Spanish Jesuit Martyr Built First Church In Guam, 350 Years Ago

'A Golden Harvest' - A Documentary About 300 Years Of Catholicism On Guam,

It's premiere week for 'A Golden Harvest: 50 Years of Grace, Joy & Gratitude,' a made-for-TV documentary that records and interprets the often complex, but ultimately inspirational story of Guam’s Catholic faith. FOX-6 presents this two-part, 60-minute documentary produced by Lotus Media Services about Guam’s most enduring and populated religious tradition -- just in time for the 50th Jubilee of the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica, the spiritual home of Guam’s Catholic faithful. FOX-6 is airing the show at 7:30pm and 10pm Mondays through Saturdays, and at 7pm on Sundays. Part I (30 minutes) and Part II (30 minutes) will air in rotation. “This jubilee commemorates 50th celebration of the life of the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica we know today, and the wondrous 339th anniversary of our faith. We are truly a people blessed,” said His Excellency Anthony S. Apuron, Metropolitan Archbishop of Agana. “God gives us the gift of his grace, so that with unspeakable joy, our gratitude may reach to the ends of the earth and touch the hearts of all humankind.” While surveying the Church’s three-century history in the Mariana Islands, executive producers Angela Blardony Ureta and Sharla Torre Montvel-Cohen also grapple with its relevance in the modern world. Ureta, a Filipina lay Carmelite from Manila, Philippines, and Montvel-Cohen, a self-described Catholic Chamorro educated at Guam’s Catholic schools, speak with the Church’s chief pastor, Archbishop Anthony Apuron; its youngest rector for the Agana Cathedral-Basilica, Monsignor James L.G. Benavente; Chamorro historian and cultural scholar, Dr. Robert Underwood; retired federal judge Cristobal C. Duenas, and others whose lives have been shaped by the Church on Guam. Ureta and Montvel-Cohen are at once probing and reverent as they pursue: questions of faith, an understanding of the confluence of Chamorro culture and Catholic tradition, and the relevance of religion in a secular society.

It has been nearly 340 years since Spanish Jesuit Diego Luis de San Vitores (Venerable) erected the first church on land donated by the legendary Chamorro Chief Quipuha.

In pursuing the duality between native identity and religious tradition, an unmistakable theme emerges: the two are intertwined.

“The Church has always been at the forefront of the preservation of language and of culture – we pray the liturgy in Chamorro, we’ve translated the New Testament in Chamorro, we’ve grown up in the techa tradition learning and reciting Chamorro prayers, and today, our Cathedral-Basilica is home to Camp Hurao, where children are learning Chamorro language, prayers, arts and traditions,”

says Reverend Monsignor James L.G. Benavente, rector of the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica.Dr. Robert Underwood, bilingual education advocate and University of Guam President adds: “It’s hard to pull apart the meaning of Chamorro identity and the meaning of being Catholic. At this point in time…all major events are demarcated by sacraments. All major social events have to begin with some kind of prayer or blessing from the Catholic Church.” This History Channel-like, docutainment-style TV program balances over three centuries of historical fact with the complex and contemporary web of feelings aroused by the Catholic Church around personal faith, cultural heritage, and the institution of religion. It triumphs as a story about how the Catholic Church remains connected to the daily lives of the faithful on Guam – how it enriches relationships between diverse cultures; how it reaches out to all regardless of age, gender or stature; how it speaks boldly in addressing social issues that challenge the ideal of being Christ-like in the modern world. “This project has been rewarding and eye-opening for our team,” said Evan M. Cohen, managing director Lotus Media Services, who, along with Carl (Tommy) Gutierrez II, created the show.

“The more deeply we engaged the subject, the more we came to see the Catholic Church on Guam as more forward-thinking and vibrant than we imagined. Its leaders embrace the modern world and a youthful perspective, while remaining firmly planted in moral living and respect for tradition, culture and humanity. It’s a journey to awareness and appreciation that Lotus Media Services is proud to bring to our fellow Guamanians.”

“Sorensen Media Group is proud to present this excellent programming to the viewing public,” concluded Rex Sorensen, chairman and CEO of Sorensen Media Group. “We want to thank Archbishop Anthony Apuron and Monsignor James Benavente for sharing Catholicism’s rich and textured story.”

Link (here)