GUAM
Pacific News Center
Written by Janela Carrera
The alleged victim said he was punished for bringing food to the retreat that was held at Cocos Island back in 1986.
Guam – In the latest sex abuse lawsuit filed against the church, a former confirmation class student says defrocked priest Raymond Cepeda sexually assaulted him during a weekend retreat at Cocos Island as a form of punishment.
The complaint, filed by 45-year-old James Mafnas, states that when Mafnas was 15 years old and a student of confirmation classes at the Barrigada parish, students were required to go on a retreat to Cocos Island as a requirement for confirmation class.
Mafnas says students were told not to bring food with them and that they were required to purchase food from a resort at Cocos Island. But Mafnas said his family couldn’t afford to purchase food at Cocos Island so Mafnas secretly packed some food with him to the retreat. When he got caught, Mafnas says he was sent to Cepeda’s bungalow. At the time, Cepeda was the parish priest of the Barrigada church.
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