Wednesday, December 10, 2014

TONIGHT: VANGIE LUJAN ON THE BUZZ

It's the Lujan to Lujan connection tonight when Jesse "The Buzz" Lujan hosts Vangie "The Museum" Lujan, to talk about the letter she wrote to Archbishop Apuron in which she called him out for (what else is new) misleading the public as to the cause of the Museum's closure. 

Tune in tonight at 6:30pm to watch "The Buzz" with Jesse Lujan on KUAM.

Here's a copy of her letter:

October 30, 2014



Archbishop Anthony S. Apuron
Archdiocese of Agana
196Cuest San Ramon Ste B
Hagatna, Guam 96910-4334


Hafa Adai Archbishop Apuron,

I’ve become aware of statements you made during a recent visit to parishioners of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Church. When questioned about the abrupt closure of the National Museum of the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral- Basilica, I understand you responded that Monsignor James closed the museum. I must say I expected more from our island’s spiritual leader and I am disappointed that you continue to mislead people about this matter. After you made it abundantly clear that Monsignor James was not to have any authority over the museum, it hardly seems fair that you would now accuse him of closing the facility. In fact, Monsignor David is the only one who had the authority to either open or close the museum.

Below is a brief chronology of the events that transpired over the past few months with regard to the museum:

  • July 25:  Announcement that Monsignor David would now be responsible for museum operations.
  • Week of July 27:  I contacted Cathedral staff to find out if the museum would be opened as had been announced. Monsignor David, the new rector, and his administration did not respond.
  • August 1:  Mary Kidd gave me approval to move forward.
  • August 2:  Coreen Leon Guerrero, who identified herself as a representative of Monsignor David, informed me that the museum would in fact proceed as planned. At this time I noted that some families who had provided materials for the exhibits were concerned about the museum’s future and had already removed some of their personal collections. However, Monsignor Calvo’s family had agreed to loan their collections for a short while longer.
  • August 4, Father Adrian and Monsignor David contacted me about meeting to discuss opening the museum. Based on that conversation, it was quite clear that Monsignor David possessed the authority to open or close the museum. This fact was supported by statements made by Father Adrian Cristobal to KUAM News.
  • August 4:  The following item appeared in a KUAM News report:
“Today Archdiocese spokesperson Father Adrian Cristobal addressed the concerns of the island's Catholic community saying the museum's closure is only temporary. He added Monsignor David Quitugua is overseeing the transition, noting, "And in this change of administration Monsignor David desires that the persons that are you know involved with volunteering helping managing the museum that everything is order and that the transition process be taking place in such a way that we can assure that it will be open again and to assure to the public that the administration will be taking care of these things the new administration."
  • August 6:  A 10 a.m. meeting of museum volunteers was scheduled to determine the future for the museum. However, at 9:15 a.m., Mrs.  Kidd called to inform me that the meeting would be cancelled indefinitely due to other activities at the Cathedral. The former Finance Committee will be holding a press conference.

Throughout this situation, numerous announcements, including bulletin messages, have been made regarding the museum. Even if you did not actually write these messages, you, Monsignor David and Coreen Leon Guerrero must certainly have been aware of them. The fact that they continued suggests you condoned the messages, and it is disingenuous of you to state otherwise.

I was at the museum from 5:30 am to 2:30 pm, at no time did anyone informed me that the information announced was incorrect.

It is now October, months after this project began. I am troubled that you continue to blame Monsignor James and others for the museum closure. Neither Monsignor James nor the volunteers who spent countless hours preparing the facility have the authority or capacity to open or close the museum. I hope you will acknowledge this truth and proceed accordingly, rather than continuing to perpetuate falsehoods that have no place in our church or our community.

So you are now making your way throughout the various parishes making your pastoral visit.  For what? What is the purpose of this sudden decision on your part to hold these meetings, meetings such as the one at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament?  Is it to defend yourself and continue to malign Monsignor James?  When is all this going to end?  When are you and Monsignor David going to stop blaming everyone but yourselves for how you’ve destroyed this archdiocese?

Since you refused my personal invitation to see the new layout of the museum during the Woman Chamber of Commerce presentation at the Government House in July, I have attached pictures of the museum to show you what you have destroyed.


Sincerely,




Evangeline C.D. Lujan
Parishioner of Agana Cathedral Basilica
Museum Volunteer

PDF downloadable copy here

9 comments:

  1. Just enough time to display the web of lies. There is more.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ms Lujan - keep the fire. We stand behind and with you. There are many of us who are still building our courage to be a voice and that day will come. God bless you for your strength and courage. We are coming.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mary Lou Garcia-PeredaDecember 11, 2014 at 11:11 AM

      Anonymous (December 10, 2014 at 11:28 PM), may I suggest that you put your words of support into action and join the Concerned Catholics of Guam by emailing them and signing up at ConcernedCatholicsOfGuam@gmail.com

      Your identity will remain "Anonymous" here on JungleWatch but at least you can join your voice with others in that group and become part of the healing of the division within the Archdiocese of Agana.

      God bless you.

      Delete
    2. Count me in. Fr. Isaias Ginson Episcopal priest and chaplain of St. John's school

      Delete
    3. Mary Lou Garcia-PeredaDecember 11, 2014 at 4:40 PM

      Anonymous (December 11, 2014 at 2:29 PM): If your are actually Fr. Isaias Ginson Episcopal priest and chaplain of St. John's school as stated in your comment, please send your name, as much contact information as you are willing to disclose and how you think you are able to help per the JW post Count Me In to ConcernedCatholicsOfGuam@gmail.com

      God bless you.

      Delete
  3. Thank you Mrs Lujan for
    A) all the wonderful work you and the other volunteers put up to bring this to fruition.
    B) straightening the misinformations and flat out lies spread by the people in charge.

    All the Catholics on Guam, and at large in the Universal Church owe you a debt of gratitude for all you have done.
    We admire you courage and determination.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Nice to see other volunteers sharing their experience. Thank you James Santos for your honesty and candid sharing of your experience. Great job.

    ReplyDelete
  5. To Mrs. Lujan

    Thank you for Volunteering your time and talent towards the Cathedral Museum. First off I would like to ask. During Msgr. James's administration. Was the museum open to the public? It was open early this year for one night, a wine tasting event that featured the cassock of Bl. Diego.
    The only other time it was open to the public was the Sunday in which Msgr James was assigned to Tamuning Parish.

    The reason why I ask this is because while the so called new admin came in, you put the blame to them who at that time assumed that responsibility. I await the final opening for the museum. Patience is a virtue. In due time it will come to us. I am simply not pointing fingers to someone, but give it time.

    John Aguon,
    Parishioner of Cathedral

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. All due respect, that question teeters close to red herring status. In other words, the questions presumes that the museum's status was one of completion yet purposely closed to the public prior to the time of Msgr Benevente's removal. That would be the fallacy.

      The quick response does not require one from Mrs. Lujan, just a simple understanding of the timeline of events. The museum was open, as you asserted, but as a fundraiser to complete it; not as a means for a wine tasting. There was lots of activity afterwards such as acquiring display cabinets and securing other exhibits from private collections because of that fundraiser. All this in order to bring it to the sole public viewing on that "fateful" weekend of it's soft opening. It is obvious why it was not open to the public after the fundraiser you indicate, as there was still much to be done.

      There is also a second red herring in which it is assumed that Mrs. Lujan's letter is to simply place blame. The evidence she presented, and not created, is the only entity exposing the real responsible party for this debacle. She is rightfully correcting the record and speaking truth to power.

      Delete