Sunday, November 20, 2016

PDN: GUAM'S FILIPINO COMMUNITY REACTS TO APRUON

Guam's Filipino community reacts to Apuron

Multiple sex abuse allegations against priests and questionable church leadership decisions have fractured a deeply Catholic Guam, but some members of the island’s Filipino-American community say these challenges have made their faith stronger rather than weaker. CONTINUED

11 comments:

  1. Nakakahiya talaga yang apuron na yan. Astang hayop. Pati mga bata tinalo nya!

    Kaya kumapit sya sa mga neo na yon kasi sila lang ang tumatanggap at gumagamit sa mga demonyong katulad nya.

    Huwag ka nang babalik sa Guam! May mas bago, mas bata at mas taong Arsobispo na pumalit na sa'yo.

    Kung nahihiya kang bansaggang Pilipino. Huwag kang magaalala, mas sinusuka ka naming mga magkababayan bastos, Demonyong Apuron!

    Demonyong mga Neo! Magsilayas kayong mga Kampon ni satanas!!!

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  2. Rose de los Reyes (Seattle, WA)November 21, 2016 at 2:12 AM

    Here is my loose translation of Anon 8:40's comment above:

    How really shameful that Apuron! Like an animal. He hunted for the children!

    That is why he clung to the Neos because they are the only ones who take and use demons who are like them.

    Don’t come back to Guam! There’s a new, younger and more human Archbishop in your place.

    Since you’re ashamed of being [part] Filipino, don’t worry, your fellow [Filipino] countrymen are even more sick of you [literal: "vomit even more"], you rude/nasty, Evil Apuron.

    Neos are evil! Leave all you henchmen of satan!

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  3. Thank you, Rose, for translating. The commenter's anger must have been grave to use that tone of voice. He or she can be justified in doing so because of Apuron's dismissive attitude to Filipinos and Apuron's obvious disdain for his Philippine heritage. Most people who come in from the Philippines are vey involved in programs of the Catholic Church: ministries, priests, etc. They provide a quiet groundswell of support. It was Apuron's loss that he turned his back on them, yet retained those who are wealthy enough to feed his avarice for "envelopes" to enrich his bank account. Well, he had very low regard for his Chamorro heritage as well. He destroyed the fabric of Catholicism in Guam by bringing en masse all these undesirable neos and converted some locals to complete domination of NCW on Guam and to transform traditional Catholicism to a cultic Judeo-Protestant sect. It was providential that informed/educated vigilanteism thwarted his designs and that of his foreign handlers. We hope to be on the road to recovery after we straighten out big and small kinks. The repossession of the Yona Hotel was a big step in the right direction. Kudos to Coadjutor Archbishop Byrnes!

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    1. Rose de los Reyes (Seattle, WA)November 21, 2016 at 7:35 AM

      Yes, I picked-up on the anger right away. More accurately, it’s a repulsive type of anger which, unfortunately, is lost in translation. Believe me, the writer is angry and disgusted with Abp. Apuron and the NCW.

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  4. The downward spiral started with the removal of Fr. Paul.




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  5. I like the comment "I think the former altar servers waited too long to accuse the archbishop." And because of that, he doesn't believe them. I think he forgot that one even waited before he drew his last to tell his mom about it. Yes, we are criticizing your opinion. The mere fact that the statute of limitation was lifted proves your opinion is wrong. It is never too late. I know you'll change your opinion when something similar happens in your family and with your friends.

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    1. Apuron would have sued the hell out of anyone who came out against him. Look what he did to John Toves. And he would have used all the resources of the Church to do it. In fact, the first thing Rome told Walter Denton after receiving a copy of his letter was to find a lawyer, not because they didn't believe Walter but because they knew what Apuron would do to Walter if he didn't have one.

      Most individuals do not have the money to fight someone as powerful as Apuron who, especially as a bishop, can command all of the resources of his diocese to his own defense. Thus there was no way any of Apuron's victims could say anything until they were assured of legal protections. This cost a lot of money.

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    2. That is why I can't understand the logic that it can't be true because they waited too long. The guy even cited by age 20 they should have complained. Can't understand that guy blaming in a way the victims.

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    3. Yes, that thoughtless comment about "having waited too long" is a form of re-victimizing victims by blaming them. That the survivors of abuse finally came out with the truth and were widely supported by the community was a landmark occurrence that illustrates a shift in societal approach to the Church - which is commendable. No one is above the law, and anyone who commits wrongdoing will be subjected to legal consequences. What used to be the "priest on a pedestal" mentality was a myth, and now clergy must be subjected to a "trust but verify" scrutiny, and rightly so.

      Apuron was cavalier about his moral rectitude, and abused the innocence of the young who trusted and respected him. What a despicable opportunist! What made him think he can get away with what he did in his lifetime! He was too grandiose and arrogant, blinded by his ambition and sense of invincibility to politely decline the offer to be Archbishop of Agana when given the chance. The ascent to episcopacy did not purify him but made his character more insidious - ex opera operatur. We are reaping the fruits of his pride and greed. We must link our arms now to steer the Catholic Church in the right direction under the leadership of Archbishop Byrnes. He is not Superman, so he would need us to give balanced and fair input. The laity can do a whole lot in this regard as many have done in the last few months. The lay people have been the voice of reason and strength when clergy members were immobilized by obedience and deference. "Trust and verify" can be equally applied here as we move forward.

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    4. He isn't worthy to be a minister of the Eucharist of all things.

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    5. Rose de los Reyes (Seattle, WA)November 22, 2016 at 2:59 AM

      Ignacio Mercado’s opinion that “… the former altar boys waited too long to accuse the archbishop” repulsed me, too, as it did Anon 1:18. To calm down my ire I had to tell myself that Mr. Mercado’s view is reflective of his lack of insight and knowledge about the many devastating effects of childhood sexual abuse. Mr. Mercado is unaware that most people never report sexual abuse, even more so the unreported number of childhood sexual abuse. Adults who do end up reporting the childhood sexual abuse they experienced waited because of the shame or guilty feelings sexual abuse causes. Many children believe it was their fault; that they caused the abuse for whatever reason. Also, amnesia or traumatic dissociation prevents them from reporting because they don’t remember until many years later. Mr. Mercado also underestimates the power dynamic that exists between altar boy and priest. In that dynamic, the priest is always, always, always in the position of power. That dynamic alone is enough to scare any altar boy from accusing a priest of any wrong doing, much less accuse him of being sexually abusive. Even when an altar boy grows into adulthood, that priest-altar boy dynamic still remains in him psychologically which can be a cause for not reporting the abuse. And, with Abp Apuron’s particular situation, as Tim wrote above, Abp Apuron used his position and power as archbishop (and archdiocesan resources) to silence any altar boy or anyone who could possibly make sexual abuse allegations against him. Abusers have no sense of personal power so they gain power by controlling others (threatening lawsuits as Abp Apuron has done, is one example). Their personal worth is achieved by one-upmanship. If you try to assert your own power with an abuser, he will escalate until he wins. Mr. Mercado is correct, he is going to get criticisms for his comment. And mine is one of those criticisms. He should try to learn more about the devastating effects of childhood sexual abuse, especially those, as in this case, committed under the priest-altar boy power dynamic.

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