Catholic group plans to stake out seminary, conduct head count

By Haidee V Eugenio
Pacific Daily News
August 28, 2017

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2017/08/28/catholic-group-plans-stake-out-seminary-conduct-head-count/607052001/

A tour of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Yona on Oct. 13, 2016, reveals hotel-style accommodations and views, combined with facilities for worship and study.

Some island Catholics plan to spend days counting the number of people going in and out of the Neocatechumenal Way-controlled Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Yona.

The results of the head count, which the Concerned Catholics of Guam calls "Occupy RMS," will be presented to the Yona property owner, the Archdiocese of Agana.

Concerned Catholics will formally ask the archdiocese to charge the seminary residents rent for the use of the church property.

Group President David Sablan said it's unfair that Guam's 14 Catholic schools and their students are made to pay for some $2.64 million in church debts, while the Neocatechumenal Way gets free rent at the archdiocese's expense.

"As we previously stated, these RMS residents are freeloaders, but Catholic school students and parents are being assessed fees to help the archdiocese pay church debts," Sablan said.

The archdiocese's website lists at least 33 seminarians, itinerants and officers at RMS, who Sablan said are being trained to become priests or are with the Neocatechumenal Way, whose practices sometimes are at odds with the island's traditional Catholic community.

"But the archdiocese is also not sure how many people are currently at the RMS because the names on the website may not be updated," Sablan said, adding that Concerned Catholics hopes to help the archdiocese determine whether everyone staying at the Yona property has proper authorization or immigration status to be on Guam.

Sablan said the archdiocese, as owner of the property, has liability and accountability over the Yona seminary.

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, church officials said.

Concerned Catholics will be issuing a statement later as to the details of its "Occupy RMS" plan, Sablan said.

"Occupy RMS" takes after the name of the popular "Occupy Wall Street" protest movement that started in 2011 in New York City's Wall Street financial district. It has since inspired a movement against economic inequality worldwide.

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

Sablan said as of Aug. 28, Quitugua has not responded to the letter.