GUAM
Pacific News Center
Archdiocese Says Sex Offender Continued to Work at Santa Barbabra Church as Volunteer, After His Dismissal
Guam – The Archdiocese of Agana maintains that an investigation by Church officials showed that a convicted sex offender continued to work as a volunteer at Dededo’s Santa Barbara Church, even after the Archbishop ordered Father Paul Gofigan to fire him.
A news release from the Archdiocese Monday night, defends the decision to replace Father Paul as Pastor of the Church and insists that the safety of children is foremost.
Archdiocese Archbishop Anthony is off-island and the release was issued by Vicar General Monsignor David Quitugua on behalf of the Archdiocese following the public disclosure of a July 16th letter from the Archbishop to Father Gofigan demanding his resignation, and Father Gofigan’s July 20th letter to parishioners refusing to resign.
In his letter to parishioners issued last Saturday, Father Paul said that instead of complying with the Archbishop’s demand for his resignation he has decided instead to seek a canonical hearing so he can “defend himself and save my vocation as a priest.” Father Paul insisted in his letter to parishioners that he had complied with the Archbishop’s 2011 order that he fire a registered sex offender.
But in his release Monday night, the Archbishop However, our investigation has revealed that the person continued to have an active presence at the parish as a volunteer. The person had keys to the facilities and had an active role on church grounds in different ways.
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