Don't Call Me, Archbishop.

Jungle Watch
July 19, 2014

http://www.junglewatch.info/2014/07/dont-call-me-archbishop.html

n October of 2013, speaking about his getting rid of Fr. Paul Gofigan in front of thirty members of the clergy, Archbishop Apuron bragged:

"...even S.N.A.P. heard about this and applauded me for doing this on this priest and hope that I do not reinstate him because of that..."

S.N.A.P. stand for Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. I was particularly angered when I heard about what Archbishop Apuron had said because in 2010, when SNAP was on Guam investigating the Archbishop, I was asked to publicly go on the offensive against SNAP in order to defend him. And so I did. I learned later that I had been lied to and that SNAP's visit had been a close call for the Archbishop.

I kept quiet about it because I didn't know all the details but I was shocked to hear the Archbishop bragging about SNAP supporting his decision against Fr. Paul when I had been used as cannon fodder to protect him only a couple of years earlier. Well, Archbishop, now it's your turn to protect yourself. Don't call me.

And Fr. Wadeson...really? Too bad you didn't keep to yourself your "deep concern and hurt" (your words) about us lay people learning about the content of your Monday meeting with the Apostolic Delegate. Otherwise no one would have even known you were here. (Of course given what we learned about what was said at both meetings, we can see why you didn't want us to know.) But since you let us know WHERE you are, now you can let us know WHO you are:

[snapnetwork.org]

For immediate release: Friday, July 18, 2014

Statement by Joelle Casteix of Newport Beach, CA, 949-322-7434 cell, jcasteix@gmail.com

We are shocked to learn that a Los Angeles priest from Los Angeles - accused twice of molesting children - now works as a priest on Guam. We strongly urge Guam Catholic officials to oust him.

Fr. John Wadeson, has been named in LA archdiocese records and in news reports as a twice accused predator priest. Because those allegations were deemed “credible” by church officials, he is not allowed to present himself as a priest anywhere in the Archdiocese of LA.

Despite this, Guam Archbishop Anthony Sablan Apuron is letting Fr. Wadeson work and act as a priest. Apuron also lets Fr. Wadeson travel to other dioceses, including Honolulu.

Although Fr. Wadeson has not been convicted of abuse, the fact that the Archdiocese of Los Angeles has banned him from ministry is just cause for Apuron to remove the cleric immediately. We fear that Apuron is putting Guam's children at direct risk and protecting a credibly accused predator instead of protecting his flock.

We urge Apuron to immediate remove Fr. Wadeson from ministry and make public announcements about Fr. Wadeson at every parish where he has worked or celebrated Mass, begging anyone who may have seen, suspected or suffered crimes or misdeeds by Fr. Wadeson to step forward, get help, call police, protect others and start healing.

We also want Apuron to explain to parishioners that Fr. Wadeson has been accused of abuse by two children and is banned from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

We also beg Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez to immediately tell Apuron about the risks that Fr. Wadeson poses. As a powerful Archbishop, Gomez can easily use his power and influence to ensure that Fr. Wadeson can never work as a priest again.

Finally, we applaud whistleblowers in the Archdiocese of Hagatna, who are working steadfastly to ensure that Fr. Wadeson is removed and his past is exposed.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We’ve been around for 25 years and have more than 20,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)