The story can be found here. Following is the comment I posted on the PDN website. 

 

Here's a few facts for now. Not that they matter to Apuron. 

 

The 7 million dollar debt was incurred in the building of the Saint Therese chapel and the addition of the museum at the Cathedral. Both projects were approved by all the required boards and councils and ultimately signed off on by Apuron, since HE is the only person who can do so. 

 

The loan is current and is amortized over 30 years. It is also fairly recent. And as anyone with a mortgage knows, the mortgagee makes little headway knocking down the principal for the first several years. Apuron approved the projects with enthusiasm because they made him look good. There will be more facts to come, but for now:

 

1. A few weeks ago when the public demanded the publication of the diocesan financials, Apuron was playing hide and seek behind his phony "let's meet" invitation.

 

2. His press release here (referenced in the story) shows us that he not only has an audit report, but it is an audit report conducted by a major accounting firm.

 

3. Even if there is something wrong with Msgr.'s books, according to Apuron, the audit shows that the rest of the diocese is healthy? Really? Then why didn't he just publish the audit (conducted 2 years ago) when he was publicly asked to do so? One would think that given the criticism he would be anxious to publish the audit because it would make himself look good. 

 

4. Msgr. James works financial miracles daily. The Agana parish is the smallest on the island simply because hardly anyone lives in Agana. Yet it is asked to pay the Archbishop's bills every time he wants to have a personal party there. The power bill can run up to $1500 for just a half day event. Apuron gives the Cathedral no money to pay this bill. Apuron's own Neo community meets at the Cathedral. If they had to pay what others pay to cover the power and the use of the facilities, their bill would be nearly $80,000 a year. They've been meeting there for over a decade multiple times a week. Yet, because Apuron himself is a member of the Neo, they have paid NOTHING. 

 

Msgr. James, with the smallest congregation on the island finds a way to keep the largest church on the island running in addition to paying for the massive construction projects that the Archbishop signed off on.

 

5. Lastly, the Archbishop has run to the press to exonerate himself and condemn Msgr. James when he has YET to give Msgr. James any evidence or proof of the mismanagement that he accuses him of. Now why would that be?