Miranda Castro

mirandamcastro@gmail.com
March 10, 2014
Archbishop Martin Krebs
Apostolic Nuncio to Guam and Oceania
P.O.Box 14044, 112 Queen's Drive,
Wellington, New Zealand
Your Excellency Archbishop Martin Krebs:

On the evening of March 5, 2014, I attended the 7pm mass held at the Dulce Nombre de Maria
Cathedral Basilica in Agana. I arrived early and confession was being held before the mass had
started. I saw who the priest in the confessional was and recognized him as one of the recently
ordained priests who serves the Neocatechumenal Way. I do not know his name for certain but I
know he was ordained just a few months ago.
I waited in line for my turn to confess. After my confession and after he had given me his words
of advice, it was time for my penance. He began by asking if I was available at 7:30 pm that
coming Friday (March 7, 2014) and I informed him that I was not. He asked about Monday night
(March 11, 2014) at the same time and I informed him that I would be available.
The priest then said that my penance was to go to "a talk" that Monday evening that was being
held in the chapel. I was aware that the talk he spoke of is in fact a Neocatechumenal Way
catechesis. However he was careful not to mention it. In regards to the given penance, he then
asked me, "Is that okay?"
I was confused by his question because I've never been asked if a penance was "okay" with me
so I just answered, "If it's my penance, I have to do it." He replied, "Well I'm giving you a
choice." Maybe he said 'option'. I can't recall. I was afraid of not receiving absolution. I
answered him, "I am at your mercy." The priest then told me not to think of it as a penance, but
rather an act of mercy from him to me. He confirmed the date and time and then absolved me.
I left the confessional with more anxiety than I had entered with. I knew what this "talk" he
directed me to was about. I have been in the Neocatechumenal Way before. I "walked" for a few
years until I realized that it was not my calling. It was, and for a few reasons still is, a very
painful experience. I come from a family whose parents are very deeply immersed in the
Neocatechumenal Way.
My leaving the Way and choosing my own path left an incredibly negative effect on my
relationship with them. It has become such that the subject can not be spoken of within my
home. It is taboo. The division in my home is only a reflection of what is going on within the
Catholic church on Guam.
So I was reluctant to attend the catechesis, therefore fearing that my sins were not fully forgiven
if I did not go. I did not know what to do or what to make of it. It weighed on my conscience for
the next few days. I eventually decided to go to confession to another priest.

Very Sincerely,

Miranda Castro
Catholic, Archdiocese of Agana

CC: Archbishop Anthony Sablan Apuron, Archdiocese of Agana