Haidee V Eugenio

heugenio@guampdn.com

Pope Francis said in a recent interview with a German newspaper that Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke was sent to Guam in February because of “some terrible incidents there,” as the Vatican holds a canonical penal trial of Archbishop Anthony S. Apuron.

Apuron, Guam’s archbishop for nearly 31 years, has been sued by four former altar boys allegedly for raping or sexually abusing them in the 1970s when he was still a parish priest.

The pope, in an interview with the German journal "Die Zeit", denied seeing the conservative Burke as an enemy and instead praises him as an excellent lawyer.

The pope, according to the interview, also denied that the recent decision to send Burke to Guam to lead Apuron’s canonical trial was a form of punishment.

“Cardinal Burke was (on Guam) because of some terrible incidents there. For that I’m very grateful to him, he’s an excellent lawyer, but I believe the assignment is almost completed,” the pope said in the German interview, recorded before he began his Lenten retreat.

Tim Rohr, who writes about critical Guam church issues on his longtime blog, JungleWatch, said Friday if the translation of the pope’s interview is correct, Pope Francis didn’t say “alleged” and that the pope said the assignment is almost completed.

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Concerned Catholics of Guam and Laity Forward Movement have been seeking Apuron’s removal as archbishop and for him to be defrocked, not only because of the sexual abuse of minors but over financial mismanagement. One of their biggest contentions is Apuron allegedly giving away a church property valued at $75 million, to an exclusive group despite directives from the Vatican ordering otherwise.

Lou Klitzkie, president of Laity Forward Movement, said March 12 marks the 34th Sunday picket with a singular message of having Apuron removed and defrocked.

“They say courage and perseverance equal success,” she said. “We are sustaining the numbers and picketers are motivated. Message to remove and defrock Apuron remains.”

Pope Francis suspended Apuron on June 6 2016, a few weeks after three former altar boys came forward to publicly accuse Apuron of rape or sexual abuse. The mother of a fourth former altar boy, now deceased, also came forward to share what her son told her on his deathbed 11 years earlier.

There are now 28 former altar boys that have filed lawsuits against Catholic priests, the Archdiocese of Agana, the Boy Scouts of America or other John Does who may have helped, abetted, concealed or covered up the abuses.

The lawsuits were made possible after Gov. Eddie B. Calvo signed on Sept. 23, a law that allows victims of child sex abuse to sue their abusers and the institutions with which they are associated, at any time.