Archbishop Hon Standing by His Word

By Krystal Paco
KUAM
August 26, 2016

http://www.kuam.com/story/32846994/2016/08/26/archbishop-hon-standing-by-his-word


Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai says he stands by the statement he made on August 18th related to the Declaration of Deed Restriction for the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Yona.

On Friday night Archbishop Hon issued a response to a statement provided to media earlier in the day by Archbishop Anthony Apuron to clear his name. “Pope Francis never directed me to rescind the deed of restriction on the property,” Apuron stated.

In his August 18th press release Archbishop Hon stated Apuron was instructed over a year ago (more than once) to rescind and annul the Deed of Restriction, but the instruction was not carried out.

Apuron in his release responded that he never defied the Pope “I wish to declare that this is absolutely false and it is causing real , grave, and immediate damage to the Church in Guam and to my good name, spreading scandal and confusion among the faithful”. He added the Pope has granted his request for a canonical trial to clear his name. The statement was sent to KUAM from his attorney Jacque Terlaje.

In his response, Archbishop Hon said that he received the exact message which was released to the media today directly from Apuron via email. He added that it was read and discussed with the Presbyteral Council and their position on the matter had not changed since his press release issued on Aug. 18th. In that release he asked for “the collaboration of all the faithful to act with obedience to the directive of the Holy See.”

Specifically, Archbishop Hon requested “that community which now enjoys in perpetuity the use of the ‘property’ to spontaneously and effectively renounce, without any litigation, such a benefit obtained from the Archdiocese of Agana.”