GUAM
Pacific News Center
Written by Janela Carrera
Parishioners wanted to express their disappointment with the Archbishop for targeting another priest.
Guam – Another silent protest was held today in front of the Archdiocese of Agana Chancery Office.
This time local Catholics gathered to demonstrate their disappointment with Archbishop Anthony Apuron for targeting yet another priest in the Church.
Local Catholics and parishioners were showed up to the parking lot of the Chancery Office to express their disappointment in a letter sent by Archbishop Anthony Apuron to Immaculate Heart of Mary Pastor Father Mike Crisostomo.
The June 2nd letter notifies Father Mike that his parish fell short in its Archdiocesan Annual Appeal—a fundraising effort by the Archdiocese that is separate from the monthly parish assessment.
Local Catholic blogger with an international following Tim Rohr says this is the second year that the appeal has fallen significantly short of the Archdiocese’s goal.
“I sort of started a campaign, “no money until there’s accountability.” It seems to have worked because there was a tremendous shortfall in the appeal collections,” explains Rohr. “It’s the laity that have responded with “no transparency, no money” but the Archbishop is afraid of the laity. He knows he can’t get to us. He knows he doesn’t have authority over our lives like he does his priests. So he’s gonna do what he normally does which is pick on the people that he can pick on.”
Rohr says this is similar to the punishment that Father Paul Gofigan and Msgr. James Benavente received from the Archbishop for defying him. But this time Rohr says the people have had enough and will not stand for it.
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