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San Francisco Archdiocese Bars Father Wadesen From Ministry
By Kevin Kerrigan
Pacific News Center
July 27, 2014
http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47233:san-francisco-archdiocese-bars-father-wadesen-from-ministry&catid=45:guam-news&Itemid=156
Guam - The Archdiocese of San Francisco has announced that it has withdrawn permission for Father John Wadeson to practice his ministry in San Francisco after learning that Guam Archbishop Anthony Apuron had removed Father Wadeson from ministry in Guam this past week, Monday, July 21st.
The statement was issued Friday, July 25th, by the San Francisco Archdiocese Victim's Assistance Coordinator, Dr. Renee Duffey. [see the statement below]
Duffey writes that the San Francisco Archdiocese granted permission to Father Wadeson to practice his ministry "based upon assurances of good standing from his home diocese, in this case the Archdiocese of Agana in Guam."
It is not clear from the statement when the San Francisco Archdiocese first granted Father Wadeson permission to practice his minitry. Nor is it clear when the Guam Archdiocese gave the San Francisco Archdiocese those "assurances of good standing" on behalf of Father Wadeson.
The Archdiocese of Guam announced that it had removed Father Wadeson from ministry on Monday "in response to concerns raised by the community." Father Wadeseon left Guam for San Francisco the next day, on Tuesday, July 22ed.
Later that day in San Francisco, according to Duffey's statement, the Archbishop of San Francisco, Salvatore Cordileone, informed Guam Archbishop Anthony Apuron that "Father Wadeson would not be allowed to undertake any ministry in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, unless and until his home Archdiocese confirms that he is suitable for ministry."
Father Wadeson is named in Los Angeles Archdiocese records, and in LA news reports, as having been accused on 2 occasions of being a predator priest. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles has barred Father Wadeson from ministry in LA.
Father Wadeson was incardinated on Guam by the Archbishop Apuron in 2000. Father Adrian Cristobal told PNC News Friday July 18th that the Archdiocese was aware of the accusations against Father Wadeson in Los Angeles, but he said the allegations were just that, allegations.
The accusations were made public in Los Angeles in the early 90's, but the alleged incidents occurred back in the 1970's. The accusations against Father Wadeson were never brought to trial.
The sFist.com website quotes Tim Lennon, a spokesman for the "Survivors Network Against those Abused by Priests" [SNAP] as saying that Wadeson had been serving on Guam "as a guest priest, under the auspices of the Archdiocese of San Francisco" and that he had returned to the Bay Area from Guam to minister at least twice, in 2008 and 2011.
That suggests that the " assurances of good standing" given by the Guam Archdiocese to the San Francisco Archdiocese were guiven sometime before last week's actions to ban Father Wadeson from ministry in both Archdiocese.
READ the statement from the Archdiocese of San Francisco below:
Statement Regarding Fr. John Wadeson:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(SAN FRANCISCO, JULY 25, 2014) As with all priests who hale from other dioceses, Fr. John Wadeson was granted permission to minister within the Archdiocese of San Francisco based upon assurances of good standing from his home diocese, in this case the Archdiocese of Agana in Guam.
On July 22, 2014, the Archdiocese of San Francisco became aware that the Archbishop of Agana, Archbishop Anthony Sablan Apuron, had removed Fr. Wadeson from ministry on July 21, 2014, “in response to concerns in the community.”
Therefore, on July 22, 2014, Archbishop Cordileone informed Archbishop Apuron that in response to this information, Fr. Wadeson would not be allowed to undertake any ministry in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, unless and until his home Archdiocese confirms that he is suitable for ministry.
The Archdiocese of San Francisco has informed Fr. Wadeson of that restriction as well, and Fr. Wadeson has willingly agreed to observe it.
We welcome and encourage anyone who may have any information concerning any possible wrongdoing by Fr. Wadeson to contact the Victim’s Assistance Office.
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