Joe R. San Agustin is a member of Concern Catholics of Guam and has been known to make comments in the JungleWatch blog. Now that this has come to light, should the organization "Concern Catholics of Guam" be sued as well???? After all, the law says that they can sue the institution for hiding a sex abuser. Or is CCOG going to claim that a "person is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law"?The first woman files suit against the Church for clergy sex abuse. 65-year-old B.T. lives in Saipan, but filed her complaint in the District Court of Guam on Tuesday. B.T. alleges she was sexually molested by Father Joe R. San Agustin also known as Andrew San Agustin when she and her younger sister came with the priest to Guam for vacation. San Agustin was employed by the Archdiocese of Agana, but temporarily assigned to Mt. Carmel School in Saipan where he was B.T.'s teacher. While on Guam, she alleges the priest kissed her and touched her privates as well as digitally penetrated her when she was 12-years-old. B.T. is suing for $5 million.KUAM News has learned that San Agustin is a member of the Concerned Catholics of Guam, but no longer a priest for the Archdiocese of Agana.
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Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Backfired To CCOG
The first woman have come forward, charging sexual allegation against a Father Joe R. San Agustin (also known as Andrew San Agustin). According to KUAM (the bold is mine):
Capuchins have been eerily quiet. Only a matter of time before news breaks out. Jungle aggressively trying to keep the lid on this can of worms. Sadly, clergy abuse is a horrible crime not just on Guam, but also around the world. The sick few have unfortunately cast the priesthood into a bad light.
ReplyDeleteCapuchin priest Sigmund Hafemann named in sex abuse lawsuit.
Deletehttp://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2017/04/11/capuchin-franciscans-named-sex-abuse-suit/100358796/
What now? I suppose priests actively serving in the parishes will have the skeletons in their closet brought out into the open. And who knows, members of CCOG, LFM and may be exposed? And who next? Governors, senators, mayors, directors? So GovGuam will be co-defendants? Thank you former Senator Frank Blas and the other senators for the possibility of bankrupting the Church, GovGuam, and who knows what other institutions named as co-defendants.
DeleteIn all fairness, I think CCOG should be included in the lawsuit. They had the Archdiocese and the Boy Scouts of America in the lawsuit. CCOG should not be treated any different from the rest. San Agustin is a member of CCOG and CCOG never threw him out of their membership.
ReplyDeleteFollowing the logic of Anonymous @ 9:54 AM that because Joe R. San Agustin is a member of the Concerned Catholics of Guam that CCOG should be included in the lawsuit with ONE accusation against him then the NEOCATECHUMENAL WAY which includes membership by Archbishop Anthony Sablan Apuron who has FOUR accusations should be included in the lawsuits as well since the NCW never threw him out of their membership. Fair is fair.
ReplyDeleteBTW: As Diana points out the law says INSTITUTIONS can be sued for hiding a sex abuser BUT CCOG IS NOT AN INSTITUTION. It is as Diana mentioned an "organization."
Dear Anonymous at 10:35 am,
DeleteAccording to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, an "institution" is defined as "an established organization".
Well, Diana, do you agree that the NCW should be included in the lawsuits too?
DeleteSo can the NeoCatechumenal Way be included in the lawsuits since it's also an institution/organization that Apuron is a member of?!?
DeleteDear Anonymous at 11:32 am,
DeleteThe NCW is part of the Church, not separate from the Church. The Archdiocese is already named in the lawsuit. Like all other Church organizations, the NCW stands behind the Archdiocese.
The Way is under the umbrella of the Church. The same is also true with RMS. They're all under the umbrella of the Archdiocese. CCOG isn't part of the Church. It's an organization on its own.
DeleteYeah just like their doing to the archbishop right now or is Dave sablan gonna do like ghura which he's doing with the church making it be corrupted like how archbishop knew before he was forced into leave last year and put people to do what is right or is David sablan gonna like last year and demand that his baby which is ccog and his actual pope Tim the horror gonna do and hire people to go after everyone who messes with his way of conquering the entire church
ReplyDeleteIs CCOG aiding and abetting sexual abuse of minors? Is Rohr an accomplice of sexual abuse by promoting the views of an abuser? What does Public Law 33-187 say about it?
ReplyDeleteThat's up to the court to decide. In the meantime, the lawsuits should include CCOG.
DeleteI see these plaintiffs will sue the pants off from Rohr, as he used to say...
DeleteThe Guam Boy Scouts didn't aid and abet Fr. Brouillard. Once they learned of the sex abuse, they removed him. Yet, they're named in the lawsuit.
DeleteWonder if Joe San Agustin would continue walking the picket line.
ReplyDeleteFYI: Joe San Agustin doesn't walk the picket line.
DeleteHe used to participate in the Prayer Protest across the street from the Cathedral while the Legislature Building was undergoing renovation. He would sit in his wheelchair and pray.
When the protest switched to the picket line he didn't join.
AnonymousApril 4, 2017 at 6:01 PM
ReplyDeleteMay as well remove the statue of St. John Paul II in Agana because he favored the Neos. How about Archbishop Flores statue in Tamuning, you want that removed too? Diana look at what this anonymous blogger on timmys blog said and look who he or she is pointing at and who's the pope he is talking about one of the greatest popes all time
Anonymous cowards everywhere on this blog, especially the author.
ReplyDeleteThere is no backfire. You disgracefully and gleefully celebrate as cowards. Who celebrates allegations of sexual misconduct? "Insiders", that's who.
None of you have any courage to stand up for your convictions and lend credibility or validity to your comments. None of you.
Go ahead, print this or not. How do you all say, "thank you for the persecution?"
Dear Jose,
DeleteYou are so quick to condemn Archbishop Apuron. Now that CCOG member Joe San Agustin is accused of sexual molestion, let us see how quick you are in condemning him too. I do not see you or David Sablan condemning Mr. San Agustin. I have always taken the stand that the accused is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Too bad JOSE M.!
DeleteDon't you feel hurt that no one stands behind you. I mean you're always coming to the defense of ror and yet I never see him give you the same.
Diana is right, you already condemned Archbishop Anthony right after allegations. The truth is Jose, you spent your entire life away from Guam, you do not have slightest clue to as the history of the Church on Guam, the scandals go way before you, ror and his Amway chapels came to Guam.
The saddest part is that God sent a charism to help clean this all up and you all rejected it, the NCW.
Did you know that all these avid protesters either have been away from the island for most of their life, are not locals, married to off islanders. They don't realized that the people they support are also part of the problem.
Many don't take part in the protest because they know who and what kind of stories truly exist.
Pas!
-Jokers Wild
Dear Jose,
ReplyDeleteI did not publish your last comments due to the fact that all you've done was attack our choice to remain anonymous, which is not the issue here. Also, I have yet to hear the condemnation of Joe San Agustin now that he has been accused of sexual molestation. You and the jungle have been very good at condemning Archbishop Apuron without due process of a trial. Let us see whether you intend to treat Joe San Agustin in the same way or whether you will sweep it under the rug.
Apuron was condemned for attacking the victims in public and threatening them with a lawsuit all through official Archdiocesan letterhead. Archbishop Hon rescinded EVERYTHING that Apuron shamefully threw at the victims including at CCOG.
DeleteArchbishop Byrnes has not revisited nor reactivated any of Apuron's attacks. Go figure.
Dear Jose,
DeleteYou know very well that Archbishop Apuron was judged and condemned for the sexual allegations. Even the Vatican investigators came here for the sexual allegation, not for his response. Archbishop Apuron had a right to respond to those allegations, which is what he did. While claiming his innocence, the jungle called him a liar without due process of a trial. He was branded a liar since the beginning.
Archbishop Hon retracted Apuron's statements to APPEASE the other side just as Tim Rohr claimed. He thought that by throwing you a bone, he hoped to bring about some unity.
Tim also said that the only time AB Hon did anything was when they threatened him with a lawsuit. Hon's name was in the original lawsuit that was filed. Later, it was taken out.
DeleteSo Diana @ 2:26 PM claims "I have always taken the stand [sic] that the accused is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law" and yet the title of this post (Backfired To CCOG) with the emphasis that Mr. San Agustin is a CCOG member followed by the possibility of including CCOG in lawsuits tells me that in Diana's mind Mr. San Agustin is guilty.
ReplyDelete"Innocent until proven guilty" only applies to NCW members according to Diana and her Joker friend.
Dear Anonymous at 4:10 pm,
DeleteThe title of this post is read "Backfired To CCOG." Nowhere in my post did I say that Mr. San Agustin was guilty of these allegations.
I posed a question to CCOG....are they going to say that Mr. San Agustin is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law? Is CCOG going to bash him the way they have done to Archbishop Apuron and judge him guilty without due process of a trial?
Furthermore, I was citing the law that institutions can be sued. The original law of the bill was to sue the alleged perpetrators, but you and the jungle changed it to include institutions.
What parish is Fr. Joe Agustin in residence? No listing. Is he a Saipan pale?
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous at 9:11 pm,
DeleteHe is no longer a priest. According to KUAM when he was a priest, he was employed by the Archdiocese of Agana and assigned to Mt. Carmel School in Saipan.
Well so far no condemnation of Fr. Joe Agustin from CCOG or Jungle. We will definitely not condemn until proven guilty.
ReplyDeleteOnly the enemy is an abuser. A friend...? Never!
DeleteThis is how sexual charges work as weapons of destruction. ;(
change the law not to include institutions. Can law be changed?
ReplyDeleteShould be. The current one, Public Law 33-187 is unconstitutional!
Deletedifficult to really understand why Mr.Agustin was a member of CCOG protesting against Archbishop. Makes no sense.
ReplyDeleteDiana Timmy is trying to protect his baby ccog because he's backing up Joe unlike archbishop and he's saying it's different with Joe
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous at 7:36 am,
DeleteSo far, Tim Rohr has said nothing negative about Joe San Agustin. He only printed a link to the story. He had more to say about Archbishop Apuron. He also put Apuron's alleged victims above all the other victims.
Rohr had already said here are too many victims they don't know. This is so excessively funny! Is it not exactly what they wanted?
DeleteBut the control is being lost now. Rohr is scared this turns against them! They start to feel like being swept by the tide. The same tide they foolishly swelled into a tsunami.
That is why the Jungle won't approve any new sexual abuse allegation from anyone who did not come to them first. Too bad! Very low moral standard. Just as always has been.
I see a plot slowly unfolding with this San Augustin guy. It just doesn't make sense. How could he have live a double life especially these past couple of years by constantly criticizing the archbishop and yet all along he is possibly an abuser also? How could he become a member of CCOG and take part in the protests against the church when he is also the problem? So far all the other alleged abusers were during the baumgartner and Flores days, what years was San Agustin a priest? Is he gonna be the one to place blame of a cover up on Apuron?
ReplyDeleteIf he(San agustin) is guilty then KOLG and all others need to throw away that Island Choralers music recording.
Pas!
-Jokers Wild
Their plot will be saying that Joe was the one holding them back. They'll blame him for being a cuckoo in the nest!
DeleteDear Jokers Wild,
DeleteJoe R. San Agustin was ordained a priest in 1962. His active ministry was in Guam and Saipan from 1963-1972. He was laicized by papal authorization in 1973. This was still during Archbishop Flores'time.
Archbishop Apuron was ordained a priest in 1972 and became Bishop in 1984.
Thanks Diana, for the clarification.
DeletePas!
-Jokers Wild
CCOG needs to get out there and either remove him from their roster or publicly acknowledge that they are aware of these allegations against San Agustin. It us interesting to know that the victims are represented by another firm other than Lujan, more credibility to them. Lujans clients are either from Inarajan or Agat, and from what I hear on the streets is that most of them(accusers) cant even be trusted in small things, what more this.
J.R.San AgustinSeptember 23, 2016 at 7:19 PM
ReplyDeleteNow that Bill 326 has just been signed by the governor, this submittal is moot. Not to do a “I-told-you-so” comment, I’m submitting this in reply to Anon at 12:47pm (Sep 23)……..
I, too, find it ODD why the governor would not want to sign Bill 326-33 into law. I’ve written before that I’m taking bets that HE WILL SIGN. My own reasoning why I think he he will either sign the bill, or let it lapse into law -but not veto it are……..
1.If he were the parent of a child who had been sexually abused (and now finds himself in a position to do something about it), would he not choose to protect his child, but instead choose to buckle to the urgings of others (including his church)?
2.If he were an astute man, would he not have wondered WHY JUST NOW is he being urged not to sign the bill, when he could have been approached when the matter of lifting the statutes of limitation had been in the limelight months ago? This sudden blitz for the governor not to sign the bill only surfaced following an 11-th hour appeal from a letter from AB Hon from Rome. Something must have happened in Rome to have created this urgency ALL OF A SUDDEN! (Wonder what?) If the issue is all that egregious why wasn’t there as much raucous made during the “Silent No More” movement in gathering signatures lobbying for the Legislature to introduce a bill to address it; during the legislative public hearings to solicit pros and cons; after the bill’s passage and submittal to his office? What is so urgent NOW, that wasn’t urgent then? What is so inherently catastrophic about the bill becoming law NOW, that it wasn’t catastrophic then – until the letter sent from Rome. Something smells fishy; something must have happened in Rome to create this urgency?
3.From a legal perspective, how would the governor consider his not signing the bill will AUTOMATICALLY bring the church (lobbying for him not to sign it) into bankruptcy and financial ruin? It could (if the victim claimants choose to include the church as such as a defendant), but not necessarily so – not AUTOMATICALLY SO - as is the argument being proposed.
4.And even if it would (for the sake of an argument) is pitting the possible ill effects on the church against the actual ill effects on the victims of child abuse a valid reason for the governor to not sign the bill?
5.Bill 326 was passed unanimously by all senators present at the time of voting: 13-0. All that was needed then was 8 “yes” votes, a simple majority of 15. If the governor vetoes the bill, all the Legislature needs is 10 votes (2/3 of 15) to override it. What 6 senators is the governor banking on to not support the override? What 6 senators, after voting to pass the bill just weeks ago are now going to do a 180, swallow their pride and integrity, and not choose to not override a veto of their own previous vote?
(jrsa: 9/23/16; 7:00pm) Diana look who I found on the jungle talking about bill 326 the guy who was just caught this past week
Thankyou Diana for bio of Mr.Agustin. Makes sense now.
ReplyDeleteBest for Mr. Agustin not to be seen in public at Cathedral Basilica. Retire now from protests or protest will be a joke.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you missed yesterday's comment by Anonymous @ 1:26 PM.
DeleteJoe San Agustin hasn't protested since the picketing began last June.
Believe me those protests are working even though Diana & her Joker will tell you otherwise.
Joker would have you believe that only outsiders are involved in the picketing. But there are descendants of families who helped rebuild the Church after World War II walking and praying in the picket line.
You think the protest is a joke?
Ask AB Hon. He said the picketers would be gone in 2 weeks. 39 weeks later they're still there.
Ask Sister Emeline from BBMS. She said the First Communicants should see the Soldiers of Christ picketing to protect our church.
Ask the picketers why they continue to show up some even with canes and walkers. You might be surprised.
Dear Anonymous at 6:09 pm,
DeleteThose descendants of families who helped rebuild the Church after World War II came from a very different generation....a generation who were so generous that they did not hesitate to give land to the American liberators.
Today's generations condemned their grandparents for giving up the land to the American liberators, calling them "occupiers." Today's generations work to take war reparations (money) for themselves in place of their dead grandparents who suffered in the war. These descendants did not suffer from the war, but want the war reparation anyway. As a matter of fact, you even have one person charging the Church for WITNESSING a sexual abuse rather than being abused himself. A majority of today's generation will spend hundreds of dollars on iphones and computers, but give $1.00 - $5.00 in the Sunday church collections.
They protest because obviously they failed to learn the Church's simple teaching about not judging and condemning one's neighbor.
NONE of the descendants on the picket line are the money grabbers you accuse them to be.
DeleteThey will gladly resume supporting the Church once Archbishop Anthony the Sexual Abuser is gone.
Dear Anonymous at 10:15 pm,
DeleteThe Church is in dire need to pay its vendors and other things, and these descendants are willing to sacrifice thechurch because of their hatred of one man? If they truly love the church, they would put aside their hatred and help the church. That one man is already being taken care of while the church is languishing.
The descendants who you are criticizing do not hate that "one man" but they do HATE HIS ACTIONS.
DeleteBTW: The descendants ARE SUUPORTING individual diocesan priests on island and they donate to religious groups like the Guam Capuchins and the Carmelites who continue to pray for our Archdiocese. They also support the UNIVERSAL CHURCH by donating to OTHER off-island religious groups and organizations that engage in PROPER FORMATION of priests and religious.
That "one man" could bring an end to this island Church's dilemma by resigning as French Bishop Hervé Gaschignard recently did after accusations of "inappropriate behavior" with young people as reported by Crux. Gaschignard was suspected of "possibly inappropriate comments and behavior" BUT he has not been accused of “sexual aggression or acts" while that "one man" has had AT LEAST 4 ACCUSATIONS OF Sexual Acts with two of them being RAPE.
That "one man" has been asked to resign and he has refused. If he had the HUMILITY that the French Bishop did, that "one man" could have done the same thing. But he didn't.
Dear Anonymous at 9:11 am,
DeleteI go by the principle that a person is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Their hate is evident when they already condemn him without due process of the law.
And who are you to pass judgement? Judge not and you shall not be judge. It is Lent and Holy week is coming and here you are, passing judgement. What a shame, whoever you are.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing, how much Jungle folks are obsessed with Apuron. They just cannot go over with it. Funny. They have a very restricted view, because of that. The Catholic Church on Guam faces much bigger troubles now than all those ever have been related to any single Archbishop!
ReplyDeleteThe world's media attention on Guam is as on a place of unrestricted sexual abuses committed by dozens of clergymen is the last century. Even Archbishop Apuron's fellow altar server pal from the sixties made a charge against a priest. Is it possible that we are facing a culture of unrestricted sexual desires, just like the culture of Hollywood, expressed in a lawful or unlawful manner?
The Jungle surely misses the point when they do not realize the offensive of liberal cultural values inundating the local media and tearing off the old-fashioned Catholic makeup of the cultural texture of Guam's religious people. This is an invasion on Guam's traditional values by those who respect no people, no tradition and no value at all!
But anything the Jungle is able to talk about is Archbishop Apuron. They just got stuck in their own obsession and became so addictive to it that they do not recognize the real danger coming. The real danger is the vicious prospect of sheer destruction, damage and suffering by demolished parish life that awaits on the corner to hit on all the Catholic faithful of Guam.
They don't have empathy for Archbishop Apuron. Because they are unable to love the Archbishop they think it is okay to destroy the church, demolish the parishes and lie for money.
DeleteIt is like burning your family by fire just because you are afraid some of your family members does not love you. Who would be a big murderer like this to do such a vicious thing with your own family?!
Blame Tim Rohr for all this, his hate for the Bishop Apuron
ReplyDeleteRohr never misses a chance to brag that he personally unleashed all this misery on the Guam church because of his desire to hurt Archbishop Apuron. He wants all the accolades from his followers for being such a jerk. Why would Rohr enjoy this? Would this give him special satisfaction that he badly misses in his own family life?
DeleteWhat was the point of bringing down the whole church for the sake of a transient pleasure? What is honorable in obsessive hatred against one person or in an insatiable desire to torture and take revenge on this one single person of personal choice?
Good afternoon and peace be with your spirit!
ReplyDeleteCan i just encourage all, let us all just take a step back and allow God to conduct His plan. It's nearing the end of lent and the obsession of what's going on in the church is what the devil uses to discourage. That is all the devil does, the moment he plants a seed of discouragement, he leaves us because he is smart, smarter than us, he knows that discouragement leads to a dark suffering and he is happy with that.
There is a reminder, a call, for humility. Because we are all no better than anyone. Receiving this message in the initial catechesis, to "die" or to allow the other to be - even it is somehow against the understanding. If one strikes you on the cheek offer the other. It is hard to take a path of humility but that is why the Word and Eucharistic celebrations are present - to help us with love and so that one can be sustained.
Courage! I pray for courage for myself. There is a understanding that God always has a beautiful plan - he is using EVERYONE to allow His plan to manifest. For those who understand, enough with the negative comments - the hardest part of Christian faith is rising from a poisoned spirit - the serpent is always cunning.
Let us, instead, piss the devil off by diverting our energy, time and spirit to transmit The Good News and to help bring those to witness the immense love that God has acted in our own lives. Christ is coming! Let us prepare.
May God protect all of us and may the Blessed Mother Mary intercede for Guam.
For those fortunate to experience the Eucharist Celebration... hope in God for all those afflicted in spirit!
Peace.
Saw a pic of Cardinal Burke at Palm Sunday with the Pope.
ReplyDeleteI think Archbishop Apuron's authority will be restored on Easter Sunday. Then we can really sing ALLELUIA!!
Dear Anonymous at 10:10 am,
DeleteIf Archbishop Apuron is found not guilty, his authority will be restored, but the battle is not over yet. This is going to be a long battle.
Oh, no!! Diana, declared innocent won't be enough? If it is going to be a long battle he will be 75 and never return to us.
DeleteDear Anonymous at 1:29 pm,
DeleteCardinal Burke said that the canonical trial will be over by the summer. Therefore, the trial took place for about a year. Let us hope that the civil trial does not take that long.