Friday, June 3, 2016

Courage

Dear brothers and sisters:  

Courage!  As the press release from the Archdiocese stated, "' Therefore, the Archdiocese of Agana is in the process of taking canonical and legal measures against those perpetrating these malicious lies,” the Archdiocese said."  This time is different because of the seriousness of the accusation.  Controversy over the ownership of the RMS property is not the same as an accusation of sexual abuse. There will be a lawsuit.  As the news report stated, the Church had already discovered a conspiracy to remove the Archbishop at whatever cost.  According to KUAM news (the bold is mine):

The Archdiocese of Agana claims years of attacks and recent allegations made against Archbishop Anthony Apuron are part of malicious smear campaign against him and a plot to take him down.
Following a press conference held by the former sex abuse response coordinator for the Archdiocese of Agana, Deacon Stephen Martinez, the archdiocese is firing back.  Martinez claimed the sex abuse policy was flawed because the archbishop essentially has the final say in all complaints that are filed and investigated.  Two people have come forward alleging allegations of sexual molestation against the archbishop when he was a priest at Mount Carmel Church in Agat decades ago. 
The archdiocese says Martinez's allegation that the policy was kept weak purposely by the archbishop to protect himself is slanderous and their only recourse is civil and canonical legal processes to address  what they call are intentional lies. According to a media release the archdiocese is working with one of the most prominent US legal firms to address these issues and with an independent investigator to inquire about this allegation and these rumors.
The church meanwhile is also accusing Martinez of being part of a conspiracy or the "Rohr Group" to topple the archbishop. Tim Rohr operates the JungleWatch blog, which has been critical of the archbishop over the last several years.
The church further claims Martinez, who was the former archdiocesan financial officer was incompetent in his position and for six years in a row failed to submit required financial reports to the Vatican.  The archdiocese alleges this finance council conspired to sell the Yona seminary property in order to cover their financial misdeeds. So where does Rohr fit in?
According to the church they allege he had a personal interest in the plan and was supposed to be involved in the multi-million dollar sale as a real estate mediator. You may remember the sudden removal of Monsignor James Benavente - the archdiocese now claims that his removal allowed the archdiocese to uncover the mismanagement and angered those who had a vested interest in the sale of the seminary property, "Thus the group condemning the archbishop today is working towards his demise and has continued with a relentlessly malicious smear campaign".
The archdiocese says the archbishop is being persecuted because he is cleaning up the church we all love. The press release meanwhile did not make mention of Roy Quintanilla and Doris Concepcion, the two who came forward with the molestation allegations against the archbishop. It was not specific as to whether they are included in the independent investigation.
In an e-mail response, Father Adrian Cristobal stated at this time the archdiocese is not providing the specifics of the investigation but assures that they are applying the sex abuse policy in the area.
In response to the archdiocese's latest press release, Rohr tells KUAM News, "I am very glad that they actually accused me of something publicly. I've been looking for an opportunity to play offense.
Deacon Martinez issued the following response:
"The keyword is incompetence.
Archbishop was incompetent when he failed to investigate his own violation of the sex abuse policy regarding notification, that I advised him of in 2014.
-     The Archbishop was incompetent when he failed to do the required background check on Fr John Wadeson before bringing him into the Archdiocese
-      The Archbishop was incompetent when he failed to do a required psychological evaluation on Fr John Wadeson.
-  The Archbishop was incompetent when he failed to do required background checks and psychological evaluations for all seminarians in Yona.
-     The Archbishop was incompetent when he failed to update the sexual abuse policy to address the issue of conflict of interest should there ever be an allegation against the Archbishop or any person involved in the administration of the sex abuse policy.
-      The Archbishop was incompetent when he failed to promptly investigate the allegation against Fr Luis Camacho.
-     The Archbishop was incompetent when he allowed Fr Luis Camacho to minister to youth in Qatar.
-      The Archbishop was incompetent when he failed to initiate an investigation into the allegation by Roy Quintanilla and Doris Concepcion.
-      The Archbishop was incompetent when he failed to provide a support person to Roy Quintanilla and Doris Concepcion.
-      The Archbishop was incompetent when he attacked the accusing victims, rather than reach out to them with care and support.
-      The Archbishop was incompetent when he failed to step aside as the accused until the investigation has been completed.
Perhaps the true test of competence would be to rapidly commence an independent and professional investigation of the sex abuse allegations brought forward in 2015 and 2016."

30 comments:

  1. Diana it looks as though Archbishop is serious in lawsuit after all. It might be best way to go.

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    Replies
    1. Dear Anonymous at 7:01 pm,

      It is the only logical and best way to go.

      Delete
  2. Diana, people are spreading rumors that the Ordination for tomorrow is canceled. Is this true???

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    Replies
    1. Dear Anonymous at 7:24 pm.

      The ordination scheduled for tomorrow has been postponed.

      Delete
  3. my dear diana,

    You probably will not post this, but I believe it is a honest and fair statement...
    I also want to state that I and many others care and love OUR Bishop, but at the same time, we should be able to say that his words are are not very Fatherly...

    now that Deacon Steve Martinez is being scandalized in public for speaking up for the weak and downtrodden, while the chancery is blaming all except themselves...

    will the same happen to Father Mike Crisostomo and Father Jeff San Nicolas for speaking up for the faithful who are not in favor of the attack statements and inaction's from the chancery...

    I believe the lord will be in favor of the actions from Deacon Steve Martinez and that of Father Mike Crisostomo and Father Jeff San Nicolas for it is Christian duty...

    thank you

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    Replies
    1. Dear Anthony,

      I said this before under the thread of my last post. Because of his position as a Deacon, it would be best to remain neutral and not judge. The Archbishop is defending himself and has every right to do so against accusations he feels are false. The Archbishop has not gone through trial, and in our society, a person is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The Deacon was wrong in making judgements against the Archbishop before a trial.

      Father Mike and Father Jeff set a better example of being a Christian. Unlike Deacon Steve, they remained neutral. They did not accuse the Archbishop of anything nor did they accuse any victims of anything. Instead, they offered Mass for all who were abused and invited everyone.

      Delete
    2. Unlike you, who accused the victims of being liars. And of the chancery who has accused the victims and anyone who is outraged as being perpetrators of malicious lies and conspiracies. they didn't remain neutral and neither did you.

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    3. Dear Anonymous at 10:09 pm,

      I have made it very clear since the Wadeson case that a man is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. I have always believed in this principle, and I am not going to change my song and dance like Tim Rohr who showed no sympathy to BJ Cruz when he was molested as a child and showed only sympathy to Roy Quintanilla.

      Delete
  4. We all know that Deacon Martinez is now working with Mr. Rich Untalan. They probably have their meetings there.

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    Replies
    1. No, guess again. I know where.

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    2. Anon 7:53, where?

      Delete
  5. May we not ask Bishop Camacho of saipan to come and ordain our deacons. Or may we ask a bishop from manila to come and ordain this weekend?

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    Replies
    1. Dear Anonymous at 11:02 pm,

      The ordination will take place in about a month.

      Delete
  6. So do you think it was wrong of Roy to come forward after 40 years?

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    Replies
    1. Dear Anonymous at 11:46 pm,

      That depends on what the truth reveals. He is an alleged victim bringing an allegation, and the Archbishop is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

      Delete
    2. What about God's law?

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    3. Dear Anonymous at 8:04 am,

      God is the only one who knows the truth; therefore, He does not need a court to determine who is telling the truth. He already knows who is telling the truth and who is not.

      Delete
  7. So why does it take for Non Neo Priests to reach out to those abused and offer a mass and say other comforting words to these victims. While the Neo's/Leader's in this Guam diocese deny and call these victims liars. And do not offer any special mass or prayer service, nor to they attempt to comfort and reach out to these victims in a caring way? Explain to me that Diana? What kind of example are they setting by denying and threatening to sue people?

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    Replies
    1. Dear Anonymous at 5:25 am,

      The RMS priests do not offer special Mass just to compete with their brother priests. This is not a competition. And I already explain that a man is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, which then makes the accusations brought on him as allegations.

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    2. Why do you call them RMS priests?

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    3. Dear Anonymous at 7:55 am,

      Because they were formed in the Redemptoris Mater Seminary.

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    4. How is an RMS priest different to a diocesan priest? Does RMS priest recieve higher grade salary?

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    5. Dear Anonymous at 10:00 pm,

      No, RMS priests are treated the same. They are called RMS priests only because of where they are formed. Some priests are called "Opus Dei" priests because they were formed in the movement of the Opus Dei.

      Delete
  8. They shouldn't be designated that way. It causes division.

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    1. Dear Anonymous at 11:42 am,

      There are many different kinds of priests in the Catholic Church. You have priests who are Jesuits, Dominicans, and even Capuchins. So, what is the problem? If you can accept these different religious priests, why can you not accept different Diocesan priests?

      Delete
  9. There are no diffrent Diocesan Priests Diana. Who are you fooling now. There are only Diocesan Priests known as secular priests and Religious Priests as of Dominicans Franciscans. A diocesan prirsts may beloong to NCW but he is first a diocesan priest not NCW.

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    Replies
    1. Dear Anonymous at 3:40 pm,

      I never said they were NCW priests. There is no,such thing as an NCW priest.

      Delete
  10. It is true that Diana says: a priest can be named according where they has been formed/educated, like she say we can find out Dominicans, Jesuits, Opus Dei, Legionarios, and so one. The RMS priest has their own spitiruality like the others, so why is the problem??

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    Replies
    1. It's not Catholic. That's the problem.

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    2. Dear Anonymous at 11:32 pm,

      It is Catholic. You are not the one who concludes who is Catholic and who is not.

      Delete