Concerned Guam Catholics question Apuron over fundraising drive

By Jasmine Stole
Marianas Variety
February 16, 2015

http://www.mvariety.com/cnmi/cnmi-news/local/73875-concerned-guam-catholics-question-apuron-over-fundraising-drive

Anthony Apuron

HAGÅTÑA — Last week, the Concerned Catholics of Guam group wrote to Archbishop Anthony Apuron in connection with the upcoming annual archdiocesan appeal.

The group asked how the funds received in the annual archdiocesan appeal will be used.

The letter, dated Feb. 10, was also sent to Archbishop Martin Krebs, apostolic delegate to the Pacific Islands, and Archbishop Savio Hon Tai-Fai, secretary of Vatican Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

In it, the CCOG lists six questions for the archbishop. According to the archdiocese website, the archdiocesan appeal is meant to assist the local Catholic Church’s seminarians “in their formation to the priesthood,” as well as help chaplains at Guam Memorial Hospital and at the Department of Youth Affairs and provide for priests’ emergency needs. In April 2013, the archdiocese reported over $74, 000 was collected in the annual appeal.

The CCOG wanted to know if these funds would be used to support seminarians not from Guam or the Northern Mariana Islands and how else the archdiocese intends to use the funds collected in the annual appeal.

The CCOG asked how much the Agana Archdiocese hopes to collect in the appeal this year and whether or not the archdiocese intends to publish a report detailing how the money was spent after the appeal drive ends.

The group asked that Apuron reply to the questions by Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18.