Hon Nullifies Apuron's Decrees

By Krystal Paco
KUAM
June 16, 2016

http://www.kuam.com/story/32234224/2016/06/16/hon-nullifies-apurons-decrees

[with video]


It appears the island's interim archbishop doesn't agree with Archbishop Anthony Apuron's last orders. Just hours before the Vatican placed Apuron on leave last week, Apuron issued decrees intended to place gag orders on those he alleged were part of a malicious smear campaign to oust him.

The Concerned Catholics of Guam organization doesn't need the church's blessing after all. In a release dated June 15, Vatican-appointed apostolic administrator Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai rescinded a previous decree issued to the CCOG. The decree was intended for local Catholics to cease any contact with the CCOG and alleged the organization was instigating and soliciting a malicious smear campaign to oust Apuron. The decree was published online on the Archdiocese of Agana website, but removed shortly after.

According to CCOG president Gregory Perez, part of the decree called for the CCOG to publicly retract all their allegations against Apuron. "He wanted us to something to apologize to him. Apologize for what? For being Catholics and standing up for what we believe is true? For truth and justice and accountability and transparency? So that's why I didn't view the decree as anything important or anything to worry about - because that decree was challenging my right and everyone else's right as a Catholic to stand up and ask," he shared with KUAM News.

Archbishop Hon's work doesn't stop there. Hon goes on to rescind a second decree that was never made public. According to Father Tadeusz Jan Nowak, the second decree rescinded pertains to a private matter and was not published by the archdiocese. KUAM News, however, has confirmed the decree was a gag order issued to Deacon Steve Martinez. Martinez was a former sexual abuse response coordinator for the Archdiocese of Agana until 2014, when he says he was dismissed for speaking up about a conflict in church policies. In a previous interview with media, Martinez clarified that church policy currently reads that the archbishop is responsible for determining what sexual abuse allegations get investigated, even if he stands as the accused.

While Archbishop Hon's actions are a step in the right direction, it's not enough. Perez said, "Remove Apuron. Restore the two priests, namely Monsignor James Benavente and Father Paul Gofigan and return the Redemptoris Mater Seminary land back to the Archdiocese of Agana."