Better Catholics: Recent Episodes
Bishop Ryan P. Jimenez, Fr. Melvin I. Avilla, CRM, Donna Flores
Better Catholics is a project of the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa's Evangelization and Faith Formation Ministry. Through the use of popular social media, we want to create a space to articulate one's understanding of Catholic Faith, including Catholic traditions particularly in the Marianas region, and to foster a deeper relationship with God.Learn more at https://rcdck.org/ and https://www.facebook.com/dioceseofchalankanoa
Last episode, we opened our discussion on faith and described it as a theological virtue and an assent of the mind. Continuing on, Bishop Ryan, Fr. Melvin and Fr. Kenneth elaborated on that and then brought up another important aspect of faith which is the submission of the heart and will. Submission is the ability of our heart to take risks even though our mind is full of uncertainty. It is our willingness to accept the things that we know we can never fully understand. We leave room for God’s grace to come in and make sense of our realities. It is never going to be easy but the fruit of a faith-filled life is holiness, which all of us are called to be.
In this episode, Fr. Kenneth Masong sits down with Bishop Ryan Jimenez and Fr. Melvin Avilla to discuss what “faith” is. We learn that faith, along with hope and love, is one of the theological virtues according to St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:13. We also learn that faith is our response to God’s grace in order to affirm the truth that God is presenting to us.
We all journey gradually towards God. In the beginning, we were created in the image and likeness of God, and therefore are good. But our life experiences and choices have led us away. And since we are truly designed to be good our tendency therefore is to go back to God. Faith involves the ascent of our minds to recognize the existence of God and the truth that He is revealing to us.
A couple of months ago, we were privileged with a pastoral visit from the Prior Provincial of the Order of Augustinian Recollects, Fr. Bernard Amparado, OAR. His visit is in keeping with his appointment as the new head of their congregation, particularly the Province of St. Ezekiel Moreno.
The OAR’s presence here in our diocese, particularly in the island of Rota, is significant because historical records will show that this is not the first time that the Order has established a community here as they have been assigned as missionaries in our islands back in 1769.
As missionary priests, the Recollects go where there is a need and serve the Church accordingly - may it be through parish administration or evangelization in a school setting. Furthermore, they are called to a life that is austere, monastic, and prayerful.
Let us continue to pray for our OAR priests in Rota, all the other priests and religious men and women serving our diocese, as well as for increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
Formally known as El Shaddai DWXI Prayer Partners Fellowship International, El Shaddai is a Catholic charismatic renewal movement based in the Philippines. It counts up to 8 million members in the country alone, with an additional 2 to 3 million members among the Filipino diaspora across the globe.
The El Shaddai community here in the CNMI was recognized by the Manila central office back in 1994, and then by the late Bishop Tomas Camacho as a diocesan association of the faithful in 1998. Most of the members are Filipino contract workers. But membership is not exclusive to just Filipinos as everyone is invited to join and participate.
Throughout the years, our diocese has been blessed with the ministry of El Shaddai members particularly in their service as Eucharistic ministers and choir members. They are most visible at San Antonio Parish and Mt. Carmel Cathedral.
Experience the power and glory of God through the community’s different kind of worship by joining their prayer service every Sunday, 4:00 P.M. at San Antonio Church.
Karidat is the social services arm of the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa. It serves the people of the CNMI by providing youth and family counseling, emergency food and shelter assistance, hotline and advocacy services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking, among others. Formerly known as Northern Marianas Catholic Social Services it was founded in May 1980 by the late Bishop Tomas A. Camacho along with nine other like-minded individuals.
The ministry work of Karidat is indeed difficult but at the same time transformative. It impacts the life of both giver and recipient of good deeds. In the Bible, the word charity is used not only to indicate giving but more about being compassionate and loving to our fellow human beings. James 2:14-26 shows us that our faith should always be accompanied by action as faith by itself is not sufficient.
Social work needs people who are passionate about helping and this is what is so evident in the many dedicated volunteers, staff, partners and donors of Karidat. We thank them because through them we see good examples of someone who strives to become true followers of Jesus Christ. Please consider sharing your talents and blessings to our less fortunate brothers and sisters. Help Karidat and the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa bring hope and aid to those truly in need.
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The Neocatechumenal Way is an itinerary of Christian formation within the Catholic Church. It was formed in Madrid, Spain in 1964 by Kiko Arguello and Carmen Hernandez. The Way is presently active in 134 countries including here in the CNMI.
How does The Neocatechumenal Way contribute to the spiritual growth of a person? How does it help the Catholic Church in any way?
Our guests for this episode, Fr. Jason Granado and James H. Arriola, help explain what The Way really is and how the experience has made an impact in their lives. Both shared that they joined The Way through their parents’ influence during their teenage years. And, it is through this where Fr. Jason found the way to his priestly vocation.
The Neocatechumenal Way, as they succinctly put it, “gradually leads the faithful to intimacy with Jesus Christ and transforms them into active members in the Church and credible witnesses of the Good News”.
“Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent, the devil, is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your fellow believers throughout the world undergo the same sufferings.” (1 Peter 5:8-9)
Deliverance and exorcism are two different forms of spiritual intervention; but both are part of the Catholic Church’s ministry of healing. By default, ordained priests are granted authority to perform deliverance prayers, which is the process of freeing a person from any problem of a spiritual nature or cause through prayer in the name of Jesus. Exorcism, on the other hand, is the deliverance ministry that frees a person from demonic possession or oppression and can only be performed by a priest who was given Apostolic authority by the bishop, who is the chief exorcist in a diocese.
In this episode, Fr. Nelson introduced us to the sacramentals being used by a priest in his deliverance ministry, such as the salt, holy water, etc. It is important to note that blessings are more for the person rather than the object.
God is more powerful than the devil, and by virtue of our baptism we share in that power by being steadfast in our faith.
“Remember always to welcome strangers, for by doing this some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” (Heb 13:2)
Our local church is a melting pot of cultures and backgrounds. Interculturality, which refers to “existence and equitable interaction of diverse cultures and the possibility of generating shared cultural expressions through dialogue and mutual respect”, is an aspiration. Let us continue our work together in fostering a welcoming church. It is real joy to see a church united in worshipping God and serving others.
The diocesan phase of the Synod on Synodality has concluded a few months ago and after a series of dialogues with focus groups a report has been sent to the Bishop’s Conference in our region. From among all the reports of every jurisdiction in the Pacific a document will be put together for submission to Rome, who will then determine, and relay back to us, what concerns are shared in common within the region.
The fruits of said dialogue with target sectors will not only be just for that particular report but also will be used for our next diocesan pastoral plan. Our current one is about to conclude this year and so the outcome of the consultations will be helpful in crafting the next plan starting next year. Hence, it is really important for the local church to hear from its people so that plans can be made that would hopefully address their concerns.
The listening process truly never stops, and all voices are welcome. Have you participated yet?
CCD is our religious education program for the children not attending Mount Carmel School. It stands for Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. All parishes in our diocese offer religion classes for children ages 7 & up in preparation for the reception of the Sacraments of Initiation (i.e., First Holy Communion and Confirmation). Catechetical school year will begin on September 18, 2022. If you have children belonging to this age group you may contact your pastor or parish CCD coordinator for more information about registration.
Our current CCD program is far from perfect, but we continue to evolve to address the needs of our children. Some of the challenges include expanding the program to include those students with special needs, adjusting teaching methodology to accommodate those students with different learning styles, as well as working with the parish Youth Ministries in ensuring that those students who are in-between sacraments (after Holy Communion but before Confirmation) and post-Confirmation are given opportunities to stay connected with their faith. We are certainly open for collaboration with those who can provide help to improve the program.
We live such busy lives that we sometime take for granted our health and wellness - may it be physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. Taking care of ourselves is very important and so we need to know how to strike a balance and incorporate activities that will enhance our well-being.
As part of its Family Life ministry, the diocese established a health ministry team to take on health issues concerning its parishioners. After all, one of the important missions of the clergy is the ministry to the sick in the hospital and in the homes. However, the diocese believes that ministry to the sick must also include prevention and therefore, it means to be pro-active in raising awareness to a healthy lifestyle.
The leading causes of death in the CNMI are non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and cancer. Food is very much a part of our religious culture evidenced by the abundance of it during fiestas, funerals and other gatherings. In itself, this is good but any excess coupled by the lack of awareness of healthy and active lifestyle can lead to serious health complications. To help address that the diocese issued policies and guidelines back in 2017 promoting the need to incorporate healthy food choices in every parish gathering as well as organizing some sort of physical activities for its parishioners. Let us all try to do our part by observing such policies and participate in such activities.
Take good care of our bodies and maintain a balanced lifestyle to enjoy a beautiful life fit for the Kingdom of God.
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Diocese of Chalan Kanoa Health Ministry Policy:
https://rcdck.org/diocese-of-chalan-kanoa-health-ministry-policies/
The Diocese of Chalan Kanoa Youth Ministry is planning to hold a gathering in Tinian this coming September 3-5, 2022. In line with Pope Francis’ call for a Synodal Church, this year’s event aims to gather young people in the CNMI for a few days of listening and dialogue, mixed-in with celebration of Sacraments and many fun-filled physical activities.
This year’s event is going to be a combination of camp and sportsfest. We used to hold these two activities separately in the past but the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on large public gatherings prompted us to temporarily suspend them in 2020. In 2021, a youth gathering on a smaller scale was held here in Saipan. Now, as the community continue to successfully manage the risks associated with the pandemic, and calling to mind Pope Francis’ mission, we plan to expand this year’s event and open it up not only to those already active in the church but also to all other young people in the community. And for the first time, we will welcome participants from the island of Rota.
The diocese aspires to inspire the community, particularly the youth, to live healthier lifestyles – physically, mentally, and most importantly spiritually. We envision this event, and with all the activities lined-up over this 3-day weekend, to tick all the marks and help provide the motivation they need.
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam
This is the motto of the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, and it literally means “For the greater glory of God”. It encourages us to live a life where everything that we do should always be for His greater glory.
The Society of Jesus was founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola and his companions in 1540. Their three main pillars are Spirituality, Education, and Mission. One of the most popular and widely practiced spiritual paths in the Catholic tradition is the Ignatian Spirituality which encourages us to find God in all things. The Jesuits are also very much well-known in the field of education as well as for their missionary works all over the world. Learn more about these from our discussion with Fr. Edward Quinnan S.J., our special guest for this episode. He is the superior of the Jesuits in Fiji and Micronesia.
How has the Jesuits made an impact in your life? Contact us if you are you interested in joining the spiritual exercises conducted by the Jesuits every Monday evening at Mt. Carmel Cathedral or the retreats planned this summer.
“Mount Carmel School educates the whole person to see with Christ’s eyes.”
Currently the only remaining Catholic school in the CNMI, Mount Carmel School (MCS) is not only interested in producing successful alumni but more so about forming well-rounded individuals rooted within the Catholic faith. This is well articulated in the school’s written mission statement and concretized by the works of its many Alumknights serving the church and community. The value of Catholic education is the emphasis it gives on prayer, values, service and community, all of which are what MCS strives to provide to its students.
MCS continues to be strong in spite of the many challenges it has faced over the past few years. It has successfully adapted to the needs of the students during this time of pandemic to ensure their health and safety. Innovations are planned this coming new school year to further address the health and wellness of the students while continuing to provide good quality education to them.
Classes will begin on August 10, 2022. Those who are interested in enrolling their kids at MCS can contact their business office at (670) 235-1251 or (670) 234-6184. Everyone is welcome to join the Mount Carmel School family!
Fr. Nelson Plohimon, OAR arrived in the CNMI last December 11, 2021 and immediately the following day he flew to the island of Rota to start his mission to serve the parishioners of San Isidro Labrador and San Francisco de Borja, together with his brother priests in the OAR community.
The Order of Augustinian Recollects (OAR) was founded in 1588 in Spain. Known as a mendicant Catholic religious order, the OAR follows the Rule of St. Augustine. Being mendicant means trusting the grace of God through the generosity of his people. As the order succinctly puts it, “Our desire is to follow Christ poor, needing little and having the goods in common, living with austerity, caring more for the common than for what is proper, and always thanking the Lord for his gifts, which we share with the poor and needy.”
This episode, similar to those we already did with the Adorno Fathers and Pastorelle Sisters and soon with the Jesuits, hopes to inspire our people, particularly the young, to consider the life of a religious or to just simply be better Catholics.
What makes a religious sister joyful? How is their daily life like? Why is their presence in the parishes important especially on how it speaks about the role of women in the church?
Sr. Cynthia Angalot, SJBP joined us for a conversation in this episode. She belongs to the Sisters of Jesus the Good Shepherd or most commonly known as the Pastorelle Sisters. The congregation was founded by Blessed James Alberione on October 7, 1938 and their charism consists in sharing the pastoral mission of Christ, collaborating with the pastors in building up the Christian community. With a current membership of more than 500 the Pastorelle Sisters are present in 19 countries scattered over 5 continents. Our diocese is very fortunate and very grateful to have them since 2002, i.e., two decades of service in our community. We pray for their continuous help and presence here in our beloved diocese.
The Order of Deacons is part of the hierarchy of the Catholic Church and an integral part of the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Deacons has three essential functions: the proclamation of the Gospel, the service of the liturgy, and the administration of charitable works. Permanent deacons are especially helpful in missionary areas where a shortage of priests existed, much like here in our own diocese.
We currently have five deacons serving our diocese who celebrated their 4th year of ordination last April 2022. In a few more years we are hoping to add more with the ordination of our current candidates. The program is certainly open to welcome anyone who wishes to join and serve the faithful.
How addicted are you to social media? Likes, follows, and emojis are jargons that are so ingrained in our daily speech because of the rise of social media. Almost everyone nowadays is either on their phones or tablets all the time connecting to friends or families, playing games, posting or commenting on their favorite platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, Twitter, TikTok, etc. This is the new reality and we have adapted to it very well.
Like many things, the popularity of social media brings with it many positives and negatives in our lives. We highly encourage you to join our panel in their discussion. How has social media become beneficial to you? In what way has it been detrimental? What do you think is its future? How can the church use it to fulfill its mission?
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Founded in 1850 in France, the Confraternity of Christian Mothers help combat the forces undermining family life through prayer and works of charity. This is true even more so in today’s world where a lot of factors contribute to the deterioration of a family unit or a person’s faith. We need an abundance of Grace to keep up the good fight to run the good race.
The confraternity was brought over to the CNMI by the Capuchin Franciscans way back in the late 1940’s. Official records show that the confraternity was established in Rota in 1948, then Tinian and Saipan followed soon afterwards. The CNMI confraternity belongs to the Archconfraternity in Pittsburgh.
The main role taken on by the members is that of being a Catechist. Teaching our Catholic Faith to the children is very important and is taken on very seriously. A lot of its members are active catechists in all the parishes under the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa. But their work does not stop there as they also do home visits, volunteer works in the churches in various capacities, meet for prayers and adorations, among many other works. Mentoring to young mothers of today is likewise being done.
Everyone is welcome to join particularly those seeking to grow spiritually. Be a member and benefit from the guidance and camaraderie provided by the group. Visit or call your pastor today!
Our diocese is blessed to have priests belonging to the Order of Clerics Regular Minor (Adorno Fathers) helping us in our missionary work of spreading the Good News in our islands. Founded by Saint Francis Caracciolo, Venerable Augustine Adorno, and Father Fabrizio Caracciolo in the 16th century, the order professes the vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and humility by not seeking Ecclesiastical Dignities.
This episode with Fr. Jason Caganap, CRM gives us a glimpse of the rich history of this religious order of priests and brothers, their charism, their missions, and apostolates. Let us give them our warmest welcome and full support in their various ministries.
Lent is a time in the church liturgical calendar when we focus on growing closer to God. Over a period of 40 days, we pray more, do acts of penance, and share our blessings to others. It is the time when even those who are not very active in the church in other times of the year are often seen attending daily Masses for instance, preparing themselves, like the rest of the faithful, to celebrate the Lord’s resurrection on Easter Sunday.
Catholics in the CNMI observe many beautiful practices during the Lenten season that are distinct. In this episode we mentioned some of those local traditions - some forgotten and some still in practice. What are other customs that you, your family, or your parish observe?
The Catholic Church has a very beautiful program known as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). For most of us cradle Catholics this is something foreign because we are born in the faith. But for the unbaptized or those baptized in a different Christian belief this is a process that they have to go through to become full, participating members of the Catholic Church.
In this program the participants known as catechumens nurture their relationship with God, profess their faith in Jesus, study the Gospel, and familiarize themselves with the teachings and practices of the Catholic Church. At the end of the program catechumens receive the Sacraments of Initiation, namely: Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Communion during the Easter Vigil. But note that the process does not end there because as now being full-pledged Catholics their work of spiritual enrichment continues just like for those born and raised in the Catholic faith.
This coming Easter let us all joyfully welcome our new brothers and sisters in Christ. And for those discerning to be part of the Catholic faith please feel free to approach any of your pastors or the diocesan RCIA team to get more information or start the process.
How important is youth ministry in our parishes?
The Church is not exclusive to adults. The younger generations are as much a part of the Body of Christ as the older ones. However, it is certainly true that youth engagements in the church is shrinking. Imagine how the church would look like in the future if this trend continues. Our diocese is cognizant of the importance of ministering to these young people hence it was included as a priority ministry in the last pastoral plan. Admittedly, more can still be done to encourage them to be active members. Perhaps through more activities that will capture their interests or acknowledging their gifts as the young people certainly have unique perspective and talents to offer.
As we slowly emerge from this pandemic expect more activities by and for our youth either in the parish or diocesan levels. Let us all give our full support to them to foster a more vibrant church in the CNMI.
What makes a great vocation?
Everyone has a calling in life. One may be called to the religious life, or the married life, or the single life. Occupation-wise, one may be a doctor, lawyer, teacher, cleaner, carpenter, cashier, or any other occupation. Would you equate having fame, fortune, or influence to having a great vocation? Or, is it when you find happiness and meaning in what you are doing, and being a source of life and light to others?
Finding one’s calling is directly related to the discovery of one’s God-given skills and talents, honing them, and then using them for the greater glory of God and the service of others.
Is God calling you?
The universal church is experiencing a lack of vocation to the priesthood and religious life. Several factors do contribute to this sad reality including the rise of secular Catholicism, scandals, weak modeling to the youth by priests and religious, among many other distractions and considerations. People, today, have many reasons why not to answer a call from God. But are they good ones?
Priesthood is such a beautiful vocation. If God is calling it doesn’t matter who you are or what you’ve done. All that matters is that you have the courage to say “Yes”.
What is collection money used for?
According to Canon Law, “The Christian faithful are obliged to assist with the needs of the Church so that the Church has what is necessary for divine worship, for the works of the apostolate and of charity, and for the decent support of ministers.” (Canon 222 §1)
But with this obligation imposed on the faithful comes the need for the church to practice responsible stewardship. The church, as a good steward, takes care of the limited resources it receives and ensures that they are spent responsibly, are put into best use that benefits the faithful, and are fully accounted.
This episode hopes to address valid concerns that many may have about church finances.
What does social action of the church look like?
Let Sr. Martha Ramarui, MMB share with you some of her experiences ministering to those in need in the CNMI. Notice the passion she has for this church ministry and feel the joy that it gives to her, even after more than 43 years of service to the community. She, and her fellow Mercedarian Sisters, embody the true meaning of how to be a disciple of Christ.
“…Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Mat 25:40)
But, really, the church’s role in terms of social action is 2-pronged: Advocacy and Direct Service. The first is practiced through preaching and evangelization while the second one is done just like how Sr. Martha does it – by reaching out to the people in our community. Social action response need not be an organized and advertised event. We just have to be aware of the many opportunities for giving and then act on it. As Sr. Martha succinctly puts it: “Occasions (to give) come. You just have to be alert, open your eyes, your heart, and allow your feelings to lead you.”
St. Paul referenced the Church as the “body of Christ” in several of his Epistles.
“For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another.” (Rom 12:4)
“As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ.” (1 Cor 12:12)
Therefore, it is through this perspective that our local church has decided to collaborate with the local government and health leaders to help achieve a safer CNMI. As part of a collective, we are all interconnected and must work together towards a common goal. We deem it is an act of love on our part to look out for the health and safety of our neighbors.
Pope Francis announced that a Synod of Bishops will convene at the Vatican in 2023. Its theme will be “For a synodal Church: communion, participation and mission”. In preparation for this gathering, he had asked each diocese around the world to listen to the voices of its people including those who are marginalized or may have fallen away from the Church. The Diocese of Chalan Kanoa launched its Diocesan Synod on Synodality last December 8, 2021 to start its two-year process of listening and dialogue with each and every Catholic in the CNMI. On this episode, the panel introduces this new concept to our listeners. Over the next year we hope to release follow-up videos that will delve deeper into this process leading to a better understanding and participation by everyone.
“Why are we doing a podcast?”
Similar to other dioceses all around the world, our church here in Chalan Kanoa certainly faces many challenges in terms of faith formation in general. Recognizing these challenges, and desiring to attempt to provide a catalyst that could address them, we created this podcast project. The discussion on this episode touched, albeit tangentially, on some of these challenges. We hope that over time, as we put out more episodes, we will be able to provide insights about our beautiful Catholic faith and traditions towards us becoming Better Catholics.