Haidee V Eugenio

Pacific Daily News

The archbishop Pope Francis sent to temporarily administer the Archdiocese of Agana has started laying the groundwork for the reorganization of the Catholic church in Guam.

But the Concerned Catholics of Guam said the two more urgent tasks should have been: reaching out to those who have said they are victims of sex abuse by Archbishop Anthony S. Apuron; and the permanent removal not only of Apuron but also three other individuals.

Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai announced the formation of four ad hoc committees that could lead to a reorganization of the embattled Catholic church in Guam.

Hon also named the Rev. Patrick Castro as the new contact person “for those coming forward with allegations of having been sexually abused by a member of the clergy of the Archdiocese of Agana.”

Monsignor Brigido “Bibi” Arroyo, who also got special assignment from Hon as spokesperson for the archdiocese, said on Friday the formation of the four committees are part of the task of promoting unity, and that the church is listening to the people.

“That’s where this is leading into reorganization, putting things back in perspective,” Arroyo said.

Arroyo, pastor at the St. Anthony and St. Victor Church in Tamuning, said the church is offering prayers for everybody “so there will be peace, harmony and stability.”

Hon said his main priority, based on the mandate that Pope Francis gave him, is “promoting the unity of the archdiocese." He said he's met with almost every priest and deacon of the Catholic church in Guam, as well as with some religious superiors.

Opinion: Hon should restore faith in church first

'Moving forward'

“I have also been convening the Presbyteral Council on a weekly basis to plan for the future of this archdiocese,” Hon said.

Hon said a June 17 meeting of the Presbyteral Council proposed and adopted “a way of moving forward' — four ad hoc committees “for developing strategies” regarding the future of the church, formation of the clergy, repositioning clergy, and seminary visitations.

These ad hoc committees are focused on:

Scenario of the Archdiocese: Led by the Rev. Adrian Cristobal, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Agana, tasked to “propose and develop a scenario of the situation the archdiocese should be in place at the completion of the mandate of the apostolic administrator;”

Ongoing Formation: Led by the Rev. Mike Crisostomo, tasked “to draw up a plan for the ongoing formation of the clergy and religious in the archdiocese;”

Proposal for Repositioning of Priests: Led by the Rev. Lito Abad, tasked “to forward concrete suggestions for repositioning clergy;” and

Seminary Visitation: Led by the Rev. Jeffrey San Nicolas, tasked to do visitations that “will be made to both major seminaries in the archdiocese to assess their status, their formation programs, the personnel, and other matters.”

“As these committees do their work and the time comes to make important changes in the archdiocese, I would ask your cooperation, prayers, and support so that together, as the family of God, we might move into the future with renewed faith, hope, and charity, building a deeper communion of mind and heart in the Risen Lord,” Hon said.

Vatican appointee asks Guam's faithful to rebuild unity

'Urgent' matters

David Sablan, vice president of the Concerned Catholics of Guam, said Friday there are two “more urgent” matters that should take priority over what he describes as “strategic planning for the future of archdiocese.”

Sablan said the first one is for the archdiocese leadership to “reach out” to individuals who have alleged Apuron of sexually abusing them or their loved ones. He said Pope Francis himself said the highest priority should be to reach out to victims of sex abuse by the clergy.

“The question is not whether the accusations are true or not, but the victims are longing to hear from Archbishop Hon, for the church to offer of counseling. Where is the archdiocese on this?” asked Sablan.

The second priority, Sablan said, should be the permanent removal not only of Apuron as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Agana but also of three other individuals in the archdiocese: Monsignor David Quitugua as vicar general/moderator of the curia/judicial vicar; the Rev. Adrian L.F. Cristobal as chancellor; and the Rev. Pius Sammut.

Sablan said the four individuals shouldn't be allowed to lead the Catholic church nor provide any more advice to the church.

“Archbishop Hon should remove the cancer that’s plaguing this archdiocese,” he said.

Pope Francis appoints new bishop for Northern Marianas

The Vatican temporarily stripped Apuron of his administrative authority over the Archdiocese of Agana when individuals started coming forward alleging that Apuron sexually molested or “raped” them while they were altar boys in Agat in the 1970s. Apuron has denied the allegations and hasn't been charged with any crime.

While investigations are ongoing and Hon serves as temporary administrator for the Catholic Church in Guam, Apuron remains archbishop of the Archdiocese of Agana.