BishopAccountability.org
 
 

Tables Have Turned: Priest Involved in Investigating Apuron Now Accused of Sexual Harassment

By Krystal Paco
KUAM
August 4, 2017

http://www.kuam.com/story/36060854/2017/08/04/tables-have-turned-priest-involved-in-investigating-apuron-now-accused-of-sexual-harassment



One of the priests charged with investigating Guam's Archbishop Anthony Apuron now faces accusations of sexual harassment himself. Could this compromise Apuron's ongoing canonical trial? It depends on who you ask, as this now has two leading clergy sex abuse victim advocates at odds with one another.

Archbishop Anthony Apuron may be undergoing a canonical trial in Rome, but its Father Justin Wachs, one of the men involved in investigating Apuron, who's now in the spotlight. On Friday, Survivors Network for Those Abused by Priests (SNAP) Western Regional Leader Joelle Casteix firing at the Vatican for failing to put victims first.

According to South Dakota's Keloland TV, Father Wachs is subject to allegations of sexual harassment. His accuser alleges that in 2014 the priest touched her in ways that made her feel uncomfortable and sent suggestive texts. Wachs then resigned and was assigned to Rome.

Among his duties - serving as notary for the Tribunal - the group tasked with investigating Apuron in light of four allegations of clergy sex abuse.

Wachs, and other Vatican officials met one by one with Apuron's accusers in closed door meetings earlier this year.

"We were horribly dismayed to find this out," said Casteix. "This is a horrible breach of trust. We believe that this puts the entire canonical trial in some state of limbo. How can we trust the process if these are the men they put in charge?" She added, "Those victims were not notified. They were not told that Wachs had these allegations against him. The victims were not allowed to have their attorneys present - they were told that the men in the interview were trustworthy."

Though he's an advocate for victims, Junglewatch blogger Tim Rohr isn't putting as much weight into the allegations against Wachs and its impact on Apuron's fate. "He's not even the jury. He's the freakin' note- taker," Rohr. "Why does he matter? He doesn't matter."

"If this was an adult who was supposedly sexually harassed, did she tell anybody but the church? Why didn't she go to civil authorities? Why is it all anonymous? There's no question what we've done here with the CCOG, and the lay people, and Junglewatch, that the reason why we're successful is because we never permitted ourselves to go forward on anonymous allegations."

Once partners in advocacy have turned foes. Rohr attacking the non-profit who currently face a lawsuit for allegedly receiving kickbacks from attorneys.

Rohr added, "For Joelle Casteix and SNAP to dig up something that happened in South Dakota from some anonymous person equate sexual molestation of children to sexual harassment of an adult, even if it was true, is a complete abusing. I see it as another molestation of the true victims here."

Casteix, who works as a volunteer for SNAP, tells KUAM the lawsuit is in the process of settlement. "I find it very problematic that Mr. Rohr really wants to take away from the core of the issue, which is there is problem on Guam having to do with the canonical trial process. This is not the time to start throwing stones at people," she said.

Though the decision of that canonical trial is expected to be revealed any day now, Rohr says it doesn't matter. "The bottom line is that the people of Guam have stood up and said, 'Apuron, you're never coming back!'," he stated. "That's the real trial: the trial of Apuron by the people who have known him all his life."

Archbishop Anthony Apuron's attorney Jacque Terlaje responds to SNAP's concerns. In an emailed statement she says her understanding is that Father Justin Wachs served as a notary or the recorder and has no role in the decision making process.

She further states, "This rush to judgment simply fits the consistent Modus Operandi I have been witness to on this island for the last year; demanding beheading, rather than seek the truth through the judicial process. This is yet another tactic to undermine the intensive and rigorous efforts that the Vatican has undertaken to determine the truth."

The Church also chimes in. In a statement from the Archdiocese of Agana late this afternoon, the local church assures the faithful they have no influence over the canonical trial process. As for Coadjutor Archbishop Michael Byrnes, his primary concern is "for the care and healing of victims and the settlement of their complaints which is progressing steadily."

 

 

 

 

 




.

 
 

Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.