GUAM
Pacific Daily News
Written by
Shawn Raymundo
Pacific Daily News
Catholics throughout the island gathered at the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica to participate in the annual Santa Marian Kamalen procession around Hagåtña.
This year’s march comes amid an allegation of sexual molestation brought against Archbishop Anthony Apuron by a Guamanian visiting from California.
The archbishop’s accuser, John Toves, said when he was a 16-year-old altar boy, Toves’ relative and co-seminarian at a high school seminary on Guam was allegedly sexually abused by Apuron, who was a priest at the time.
Apuron has called the allegation a “horrible calumny” but declined to further respond to the allegation on the advice of his attorney because he’s planning a defamation lawsuit to defend the church.
Devout Catholics, such as Barrigada resident Pam DeVera, didn’t let the controversy stand in the way of yesterday’s tradition.
“I have no comment for that,” DeVera said in reference to the sexual abuse accusation. “I can only speak for my own personal belief, and I am still a faithful Catholic.”
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