August 4, 2016 Announcement of the Apostolic Administrator

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Agana
August 4, 2016

http://www.aganaarch.org/9434/august-4-2016-announcement-of-the-apostolic-administrator/

In the wake of a new allegation of sexual abuse involving the Catholic Church on Guam, I reassure all Catholics and the people of Guam that the Archdiocese of Agana takes all accusations of abuse very seriously. Sexual abuse is a grave matter and is to be treated as such.

I acknowledge the tremendous pain of Mr. Leo Tudela as he came forward to testify about allegations of abuse against Father Louis Brouillard and some others in the mid-1950s during public testimony at the Guam Legislature on August 1, 2016.

Upon learning of the news Monday, August 1, I immediately contacted Deacon Leonard Stohr and Father Patrick Castro, OFM Cap. and asked them to focus on contacting Mr. Tudela. Respectively, they are our Sexual Abuse Response Coordinator (SARC) and clergyman whom I designated to reach out to persons who make such allegations.

I also publicly announced our desire to meet with Mr. Tudela during news interviews on the following days. Now by way of this public announcement, I extend my prayers to Mr. Tudela and reiterate my desire to meet with him.