Guam – Neocatechumenal leader receives hostile reception

The leader of the Neocatechumenal Way in the USA, Guiseppe Gennarini, was confronted by protesters when he arrived in Guam last Thursday.

The protesters were from the Concerned Catholics of Guam (CCOG) and the Laity Forward Movement (LFM).

This is the latest episode in a long running conflict which has divided Catholics in Guam.

It has been alleged that the Neocatechumenal Way has an undue influence on the Catholic church in Guam.

Gennarini has been accused of manipulating Archbishop Anthony Apuron into giving away the Redemptoris Mater Seminary, to the Neocatechumenal Way.

The Seminary is located in a building that had previously been an hotel.

Apuron claims that a deed of restriction, filed secretly with the Department of Land Management, in November 2011, did not transfer ownership and control of the seminary property.

“I think that Chamorros are very welcoming people but I think we’re also tired of being walked all over and being abused by this archbishop and this diocese,” says Vangie Lujan, a member of the Concerned Catholics of Guam.

A representative of the of the Neocatechumenal Way, Fr. Edivaldo da Silva Olivera claimed that the protesters represented less than one percent of the Catholics on Guam.

“They do not represent the Catholics, the ones who are here, very few, of course, few people make noise but we are not disturbed by it,” he said.

Edivaldo, who comes from Brazil, is Pastor of Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buen Viaje [Our Lady of Peace and Safe Journey] Catholic Church in Chalan Pago.

He is also a Professor of Theology at the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Yoña.

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News category: Asia Pacific.

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