Message from His Excellency Michael J. Byrnes
Coadjutor Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Agaña
June 25, 2017

1 Cor 12: 25-27 – But God has so composed the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior part, that there may be no discord in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

James 5:16 – Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power in its effects.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Last week I announced the inauguration of the “Year of Reparation” beginning on July 6, 2017, the Feast of St. Maria Goretti, and concluding on Pentecost 2018. Today I offer some reflections on why we might engage in such an endeavor and what it might entail.

It is no secret that the Body of Christ here on Guam is wounded. In the last few years, spear-headed by the efforts of many of the lay faithful, we have become acutely aware of the magnitude of the crimes of sexual abuse of minors committed by clergy and of many other deficiencies that have accrued over the years. The steadily mounting number of legal complaints announced in the media feels overwhelming, and we know that there are still many more who have not brought the horrors of their childhood into public view.

But these, while certainly the most devastating, are not the only wounds that the Body is suffering. The recent years have uncovered deep divisions within our Church. We have also been reminded in the news lately that, according to a 2013 study by the magazine “The Economist,” the citizens of Guam suffer the highest proportion of divorces per one thousand people in the world. And, there are the outbreaks of violence, child abuse, and drug abuse that we read about almost daily.

What does the Church do in times like this? Well, we “care for one another;” and “if one member suffers all suffer together.” On a broad scale, that is the reason why Hope and Healing Guam exists: to care for the victims of child sexual abuse. But, we also “pray for one another that you may be healed,” because we believe that “the prayer of a righteous person has great power in its effects.” We believe that our prayers, our corporal and spiritual acts of mercy can bring healing to the hurting and can begin to repair the wounds of the Body of Christ. It is an indication of God’s providential will that we are embarking on this campaign of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving in the midst of the 100th anniversary of the apparitions at Fatima. The effects of the prayers encouraged by Our Lady have dramatically changed the course of history. My hope is that this Year of Reparation may help to heal our past and bless our future.

Such a year of prayer, fasting and almsgiving will also change us. Through our various spiritual efforts, we will have many opportunities to encounter the Lord Jesus in both his power and mercy. I am confident that through our sincere embrace of these opportunities we will not walk away unchanged. Please reflect on this selection from the “Catechism of the Catholic Church:”

1432 The human heart is heavy and hardened. God must give man a new heart. Conversion is, first of all, a work of the grace of God who makes our hearts return to him: “Restore us to thyself, O LORD, that we may be restored!” God gives us the strength to begin anew. It is in discovering the greatness of God’s love that our heart is shaken by the horror and weight of sin and begins to fear offending God by sin and being separated from him. The human heart is converted by looking upon him whom our sins have pierced. Let us fix our eyes on Christ’s blood and understand how precious it is to his Father, for, poured out for our salvation, it has brought to the whole world the grace of repentance.

In the days ahead the Liturgical Commission will present to our parish priests a template of suggestions and recommendations for consideration by the pastor and parish council. That is to say that each parish will have the opportunity to adopt a pattern of prayer, fasting and almsgiving/service that is appropriate to their parish. The commission will also provide a common prayer for the whole archdiocese.

I urge you all to join us in crying out to God for justice and mercy for all the wounded and to open our hearts to the activity of the Holy Spirit.

May the Lord Jesus convince us of the overwhelming love of our Heavenly Father. As St. Paul writes, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Eph 3:20-21)

Sincerely in Christ,

Most Rev. Michael Byrnes