No Apology, but Priest Meets with Archbishop

By Jolene Toves
KUAM
January 15, 2014

http://www.kuam.com/story/24452131/2014/01/15/no-apology-but-priest-meets-with-archbishop


Guam - No apology, no retraction, but one thing Father Paul Gofigan did get was a meeting with Archbishop Anthony Apuron.

"It was just a meeting where he asked me to cool it down especially with the media and I really thought that I was going to get the letter with my request regarding the manila event with the slanderous remarks but I didn't we didn't get anywhere with that," said the priest.

As we reported Father Paul Gofigan has been contemplating taking legal action against Archbishop Apuron for allegedly making slanderous and defamatory statements about him and another man. According to Father Gofigan the archbishop during a recent retreat to the Philippines for the clergy allegedly made statements suggesting he was having a homosexual relationship with a married man. Father Gofigan gave the archbishop until Tuesday at noon to put in writing a retraction of those statements the deadline however came and went.

He said, "I thought I was going to get a written letter of apology which I didn't receive he apologize very very much in general but that was about it - it wasn't really a meeting it was a very short meeting."

KUAM tried to get a comment from the archbishop instead Father Adrian Cristobal spoke on his behalf. He told KUAM that the issues raised by Father Gofigan are private and will be handled through the church's internal processes. You may recall the archbishop last year removed Father Gofigan as head of the Santa Barbara Church for allegedly failing to follow a directive. Father Gofigan has since filed an appeal to that action with the Vatican. Evidently the two haven't spoken since.

"This is the first time that I actually sat down to talk with the archbishop face to face since July, he said. "That was the day he fired me you know when he handed me the letter and removed me as pastor of the Santa Barbara parish."

Having met with the archbishop this afternoon Father Gofigan says he will continue to fight to clear his name which he says has been defamed amongst the clergy. "I'm still moving forward with my proceeding especially regarding the latest ordeal with the manila slander I am still going through with the proceedings and talking with a lawyer."