GUAM
Guam Daily Post
John O’Connor | Post News Staff
More than two weeks have passed since the arrival of Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai, apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Agana, but protests have continued in front of the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral Basilica in Hagåtña despite Archbishop Anthony Apuron having been removed from local church matters amid sexual abuse allegations against him.
For months, the Concerned Catholics of Guam have protested at the cathedral, demanding that Apuron resign from his position as archbishop. But yesterday morning, that message had changed, and more than a dozen protestors holding signs stated plainly in red letters that they are now calling for Apuron’s laicization from the church. Laicization, or defrocking, is the removal of a bishop, deacon or priest from his status as a member of the clergy.
Jose Martinez, a member of CCOG, said the credibility of the church and confidence in its leadership has been damaged by Apuron’s actions.
Mockery
“The allegations are serious enough that he should have stepped down a long time ago,” Martinez said. “It’s getting to the point where it’s almost a mockery to be hidden so far away and not address any of the situations going in the church.”
Apuron’s last official communication to the people of Guam was a video message sent from Rome in which he stated that the pope had granted his request for an apostolic administrator, sede plena, meaning Hon would be in charge of pastoral duties while Apuron remained archbishop of the archdiocese.
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