Protestors turned away from seminary

By Neil Pang
Guam Daily Post
October 12, 2016

http://www.postguam.com/news/local/protestors-turned-away-from-seminary/article_ebaabd96-9051-11e6-8f03-6f8b1a7b6330.html

Seminarians turn away a member of the Laity Forward Movement during a protest at the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Yona, Wednesday, Oct. 12. Photo by Matt Weiss

Members of the Catholic lay organization the Laity Forward Movement (LFM) were turned away from the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Yona when they made a surprise visit to the property late yesterday morning.

Lou Klitzkie, who heads the group of self-described "old ladies," told the Post that their intention was to visit the property in order to see the facilities that are funded, in part, by contributions from the Catholic laity. Additionally, Klitzkie reported that a reliable source had told the group of the presence of Archbishop Anthony Apuron and Rev. Pius Sammut, formerly the secretary of the Blessed Deigo Louis de San Vitores Catholic Theological Institute, at the seminary. Klitzkie said they wanted to confront Apuron and ask him why he gave the Yona property away.

Upon arrival at the seminary property, Klitzkie and roughly a dozen LFM protestors walked up to the front doors along with media reporters and photographers. Klitzkie indicated the gate leading to the seminary was unlocked – in contrast to the scene they met last month when they attempted a similar visit.

Earlier attempts

According to Klitzkie, the group had organized a visit to the property in September. They had gone through Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai, apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Agana, and had received permission for their planned visit. When they showed up at the front gates yesterday, however, they were met with a sign indicating that no tour or visit had been approved, and that any future visits would need to be authorized by the proper authority. Klitzkie said the sign named RMS acting-rector David Quitugua as that authority.

Yesterday's denial marks the third time this year that the lay group had been turned back by RMS representatives.

Their first attempted visit, in April, resulted in RMS calling the police on grounds that the protestors were trespassing, Klitzkie said.

Klitzkie said she and the other protestors were met by a couple of unnamed RMS diaconates who answered the door upon their arrival. The protestors were asked to leave and were told that they were not welcome, Klitzkie said.

The status of the RMS property remains a highly contested issue within the archdiocese and is central to the protest group's agenda.