DEAR VISITORS...

I know you're busy, but there are some things you should know about our island, or what has become of our island under Archbishop Apuron's reign of neglect (and terror) that you probably wouldn't know otherwise if I didn't post it here.

Sadly, in the three decades, Archbishop Apuron has held the episcopal chair, Guam's once strong family and fervent Catholic culture has nearly utterly collapsed. 

We know all the excuses about the world, etc., but those of us who really know the truth, know that as the Church goes, so goes the world. Well here is what has happened under Archbishop Apuron and the ongoing collapse of the faith which he has presided over (usually from a seat in Business First).

Note, I was motivated to post on this because of the challenge I received from the following:

AnonymousJanuary 6, 2015 at 6:17 PM

More heat for the fire. How can the people in the archdiocese heal if one side wants to burn and expose the diocese (junglewatch). I believe that this blog is the cause of the problem in the diocese. Its not only to get at the bishop or the leadership but what do you want or expect from all of this?

The following was compiled in 2013:

• Guam has the most liberal abortion laws in the nation which allow for the termination of nearly one out of ten pregnancies with more than 60% being Chamorro. (2012 Guam Medical Records)

• Guam has the highest divorce rate in the world (4.7 divorces per 1000 population, 2010 Guam Statistical Yearbook vs Russia 4.5 per 1000, 2011 United Nations Demographic Yearbook)

• Guam has the 14th highest suicide rate in the world and a rate 1.2 times the national average (2011 World Health Organization and A Profile of Suicide on Guam, September 2011)

• Guam has a 20% higher out of wedlock birth rate (60%) compared to the rest of the nation (40.8%, CDC 2010) Note: Guam stopped reporting “illegitimate” births in 2005. 60% is based on the average between 2000 and 2005).

• Guam has double the teen birthrate compared to the rest of the nation (Guam Pacific Daily News, 6/25/13)

• Guam’s rape rate is 94.4 per 100,000 (2011 Yearbook: 151 reported rapes). This is nearly triple the national average of 29.8. (U.S. Census Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2012, Table 314)

• Guam abuses and neglects its children at nearly double the national average (Guam child maltreatment rate of 76.81 per 1000 children based on 2012 CPS report and 2010 census vs 41.2 per 1000 children national average as per Table 3-2, Child Maltreatment 2011, Children’s Bureau, U.S. DPHHS)

Of course, Archbishop Apuron will find a way to blame all of the above on Msgr. James, won't he?