Guam - It's his first move but perhaps will be his boldest--newly appointed Coadjutor Archbishop Michael Jude Byrnes annihilated the Redemptoris Mater Seminary boards and reversed the highly contested deed of restriction that gave the RMS property away.

He hasn't even stepped foot on the island and already coadjutor Archbishop Michael Byrnes is cleaning house from 7,500 miles away. Today at a last minute press conference, Father Jeff San Nicolas made the stunning, but welcome announcement.

"I am pleased to announce that the Archdiocese of Agana, through Archbishop Michael Jude Byrnes and concurred by Archbishop Savio Hon, with advice and support of both the Archdiocesan Finance Council and Presbyteral Council, has acted to transfer complete and unrestricted control and possession of the Yona property back to the Archdiocese of Agaña," said San Nicolas.

The RMS property has been a source of deep division within the church. After a deed restriction effectively transferred ownership of the multimillion dollar property to the RMS board back in November 2011, controlled by the Neocatechumenal Way, many in the catholic community expressed their anger.

"Archbishop Byrnes, upon the instructions of the Holy See, has signed all legal documents and executed all due procedures. These documents have been filed and recorded with the appropriate Government of Guam agencies, to effectuate the reversion of the Yona property back to the full control and governance of the Archdiocese of Agaña," San Nicolas noted.

San Nicolas said the process by which this was unilaterally done included removal of the RMS board of directors. With their removal, Archbishop Byrnes effectively became the director, chairman, president and secretary of the board and with that authority, he abolished the board of guarantors.

"He is the sole director of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary. There are articles of incorporation. Also stated that there was a board of guarantors. This board of guarantors is a board that is from off island and their establishment had been totally abolished. So there is no longer a two-board organization, but a single board, the board of directors and there's only a single member of the baord of directors, and that is Archbishop Byrnes," explained San Nicolas.

Byrnes was just appointed to his new position on October 31, or just a little over two weeks ago.

PNC: "A couple weeks later he makes this huge, colossal move. Did he consult with anyone? Did he read the ad hoc committee report? How did he decide to just come up with this type of action? Did he meet with the RMS board? Did he discuss anything with the neocatechumenal way?"

"Basically, it was the main consultation was with Archbishop Hon, who is a representative of our holy father here on Guam to make happen, to effectuate the change that the Holy See desired," replied San Nicolas. "That in and of itself is enough reason that an archbishop might act. That's really the cause or the reason for the action being taken so quickly and so swiftly without hestitation."

So with the board of directors removed, the board of guarantors abolished, the deed of restriction reversed and the RMS property transferred back to Archdiocese control, what will happen to the Blessed Luis de San Vitores Catholic Theological Institute of Oceania and the presbyters who study there?

"I really can't speculate just right now on what that future might hold, but I can understand that there is gonna be speculation about that but I just wanna emphasize that we're moving one step at a time. The issue of the administration of the seminary is a separate matter and we haven't moved on those issue," noted San Nicolas.

You can read the full statement from San Nicolas by clicking on the file below.