Coadjutor Archbishop Michael Byrnes will arrive from Detroit on Nov. 28 and be welcomed by Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai and other clergy, the Archdiocese of Agãna has told The Pacific Daily News. Some consider him to be an “outsider”. Guam will be Byrnes’ first long-term assignment out of Detroit, Michigan. “I wonder about the Read more
The Holy Father has appointed Jude Michael Byrnes as the coadjutor archbishop of Agaña “with special faculties.” He has been given full pastoral responsibility and administrative authority in the archdiocese. “I got a call from the papal nuncio (Archbishop Christophe Pierre); it was a 5-10 minute conversation, where he asked me if I would accept Read more
Two priests who had been suspended by Archbishop Anthony Apuron have been reinstated. Monsignor James Benavente has been cleared of the allegations against him regarding irregularities and “financial mismanagement”. Father Paul Gofigan has also reinstated Apuron removed Benavente from his position as rector of the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica in July. At the time Read more
Guam’s Governor Eddie Calvo has signed into law a controversial bill that will allow victims of child sex abuse to sue their abusers and the institutions with which they are associated at any time. Mr Calvo said the new law “opens the doors of justice to those who suffered a terrible harm as children,” but Read more
The Catholic Church in Guam has collected more than 4,000 signatures for a petition opposing a bill that could expose it to sexual abuse lawsuits. Pacific News Center reports the Church has delivered the petition calling on Governor Eddie Calvo to veto the bill to his office. It collected 4,500 signatures in four days for Read more
The Apostolic Administrator of Guam has asked the Holy See to remove Archbishop Apuron as Archbishop of Agãna (Guam), and to appoint a successor. In a letter entitled “Putting the house in order without burning it down” that was read out in all parishes in the archdiocese Archbishop Archbishop Savio Hon Tai-fai said: “I want Read more
The Archdiocese of Agãna, (Guam), has its responded to the concerns and information shared by former members of the Archdiocesan Finance Council (AFC) regarding the property of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary (RMS) in Yona. A statement released by the The Archdiocese on September 1 re-iterated its request that the Neocatechumenal Way “renounce the benefits granted through Read more
Father Pius Sammut, rector of the neocatechumenal Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Yona, Guam, says they have no authority to lift the deed of restriction that gives the seminary and a theological institute the legal right to use the archdiocese’s property. “The only one who can lift the deed of restriction is the ordained Archbishop of Read more
Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai, the apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Agãna has retracted the allegedly defamatory statements Archbishop Anthony Apuron and other officials made about people who have accused Apuron of sex abuse. These statements form the basis of a lawsuit charging libel and slander currently being served on the archdiocese. Hon stated: “Let Read more
The work to gather information and dialogue with parish leadership continues in the Archdiocese of Agana . Last week Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai, SDB announced visitations to the all the parishes in the Archdiocese. Hon has assigned five priests to conduct visitations to the parishes starting this month. Father Jeff San Nicolas, the archdiocese’s Read more