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Archbishop Hon Demands Catholic Cemeteries Board Resign over "Baseless Allegations"

By Janela Carrera
Pacific News Center
October 3, 2016

http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/local/11088



It was also announced a press conference today that Msgr. James Benavente will be the apostolic administrator for church patrimony.

Guam - Just a day after being cleared of wrongdoing, Msgr. James Benavente has now been appointed to take charge of church assets.

Meanwhile, Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai, the temporary administrator of the Archdiocese of Agana, is demanding that the Catholic Cemeteries board resign in light of the "baseless allegations" made against Msgr. James following his vindication last Friday.

Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai held a news conference today to make some major announcements. He was present and sat in the chairs behind the podium, but it was his delegate, Father Jeff San Nicolas, who made the statements.

"We have asked or are asking all board members of the catholic cemeteries who supported and voted for the resolution and for its release to the public to immediately resign," San Nicolas read on behalf of Hon.

The demand for resignation comes after the board of the Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Agana issued a board resolution to file a complaint against Msgr. James Benavente for allegedly misusing church money for his 20th anniversary dinner back in 2014.

The board resolution, along with copies of checks and a receipt for the reimbursement were sent to the Guam Police Department and the Attorney General's Office. It was also issued to the public by Attorney Jacqueline Terlaje, who represents Archbishop Anthony Apuron, just moments after a Friday press conference in which Msgr. James was cleared of any wrongdoing.

"We have also discovered that the resolution was not by unanimous consent by all board members, contrary to the certified statement by Attorney Jacqueline Terlaje. There was no meeting of the board on September 30," noted San Nicolas.

"Thus," he added, "the resolution adopted is invalid."

The board resolution offered by Terlaje states that Benavente had used over $13,000 in church money to pay for his 20th anniversary dinner back in 2014 when Benavente was the director of the Catholic Cemeteries. The funds were eventually paid back.

"The previous board of directors had approved the advancement of the funds and thus the advancement was proper and authorized," San Nicolas pointed out. "The archdiocese apologizes to Msgr. James Benavente and his family for again having to undergo the sting and pain of baseless allegations."

Meanwhile, the archdiocese also made two appointments today, the first is for Father Jeff San Nicolas to reconstitute the Archdiocesan Finance Council. There are currently only three members on the council. San Nicolas says he would like to restore the council to at least seven members.

Benavente, just a day after he was cleared of financial misconduct, will now be the apostolic administrator of church patrimony.

"Our church patrimony is the church's term to talk about the assets, including property and things like that, to assess this and to see what is our position here in terms of our ability to liquidate if necessary, or borrow against, and all those kinds of financial decisions, in order to create the loan and so those kind of questions require expertise. Msgr. James has, in terms of representing the archbishop, is the best suited for this position and that's why he was chosen,"

Benavente says he will continue to serve as pastor of St. Anthony Church.

 

 

 

 

 




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