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Group calls on Vatican to 'publicly remove Apuron' until investigation is complete
By Haidee V Eugenio
The world’s largest support group for clergy abuse victims on Tuesday called on Archbishop Anthony Apuron to step aside, as well as for the Vatican and Pope Francis to remove him in light of the most recent allegation of molestation against the highest Catholic leader in Guam. “The time for ‘internal investigations,’ bullying parishioners and maintaining the status quo is over,” Joelle Casteix, Western Regional Director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, said in a statement. “Two brave people have now come forward to allege child sexual abuse at the hands of Archbishop Apuron,” Casteix said. Doris Y. Concepcion, of Prescott, Ariz., recently told Pacific Daily News her deceased son, when he was serving as an altar boy, was molested by Apuron when the latter was the parish priest at Mount Carmel Church in Agat in the late 1970s. Concepcion said her son, Joseph A. Quinata, revealed his secret shortly before he died 11 years ago. The mother said she decided to come forward after seeing the news that another former altar boy, Roy Quintanilla, on May 17, said Apuron molested him during a sleepover at Apuron’s home in the 1970s. “It is time for the Vatican and Pope Francis to adhere to their promises of child safety,” Casteix said in her statement. “They must immediately step in and publicly remove Apuron from his office until a complete and independent investigation is complete. “In the meantime, Apuron should and must do the right thing and voluntarily step aside,” her statement said. “No cleric, especially an archbishop, should remain in ministry when he has two credible allegations of abuse that have not been investigated.” Apuron has denied Quintanilla’s allegation. The archbishop has not been charged with any crime. The Archdiocese of Agana has also denied Concepcion’s allegation “In the past days, malicious and calumnious accusations against the Archbishop have surfaced, even from a deceased person,” Father Adrian L.F. Cristobal, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Agana, said in a statement. “The Archbishop strongly denies this accusation as he had done so before.” Casteix said their hearts ache for Concepcion, “who has so bravely spoken out about the abuse her son endured.”
Casteix said SNAP “implore(s) other victims to come forward to law enforcement and civil authorities.”
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