Since the legislation was enacted on Guam to abolish the statutes of limitation in September 2016, 140 victims have filed lawsuits against the Archdiocese.

Appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of the Archdiocese Hagåtña in October 2016, Archbishop Byrnes faced the daunting task of promoting healing among Guam's Catholics.

The citation for the award notes that Byrnes has:

• Facilitated a review of and updates to the Archdiocese's policies on protecting young people
• Initiated training of church workers and volunteers
• Revived an independent review board on the investigation of alleged clergy abuses.

In brief remarks after receiving the award, the archbishop gave credit to others in the Church, including the many people who are part of the archdiocese's online and live training on the protection of children.

The National Sexual Violence Resource Center(NSVRC) offers the Visionary Voice Award in conjunction with Sexual Assault Awareness Month each April.

The award recognises the creativity and hard work of individuals in the United States and its territories who have demonstrated outstanding work to end sexual violence.

Each year, state, territory, and tribal coalitions select an outstanding individual to nominate for the awards.

Nominees may be partners from a local community or other outstanding individuals who have worked to end sexual violence.

The Archdiocese of Hagåtña has now formed a partnership with the government, military and private sectors on Guam to observe April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Source

• umatuna.org
• nsvrc.org
• guamcoalition.org
• Image: umatuna.org

Archdiocesan Finance Council President Richard Untalan and other council members said the Yona property is one of 41 non-essential archdiocese assets that could be sold to help settle clergy sex abuse cases against the archdiocese.

But Sablan says an end-date should be set to the Neocatechumenal Way staying there and until the property is sold, those staying there should be paying rent to the archdiocese.

Sablan is the president of Concerned Catholics of Guam of an organisation formed in 2014 "to address major concerns and issues that have affected the Catholic faithful on Guam, with the objective of resolving the problems affecting the confidence and trust they have in their church leadership."

The Yona property, which was once an hotel, is being used by the Neocatechumenal Way as a seminary. It has been at the centre of a dispute about who its rightful owners are.

Sablan said it is unfair that Guam's 14 Catholic schools and their students are being assessed to pay for some $2.64 million in church debts, while the Neocatechumenal Way "gets free rent" from the archdiocese.

Catholic schools will be charged new fees of $25 per student each year to fund the operations of a Catholic education superintendent, and $144 a year per student to help the church weather its financial crisis.

On Aug. 3, Sablan sent a letter to Redemptoris Mater Seminary vice rector Monsignor David C. Quitugua, requesting a list of those living at the Yona property.

"We need to know who are these people staying out there because we know there are others than just these the Neocatechumenal Way priest- presbyters and seminarians. The Chancery officials do not know either," he said.

SOURCE

• scribd.com
• Pacific Daily News
• Image: Concerned Catholic of Guam

But he failed to heed the calls, and the subsequent public allegations that Apuron sexually abused Agat altar boys in the 1970s made matters worse for him, Hon said.

Hon said the January 2015 pastoral visit to Guam by himself, Archbishop Martin Krebs and the Rev. Tadeusz Nowak included checking on the November 2014 allegation by California resident John Toves that Apuron sexually abused Toves' cousin.

Hon said he came up with recommendations to help the Archbishop improve his pastoral governance and unify the church on island.

"Unfortunately, 17 months later when I returned here, very little, almost none, has been done," Hon said.

Among Hon's recommendations were:

• Give time to sit down and talk to his own priests at the Archdiocese of Hagåtña.
• Involve more people in decision-making for the archdiocese. "I was suggesting, even inviting some sisters or lay people to be there (decision-making body)," said Hon.
• Set certain goals, such as when the archdiocese was about to mark the 50th year of its foundation as a diocese in 2015 and when Apuron was about to reach the age of 70 also in 2015.
• Avoid favouritism towards one group. (Apuron is a member of the Neocatechumenal Way, whose practices and beliefs are in conflict with the majority of Catholics on Guam).
• Ensure constant communication with the Holy See, through Archbishop Martin Krebs, the Vatican's delegate in the Pacific islands.

Hon said Apuron also didn't follow multiple instructions by the Holy See as early as 2015 to rescind and annul a deed restriction that gives the Redemptoris Mater Seminary and a theological institute, both controlled by the Neocatechumenal Way, the legal right to use church property indefinitely.

Source

• guampdn.com
• Image: kuam.images.worldnow.com

On Wednesday a prayer vigil took place in Hagåtña.

Gregory D. Perez, president of the Concerned Catholics of Guam, said the vigil was held to unite the island's Catholic community, which he feels is divided.

The gathering took place on the front steps of the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica in Hagåtña.

About 50 people attended the prayer rally.

Everyone, including Archbishop Anthony Apuron and people from other faiths, had been invited.

One of the more recent controversies in the local Catholic church involves the recent arrest of a priest, Father Luis Camacho, who was accused of "custodial interference" over a 17-year-old girl.

Camacho has resigned from being pastor of the Malesso and San Dionisio parishes.

The Guam Police Department said Camacho was booked and charged with custodial interference for being with a female minor who was not in school at the time they were found parked at the beach.

Camacho was released from police custody the same day.

The archdiocese has issued a statement regarding Camacho's arrest:
"The Archdiocese of Agana was made aware that Father Luis was booked and released yesterday, March 17, 2015. The alleged offense is custodial interference, according to information provided by the Guam Police Department. The archdiocese has initiated a canonical investigation and is cooperating fully with civil authorities. In the meantime, Father Luis' faculties have been restricted."

The statement was issued by Vice Chancellor Rev. Jose Alberto Rodriguez.

The Sexual Abuse Response Coordinator (SARC) Deacon Larry Claros said he would not be involved in this case.

On Wednesday, Carlina Charfauros, public information officer for the Attorney General's Office, said other than the initial police report, no other reports were forwarded to their office.

However KUAM News had reported that one day after his arrest a report was filed by Deacon Stephen Martinez with Archbishop Anthony Apuron and Child Protective Services alleging that Fr. Luis had "sexual contact" with the minor.

In response to the report, Claros told KUAM News that, "a canonical investigation is underway and I have done my part as the SARC in coordinating the investigation. It now lies with the Attorney General's office."

Martinez has expressed concern about Camacho' connection to the NCW.

He claims Camacho used his position of authority in the NCW community to take advantage of girl.

"This is a grave abuse of trust and a tendency which a proper psychological examination may have disclosed."

"Unfortunately this is not the only incident which raises alarm bells about problems within the RMS formation and screening process."

"I certainly hope the victim's participation in the NCW, and that of her parents, was not exploited to convince them not to press charges against Fr. Luis."

Martinez also alleged other disturbing actions by members of the clergy.

Source

• guampdn.com
• mvariety.com
• kuam.com
• kuam.com
• Image: guampdn.com

Last week, while on a visit to to Guam, the apostolic delegate archbishop Martin Krebs said he had come help build bridges and help those who want to build bridges.

Krebs met with people from Neocatechumenal Way, local religious, clergy and archbishop Anthony Apuron.

A group calling itself Concerned Catholics of Guam recently published a notice in the Pacific Daily News, calling on the Archdiocese of Hagåtña to publish audited financial statements annually on the Internet.

Guam Catholic Tim Rohr, whose blog Jungle Watch discusses controversial issues, said the archdiocese's leadership has yet to publicly answer questions about one of the local church's biggest assets — the former Accion Hotel which is now being used as a seminary.

There's growing concern among local parishioners, Rohr said, because of an alleged attempt to transfer title of the property from the archdiocese to a group that's in part controlled by New Jersey-based U.S. representatives of Neocatechumenal Way.

Krebs said his visit was intended to encourage bridges to be built, not torn down.

"There are many discussions going on in the archdiocese in Guam and of course I want to see the reality of the archdiocese," he said.

"I see these discussions and I met with the priests and religious and the people of the Neocatechumenal Way in order to see what I can do in these discussions."

"As an Apostolic Delegate I'm not called to solve the problems but to be helpful in order to encourage and empower the people who are here … and so that's what I have been doing in my talks and the talks were very fruitful, putting on the table which are the problems and then trying to build bridges."

Although a local blog reported the meeting was heated, according to the chancellor for the archdiocese of Hagåtña, Father Adrian Cristobal, overall it was a very positive visit.

He says that Apuron will be addressing the needs of the priests over a period of time and that Archbishop Krebs has instructed them to build bridges with open dialogue and reconciliation.

According to Rohr, the property could be worth $35 million in today's market,.

He said the archdiocese bought the former hotel for $2 million in 2002 after the $57 million hotel project failed.

Source

• Kuam News
• Guampdn.com
• Kuam News
• umatuna.org
• Image: umatuna.org