GUAM
KUAM
Updated: Aug 29, 2016
By Krystal Paco
While the Concerned Catholics of Guam prepares for what could be a lengthy legal takeback of the multimillion dollar Redemptoris Mater Seminary, they’re now speaking out about the validity of the seminary’s graduates.
“The Redemptoris Mater Seminary is a sham,” stated Andrew Camacho, vice president of the Concerned Catholics of Guam organization. In a press conference on Monday, the CCOG questioned not only the validity of priests being formed at the Redemptoris Mater Seminary, but also the Archdiocese of Agana’s continued investment in the institute, calling it “money down the drain.”
“RMS has produced 17 priests in the last few years. Do they serve the Catholic faithful in Guam? Seven priests serve in local parishes. Two are at RMS. Eight are not in Guam. Some are serving in other countries. The status of the others is unknown,” Camacho continued. “The cost of running the RMS is too high. Approximately $200,000 comes from the Archdiocese of Agana.”
The CCOG also alleges there are no background checks, no psychological screenings, and no records to prove seminarians are high school graduates. Instead, the CCOG states the RMS is strictly in the business of promoting Archbishop Anthony Apuron’s personal agenda – to form priests following the life and practice of the Neocatechumenal Way, not traditional diocesan priests.
According to the CCOG’s look of the curriculum and faculty, the RMS doesn’t meet standards of model seminaries stateside noting the RMS has limited faculty and teachers who aren’t qualified to teach their subject areas. Said Camacho, “This seminary should be shut down. I feel sorry for the men who have true vocations to the priesthood and have to endure the poor formation in this so-called seminary.”
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.