fr. Paul to the NCW is easy to understand. Everyone knows the Archbishop's agenda. It was only a matter of time before Fr. Paul would be in the firing line. He is the pastor of the largest parish on the island and has resisted the establishment of the NCW in his parish for several years. Fr. Paul knew this was coming. Everyone knew this was coming. And come it did. The Fr. Paul affair is just a microcosm of the larger war that has been going on for over a decade. 

I am in possession of several documents relative to the Fr. Paul affair but have refrained from posting them in order to allow the case to go to Rome where it will be reviewed by the Congregation for the Clergy. From the looks of it, it doesn't look good for the Archbishop, and the appeal even goes so far as to posit the possibility of ulterior motives in the firing of Fr. Paul. Well, we all know what those are, don't we. 

The real question the NCW needs to be asking is not about my motives but "Why have we not conformed to our own statute?" Perhaps the Archbishop has the answer. Ask him. 

YOUR EMINENCE. MY SECOND LETTER TO THE GRAND MASTER.

Following is my second letter to Cardinal Edwin O'brien, Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, of which both I and Archbishop Apuron are members. 

The letter consists of a cover letter in email form and an attachment in the form of an essay. Everything is copied here. 

Bear in mind, that after receiving my two letters, the Grand Master took no action. And while he yet may, there is still no refuting the points I make. And if anyone would like to try I will produce the evidence...which is a lot uglier than my letter.

LETTER NO. 2 TO THE GRAND MASTER

Before I post my second letter to Edwin Cardinal O'Brien, Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, of which I am a member, I want to repost his letter to me, which was prompted by a visit from Archbishop Apuron in an effort to bully me into silence. Of course, the Archbishop could have just invited me to have a personal talk, but the pastoral approach is not his way, as we have seen all too often. People are bullied. I am just one. Here is the letter from Cardinal O'Brien and I will provide a link after the letter to my first reply, already posted.

Read my first reply here. The second will be published tomorrow. 

Continued at YOUR EMINENCE. MY SECOND LETTER TO THE GRAND MASTER.

A LETTER TO CARDINAL O'BRIEN FROM HOWARD

Mr Rohr: I don’t know how to get a hold of Edward Cardinal O’Brien, but I hope you can pass this message along to him.

Your Eminence, Cardinal O’Brien:

Warmest Greetings from Guam, or as they say here, Hafa Adai! I am a former resident of Baltimore living in Guam for just under two years. Having grown up in Baltimore, a classmate and lifelong friend is now a priest in Baltimore, Fr Andrew Aaron. He speaks extremely fondly of you, about your leadership, your compassion and pastoral care, and your great love for the flock entrusted to you. The people of Baltimore miss your abiding presence. This message is sent to you in the hope that you can help out the people of Guam, in your capacity as Prince of the Church.

I understand you wrote Tim Rohr a while back asking him to cease his blogs which were causing the Archbishop to appear in a bad light. However, in going through Tim Rohr’s web site myself, http://junglewatch2.blogspot.com/ , I find that what he has done is to expose a big problem here on Guam that Holy Mother Church should be concerned with. While the information revealed is painful and difficult to accept, I have found Mr Rohr’s information to be straightforward, accurate, and unbiased.

The comments added to the blog site are independent of Mr Rohr, from various people within the Archdiocese. Unfortunately, most people are afraid to reveal their identity for fear of retribution from the Neo Catechumenal Way and from the Chancery, and perhaps from neighbors as well. I do not have such fears.

It is interesting to note that very few people were courageous enough to comment back in July and August when the issues started to be revealed by Mr Rohr. However, more recently, you will note a huge increase in comments from the average Catholic in the parishes. Some support the Archbishop, and many are growing increasingly hostile to the situation here in the Archdiocese. This I do fear, especially since the Archbishop’s approach to this situation is to remain completely silent. This ongoing conflict has almost seemed to embolden him. Just recently he has changed direction in a previously stated policy of not sending diocesan priests away to missionary service outside of the Archdiocese. This timing has only added fuel to the fire, since people have been assured by His Excellency that money donated to the local seminary would not be used to train priests to be sent off-island. We ourselves are considered a mission territory by the Church.

He also recently issued a decree to restrict deacons from wearing clerical attire. While I am not sure what the policy has been in other parts of the world, this change has also sparked dismay at his timing. Many problems exist here on Guam. We are a leader in cohabitation, we are a no-fault divorce state, and our divorce rates are among the highest in the nation. Abortion is easier to obtain on Guam than any other location in the US. So many problems, and this is where the Archbishop chooses to start reform.

I do not know Archbishop Anthony S. Apuron, and have never had the pleasure to speak with him, but I have heard him at our fiesta and at other masses. He seems like a likeable type. However, if you look at some of the stinging comments being made, you will get a completely different picture of him. While some of these comments may be over-reactions or not in line with reality, many of them are undeniably true and correct. Many of His Excellency’s statements have been proven to be either misleading, or outright false. But what is most troubling is his open defiance on Catholic radio KOLG to a letter written by Cardinal Arinze (who was prefect for CDW at the time), where the Archbishop questioned what credentials Cardinal Arinze had.

I have seen the letter which you wrote to Mr Rohr. I am assuming that this letter was most likely prompted by a visit His Excellency made to Your Eminence during his visit to Rome in September. If you have not already, I encourage you to review the blog site mentioned above for yourself. If my guess is correct, you will find a vastly different picture of what is going on in Guam, versus what was first presented to you in September which prompted your letter.

Your Eminence, the real purpose of my appeal to you is to plead for you to intercede for the people of Guam. Since His Excellency is not addressing the multitudes of problems that are causing a large schism on Guam, we are hoping that Rome can send an individual or a team to Guam to explore the matter and deal with the problems where ever they may lie. We love our Church here on Guam and desperately seek help to heal it before the wound grows larger and the infection spreads.

God’s blessings in all that you do,

Howard Gunther
Tamuning, GU

TIM'S NOTE; For anyone who would like to reach Cardinal O'Brien, his email address is: gm@oessh.va

Continued at LETTER NO. 2 TO THE GRAND MASTER

MORE INFORMATION

Here's an interesting comment:

If you haven't already, check out the Wiki entry for Cardinal (Edwin) O'Brien. He appears very much to be a faithful, courageous and orthodox defender of the faith. Obviously, he has to take claims of scandalous conduct by a knight against an archbishop very seriously; and, without more information, accept the view of the archbishop and admonish the knight. So, his letter to Tim does not diminish my view of him. I just hope and pray that this situation will induce the Cardinal to more closely examine the Church on Guam. In addition to the Church being cleaved into two competing churches, there are problems that have been 25 years in the making that desperately need to be addressed.

The key line in this comment is "without more information". Well, the Cardinal was given more information, twice. And I have not been "admonished"…as apparently the Archbishop was expecting. There has only been silence from the Cardinal. Maybe it was because of the "more information"? I am holding off on posting the "more information" in my second letter. However, I am sure that the Chancery has a copy. 

Given the gravity of the Archbishop's accusations against me to the Cardinal, and given the lack of a reply, there can only be one of two conclusions: 1) The Cardinal is lax (hardly!), 2) the Cardinal sees the problem. He may still choose to kick me out of the Order, especially now that I have posted so much more. But I think he sees that all I am really trying to do is prevent the indiscriminate destruction of a priest...and maybe even a whole diocese. 

For Cardinal O'Brien's letter to me, see this post. For my first reply, go here. 

Some have asked what I want out of this...as if getting something will make me go away. I want nothing. And it's too late. But it would be nice if the Neocatechumenal Way actually conformed to its Statute and its leaders come clean about why it hasn't. If they don't, then I will. 

CHANCERY V ROHR: TWO STORIES

Cardinal Timothy Manning d. 1989

Seriously, I was about to give the blog a rest. Fr. Paul's case is going to Rome. Things will be decided there. But then I get things like this:

Tim we all need to just relax, let go and let God. You are trying to retaliate at something that has wronged you, but in the end how will you benefit from this? (See comment under this post)

And, well, I just get motivated.

No one has wronged me. This has nothing to do with me. The Archbishop's going to the Grand Master of the Equestrian Order  to bully me into silence means nothing. I was quite clear upon being invited to join the Order that I did not want to join, but would join if it would be of benefit to the priest who asked me to join. He said it would, and so I did. That's that. 

SUGGESTIONS FOR THOSE WHO DON'T LIKE THIS BLOG

First, don't come here. Every time you do you increase the page views, which in turn creates more interest.

Second, start your own blog and refute my claims. But see if you can do it by actually refuting claims rather than mere ad hominum attacks. Everything I've said is about what has been actually done or said, backed up with documentation. See if you can do the same. 

Third, stop giving me reasons to respond. You'll notice that I hardly every post something out of the blue. It's usually a response to something. Besides, responding to me gives me too much credit. I am completely powerless. I have no pulpit, no letters before or after my name. I'm just a lay person with an internet connection. And if my claims aren't true, then there's nothing to worry about. Soon no one will pay attention and I'll just go away. 

Have a nice day.

CHANCERY V ROHR: "BIBA APURON!"

Here's the kind of thing that motivates me. I actually have better things to do, but the other side just keeps taking shots. What are they thinking? That I'll back down? Sorry. I've been toughened by years of fighting with some of our nastiest senators. Here's an example of "a shot".

In today's PDN, there is a story entitled "Senator's upset by unknown fiscal windfall" which included a paragraph I thought interesting:

"Cruz, D-Piti, said knowing the local government had $20 million more than what was anticipated would have allowed senators to discuss the best use of that money. Most of it was used to pay tax refunds."

To this I replied in the comments section: "Umm, did you have a better use for it, Senator", meaning of course that the best use of any available money is to give it to the people to whom it is owed, and that it's rather amazing anyone would think otherwise. 

However, Tasi Mantanona replied to my comment on tax refunds with the following:

"A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control. Biba Apuron!"

So on a comment about tax refunds, an Apuron supporter decides to accuse me of being angry and being a fool. 

Of course, anyone who has read anything on this blog can easily see that none of what I have posted is "venting" or "angry". In fact, even this post is not an angry response. It is an amused response, just like every other response, even the one I sent to Cardinal O'Brien. 

On this blog, I have simply posted mere facts. But this is what people do when they are caught living a lie, they go "ad hominum" on you, they attack the person, the messenger, because they cannot negate nor disprove the message. 

But ATTACK AWAY, I have much more to share...much, much more. I only need a reason. And whoever is advising the Archbishop...is giving me a lot. 

TIM ROHR'S FIRST REPLY TO THE GRANDMASTER

On 10 October 13, Tim Rohr received a letter from the Office of Edwin Cardinal O'Brien, Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, of which Rohr is a member. (See the letter here.) The letter ordered Rohr to "desist from this scandalous activity", i.e. the reporting of the events surrounding Archbishop Apuron's firing of Father Paul Gofigan. Rohr sent two replies. Following is the first one.

*****

Timothy J. Rohr

PO Box 9001

Agat, Guam, 96928

timrohr.guam@gmail.com

21 October 2013

Edwin Cardinal O’Brien

Office of the Grand Master

Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem

Prot. #768/2013

Via email: Segreteria del Gran Maestro dell’OESSH: gm@oessh.va

RE: ORDER TO “DESIST IN THIS POTENTIALLY SCANDALOUS ACTIVITY”

Your Eminence:

I must confess that I am disappointed in your letter of October 10, 2013 ¹, accusing me of denouncing my Archbishop and attempting to undermine his authority. 

In addition to providing no evidence of “denouncing”, the letter is so awkwardly written that I had to seriously question whether or not you are in fact its author for it seems to have been written by someone for whom English is a second language. 

CHANCERY V ROHR: THE "GRAND MASTER" AND THE TIMELINE

Edwin Cardinal Obrien

10.10.13: Tim Rohr receives letter from Edwin Cardinal O'Brien, Grand Master  of the Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem (of which Rohr is a member) demanding that he "desist in this potentially scandalous activity" if he wishes to remain a member of the order. The "potentially scandalous activity" is Rohr's posting of the documents and events relative to the firing of Fr. Paul Gofigan as pastor of Santa Barbara Parish and Fr. Paul's subsequent actions and canonical appeal. In the letter, Rohr is accused of denouncing Archbishop Apuron and "undermining his authority". 

10.21.13: Rohr replies to the Grand Master and asks for evidence of the charge. There is no response.

11.04.13: Rohr sends another reply to the Grand Master in which he provides the background and evidence for a serious division in the Archdiocese of Agana which is the backdrop for the Gofigan firing and asks for assistance from the Grand Master. There is no response.

11.15.13: Rohr sends an email to the Grand Master giving him 24 hours to respond or he will begin to go public with his correspondence with the Grand Master. 

11.16.13: The Grand Master does not respond. Rohr posts the letter of 10 October from the Grand Master. Rohr's letters to the Grand Master are forthcoming. 

CHANCERY V GOFIGAN BECOMES CHANCERY V ROHR

AND JUST WAIT TILL YOU SEE MY RESPONSE. WILL POST SOON.

Continued at: CHANCERY V ROHR: THE "GRAND MASTER" AND THE TIMELINE