Archbishop: Deep debt prompted monsignor's ouster

By Gaynor Dumat-Ol Daleno
Pacific Daily News
July 29, 2014

http://www.guampdn.com/article/20140729/NEWS01/140729008/Archbishop-Deep-debt-prompted-monsignor-s-ouster

Two entities under Guam's Catholic church have about $7 million in debts that have been reduced only "marginally," and the financial woes led to a change in administration, Archbishop Anthony Apuron stated yesterday.

The archbishop recently announced the removal of Monsignor James Benavente from being rector at the Numbre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica. The Cathedral-Basilica and the Catholic Cemeteries of Guam incurred the debts, the archbishop stated.

The $7 million accounts for about "one quarter" of the total indebtedness of the Archdiocese of Agana, the archbishop stated.