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Protesters end picket, place trust in Vatican
By Andrew Roberto
The time has come to put aside protests calling for the defrocking of Archbishop Anthony Apuron, according to Concerned Catholics of Guam and the Laity Forward movement. Both organizations have for about a year now picketed every Sunday in front of the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica in Hagåtña vehemently calling on Catholic church leadership to defrock Apuron over allegations of sexual abuse and financial mismanagement. But today, David Sablan, president of Concerned Catholics of Guam (CCOG), says both groups will end their protest. “We’re getting some very good indications from Archbishop (Michael) Byrnes that he is addressing (CCOG’s concerns) very well, and we want to show our support for him,” Sablan said. “And therefore we’re putting down our picket line today and put our trust and our confidence in the tribunal decision and recommendation to the pope.” Sablan is confident that Apuron will soon be removed as archbishop, telling The Guam Daily Post, “We trust that the pope and the powers that be in the Vatican will see the reason why he needs to be removed completely from the administration of this archdiocese.” Lou Klitzke, of the Laity Forward Movement, is satisfied with the achievements protestors have made. “I feel good because now all testimony and evidence is in the Vatican tribunal and we made our point. And now we want to stop the picket because we don’t want to put pressure on the Vatican tribunal. We made our point so we’re going to discontinue the picket. By not picketing anymore it speaks louder.” The epicenter of CCOG and Laity Forward Movement’s protests revolve around Apuron’s decision to sign a deed restriction giving the Neocatechumenal Way leadership perpetual use of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary. Their calls for Apuron’s removal grew louder after numerous allegations of sexual abuse began to arise. However, since Byrnes was instituted as the leader of Guam’s church, a number of the protestors' concerns have been addressed. For example, in November of last year, Byrnes terminated the document, which allowed the Neocatechumenal Way movement to use the Redemptoris Mater Seminary and ordered the Yona property be fully returned to the patrimony of the church. Byrnes also established a $1 million settlement fund to be distributed by nonprofit group Hope and Healing Guam to victims of clerical sex abuse. Meanwhile, Apuron has been in an ongoing Vatican tribunal over decades-old allegations that he molested altar boys. Recently, Byrnes made a bold statement at a press conference when he expressed his belief that it would be a “disaster” if Apuron was reinstated as bishop of record in Guam. Gerald Taitano, who has been protesting since picket lines first began, says the movement he has been involved in has “come a long way,” but has seen his faith in the church’s management shaken, adding that he is skeptical of the church’s transparency. Likewise, fellow protestor Jesse Bamba holds ambivalent feelings towards the church. “I’ll be satisfied when everything that has happened in the church over the last decades has been resolved. This (protest) is just one of the things that has to happen.” Stasia Yoshiada came to support the protest despite not being a Catholic. However, she saw her involvement as an opportunity to support the community. “I hope (Apuron) get’s defrocked because no who does that to children should be put in a religious position. People look up to the archbishop and (his actions are) concerning. That shouldn’t be a role model or a leader in the community.” After their picket line ended, protestors made their way into the cathedral to join in Sunday Mass. Although Sablan is confident that Apuron will be removed as archbishop, he and his organization can reinstate protests in the future if they feel the need arises.
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