Pacific News Center
February 12, 2010
http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3269:archdiocese-says-no-abusive-priests-in-guams-church&catid=50:homepage-slideshow-rokstories
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Guam- A statement issued from the Archdiocese of Guam today (Friday) says that to date no member of the Catholic clergy on Guam has been charged with or convicted of sexual abuse.
The statement is apparently in reaction to a letter sent to Archbishop Anthony Apuron and provided to the media by an organization named SNAP.
SNAP stands for "The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests." www.SNAPnetwork.org
In a telephone interview with PNC News Wednesday, SNAP's Southwest Regional Director Joelle Casteix, said that they have been contacted by "a number of victims of priestly abuse" from Guam who are seeking assistance. She alleged that abuse priests are still working in Guam's Catholic Church. And Casteix wrote a letter to the Archbishop [reprinted below] calling on him to take effective steps to stop sexual abuse by priests on Guam by to disclosing "the names, work histories, whereabouts and current status of accused child molesting clerics who have ever worked or lived on the island."
Neither SNAP or Casteix are mentioned by name in the Archdiocese statement today [Friday]. Archbishop Anthony Apuron is not mentioned either, although presumably the statement was approved and issued by him.
The Archdiocese statement is brief.
It makes the point that the Archdiocese has had an effective safety program in place for the past 8 years and that Guam's Catholic Church "explicitly follows the U.S. Catholic Bishops Charter on Sexual Abuse.
Castreix in her release to the media accused the Archbishop of not following the Charter on Sexual Abuse.
The Archdiocese statement also emphasized that Guam's Church cooperates with law enforcement on any cases of sexual abuse by clergy.
It ends by stating that to date, no member of the Catholic clergy on Guam has been charged with or convicted of sexual abuse.
The Archdiocese of Agana
DIVISION OF PASTORAL MINISTRIES
196 B Cuesta San Ramon Hagatna, GU 96910 G Tel (671) 472-6116 G Fax (671) 472-4406
February 12, 2010
Archdiocese of Agana
Statement on Sexual Abuse Allegations
"Since April 24 of 2002, the Archdiocese of Agana has had an effective safety plan in place to protect all children served in the archdiocese."
"The Archdiocese of Agana explicitly follows the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Charter on Sexual Abuse, as ratified by the Holy See."
"The archdiocese cooperates with law enforcement officials regarding any charges of sexual abuse by clergy and every person working for or volunteering for the Catholic Church on Guam."
"To date no member of the Catholic clergy on Guam has been charged with or convicted of sexual abuse."
Archdiocese of Agana, 472-6116
**************************************************************
SNAP's letter the the Archbishop reprinted in its entirety below:
February 10, 2009
Archdiocese of Agana, Guam
Archbishop Anthony Sablan Apuron, OFM Cap, D.D.
196 B Cuesta San Ramon
Hagatna, GUAM 96910
Dear Archbishop Apuron,
We are members of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPNetwork.org), the nation's largest support group for men and women who have been sexually abused in religious organizations. During the past few weeks, we have been contacted by clergy sex abuse victims on the island of Guam who have asked for our help.
In June 2002, bishops pledged "openness and transparency" in child sex cases. Three months later, Baltimore's Cardinal William Keeler became the first US prelate to post the names of the predators in his diocese. More than a dozen other bishops have done likewise over the last several years. None have expressed regret over their decisions or faced substantial controversy or have reported any ill effects.
We believe that it is now your job as the top official of the Catholic population of Guam to make effective steps to stop sexual abuse, expose predators, and help survivors begin a path of healing. It has been eight years, and we believe it is now time.
To begin this process, we ask you to delay no longer and immediately post on the Archdiocesan website and parish printed and online materials:
-- the names, whereabouts, work histories, and current status of predator clerics,
-- information about SNAP and how victims on Guam can receive help and healing, and
-- contact information for sex crimes law enforcement where survivors can go and report their abuse.
Children need and Catholics deserve effective steps, not symbolic gestures, to prevent future child sex crimes and cover ups. That's what we seek - a tangible, proven, inexpensive and common sense step that will expose dangerous men and protect innocent kids and heal wounded parishioners. We ask that you, Archbishop Apuron, stop stalling and post - quickly and permanently - the names, photos, whereabouts and clerical status of every proven, admitted and credibly accused abusive church staffer (living or dead, priest or nun, archdiocesan or religious order).
Why are we making this request now? We believe that yes, you have stalled far too long. Because every day you refuse to make these names and whereabouts of predators public is a day that kids are needlessly at risk and a day that victims are needlessly suffering.
In addition, you have the power to facilitate a tremendous amount of healing on Guam. By posting and circulating information about SNAP, you can foster an atmosphere where survivors are encouraged to come forward and heal, instead of remaining in the darkness of shame and silence. Hand-in-hand with law enforcement, SNAP and survivors can expose predators and make sure that what happened to us never happens to another child.
You have the power to embrace the true spirit of Christianity and the teachings of Jesus by helping those among you who hurt the most. We hope you act swiftly to protect kids and help victims become whole.provided has sent a letter to Archbishop Anthony Apuron
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