Latin class at RMS (you'll understand later)
FIRST HERE'S THE TRANSCRIPT (of this KUAM live feed)
What has led me to this decision is a very simple thing. The model of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary envisions a type of priesthood, and the producing of priests, that, frankly, while it works in places like Denver where there’s over a million Catholics or like Miami where there’s a couple million Catholics that have this type of seminary, it’s very sustainable.
But in a small island like ours, and as I look back on the history of this, as I’ve paid attention personally to the Redemptoris Mater Seminary here, the main reason for closing the seminary here is that it is not a sustainable model for the archdiocese of Agana.
I have worked with the review committee, followed up on the review committee that Archbishop Hon installed last year. I’ve consulted with our presbyteral council, with our finance council, the college of consultors, everybody I could consult with, the seminary senior officers, and this has been my determination.
The current semester that is underway will be the final semester of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary. The semester ends in the first couple of weeks in December. So certainly by the end of the year, the seminary will be officially closed.
In that connection, in the coming weeks, I will establish a transition team to deal with important points of closing the seminary.
