Church Treating Latest Accusation against Church Members Seriously

By Haidee V Eugenio
Pacific Daily News
August 3, 2016

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2016/08/02/hon-church-treating-latest-accusation-against-church-members-seriously/87944964/

Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai, apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Agana, as seen during an interview at the Chancery Office on Tuesday, Aug. 2.

Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai said Tuesday the Archdiocese of Agana treats seriously the latest accusation of sexual abuse against a priest and two members of the church.

During a public hearing at the Legislature on Monday, Leo B. Tudela, 73, told senators a priest and two other members of the Catholic Church sexually abused him in the 1950s. Tudela was one of several people who testified on a bill that would lift the time restriction for victims of child abuse to file lawsuits against their perpetrators.

Tudela said the Archdiocese of Agana appears to have failed to not only stop abuses but also tolerated and perpetuated “evil acts upon young innocent boys.”

Hon on Tuesday reiterated his desire to meet with people who’ve recently accused Archbishop Anthony Apuron of sexual abuse. He also said he wants to meet with Tudela.

“As I said previously, when allegations of this sort happen, we realize it is a very serious matter so we treat them as such, independent of whatever feeling I have,” Hon said.

Following an interview with Pacific Daily News on Tuesday, Hon released a statement to media listing additions to the local church’s current policy on how to handle sexual misconduct cases.

The additions describe what steps should be taken if there are allegations of sexual misconduct against Guam’s archbishop. The first step is for the archbishop to immediately recuse himself from the proceedings, according to the statement. The case is then to be presented to the Vatican and the local church is to be kept informed of the proceedings.

In early June, Deacon Steve Martinez, a former coordinator of a group in the local church charged with reviewing sexual abuse accusations, called a press conference to express concern about the church’s sexual abuse policy.

One of Martinez’s concerns was how the archbishop had sole authority to determine which cases are investigated and that the archbishop has the final word on any findings.

In the Tuesday statement, Hon said the “archdiocese is reviewing the current policies and procedures to ensure that the church is a safe environment for all and that allegations of sexual misconduct are addressed promptly and appropriately.”

When PDN asked Hon, early Tuesday, whether he believes Apuron is innocent, Hon said he welcomes the alleged victims to contact him “so that we take seriously the matter into consideration.”

“I mean to do whatever I need to do for them,” he said. “This is my attitude.”

He said he’s not given any authority to investigate the allegations against Apuron, and the particular office in the Vatican that is conducting this investigation is the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith.

Hon also said he welcomes criticism if the intent is to make the church better.

It’s been almost two months since Pope Francis sent Hon to Guam to temporarily administer the local Catholic Church while Apuron was temporarily stripped of his administrative powers when allegations of sex abuse against Apuron came out starting in May.

Five individuals have so far come forward, accusing Apuron of molesting or raping at least four altar boys in Agat in the 1970s. The sixth individual accused Father Louis Brouillard and two other church members of sex abuse in the 1950s.

Apuron went to Rome in late May.

Hon said he doesn’t have any knowledge on whether the Vatican ordered Apuron to leave Guam, but only learned that Apuron went to Rome. Hon said he did not see Apuron when Hon was still in Rome, before he was sent to Guam in early June. Up to today, he said he doesn’t know where Apuron is.

A $2 million libel and slander lawsuit against Apuron, the Archdiocese of Agana and up to 50 other persons has also been communicated to the Vatican, Hon said.

Within days of his arrival in Guam in early June, he said he privately asked about priests who were on island to turn in a courtesy resignation to give him leeway to reassign them, if needed, for the unity of the church.

He said most of the priests turned in their courtesy resignation, and he’s since been reassigning priests, in consultation with the Presbyteral Council.

Hon said the Rev. Paul Gofigan and Monsignor James Benavente “did not ask to be back” to their original positions prior to Apuron removing them.

The length of his stay on island relies solely on the Pope, Hon said.

But this month and in September, Hon will travel to Saipan and South Korea for engagements made prior to his appointment as apostolic administrator for the Archdiocese of Agana.