Archbishop Michael Jude Byrnes makes further church leadership changes

By Haidee V Eugenio
Pacific Daily News
April 9, 2018

https://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2018/04/09/archbishop-michael-jude-byrnes-makes-further-church-leadership-changes/498001002/

Archbishop Michael Byrnes delivers the homily during an Ash Wednesday Mass at the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral Basilica in Hagåtña on Feb. 14, 2018. Photo by Rick Cruz

Archbishop Michael Jude Byrnes has made further changes in the Archdiocese of Agana, including naming Father Jeffrey C. San Nicolas as interim administrator of the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica in Hagåtña, effective noon April 16.

Father Paul A.M. Gofigan, the current rector of the Cathedral-Basilica, has been assigned as parochial vicar of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Yigo, effective April 16.

Gofigan will be taking over the Yigo church's leadership, which was previously assigned to Father Julio Cesar Sanchez Malagon, one of three priests associated with the Redemptoris Mater Seminary, or the Neocatechumenal Way, who were reassigned in January this year.

Byrnes also assigned Father Edwin Bushu as chaplain of the Chaplaincy Team of Guam Memorial Hospital, Guam Regional Medical City, Department of Corrections, and Department of Youth Affairs. The appointment also takes effect on April 16.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Cemeteries of Guam Inc. has a new administrator, Owen Bollinger, effective April 4, per the archbishop's official aviso or notice.

No further details about the new assignments were available from the archdiocese as of press time.

Pope Francis appointed Byrnes in October 2016 as coadjutor archbishop for Guam, to replace then Archbishop Anthony S. Apuron should Apuron resign, retire or be removed.

Last month, a Vatican tribunal found Apuron guilty of certain of charges in a case that included child sexual abuse allegations. The Vatican removed Apuron's title of archbishop and banned him from the Guam archdiocese.