Concerned Catholics says Neocatechumenal Way should help pay church debts

By Haidee V Eugenio
Pacific Daily News
August 9, 2017

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2017/08/09/concerned-catholics-says-neocatechumenal-way-should-help-pay-church-debts/551386001/

The Rev. Julio Cesar Sancez Malagon, pointing, gives a tour of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Yona on Oct. 13, 2016. Photo by Mark Scott

Concerned Catholics of Guam President David Sablan said the Neocatechumenal Way should start paying rent for using the Archdiocese of Agana's Yona property.

Sablan said it is unfair that Guam's 14 Catholic schools and their students are being assessed to pay for some $2.64 million in church debts, while the Neocatechumenal Way "gets free rent" from the archdiocese.

Catholic schools will be assessed new fees of $25 per student each year to fund the operations of a Catholic education superintendent, and $144 a year per student to help the church weather its financial crisis, church officials said in previous statements. 

The new fees are not for costs associated with clergy abuse cases, church officials have said.

"I questioned why this organization is getting a free ride from the Archdiocese, and the kids in our Catholic schools are being assessed to cover part of the cost of operations of the Chancery, including 100 percent of the debt assumed by the Archdiocese from two schools," Sablan said.

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

As of press time, officials with the Neocatechumenal Way had not responded to a request for comment. 

"Here we have a group outside of our Archdiocese, taking advantage and freeloading on the generosity of our Catholic faithful. And on the other hand, our Catholic schools are being asked to come up with funds to pay for old debts of the Archdiocese; and to support the operations of the Chancery office to the tune of approximately $240,000 annually," Sablan said.

Sablan said, based on the archdiocese's website, there seem to be 31Neocatechumenal Way missionaries, seminarians and presbyters in residence, "rent-free," at the old Accion Hotel in Yona, which the archdiocese owns.

On Aug. 3, Sablan sent a letter to Redemptoris Mater Seminary vice rector Monsignor David C. Quitugua, requesting a list of those living at the Yona property.

"We need to know who are these people staying out there because we know there are others than just these NCW priest- presbyters and seminarians. The Chancery officials do not know either," Sablan said.

Archdiocesan Finance Council President Richard Untalan and other council members said the Yona property is one of 41 non-essential archdiocese assets that could be sold to help settle clergy sex abuse cases against the archdiocese.

Sablan said until the Yona property is sold, those staying there should be paying rent to the archdiocese.

"There should be an end-date to them staying there," he added.