Archdiocese responds to protests, says it was 'extremely saddened' by 'angry mob'
Jasmine Stole, Pacific Daily News 12:42 a.m. ChST April 30, 2016
A week after Catholic Church members held a heated protest at the A.B. Won Pat International Airport, the Archdiocese of Agana’s Chancery Office issued a statement responding to that demonstration and others at the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Yona. Continued
The heart of the Catholic dispute
Posted: Apr 29, 2016 5:31 PM
Updated: Apr 29, 2016 5:31 PM
By Nestor Licanto
The Archdiocese of Agana says it is extremely saddened by this week's protest of arriving leaders of the Neocatechemunal Way. It was the latest chapter in the growing conflict between the archdiocese and a group of disgruntled Catholics. Continued
Silent No More: resident starts movement against child sexual abuse
Posted: Apr 29, 2016 1:48 PM
Updated: Apr 29, 2016 4:08 PM
By Krystal Paco
Starting next year, the Attorney General's Office is expecting a spike in reported cases of child sexual abuse. As we reported on Thursday, the Department of Education recently trained teachers how to age-appropriately address students on good touch verses bad touch. In line with the efforts to keep our children safe, one concerned resident has started a movement he's calling "Silent No More". Continued
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The Pacific Daily News story today makes our point: sede vacante - "the seat is vacant."
It can be found here: "The archdiocese was 'extremely saddened by the actions of the angry mob' at the airport, the statement said."
An "archdiocese" is a ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Jurisdictions do not make statements. Jurisdictions are not "saddened." Jurisdictions are jurisdictions.
The Archbishop, the Vicar General, and the Chancellor are the three officials canonically authorized to oversee a diocese.
In addition, under civil law, the "Archdiocese of Agana" is NOT a legal jurisdiction. The legal name is actually a person: Archbishop of Agana, A Corporation Sole, Anthony S. Apuron, Incumbent.
This is so because unlike most non-Catholic religious groups, the Catholic Church is not shepherded by a board which hires and fires its pastors. The Catholic Church is apostolic and hierarchical and is shepherded by a man, a bishop, who is the vicar of Christ of a particular "see," and is the occupant of that "see's" cathedra - "the chair" or the "seat of authority."
The problem is - and has been for a very long time - that the "seat of authority" in this diocese has been vacant and this statement (once again) proves it.
The anger expressed by the so-called "mob" last Thursday night was anger at an Archbishop who has shirked his task, vacated his authority, and continues to hide from his people.
Even the reference to the so-called "parish visits" of more than a year ago - which is an attempt by the author to prove that Apuron is still around - effectuates the opposite of what it intends. We are told that because the bishop visited the parishes a year ago and spent a few minutes doing a Q&A that his job is done, so shut up and go home.
First, he did not visit all the parishes. Second, the Q&A was a sham with the bishop pretending not to know what any of the problems were. And third, his very behavior at these "meetings," his snubbing of the inquirers, his feigned pretense not to know what anybody was talking about, not only incited even more anger, the "vacant" replies ever more evidenced the "vacant seat."
There is simply nobody home, and the unsigned, unattributed "statement" in the instant case is absolute evidence. But the reality is that there IS "somebody home." There IS somebody running things. And he is NOT the bishop.
So why didn't all these reporters do their job, probe deeper and determine who, exactly made these statements or authored this statement from the archdiocese? Why don't they go right up to the chancery and ask to speak to the archbishop or his official spokesperson? Why don't they ask to interview the archbishop or the Genarrinis? I assume these reporters are experienced, well-trained professionals (maybe that's where I am wrong) and are knowledgable about this well-documented controversy. I think these events merit publication and broadcasting in the national Catholic news publications and broadcasting news agencies. Thanks to this blog, some of this controversy is already getting world-wide attention, but we need our local news agencies to do more investigative reporting to do the groundwork. Esta!
ReplyDeleteI guess if we used any Letter Head and express our view on anything PDN will post without a signature or even if there is a signature will they investigate if the person signing is an Authorize signatory for this Company or Organization.
ReplyDeleteGiuseppe is the head Neo mobster in the United States, yet the media calls a group of Catholics protesting against Giuseppe, Apuron, and the Neos a mob?!
ReplyDelete