Catholic priest suspended for disobedience

A religious order, the Society of African Missions (Societas Missionum ad Afros or SMA), has suspended one of its priests, Father Romeo Tena, for alleged misconduct. According to an article posted on the website of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), Tena was suspended "for continuing to breach an order from his superiors not to celebrate Mass." Monsignor Juanito Figura, secretary general of the CBCP, received a notification from Father Alan De Guzman, SMA Superior, about Tena's suspension. “I wish to inform you and your good office and the CBCP that one of our confreres, Fr. Romeo Tan Tena, Jr., SMA has been suspended by our Society from celebrating the Holy Eucharist and all the Sacraments," De Guzman wrote to Figura on January 13. The communiqué included a letter of SMA Superior General Jean-Marie Guillaume informing Tena about his suspension. Guillaume said Tena began living “outside the SMA environment and priesthood" soon after his ordination in 2000. Efforts were reportedly made to bring back Tena to to the SMA but to no avail. Guillaume said in his letter to Tena, “complaints are still coming to us saying that, despite the fact that you (Tane) have no appointment and no permission from the SMA, you continue to celebrate Mass, and to collect money in some dioceses." A suspended priest is not permitted to celebrate the Mass — either in public or private— or hear confessions, or administer any sacrament but he is allowed to receive them. Guillaume said they hope that Tena would return to the SMA and to an “acceptable priestly life," or they will be obliged to dismiss him from the religious order. Meanwhile, San Jose Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara warned against a certain Emmanuel Audiencial who is allegedly soliciting funds for “personal needs." “Please be informed that I have not authorized anyone to solicit any funds, use my or the diocesan name, logo or program for personal purposes," Vergara said in a letter to the CBCP. – VVP, GMANews.TV