Archbishop Ryan: True call of the Church goes beyond ethnicity

Archbishop of Agaña Ryan Jimenez defended the appointment of Fr. Romeo Convocar as bishop-elect of the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa, emphasizing that the appointment process is not based on ethnicity but on the will of Pope Francis and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

“In our ministry, in our life as priests, it’s not about your ethnicity. We always of course respect the culture where we are in, like here on (Saipan). But when you work for the Lord, it goes beyond, it’s not about us. Also, the appointment of bishop in any diocese, it’s the Holy Father who appoints but also, we trust that in the process is the work of the Holy Spirit. So, as a church we have to be open,” said Jimenez after the Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving last Tuesday at the Mt. Carmel Church in Chalan Kanoa.

Jimenez, who served as bishop of the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa before his appointment as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Agana. reiterated that the ministry is not about personal ambition but about serving God and others, regardless of where one is assigned.

“First of all, no one is worthy. We are all not qualified. But as the saying goes, God qualifies, then qualified. It’s a call from God. This is not like applying for public office, where you put your resume and all of that. And when we said yes to the sacrament of ordination as priest, we have to do our ministry, but we don’t aspire for a priest so that years later, we will be chosen as bishops. If we are chosen, like in my case, then it’s an invitation, a call for greater service.”

The archbishop also addressed the universal nature of the church, stating that the focus should be on serving God and others, not on personal or ethnic consideration.

“When you talk about Church, there is that universality of the Church. So wherever one is sent, you are serving God by serving others. I was a seminarian for Chalan Kanoa, and the Holy Father appointed me as the archbishop of Agaña, I said yes because wherever I am sent, it’s serving God by serving others. We need to get out of that (sometimes), that parochial way of thinking we’re in, it’s about us. No, it’s not about us, it’s about God.”

Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of using the language present in the community, citing the use of multiple languages in their mass service.

“We just have to be centered in scriptures. Last night’s (Monday) presentation of Cardinal [Luis Antonio] Tagle was about the word of God, and I recall responding to that what St. Paul said, neither Jew nor Greek, neither male nor female, we are all children of God. So being a church goes beyond language affiliation. And of course, we always have to respect you know, use the language that is present in the community. I mean, if you were here at Mass, there were songs and will follow us in Chamorro, in English, in Tagalog, that makes us the people of God… The human criteria, our way of thinking is not God’s way of thinking.”

Jimenez said that the consecration and installation of the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa bishop-elect Romeo Convocar will be on March 8, 2025.

Tagle’s announcement of the new Diocese of Chalan Kanoa bishop-elect during his revival talk and solemn eucharistic adoration and benediction last Monday night at Mt. Carmel Church sparked criticism.

The most visible criticism of Convocar’s appointment came in the form of a letter to the editor entitled “A betrayal of trust and heritage: Where are our indigenous leaders?” sent by KKMP owner and broadcaster Gary Sword.

Expressing his sentiments on behalf of the Chamorro and Carolinian people, Sword wrote that on Nov. 25, 2024, the Chamorro and Carolinian people experienced sadness and anger as their Indigenous priests were overlooked for leadership roles in the Catholic Church.

“Why are our indigenous Chamorro and Carolinian priests consistently overlooked to lead our faith and people? Are our indigenous priests not deemed worthy enough? Last night (Monday) and today (Tuesday), the pain in their eyes was undeniable—our community deeply feels the weight of this injustice,” wrote Sword.

He also added that despite centuries of preserving their language and culture through foreign domination, the Church is now erasing their heritage.

Moreover, he claimed that the departure of Jimenez led to a dismantling of the local diocese to fuel his personal ambitions and that the appointment of a new bishop raised questions of manipulation and disrespect toward the CNMI community.

Sword encouraged the Chamorro and Carolinian people to speak out to defend their faith and identity against this injustice.