An Agat youth who served as an altar boy in the village church was molested in the late 1970s by Father Anthony Apuron, according to his mother, Doris Concepcion, who said her son, Joseph A. Quinata, revealed his secret shortly before he died 11 years ago.
My heart aches for Doris Concepcion. I can’t image the scope of the pain she has carried for so many years.
I hope that her strength only inspires other victims to stand up and demand justice.
It’s time for Apuron to step down. In fact, it’s past time.
Fr. Bruce Wellems: the man everyone wants to protect.
Yesterday, the Chicago Tribune reported that the Chicago Archdiocese and the Claretian Fathers have barred Catholic priest Father Bruce Wellems from ministry.
To be honest, they made that decision in March, but didn’t tell anyone until May. Were they ever going to tell anyone? That’s a big question.
In fact, had Wellems’ victim not been vigilant and insisted on knowing the decision of both groups … and had he not informed the Chicago Tribune once he learned the outcome, no one would have known at all.
This is transparency? This is openness?
No! This is flagrant disregard for Cupich’s promise of openness, his assurances of public safety, any modicum of risk management, or the use of simple common sense.
That review in March uncovered “additional facts that weren’t previously available,” a spokeswoman for the archdiocese said, leading Cupich to bar Wellems from active ministry.
Additional facts? Like what? That Wellems lied about the abuse? We knew that. That he still worked and traveled with children after his victim was promised that Wellems would have a restricted ministry? We knew that, too.
We know he didn’t steal money, because then Wellems would be in jail. (Bishops tend to work very well with law enforcement on THOSE matters)
There are only two additional facts that would lead Chicago Archbishop Cupich to bar Wellems from ministry:
There was reasonable suspicion, admission, or proof that he abused other kids or is likely to do so, or
He directly defied Archbishop Cupich
Since it took us two months to learn the truth and Wellems was hanging out at Back of the Yards and acting like a priest, I think we can rule out #2.
Parishioners and community members at Back of the Yards are using social media to rally support for Wellems. A group in Los Angeles did the same thing … until they learned that the Archdiocese and Wellems were lying to them.
They were good people and they were doubly betrayed.
It’s never easy for parishioners to learn that a priest they love and trust is a predator. I just hope that for the people of Chicago, it’s not too late.
If you are in the San Francisco area May 27, be sure to check out this screening of the award-winning documentary Call Me Lucky, with a special Q&A afterward with comedian and filmmaker Bobcat Goldthwait.
A tribute to an underappreciated comedic talent that takes a startling midpoint shift toward much graver material, “Call Me Lucky” is a terrifically engaging surprise. Bobcat Goldthwait’s documentary feature manages to avoid both excessive cronyism and soapboxing as it traverses from a portrait of his professional mentor, influential standup Barry Crimmins, to something that could scarcely be less of a laughing matter.
Tuesday, in a prepared statement, Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, archbishop of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, said the Rev. Jose Alexis Davila was removed from his pastoral work in the archdiocese after more investigation was conducted into the priest’s past.
Considering the archbishop claimed to have done an exhaustive investigation, I can only conclude that the real issue was parishioner pushback.
Why? Because all you needed to do to learn the full story of Davila is do a Google search and read this blog. And it doesn’t cost a nickle.
But on to the important question: Where is Davila now?
After a continued investigation by archdiocesan staff, I became aware late Monday of new information regarding the allegations against Father Alexis Davila that made it necessary for me to remove him from pastoral work in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. Father Davila left the archdiocese on Tuesday. (emphasis mine)
So we don’t know where he is. We don’t know if he’s allowed to be a priest. We don’t know where he’s living or working.
Coakley just passed the trash down the road. He had options: He could have forced Davila to live in a monastery, away from vulnerable populations (women, children). He could have made Davila live a life of prayer and penance.
But he didn’t. So now, we need to keep looking for Jose Alexis Davila. And hopefully, if he turns up in another parish, Catholics and parents will be as brave and strong as the people of Lawton.
