Haidee V Eugenio

Pacific Daily News

Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai has urged Pope Francis to remove Archbishop Anthony S. Apuron as head of the Archdiocese of Agana because of gravely serious allegations of sex abuse of altar boys.

“I want you to know that I am in Rome to urge the Holy See to remove Archbishop Apuron as archbishop of Agana and to appoint a successor,” Hon said in his two-page statement. “I can assure you that the gravely serious allegations against Archbishop Apuron will continue to be dealt with by the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, which will hold a canonical trial. His Holiness, Pope Francis, is monitoring the proceedings.”

Pope Francis temporarily stripped Apuron of his administrative powers over the Catholic church on Guam and temporarily replaced him with Hon on June 6.

Hon, who is currently at the Vatican in Rome, issued a two-page statement that he wants to be read at Sunday Mass on Sept. 18.

Hon said he is reinforced in his efforts by the Presbyteral Council of the Archdiocese of Agana which has presented two letters — the first asking Apuron to resign and when that was unsuccessful, the second calling on the Holy See to remove him.

“On behalf of the Church, I want to apologize personally to the survivors of sexual abuse everywhere who have suffered so much at the hands of clergy. We cannot undo the appalling betrayal of trust and faith and the horrendous acts that clergy have committed against the youngest and most innocent among us. We are committed to helping them heal in body and soul,” Hon said.

Other members of the Guam clergy have also been publicly accused of molesting altar boys in Guam, including the Rev. Louis Brouillard and the late Rev. Antonio Cruz. The alleged abuses happened in the 1950s and 1970s.

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Against Bill 326

Hon also is drumming up efforts against the signing into law of a bill that would lift the time restriction on lawsuits against institutions such as the Archdiocese of Agana that have employed those accused of child sexual abuse. He said the bill will expose the archdiocese to unlimited financial liability and bankruptcy.

Bill 326 is on Gov. Eddie Calvo’s desk. Hon warned that the bill, once signed into law, will mean the forced sale of church properties that currently house schools and social services, and that will have devastating effect on education and charitable work.

The legislation would permanently remove the statute of limitations for all child sexual abuse crimes, allowing victims to file civil cases against their alleged assailants, retroactively.

Apuron has been publicly accused of raping and sexually abusing altar boys in the 1960s and 1970s. He hasn't been charged with any crime.

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Hon said Bill 326 would have very damaging unintended consequences and threatens vital parts of the church mission on Guam, a mission that he said is carried by good lay people, members of religious orders and devoted clergy who have never done anything wrong.

“In the coming days, Church leaders and members of the lay leadership will be speaking publicly about the unintended consequences that the bill will have on the archdiocese, our parishes, our schools and other community organizations. I encourage everyone to listen to those messages and to speak together about them so that the governor is fully informed when he considers whether to sign the bill into law,” Hon said.

Concerned Catholics responds

David Sablan, president of the Concerned Catholics of Guam, said Saturday night that asking the pope to remove Apuron is welcome news, but asking the governor not to sign Bill 326 is “a little too late” and is “an insult to the intelligence of the people of Guam.”

“Where was Archbishop Hon and the other members of the clergy when the Legislature held public hearings and comment period on the bill?” Sablan said. “This is a case of fear mongering.”

Sablan said the archdiocese shows that it is more concerned about church assets, property and reputation rather than justice and healing for victims and their families. He said archdioceses on the mainland U.S. that filed for bankruptcy because of abuse settlements and lawsuits eventually became financially sound because parishioners started having faith in their church again. He said it isn't true that the church will go bankrupt and that schools and services will be disrupted.

“The Legislature did the right thing, and I urge the governor to sign Bill 326-33 into law. This is the only avenue now for victims of clergy abuse to seek justice,” he added.

Sablan said as early as Saturday night, copies of Hon’s letters were made readily available in parishes and were read by priests toward the end of the Mass.

He said he hopes students, teachers, parishioners and other members of the community won’t sign a petition asking the governor to veto the bill.