New faces join protesters against Archbishop Apuron, by Jojo Santo Tomas, Pacific Daily News (June 20, 2016)

Protesters filled the walkway in front of the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica on Sunday morning, marching as they have at different locations around Guam for the last few months.

The protests have called for Archbishop Anthony Apuron to resign as head of Guam’s Catholic church. And while the initial protesters mostly accused Apuron of mismanagement, the last few weeks have been all about sexual abuse accusations stemming from incidents more than 30 years ago.

The protesters have usually been members of organized church groups such as the Concerned Catholics of Guam and Laity Forward Movement, but many people have joined the protests on personal accord – such as Jose Okada of Dededo.

Okada said that although he’s not a member of any group, he came to Hagåtña Sunday because he wanted to show that he too, wanted Apuron’s resignation. His words were spiked with Chamorro inflection as he shared the thoughts that were once restricted to family.

“Before, I was just … you know, his attitude, nai? And then, things started coming out that he was abusing kids!” Okada said. “So that’s why I’m really here, for him to just get out, adai, step down, ‘sa we don’t need a bishop that is in there that is molesting kids.”

As the protest ended, Okada sat with his wife on a bench for a quick reprieve from the increasingly hot morning. He sighed, then shook his head slowly as he went from being a citizen and faithful Catholic, to being a father to adult men.

“I don’t know. If he did that to my kids... I don’t know what I would do to him,” he said, his voice rising slightly. “Thirty years? Even 40 years later, yeah! He still molested kids, you know, that’s not gonna change.”

Okada says he recognized many faces among the other protesters, including current and former Guam leaders but today, they were just a united people.

“I think they’re very angry about the situation, what (Apuron) did, and I don’t blame them,” Okada said.

Less than a week has passed since Roland Sondia levied accusations against Apuron almost four decades ago, when Sondia was an altar boy from Agat.

He marched with the protesters on Sunday, singing songs and praying with his wife Frances. The Sunday prior, Sondia stayed outside the protest as an observer. Three days later, he shared his story.

“Now, I feel a little bit more relieved. All that weight’s off my shoulders now and there’s nothing else to hide, so I had to join this movement so we can all move forward, make this church whole again. Anything to bring the church back together,” he said.

The days that followed his announcement were a roller coaster of emotion as he met up with friends, old and new.

“A couple of them, they were in shock. They said that if they had known, they would have been right next to me … lots of words of support. It’s overwhelming, actually,” Sondia said.

Sondia asked for no personal retribution, and reiterated that his goal is to see a united Catholic church once again. The protesters’ goal is good enough for him, he said, and he continued to walk with his head high. His said, “RESIGN” in red capital letters.

“Our goal? We want him to come out … to talk to the Catholic faithful. And … explain his actions,” said Sondia. “And then, we want him to resign.”

In recent weeks, three other individuals came forward accusing Archbishop Anthony Apuron of sexual abuse and “rape.”
Roy Quintanilla, who now lives in Hawaii, was the first one to come out in May, saying Apuron molested him when he was an altar boy in the 1970s in Agat.
Doris Y. Concepcion, who now lives in Prescott, Arizona, said before her son Joseph “Sonny” A. Quinata died 11 years ago, he told her he was molested by Apuron when he was an altar boy in Agat in the 1970s.
Walter Denton, who is now a resident of Casa Grande, Arizona, said he was raped by Apuron when he was a 13-year-old altar boy in Agat.
Attorney David Lujan has said one to two more individuals would come forward soon.
The Vatican temporarily stripped Apuron of his administrative powers over the Archdiocese of Agana, and sent Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai to take over the administration of the archdiocese. Apuron, however, remains as archbishop.
John Toves, the first person in 2014 to accuse Apuron — that of molesting his cousin — said Wednesday Apuron had a “field day” in Agat when he was parish priest there in the 1970s. His cousin has never come forward.