Byrnes Names Priest to Review Neocatechumenal Way

By Haidee V Eugenio
Pacific Daily News
April 27, 2017

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2017/04/27/byrnes-names-priest-review-neocatechumenal-way/100965976/

The Rev. Fr. Danilo "Danny" Ferrandiz.

Archbishop Michael Jude Byrnes appointed the Rev. Danilo “Danny” Ferrandiz to, among other things, review the Neocatechumenal Way’s basic pastoral theology principles or teachings.

In an official aviso, Byrnes said Ferrandiz’s appointment as delegate to the Neocatechumenal Way in the Archdiocese of Agana is effective April 7.

The Neocatechumenal Way is a movement within the Catholic church whose practices sometimes are at odds with those of Guam's traditional Catholic community.

Ferrandiz is parochial administrator at Santa Bernadita Chapel in Agafa Gumas in Yigo, the Archdiocese of Agana's website says. Calls and emails to Ferrandiz were not returned as of press time Thursday.

His appointment comes about a month after Byrnes issued a pastoral letter, asking the Neocatechumenal Way to put a one-year pause on the formation of its new communities, and to celebrate Mass in accordance with the Catholic Church’s general instructions and norms.

For example, that means celebrating Mass at a consecrated altar and consuming the Eucharist as soon as the person receives it.

Byrnes, in the March 15 pastoral letter, said he would appoint a priest delegate to review the Neocatechumenal Way’s Catechetical Directory, which is the basic pastoral theology principles or teachings. The priest delegate will also help Byrnes discern the effects of the archdiocese’s efforts, and ensure the group's catechists are sufficiently formed and certified.

David Sablan, president of Concerned Catholics of Guam, said Thursday Ferrandiz has a crucial task in observing and reporting back to Byrnes if the Neocatechumenal Way is following the letter and spirit of the archbishop's pastoral letter.

"Most importantly, (Father) Dan must observe to make sure their teachings are not heresy. If they are, then the Neocatechumenal Way is not Catholic,” Sablan said in an email. “To start the process of review of their teachings, I believe he should obtain all volumes of their Catechetical Directory and review the precepts of what they are teaching their followers to make sure they are in conformance with the Magisterium of the one true Catholic Church. He should attend their weekly meetings and observe how their catechists teach our faith to their members, and report back to the archbishop.”

Byrnes has acknowledged a growing sense of distress about the growing number of small communities in some of the parishes, and about differences in the way Mass is celebrated among the small communities.

In this October 2016 file photo, Dr. Ricardo Eusebio of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary board of directors, left, defends the seminary, which is operated by the Neocatechumenal Way, during a press conference in Yona."The Neocatechumenal Way will always be. God will pave the way," he said. (Photo: PDN file photo)

He said his pastoral letter seeks to unify the Catholic Church, and also recognizes the good the Neocatechumenal Way has brought to many people’s lives on Guam and elsewhere.

Sablan said there is no distinction between the members of the Neocatechumenal Way and the vast majority of the Catholic faithful on Guam when it comes to worship and adoration.

“We are one Church, so it must follow that the Neocatechumenal Way members should attend the same masses as the rest of their respective parishioners; and likewise, their Sunday vigil masses on Saturday evenings should be announced so parishioners can also attend this vigil mass, which must be celebrated at a consecrated altar and according to the General Instructions of the Roman Missal,” he said.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to state that Ferrandiz is parochial administrator of Santa Bernadita Chapel. An earlier version misstated the chapel's name.

Contact: heugenio@guampdn.com