Catholic Cemeteries Board Complaint Invalid; Members Should Resign

By Haidee V Eugenio
Pacific Daily News
October 4, 2016

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2016/10/03/archdiocese-catholic-cemeteries-board-complaint-invalid-members-should-resign/91457446/

Archdiocese of Agana Delegate to the Apostolic Administrator Father Jeff San Nicolas, standing, is flanked by Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai, left, Archdiocese of Agana apostolic administrator and Monsignor James Benavente, during a press conference at the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica in Hagatna on Monday, Oct. 3. San Nicolas announced, that as of Oct. 1, Benavente has been appointed to serve as Delegate of the Apostolic Administrator for Church Patrimony.

A complaint against Monsignor James Benavente, sent by the board of The Catholic Cemeteries of Guam to police and the attorney general’s office last week, contains false statements, according to the Archdiocese of Agana.

Among other things, the resolution, signed by attorney Jacqueline Terlaje, who serves as secretary of the Catholic Cemeteries board, incorrectly states that the resolution was passed unanimously by the board during a meeting Friday, Sept. 30, according to the archdiocese.

There was no board meeting that day, according to the archdiocese, which said it will continue to investigate the matter. There also was no meeting notice, written waiver of notice requirements or telephonic conference, as required by the board’s by-laws, the archdiocese stated.

And the resolution was not approved by unanimous consent of the board, “contrary to the certified statement by attorney Jacqueline Terlaje,” the archdiocese stated during a press conference Monday afternoon. The allegations about Benavente also are untrue, the archdiocese stated, because the past Catholic Cemeteries board had approved the use of funds cited in the complaint.

The complaint, which alleges that Benavente misused $13,620 in Catholic Cemeteries money, states, "The Board of Directors of the Catholic Cemeteries of Guam Inc. hereby unanimously direct the secretary to forward the attached information to the civil authorities," and to publicly release the information. The resolution states the board of directors voted in favor of the resolution Sept. 30.

The Catholic Cemeteries publicly released the information Friday morning, shortly after the archdiocese held a press conference, clearing Benavente of all past allegations of financial mismanagement. Archbishop Anthony Apuron in 2014 accused Benavente of poor financial management and poor record-keeping and removed him as rector at the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica and as director of Catholic Cemeteries.

Terlaje said the only statement she can release at this time is that the board of directors of the Catholic Cemeteries will meet Wednesday. She declined to comment on any of the archdiocese's specific statements.

The Catholic Cemeteries of Guam Inc. board of directors members are: Dennis Santo Tomas, chairperson; Roland San Agustin, vice chairperson; Terlaje, secretary; Lillian Perez-Posadas, director, and Wayne Santos, director. The Rev. Jose Alberto Rodriguez is the administrator.

Santos has been off island since Sept. 23 and is not expected to return until Oct. 12. Santo Tomas, San Agustin and Perez-Posadas did not return calls or respond to emails as of press time Monday.

That board resolution is invalid, said the Rev. Jeff San Nicolas, delegate of Apostolic Administrator Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai, during Monday's press conference.

The archdiocese on Monday restated its position that Benavente has been cleared of all financial mismanagement allegations.

“We again state that the archdiocese, after carefully reviewing all the evidence, declared, and concluded that there was no basis for the allegations against Monsignor James that led to his removal as rector of the Cathedral Basilica. The Archdiocese apologizes to Monsignor James Benavente and his family for again having to undergo the sting and pain of baseless allegations,” San Nicolas said, reading from a prepared statement.

Hon last Friday said he will take immediate and appropriate action to discipline the person or people involved in the board resolution, as he would do with any act of insubordination by those under his pastoral care. Members who supported and voted for the resolution should resign, according to a statement from the Archdiocese.

Pope Francis appointed Hon on June 6 to temporarily administer the Catholic church on Guam, after Apuron was placed on leave because of allegations that Apuron sexually abused altar boys in Agat in the 1970s.

The Vatican has been preparing Apuron’s canonical, or church trial.

Hon, during his recent visit to the Vatican, said he asked the Holy See to remove Apuron as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Agana.

When asked Monday what the pope’s response was to his request, Hon said the pope has his “way of considering things” and that things like this “take time.”

The Archdiocese of Agana, Apuron and up to 50 other individuals are also facing a $2 million libel and slander lawsuit from former altar boys who publicly accused Apuron of sexually abusing and raping them in the 1970s.

The plaintiffs said Apuron and the other defendants essentially called them liars when they came forward to accuse him of sexual abuse and rape.

Apuron is represented by Attorney Jacqueline Terlaje in this lawsuit, while the Archdiocese under Hon’s leadership is represented by another law firm.