GUAM
Radio New Zealand
[with audio]
Transcript
There are calls for Guam’s Archbishop to stand down after an accusation of historical sexual abuse was made against him.
Archbishop Anthony Apuron is denying the allegation he molested an altar boy 40 years ago.
Jo O’Brien reports.
The allegation was made during an emotional media conference posted on the Pacific Daily News website. 52 year old Roy Quintanilla read out a letter addressed to the Archbishop, the most senior person in the Catholic Church in Guam.
ROY QUINTANILLA: “Dear Archbishop Apuron, when I was 12 years old and an altar boy you molested me when you were the pastor of Agat.”
Mr Quintanilla went on to describe how Archbishop Apuron had abused him after asking him to stay the night at his house. He says the abuse left him so confused he later considered suicide.
ROY QUINTANILLA: “I cried then and I’ve never stopped crying. I felt a lot of emotions. I was scared, angry, sad, alone, embarassed and humiliated. I did not know what to do.”
Mr Quintanilla says he wants the Archbishop to step down and apologise for what he did to him. But in a video statement on the website of the Catholic Archdiocese of Agana in Guam, Archbishop Apuron gave this response.
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