New

priest for
Guam!
O
nce again Almighty
God has blessed our
Archdiocese of Agana
by giving us a another priest! On
Saturday, November 7 deacon
Pedro Luis Durango Agudelo was
ordained a presbyter by the Most
Rev. Anthony Sablan Apuron,
OFM Cap., D.D., Archbishop
of Agana at the Dulce Nombre
de Maria Cathedral-Basilica in
Agana, Guam. The Cathedral
was filled to capacity; everyone
praised God for the gift of
vocations to the priesthood.

The newly ordained Fr. Pedro

was born on August 23, 1985
in Medellin, Colombia. He is
the only child of Luis Alfonso
Durango and Maria Doris
Agudelo. He attended his
elementary and high school in
his hometown. He lost his father
very early in life. Although his
family was Catholic he did not
grow close to the church. It was
only when he was 14 years old
that he came back to the Church
through the experience of the
Neocatechumenal Way in his
home parish. A priestly vocation
however never crossed his mind;
he was actually focusing on his
high school graduation and the
possibility of studying graphic

design. Nevertheless, he always

felt a deep gratitude for the love
of God within the Church and
in his late teens he answered to
the call to the priesthood. After
two years of discernment in a
vocational group in Colombia,
he joined the Redemptoris Mater
Seminary of Medellin. Having
finished his philosophical studies
he was sent to Guam where he
arrived on January 22, 2005. As
part of his formation he spent
one year in the Holy Land, and
then three and half years as an
itinerant catechist evangelizing
in the island of Saipan and in
the Northwest of the United
States (Oregon, Washington
and Montana). He returned to
Guam to finish his studies where
he received a Bachelor's degree
in Sacred Theology from the
Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores
Catholic Theological Institute for
Oceania - an affiliated institute of
the Pontifical Lateran University
of Rome. On February 14, 2015,
he was ordained a deacon and
was assigned first to the Parish of
Nino Perdido, Asan, and then to
the Parish of San Dimas, Malesso.

Archbishop
Anthony,
formators
of the
seminary, and
seminarians
pose with
newly
ordained Fr.
Pedro right
after the
Ordination
mass

Archbishop Anthony imposes his hands on newly

ordained Fr. Pedro

Some of Fr. Pedros family members came to Guam

from Colombia to witness this momentous celebration
of his ordination to the priesthood

130 Chalan Seminariu, Yona, Guam 96915-4815, USA

Tel: 1 (671)789-2400 Fax: (671)789-2800 E-mail: srmguam@gmail.com

PAGE 1

Seminarians move forward!

NEW SEMINARIANS

n the process of their seminary formation, seminarians are instituted,

in due time, to the ministries of lector and acolyte. These ministries
known previously as minor orders precede the call to Holy Orders.
Lectors are instituted to proclaim Gods word, -except the Gospel- in
the liturgies; they also recite the psalms and lead the universal prayer
in the absence of a psalmist and deacon respectively. Lectors also lead
the congregation in the liturgies including singing and in catechizing the
faithful. Acolytes are mandated to assist priests and deacons at the altar,
and serve as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion both at Holy
Mass and as they visit the sick. After being instituted as lectors and then
acolytes, seminarians find themselves just few steps away from being
admitted to Holy Orders.

Since its establishment, 16 years ago,

our Seminary has been preparing men to
become missionary priests for the New
Evangelization. Almighty God continues
to guide and bless our mission. Seventeen
seminarians formed in our seminary have
already been ordained presbyters for the
Archdiocese of Agana. Also the number of
seminarians continues to grow. Currently
we have 39 seminarians. This year the Lord
has sent us four new seminarians: three
from Kiribati and one from New Mexico.
Five more will be arriving soon in our island.

Name: Ianana Taranteuea

From: Kiribati
Arrived on: August 29, 2015
Name: Teekeke Anterea
From: Kiribati
Arrived on: August 29, 2015

Name: Tenanai Tebaoti

From: Kiribati
Arrived on: August 29, 2015

May 7, 2015: 5 new acolytes: Frenel Phanord (Haiti/ Archdiocese of Agana),

Tavete Maugaotega (American Samoa), Andy Wilson (American Samoa),
Keone Hurdle (Hawaii/Archdiocese of Agana), Leaega Faletolu (Samoa-Apia)

Name: Clayton
Daniel Milla Arbulu
From: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Arrived on: November 5, 2015
Name: Jose Miguel Serafini
Careaga
From: Paraguay
Soon to arrive
Name: Severiano Andres
Calderon Avila
From: Peru

Soon to arrive
Name: Justin Paulo
From: Samoa-Apia
Soon to arrive

Name: Paulo Tuli Afamasaga

From: Samoa-Apia
Soon to arrive

Oct. 1, 2015: 4 new lectors: Tawaia Natibu (Kiribati), Jose Angel Salinas
Garcia (Mexico/ Archdiocese of Agana), Karoro Temate (Kiribati), Eduardo
Andres Guerrero Torres (Chile/ Archdiocese of Agana)

Name: Kirisimasi Iosefa

Alafaapae
From: Samoa-Apia
Soon to arrive

PAGE 2

Gala Dinner 2015:

Celebrating Archbishop Anthonys 70th Birthday!

o much joy, laughter and excitement filled the evening

as our shepherd, Most Rev. Archbishop Anthony
Sablan Apuron, OFM, Cap., D.D. celebrated his 70th
birthday at the Gala Dinner 2015 held on Sunday, November
1, 2015 at the Hyatt Regency Guam in Tumon.
Archbishop Anthony was honored for his tireless dedication
to our people, his constant sacrificial service to the Church,
and his Christ-like zeal for evangelization. All proceeds of
the Gala Dinner 2015 went towards the Redemptoris Mater
Seminary in Yoa, St. John Paul the Great Archdiocesan
Seminary of Guam in Malojloj and our mother church, the
Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica in Hagta.
The Gala Dinner was indeed a display of beauty and joy
from the people present, including the Archbishops family,
friends and benefactors. The Gala event started off with a
social hour during which the guests were able to mingle
and enjoyed a nice cocktail and delicious canaps in an
atmosphere of friendship and fraternity. A silent auction also
took place in conjunction to the Gala throughout the night.
The entertainment during the night was remarkable.
Archbishop Anthony surprised the crowd many times
singing his favorite songs with accompaniment from Mrs.
Melannie San Agustin and actually walking around the whole
ballroom and foyer, as he serenaded with the crowd. Local
musician Mrs. Bernadette Camacho shared her melodies
at the piano. Young and remarkable musician Mr. Michael
Min, who has performed many times in the previous Gala
Dinners, sang and played the cello to everyones delight.
Together, seminarians from the Redemptoris Mater and St.
John Paul the Great wowed the guests with their harmonious
and uplifting musical pieces in various languages from all
over the world. A special number was done by the Singing
Priests of our Archdiocese.
The highlight of the evening was when Archbishop Anthony
received the Maria Porta Cli (Mary Gate of Heaven) award
in appreciation for all his extensive and selfless contribution
to our Church and society. Archbishop Anthony humbly
accepted the honor and everyone present continuously
applauded nonstop for a long time with admiration.
Both seminaries and the Cathedral community thank all the
numerous sponsors, collaborators, benefactors and friends,
who participated in one way or another to make the Gala
Dinner 2015 an incredible success. May our Almighty Father
reward you a hundredfold!

Archbishop Anthony receives the Maria Porta Cli (Mary

Gate of Heaven) award and certificate from Mr. Peter Sonny
Ada (Chairman, Gala Dinner 2015), Fr. Pius Sammut (Rector,
Redemptoris Mater Seminary), Msgr. David C. Quitugua
(Rector, Agana Cathedral-Basilica), and Fr. Romeo Convocar
(Rector, John Paul the Great Seminary)
Having reached the
milestone of his 70th
birthday, Archbishop
Anthony joyfully cuts
his birthday cake

Archbishop Anthony delights everyone present at the Gala

Dinner 2015 with his melodious voice.

Archbishop, priests, and seminarians close the evening

by singing Pues adios esta ki a Chamorro traditional song
wishing and encouraging everyone to love one another until
we meet again!
PAGE 3

FAREWELL TO
FR. PABLO
AND WELCOME
TO FR. PIUS
September 2015: After
eight years as our rector,
Fr. Pablo Ponce Rodriguez,
from the Diocese of Rome,
returned to his diocese to
continue his mission in the
Eternal City. We are most
grateful to God for Fr.
Pablos zeal in leading our
seminary. To take his place
in guiding our seminary
formation God has given
us a new rector, Fr. Pius
Sammut,
a
Discalced
Carmelite
priest
from
Malta and the responsible
for the Neocatechumenal
Way in the Pacific.

EVENTS OPEN
TO THE PUBLIC
The Seminary opens its doors periodically for
everyone to come and celebrate moments of
importance in its life and the life of the Church
through which the seminary expresses also
its gratitude to everyone for assisting in the
mission to the seminary. The Blessed Diego Luis
the San Vitores Catholic Theological Institute
for Oceania, in conjunction with our Seminary,
holds regularly events of philosophicaltheological nature and general Church topics of
interest open to the public during the year.

VISIT OF BISHOP HON

December 19, 2014: Christmas Concert.

March 17, 2015: St. Patricks Day Patron Saint of the

Seminary

January 4 and January 6, 2015: Archbishop Savio HON Tai-Fai, SDB,

Secretary of the Vatican Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples,
together with Rev. Fr. Tadeusz Nowak, OMI and Archbishop Martin
Krebs, Apostolic Delegate to Pacific Islands, in the context of a visit to
the Archdiocese of Agana, came to visit our Seminary and the Blessed
Diego Institute accompanied by Archbishop Anthony Sablan Apuron,
OFM Cap. They prayed and shared meals with us, and conveyed to us
a special greeting from Pope Francis. They also encouraged us in our
mission.

May 26, 2015: Public Seminar on the Decree Ad

Gentes of the Second Vatican Council on the
Mission Activity of the Church
PAGE 4