Pacific News Center
October 22, 2009
http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1152:archbishop-responds-to-allegations-of-sexual-abuse-within-guam-archdiocese&catid=50:homepage-slideshow-rokstories
[Read the archbishop's letter]
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Guam - Guam Archbishop Anthony Apuron has released a letter to the media in response to Vice-Speaker BJ Cruz's assertion that there are currently priests within the Archdiocese of Guam who have sexually abused children.
Archbishop Apuron has chosen not to respond directly to questions from the media about these allegations.
Instead, he released a letter to the media Thursday evening in response to the media reports.
In the letter, the Archbishop writes "I want to assure everyone that the Archdiocese takes seriously its responsibility to ensure a safe environment for all minors who are in the care of Archdiocesan personnel."
He goes onto to say that "a policy with clear procedures for action is in place and will be quickly enforced when reports of an improper behavior on the part of an Archdiocesan personnel are received."
"Proper investigative authorities will be immediately notified if and when allegations of abuse or improper conduct are imposed. Again, the Catholic Church does not and will not tolerate any kind of sexual abuse."
On Tuesday of this week, Vice-Speaker Cruz told the K-57 Breakfast show that he had been sexually abused by a priest when he was a boy growing up in Los Angeles.
He said his aim in revealing his own abuse by a priest was not to gain support for his Domestic Partnership Bill, but to prompt Archbishop Apuron to, in Cruz's words "clean up the clergy here on Guam."
The Vice Speaker said "there are still people running around with roman collars here" on Guam that are abusing children.
He has not provided details.
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