SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT. REALLY STRAIGHT.

Note: In the spirit of the recent Apostolic Visit and the pursuit of "reconciliation" I am not going to use the words lie or liar. I will simply present the facts.

In today's U Matuna, with the Apostolic Visit hardly over, the chancery has set forth a front page article entitled "Setting the record straight: Redemptoris Mater Seminary." The article reprints the chancery's responses to questions posed by KUAM news. The questions were initiated over the recent discovery of a Deed Restriction and a DECREE OF DESIGNATION, restricting the the use of the former Accion Hotel property solely for the "perpetual use" by RMS.

Let us review each question and answer in detail:

1. Is it true the Archbishop Apuron made a declaration of deed for the Redemptoris Mater Seminary against the advice of the Finance Council in 2011? 

ANSWER. No, things are the other way around. The previous Archdiocesan Finance Council wanted to alienate the property where the Seminary and the Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores Catholic Theological Institute are hosted. The Finance Council at that time in fact had the intention to sell the property to cover the debt incurred by the Cathedral and the Catholic Cemeteries.

BECAUSE GIUSEPPE SAID

I don't know exactly how this will play out, but given the absence of an immediately condemnable crime, Archbishop Apuron will probably be given a list of things to do to show good faith on his part for an attempt at reconciliation - as the Apostolic Visit was said to have as its objective.

My guess is that there will be an attempt at making up with the lesser level "offenders", e.g. Fr. Efren, Deacon Steve, etc., but we probably won't see any attempt at reconciliation with Fr. Paul or Msgr. James. 

That's too bad. Anything less than restoring Fr. Paul and Msgr. James to their positions constitutes a reconciliation charade. 

Here's why.

THIS WILL RING YOUR BELL

Mary Lou Garcia-PeredaJanuary 10, 2015 at 11:35 AM...They might also consider ways to promote awareness of and belief in The Real Presence of Our Lord in the Eucharist. One simple way is to restore the use of the bells at the Elevation of the Host and Chalice during the Consecration. I once asked a priest why the bells were no longer used and was told "We don't want people to think one part of the Mass is more important than the other parts." Guess what? That part of the Mass when Jesus become Truly Present on the altar IS more important! Fool that I was, I accepted the word of that priest.

OF COURSE THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS, RARE ONES.

A COURSE OF ACTION...YOURS!

I cannot tell you what was discussed at my meeting with the Vatican Visitors without compromising their course of action. But I can tell you that there will be a course of action. Frenchie pretty much outlines it in the following comment:

WHY THE RESUME?

A couple of posts ago, I posted my "Catholic credentials". There was no intention to defend myself. Earlier that day I received a call from "the visitors" asking to see me. I accepted the invitation. 

I was advised by a friend to let them know who I was ahead of time. For, though they may know my blog and thus know what I think, they didn't know who I was. So I told them ahead of time. And I told you too. 

This morning I met with "the visitors". I thanked them for the opportunity. All I can say is that they have a job to do, and so do we. Personally, I shall remain vigilant. 

Good night...at least for a few hours. 

IT'S NOT A HAPPY TIME

Today's prayer event at the clergy meeting at St. Anthony's church.

UPDATE ON PRAYERS AT THE SPIRITUAL CENTER

A group of laity met today at St. Anthony Church to pray during the clergy meeting with the apostolic visitors in the Spiritual Center. Here's what happened at the end. 

Received this from an attendee:

UNBELIEVABLE! To avoid the group gathered outside the St. Anthony Spiritual Center, they had the delegates leave by an alternate route. We've been prayerful and respectful. Btw - if you go to Dwayne Santos's FB page, you'll see AAA running out the back door. In a previous comment, we were so scary with our umbrellas and rosaries. WHY are they going to such lengths to avoid us? 

A BISHOP WHO CONSTANTLY LIES TO US

My response to today's story in the Pacific Daily News: 

Archdiocese: Apuron in full control of Accion property

http://www.guampdn.com/article/20150109/NEWS01/301090003/Archdiocese-Apuron-full-control-Accion-property

If Apuron is "in full control of Accion property" then why would the archdiocesan legal counsel, Atty. Ed Terlaje opine as follows:

As you well know, “alienation” and “assignment” are words of distinction without a difference. Any documents containing these words would place a huge cloud on title to real property which would result in a protracted litigation and prohibitive cost to remove such cloud. Do you really want to risk title to the property conservatively valued at 75 million dollars? - email from Atty. Edward Terlaje to Richard Untalan and the finance councill, 11/27/2011 https://www.scribd.com/doc/252072351/Terlaje-Email

MY RESUME

1987. Arrived on Guam. Came to Guam as a school teacher.

1987 to present. Contributing as a minister of music at Sunday Mass.

1987 to present. Contributed many articles and letters to local papers upholding and defending the Catholic faith as well as many appearances on TV and radio. 

1998 - 2000. Wrote a weekly column (View from the Pew) for the Pacific Voice, the newspaper for the Archdiocese of Agana.

2003. Helped cofound the local Catholic Evidence Guild to help stem the tide of Catholics departing from the faith. 

2004. Cofounded Veritas Books to make Catholic books available to the Catholics of Guam, visiting churches every Sunday and making the books available for purchase after Masses. 

READ IT FOR YOURSELF

Here are Fr. Adrian Cristobal's written answers to KUAM's questions. When I get time I will take apart everyone of them and show that they are either the most incredible LIES or .... well I don't know what else to call them.

(If you cannot view the document below, go here to view a full copy online or download a copy.)

LOVE THIS!

AnonymousJanuary 8, 2015 at 5:13 PM

Tim your part of the financial problem. The Archbishop is being father and merciful. If he expose you with you financial involvement on how much you gotten paid, you would jump off the cliff.

Of course you gotta love the attempt at the English language. But let's do this again (since I did this before). I was on salary with the CB Gift Shop from late 2009 to the end of 2013. Below are my W-2's for 2012 and 2013. My salary was always the same. There were no raises. People who visited the Gift Shop during that period can verify that I was there and I was working...a lot! Oh, and also bear in mind that my wife and I have 11 children to feed, clothe, house, and educate.

JUST FOR FUN. ROTFL!

But anyway, a few facts. I know facts are troubling things for the Diana's, but:

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE NEOCATECHUMENAL WAY?

Answer: Prior to June 2008, many things. After June 2008, nothing.

Why June 2008?

In June 2008, the Statute of the Neocatechumenal Way (NCW) received final approval. 

The Statute of the NCW is its charter, it's "birth certificate". Like any legally constituted association, that association only legitimately exists when it is in compliance with its charter. Outside the charter, it ceases to exist, either ipso facto or or by a formal sentence.

Prior to to the promulgation of its final charter, the NCW, like many associations within the church, operated at will and with the permission of this or that bishop or pastor. This is also how most religious orders start. 

LOL, ADRIAN!

...and just in time for the former AFC's meeting with the Visitators tomorrow. Did you forget that the AFC actually has the minutes of their meetings and can prove that you are lying? And, incredible, you actually submitted your comments in writing to KUAM!! Haven't you guys learned yet not to write anything? Now the former AFC actually has absolute documentation of your lies. Absolute! And you want to be the next bishop????

Archdiocese disputes claims about seminary's ownership

http://www.kuam.com/global/story.asp?s=27778683

DEAR VISITORS...

...in case you are wondering where I get all my information. 

Archbishop Apuron wants you to think that Msgr. James is behind this blog. He wants you to think that Msgr. James is behind everything. He wants you to think that because there is no one on this island who he fears more. 

He fears Msgr. James for one reason:

BECAUSE PEOPLE LIKE MSGR. JAMES AND THEY DON'T LIKE HIM!

GOTTA LOVE THESE COWARDS. LOL.

1. 
   
   AnonymousJanuary 7, 2015 at 3:16 PM

   Tim, you destroyed Guam! How can you live with yourself and go against the Church? You and your followers have nothing else to do but add more to the burning pit. Let the clergy handle their problems. Not you or anyone else. Its none of your business, but what can I say. You get paid to keep this blog full of drama.

   ReplyDelete
   
   

   
   

SEMINARY-GATE. A PRIMER.

It appears we all need a short course as to what the problem is with Archbishop Apuron's Deed Restriction of the Yona Property. 

In the world of real estate, ownership and control can be two very different things. 

It doesn't matter if a person owns a lot, if the use of the lot is not in the owner's control, then that lot is of no value to the owner. 

The Deed Restriction gives the Redemptoris Mater Seminary (RMS) control of the Yona Property forever (perpetual use).

LATEST MEDIA STORIES ON THE ARCHDIOCESE'S PROBLEMS

Jan 07, 2015 PACIFIC DAILY NEWS
Catholics appeal to Vatican group
A prayer walk scheduled for this afternoon, a prayer vigil on Friday and a third public prayer gathering, also on Friday, are being organized as part of a grassroots effort to send messages to a visiting delegation of Vatican representatives.

Jan 07, 2015 MARIANAS VARIETY
Concerned Catholics will meet with Vatican delegation
CONCERNED Catholics of Guam confirmed that the group will be meeting with visiting Archbishop Savio Hon Tai-Fai, Archbishop Martin Krebs and Rev. Tadeusz Nowak while the three Catholic church officials are on island for the week.

AN ATHEIST IN SUPPORT OF GUAM’S CATHOLICS

AnonymousJanuary 7, 2015 at 9:30 AM

I was born and raised on Guam. I am Chamorro, a former Catholic, and now an atheist. It is never my intention to push my beliefs or lack thereof on anyone. I am writing this post because although my religious beliefs have changed, my respect for my fellow islanders has not.

I didn’t leave the church while I was living on Guam. So it had nothing to do with anything lacking within the archdiocese at the time. Although I should add that I was always disgusted whenever I saw Apuron because he seemed like a show-off. He was all about grabbing attention for himself anywhere and all the time. I’m adding this detail so no one tries to tie my leaving with their opinion of the diocese. I actually left the church years after I moved away.

MAKE NO MISTAKE. THEY WILL ATTACK.

Archbishop Apuron and his fellow bullies on the hill know they are backed into a corner. And make no mistake, like all bullies, once they are cornered, they are going to throw every bit of trash they can at the nearest possible target.

And that target, for reasons already explained, has always been Msgr. James Benavente. They have always feared him most, and hated him to boot. 

I don't know anything about Msgr. Benavente's management of the cemeteries or the Cathedral, or anything else about his management dealings for that matter other than what has been said in the press from both sides (and it is sad that it even went to the press). But I do know that HE HAS NOT DESTROYED PEOPLE the way Archbishop Apuron has for 30 years. 

DEAR VISITORS...

I know you're busy, but there are some things you should know about our island, or what has become of our island under Archbishop Apuron's reign of neglect (and terror) that you probably wouldn't know otherwise if I didn't post it here.

ON THE DEFINITION OF "DECREE" AND A POSSIBLE SUIT

Dear Apostolic Visitors:

We realize you will not be able to assist us directly in a civil challenge of Archbishop Apuron's assignment of the Yona Property to RMS, but we hope you can convince him to reverse it before this matter becomes a civil suit. 

Here, though, is a concern involving the Church: the use of the term DECREE when in fact there was none.

*****

Attached to Archbishop Apuron's DEED RESTRICTION relative to the perpetual use of the "Yona Property" by the Redemptoris Mater Seminary (RMS) - a seminary limited by its Articles of Incorporation to serve ONLY the formation of priests in the Neocatechumenal Way (Art. III), Archbishop Apuron attaches a DECREE OF DESIGNATION.

THE YONA PROPERTY SCANDAL - CONTINUED

aka "Seminarygate"

Relative to the legal observations in the previous post,  I want to point out the language in the first "WHEREAS" in the Decree of Designation. 

Archbishop Apuron predicates his whole Decree on RMS being the "major seminary of the Archdiocese of Agana." 

A "major seminary" is defined as a "Roman Catholic seminary giving usually the entire six years of senior college and theological training required for major orders."

It is quite obvious from its "product" (presbyters), even if it will not publish its credentials, courses, or list of faculty, that RMS is NOT a place where one goes to get "the entire six years of senior college and theological training." 

LAWYERS (?) WEIGH IN ON THE "YONA PROPERTY SCANDAL"

Note: Sorry folks from Yona, we couldn't figure out what else to call it. 

We can't call it the Seminary property scandal because it is NOT the Seminary's property. We didn't want to call it the RMS scandal because there are so many other RMS scandals that it would get confusing. Likewise, we couldn't call it the Apuron scandal. Too many of those. And we didn't want to use the "Old Accion Hotel" moniker as it would sound a Harlequin novel (but then again...). 

So we called it the Yona Property Scandal", at least for now. We needed to give it a name because we will use it as a Label to file all the posts about this story, and there may be a lot by the time we are done. 

We've been getting some interesting "legal" observations from some folks who sound like they know what they are talking about, so we will use this post to collect them. You can check back on this post for updates as we collect more of these types of observations. I will also offer some of my own.  The hyperlinked date and time stamp will take you to the original comment so you can see it in context.

Update: Yona you are spared. We will be calling this "Seminarygate" in the upcoming posts.