Blog Song

Saturday, March 17, 2018

Update On Appeal

The following article can be found here:


.- On Friday the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith announced the conclusion of a year-long trial against an archbishop in Guam, stating that he has been found guilty of some charges stemming from allegations of sexual abuse of minors and has been removed from office.
A source close to the case has confirmed that the archbishop has already appealed the decision.
According to a March 16 statement from the Apostolic Tribunal of the CDF, Archbishop Anthony Apuron, 72, was found guilty of “certain” accusations and penalized with removal from the office and prohibition from residing within the Archdiocese of Guam.
The CDF did not state the charges for which the archbishop was found guilty. Sources close to the case told CNA that the archbishop was found guilty of a minority of the allegations leveled against him.
If the archbishop has been found guilty of sexual abuse of minors, the penalty leveled against him is unusual - often a cleric found guilty of such crimes would be "laicized," or removed from the clerical state, sources say.
Sources also noted that the archbishop has seemingly maintained his ecclesiastical faculties, and though restricted from residence in Guam, is apparently able to exercise ministry as a priest.
A source close to the case told CNA that the penalty is "a complete contradiction" to the sentence.
The source said that if the archbishop is guilty of sexual abuse against minors, "justice would demand the strongest possible penalty," adding "this punishment maintains the status quo."  
One expert suggested to the CNA that the five-judge panel may have been divided on the archbishop's guilt, which could explain the disparity between a guilty verdict and an unusually light sanction.
One source questioned whether pressure to quickly resolve the matter might have influenced the sentence.
Cardinal Raymond Burke, former prefect of the Vatican's Apostolic Signatura, is the case's only judge to be publicly identified.
"It is difficult to explain how such a serious-minded and competent canonist would put his name to something like this," a source close to the case said of Burke, noting questions raised about the sentence and delays in the case's adjudication. 
Apuron was relieved of his pastoral and administrative authority by Pope Francis in 2016, in the wake of the allegations, and was effectively replaced by Coadjutor Archbishop Michael Byrnes, formerly of Detroit.
The canonical trial against Apuron began in October 2016, with Cardinal Burke appointed by Pope Francis as the trial’s presiding judge. Byrnes told reporters that the Vatican reached a decision on the case in October 2017, though no information regarding its outcome had yet been released.
Sources question why the CDF delayed finalizing sentences apparently completed in mid-2017. The archbishop is reported to have been notified of the court's decision only recently, and it was not made publicly known until today.
One source close to the Archdiocese of Agana in Guam questioned whether Archbishop Byrnes pushed the Vatican to release the sentence in order to resolve public concern about the matter in Guam.
However, the source questioned whether Byrnes has been appropriately advised on the matter. "Most of the people who were opposed to [Apuron] in terms of governance" have become advisers to Byrnes, the source said.
"The curial advice Byrnes is receiving is institutionally and personally opposed to Apuron."
In the early hours of March 17 on Guam, Apuron released a statement through his attorney.
"I have been informed of the conclusion of the first instance canonical trial against me. While I am relieved that the tribunal dismissed the majority of the accusations against me, I have appealed the verdict. God is my witness; I am innocent and I look forward to proving my innocence in the appeals process," the statement read.
"Today, my prayers are with the Church in Guam, which has been suffering greatly. I pray that Santa Marian Kamalen may intercede for the healing of our island," Apuron continued.
Until appeals are resolved, “the imposed penalties are suspended until the final resolution” of the trial, according to the CDF.  
A source told CNA that the credibility of the witnesses will be a major factor of the appeal. Questions have been raised regarding connections between the witnesses, attorneys, and real estate developers on Guam.
The prefect of the CDF, Archbishop Luis Ladaria, will determine whether or not to accept the appeal, and then be responsible for appointing judges to consider it.
The most recent allegation against Apuron was made Jan. 10 by the archbishop’s nephew, Mark Apuron. He filed a lawsuit Jan. 10 claiming that his uncle raped him in a Church bathroom in 1989 or 1990. This was the fifth lawsuit to accuse the archbishop of sexual abuse of minors during his time as a pastor and bishop.
The archbishop denied the allegations in a statement Jan. 18, writing, “God is my witness: I deny all allegations of sexual abuse made against me, including this last one,” according to Guam Pacific Daily News.
In addition to this claim, Apuron also faced four other accusations from former altar boys, who charged the archbishop with abuse in the 1970s when he served as a parish priest in Agat.
The first allegations against the archbishop were made public in May 2016. Mark’s attorney, David Lujan, said that his client was too ashamed and embarrassed to tell his family about the alleged abuse until recently.
Archbishop Byrnes, who is empowered by the Vatican to oversee the Archdiocese of Agana but has not yet formally succeeded Apuron, has since implemented new child protection policies in the archdiocese, including a safe environment program that Byrnes said will “help to instigate a change of culture in our Archdiocese.”
Byrnes adopted in February 2017 the US bishops’ conference’s Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People and its essential norms on dealing with allegations of sexual abuse of minors by clerics.

The Archdiocese of Agaña is currently a defendant in 96 sexual abuse lawsuits, involving Apuron, 13 priests, a Catholic schoolteacher, a Catholic school janitor, and a Boy Scout leader. Most of the lawsuits were filed after 2016, when Guam’s territorial legislature eliminated the statute of limitations for civil lawsuits involving child sexual abuse.

16 comments:

  1. For someone who went to Rome to ask for a trial, he got it and now is opposed to its verdict. Can't have both ways.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Anonymous at 10:09 am,

      He is not having it both ways. He went to Rome asking for a canonical trial because he believes in his innocence. A verdict has been given, and he has a right to appeal the verdict according to law. His right of due process was unfairly taken from him. The right to appeal should not be taken from him.

      Delete
    2. Diana, just how was his right of due process "unfairly taken from him"???? You kept telling us that Archbishop Apuron should be presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law.
      Now that he has been found guilty you claim his right of due process was "unfairly taken from him"??? What are you going to say if the tribunal decides to let the verdict stand? What are you going to say if the tribunal decides not to even consider his appeal???

      Delete
    3. Dear Anonymous at 2:25 pm,

      We have always taken the stand that he presumed innocent until proven guilty. The jungle took away his due process when they judged him guilty and demanded his resignation without even a trial. He was already given the right to appeal, and that was already done. Therefore, it is not yet over.

      Delete
    4. But my dear Diana, in your blog you preached that the jungle should write to Rome and they did that and more and you said Rome hasn't done anything. Now that Rome HAS decided, you say your brother tony is still innocent even though HE HAD A CANONICAL TRIAL by his peers. The verdict was guilty and still you say he's not. Just like you've said that you would wait for the outcome of his canonical trial. Well my dear Diana, the verdict is in. Even if brother tony appeals his verdict, no new evidence besides the evidence which was submitted during the canonical trial can be entered. Plus I'm sure his peers meticulously went through all the evidence prior to deciding a verdict. So what will you say when his appeal is over and the verdict remains guilty? Are all the victims still liars or paid off as you have claimed for many years?

      Delete
    5. Dear Anonymous at 5:18 pm,

      I never said that. I said he was appealing the verdict. Please do not put words in my mouth.

      Delete
    6. Dear anonymous at 5:18

      The canonical trial was influenced because look at how the press conference letter put out and who Byrnes thanked Mark Apuron and it’s almost the end of the pause on us

      Delete
    7. The canonical trial was not only influenced, but was determined by the 5 jurors.

      Delete
    8. Diana at 2:32 pm, as you have mentioned the appeal portion of Archbishop Apuron’s due process has started. The verdict announced was that he is guilty of certain charges. Is it accurate to say that during this time the Archbishop is now presumed guilty until proven innocent? I guess I’m wondering if the presumption goes both ways like it does in criminal cases when the person is found guilty. Would you know?
      Thank you.

      Delete
    9. Dear Anonymous at 11:02 am,

      After the verdict has been made public, I never said he is innocent. I said that he is appealing the guilty verdict.

      Delete
  2. thank you Anonymous March 17, 2018 at 10:09 AM in affirming the hypocricy of your comment.

    who is the head of your church? man or Jesus Christ?

    be careful how you answer as one begs for forgiveness to a brother while the other gloats in his righteousness.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gloating in righteousness is sin. Look at those sinners who gloat. Then you find them scared and running because of what they have done. See it?

      Delete
  3. Is Anon at 11:02 right??? Is Archbishop now presumed GUILTY??? I thought he was suppose to be presumed innocent!!! Something went wrong.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Anonymous at 11:48 pm,

      He had been found guilty of some of the accusations and is appealing the guilty verdict.

      Delete
  4. The Catholic church is weak can't even defend their own Bishop letting some money-hungry victims and lawyer get away with it with the help of Rohr ):€ the man is innocent the advertisement bulletin board victims pop up $5000000???? What a shame

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Catholic Church was not able to defend his own appointed Archbishop Anthony Apuron who was appointed to be the Archbishop of Agana by the Vicar of Christ, the Pope! Now, who is higher, the Pope? Or Coadj. Byrnes? I don't think so!

      Delete