Protesters: ‘We want our church back’

GUAM
Pacific Daily News

Jojo Santo Tomas, jsantotoma@guampdn.com November 2, 2015

Holding signs that read “Reform, Restore, Resign” and “I Love my Catholic Church,” at least 50 Catholics gathered for a protest in Tumon on Sunday.

The protest brought together many concerned Catholics who feel their church being torn apart. Protesters gathered at four corners of the entrance to the Hyatt Regency Guam hotel, where Archbishop Anthony F. Apuron was inside, celebrating his birthday with hundreds of guests who paid $200 each for the gala fundraiser.

Many protesters said the money could better be used elsewhere.

“We have been waiting for more than a year for him to talk to us about the problems of our church, and he has said nothing, done nothing, to address our issues,” said Vangie Lujan, of Chalan Pago. She is a 30-year Catholic and sings for the choir at the Agana Cathedral.

“We want transparency. Why we’re here? He wants to raise $300,000 tonight … but he never uses this amount of resources, or effort, to raise funds for other parts of the church like Kamalen Karidat. He doesn’t use his resources to help Catholic Social Services.

“And yet, he will do everything for the RMS? Or the St. John Paul II? And they’re saying the bills of the Cathedral … but we know it’s going to support the Neocatechumenal way. When is he going to start supporting the rest of us Catholics? We want our church back.”

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