I predict that the local church and Rome are going to throw tons of money into the legal fight against these cases. Fortunately, the recent civil windows in Hawaii, Minnesota, Delaware, and California have provided victims and their attorneys with great knowledge, expertise, and insight.
We will learn a lot about what people knew on Guam and when they knew it. A lot of accused predators are going to be exposed—many still working in churches. It won’t be pretty, but victims and local Catholics will come out stronger.
There is a huge chance that the history of the Catholic Church on Guam will be rewritten … by Catholics. And it’s pretty awesome.
All it will take is a small change in the law that will give victims of sexual abuse the opportunity to use the civil courts to expose their abusers and the men and women who covered up the abuse.
Gov. Eddie Calvo is weighing the concerns of the Catholic church and the community as he decides what to do with a bill that would allow victims of child sexual abuse to sue their abusers, according to the governor’s office.
Today is the governor’s last day to sign or veto Bill 326-33, or the bill lapses into law without his signature. Senators on Sept. 12 approved the bill 13-0. If it becomes law, it could make the Catholic church on Guam open to lawsuits by those who, in recent months, have publicly accused priests of raping or molesting them.
The real fear is that this bill, if made law, will expose DOZENS of sex-abusing clerics on Guam. Worse (for him) still, victims will have the opportunity to find out WHAT church officials knew and WHEN they knew it.
The law will also most likely expose clerics who molested kids and are STILL WORKING IN CHURCHES. Priests like Archbishop Anthony Apuron, who *ahem* is still the Archbishop. (Note: The Vatican has done NOTHING to help Guam’s victims, properly punish Apuron, or end abuse. NOTHING.)
Instead of calling the police, archdiocese officials silenced victims, promoted abusers, and conned every single Catholic on the island into believing that their churches were safe.
Catholics want the bill signed. In fact, Guam’s Catholics have been the driving force behind helping victims, exposing Apuron, and finding justice.
Parents of sexual abuse victims carry an awful and painful burden. Ms. Concepcion only wanted the best for her son. She had no idea that she was possibly putting her child in the path of a predator. We hope that Ms. Concepcion finds the peace and healing she so deeply deserves. Her powerful words and story have made is safer for victims of abuse everywhere—no matter the predator—to come forward and find healing and justice.
Two brave people have now come forward to allege child sexual abuse at the hands of Archbishop Apuron. The time for “internal investigations,” bullying parishioners, and maintaining the status quo is over.
It is time for the Vatican and Pope Francis to adhere to their promises of child safety. They must immediately step in and publicly remove Apuron from his office until a complete and independent investigation is complete.
In the meantime, Apuron should and must do the right thing and voluntarily step aside. No cleric, especially an archbishop, should remain in ministry when he has two credible allegations of abuse that have not been investigated.
We implore other victims to come forward to law enforcement and civil authorities. As Roy Quintanilla and Doris Concepcion have shown Guam’s victims of abuse, help and support are available.
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.
Or maybe you have noticed that your bishop’s actions don’t reflect transparency, humility … or anything remotely resembling Christianity. But you can’t quite determine the root of the problem.
And no matter how hard to try to believe that “things are different now,” your bishop’s words just ring false. What do you do?
I’m here to help.
Here is a handy-dandy quiz you can print and give your local bishop.
The only good follow-up to a yes answer is: “I wear a court-ordered ankle bracelet that requires me to stay in the confines of this home.”
Everything else is bunk—period.
If you live in California, it gets even better. The Diocese of Orange … er, I mean the parishes (see #5) … own MULTIPLE homes worth more than $1 million. This article is more than 10 years old, so we can just assume that prices have doubled from what is listed here.
2) If you found out that one of your priests sexually abused a 6-year-old boy when the soon-to-be priest was 16 or 17 years old, would you allow that priest to remain in ministry? Would you let him to lie to parishioners about what the allegations are? Would you let him travel with children? (stay tuned if you live in Chicago or LA)
3) Are there any pending civil or criminal complaints against any of your religious, volunteers, or employees? Are there any cases that you and your review boards are secretly handling? Have you made anyone sign confidentiality agreements since 2002?
4) Do you publicly post and announce USCCB “Warnings”—especially if they apply to your diocese? Why not? Aren’t you required to be transparent?
5) Are there Catholics with whom you refuse to meet? People like parents of survivors, concerned Catholics who may have dealt with an abusive cleric? Catholics who feel bullied by their local pastor?
9) How much money have you paid to lobby against anti-crime legislation that would eliminate the criminal and civil statute of limitations for victims of child sex abuse?
