Accusation Against Father George Maddock

Father George Maddock

The number of lawsuits against the Archdiocese of Agana continue to rise.  It appears that there is a sex abuse lawsuit filed against the Archdiocese every month.  One was filed in August and another was filed in September.

Father George Maddock passed away on September 30, 2018.  He was 81 years old. Twenty-three days after his death, a lawsuit was filed by L.J.A. claiming that he was sexually abused by Father Maddock when he was an altar server in the Yona Church. L.J.A. is suing the Archdiocese for 5 million dollars. See the story here. Because Father George is now deceased, he cannot defend himself. 

However, shortly after his death, Father George Maddock was praised as an outstanding priest and a true servant of God who served as a Theology teacher and principal at Father Duenas Memorial School.  He was also pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Yona.  He was a former priest of Guam and Hawaii.  Many good things were spoken about him.  In fact, one of Father George's students wrote the following dated October 1, 2018, just one day after his death.  According to one former student: 

With all the talk about the current state of the Catholic church, we forget the many who do great work for the Lord. People like Father George. He was my theology teacher at Father Duenas Memorial School at Mangilao, Guam. He taught me one of the greatest lessons I learned. He taught me how to love Christ in the real world.

This was a man that was after the heart of Christ. I’m not an emotional person by any means but this one got to me. Father George was a molder of men and we are all better sons, husbands, brothers, cousins, uncles, Etc. because of this man. He is the reason why I know the books of the Bible (Ror Cor Gal Eph Philly Col…) and even prepared me for my move to Tampa by sharing what the world outside of Guam was like. Rest easy Father George. I thank you for being an example to many of what love for Christ really looks like. Till next time in heaven. FORTES IS FIDE.

As I said in my previous comments and posts.....as long as this law exists in Guam, no Guam priest is immune from an accusation of sexual abuse.  It would not matter if the Guam priest was innocent.  Why?  Because by then he would be deceased and unable to defend himself; therefore, the Archdiocese have only the word of the alleged victim.  Even in the Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report, most of the accusations were against dead priests. 

In 2002, the sex abuse scandal broke out in Boston, Massachusetts.  It is already 2018, but the Catholic Church in Boston continues to receive lawsuits. Even after 16 years, alleged victims continue to bring their lawsuits.  The statutes of limitation in Guam was lifted in 2016.  It is already 2018, and the lawsuits continue to come forward. Guam is only beginning.  According to news report  dated July 19, 2018 (the bold is mine):

 BOSTON, Massachusetts - A man who says he was sexually assaulted as a child by a Catholic monk in Massachusetts has filed a lawsuit accusing a priest of trying to conceal the abuse and refusing to help pay for his mental health treatment.

The man said in the lawsuit filed on Tuesday that he was raped by Brother Joseph Martin while he worked at Saint Benedict Abbey in Harvard, Massachusetts in the 1970s.

The lawsuit says Abbot Francis Xavier Connelly knew Martin admitted to police in 2013 that he had engaged in inappropriate acts, but didn't tell the man about Martin's admission while Martin was alive.  It also accuses Connelly of reversing course after initially agreeing to pay for the treatment for the man, who was suicidal. 

"He promised to help me and then kind of yanked the rug out from underneath me," the man told reporters on Wednesday.  The man is not identified in the lawsuit and The Associated Press does not identify people who say they're victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission......

The man said memories of the abuse that he had suppressed for years resurfaced in 2013 and sent his personal and work life crashing down.  He said he lost his job and family, wound up living in his car and wanted to end his life..... 

Connelly told police in 2013 that he "never personally experienced any inappropriate behavior" at the abbey and that Martin was "not known as a negative figure in the church."  Connelly said it was the first allegation of misconduct made against anyone at the abbey. 

The lawsuit was filed on the same day The Boston Globe reported that the Order of Saint Augustine had agreed to pay $1 million to eight people who say they were sexually abused in Massachusetts.