THIS IS GETTING WEIRDER AND WEIRDER

By Tim Rohr

This is getting weirder and weirder. Following is a copy of a post on the Archdiocese of Agana Facebook page (highlight added):

Planned drive past parishes with Fr. Mike's casket adjusted, shortened

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Regarding the driving of Father Mike Crisostomo's casket past island parishes on Thursday, Jan. 15, the family has advised the Archdiocese of Agaña that in consideration for the body of dear Palé, the schedule will not permit driving past all parishes.

The family has instead coordinated with Ada's Mortuary on a shortened schedule that will primarily only include parishes where Palé Mike was assigned and where he celebrated his first Mass for instance. The archdiocese is not coordinating the schedule or this part of activities honoring the beloved priest.

The family appreciates everyone's love for Palé Mike and asks for your understanding.

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Relayed by the Archdiocese of Agaña Office of Communications

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Again, as we have been seeing and hearing since the news of Fr. Mike's demise, the "archdiocese" continues to go strangely out of "its" way to distance "itself" from Fr. Mike's death. Even if the family is coordinating the so-called drive-by, why is it necessary for the "archdiocese" to emphasize that "it" is not.

It's not necessary, unless of course, "they" have a reason. And what would be that reason? 

By the way, all of the above words in "quotes" are in quotes because there is no such person as the "Archdiocese of Agana." There is only the Archbishop of Agana, and for some reason he refuses to put his name on the most serious of announcements (most recently those announcements related to Fr. Luis Camacho and now, Fr. Mike). 

How hard would it have been to have worded the above announcement: "...the family has advised Archbishop Jimenez..." And how much more personal and compassionate would it have been to end this announcement with the archbishop's signature under the final words of this announcement: "The family appreciates everyone's love for Palé Mike and asks for your understanding." 

Instead we get an impersonal: "Relayed by the Archdiocese of Agaña Office of Communications."

Another very strange thing is the "for instance" in the following sentence:

"...a shortened schedule that will primarily only include parishes where Palé Mike was assigned and where he celebrated his first Mass for instance."

Huh...? For instance? Really?

The archbishop doth protest too much, methinks. 

PELL V APURON - A STUDY OF TWO BISHOPS WHO RAN

By Tim Rohr

The CATHOLIC WORLD REPORT has published an important reflection on the life of the late Cardinal George Pell on the second anniversary of his death (Jan. 10, 2023). It's an important read for us in this archdiocese (Guam) because it allows a very stark and timely comparison between two bishops who were accused of child sex abuse: Pell and Apuron.

Both Pell and Apuron were accused at approximately the same time (2015-2017). At the time I pointed out on this blog that while Apuron RAN AWAY from his diocese to Rome seeking protection, Pell, on the other hand "ran" back to his diocese (in Australia) and away from Rome (where he was the Secretariat for the Economy) to clear his name. 

Let's review: Apuron ran away. Pell ran to. 

Pell was convicted and spent 404 days in prison while he appealed his case. Ultimately, the High Court of Australia overturned his conviction. Pell, while the victim of anti-Catholicism in Australia, was more so the victim of his enemies in the Vatican. 

Let's remember who ran, and where they ran to. 

The late great George Pell and his enemies

THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO KNOW ABOUT

By Tim Rohr

On Wednesday, Jan. 7 (2026), a Clergy Day of Recollection for priests and deacons of the Archdiocese of Agana was held at the Dominican Child Development Center in Ordot. According to the announcement, the focus was on "the very important subjects of child abuse and bankruptcy." The announcement is copied from the AOA Facebook page:

Clergy Day of Recollection focuses on child abuse and bankruptcy 

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The very first Guam Clergy Day of Recollection for priests and deacons of the Archdiocese of Agana in the New Year focused on the very important subjects of child abuse and bankruptcy Wednesday, Jan. 7 in Ordot. The Dominican Sisters and the Dominican Child Development Center (DCDC) hosted the clergy at their site in Ordot.

With Father Fran Hezel, SJ as Day of Recollection facilitator, Archbishop Ryan P. Jimenez and the clergy welcomed three very seasoned Guam professionals in respective social work and legal professions to give presentations and lead important discussions in those areas. 

On June 20, 2023, the United States District Court of Guam announced the official closing of the Archdiocese of Agana’s Chapter 11 Reorganization (bankruptcy) case related to clergy sexual abuse. The archdiocese reached a formal agreement of reparation and compensation with the victim-survivors of clergy sexual abuse who were severely harmed by former members of our archdiocese. Nearly three hundred lawsuits related to clergy sexual abuse were filed against the archdiocese. The effort to bring healing and compensation continues for our Church on Guam.

Honorable John C. Terlaje, Superior Court of Guam Judge; Dr. Juan Rapadas, longtime licensed clinical psychologist; and Attorney Rodney J. Jacobs, longtime lawyer and partner in the law firm of Calvo, Jacob and Pangelinan, LLP engaged in conversations with the clergy during this week's Day of Recollection.

All devoted Catholic men who are very active in the Church and and seasoned professionals in their respective fields, the speakers spoke respectfully but with frankness and honesty as they shared their knowledge, perspectives and input on child sexual abuse and the archdiocese's bankruptcy.

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It's good that they had this "day," and that they had the privilege of hearing from these experts; and it would be better still if we, the people who are paying the bills, could get a detailed briefing on what was said, if not a full recording.

The bankruptcy resulting from the clergy sex abuse in this diocese, which occurred at an incomprehensible scale (per capita, the worst in the whole world*), is not just clergy business, it's all of our business, and we want to know what our church leaders are doing about it other than handing us the bill. 

And by "doing about it," I don't mean the things that the court ordered them to do, I mean what are they doing about the real roots of this horror and what are they doing to make sure it never happens again. 

And it's not just about child protection. The rape and molestation of hundreds of minors was only the symptom of a much greater evil which had been eating out the heart of this church for decades. 

That's what we want to know about. 

*Before Guam's clergy sex abuse scandal was exposed, Boston's was considered the worst. It was so bad that an Academy Award winning movie (Spotlight) was made about it But then there was the Archdiocese of Agana. Per capita, Guam's clergy sex abuse scandal is FOURTEEN TIMES WORSE than Boston's. FOURTEEN TIMES!

THANK YOU TO WHOEVER MADE THIS

 

WHAT HAPPENED?

By Tim Rohr

At 23:00 in this video, Archbishop Jimenez begins his homily. After a few minutes, he begins to describe what happened to Fr. Mike.  The Mass took place on January 2, 2026, the day Fr. Mike died. 

Archbishop Jimenez describes Fr. Mike's arrival at the clergy Christmas party "last Tuesday,"which would have been December 30, 2025. The party was at the social hall in Maina. Jimenez says that Fr. Mike left the party early and then sent him a text saying that he wasn't feeling well. 

The next day, December 31, 2025, Jimenez published the News Release advising that Fr. Mike had been hospitalized that morning. 

This is relevant given that a certain "Anonymous" appears to be adamant in inferring that Fr. Mike, after being assigned to St. Joseph in Inarajan, continued to reside at St. Anthony's, and thus experienced no particular hardship in accessing medical care:

AnonymousJanuary 3, 2026 at 6:05 PM

Pale' Mike was still living at the St. Anthony rectory.

"Antonio" attempted to clarify:

AntonioJanuary 3, 2026 at 8:25 PM

This was only the case for the first few weeks after the reshuffling of priests, as his soon-to-be living space in Inarajan was still being prepared. Later on, yes, he would occasionally stop by St. Anthony Church and even stay for brief periods there whenever he was asked to either cover masses or undergo grueling dialysis treatment.

However, Anonymous insisted:

AnonymousJanuary 4, 2026 at 1:14 PM

He lived at St Anthony rectory, which can house 8 priests. He was stricken in his bedroom there. Fact.

Anonymous appears to be a member of the clergy who had no "love" for Fr. Mike, or at least someone close to a member of the clergy who is vested in running interference for the reason Fr. Mike was assigned to a parish the furthest away from the critical medical care he needed.

From how Archbishop Jimenez describes it, it appears that Fr. Mike, upon leaving the Christmas party on December 30, knew he wouldn't make it to Inarajan and decided to stay the night at St. Anthony, which is why he "was stricken in his bedroom there," as Anonymous reports.

DAMAGE CONTROL?

By Tim Rohr

“…we ask everyone to please refrain from circulating rumors and unofficial, unfounded information.” - Archbishop Ryan Jimenez

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Strange words from Archbishop Jimenez tacked on to the announcement regarding Fr. Mike Crisostomo's hospitalization a couple days ago.

And now, now that Fr. Mike is dead, those words are stranger still.

What "rumors and unofficial, unfounded information" could have been "circulating," and apparently in such a heightened way that the archbishop felt moved to warn everyone to stop it? 

Fr. Mike had been ill for a very long time. He had been visibly wasting away before all of us. He was, according to what he told me personally two years ago, receiving dialysis treatment 3 days a week for 3.5 hours each day.  I believe that as his disease got worse, he required even more frequent dialysis. He also was having trouble with his fistula - the access point on his arm for his dialysis. 

Strokes are not uncommon for people who suffer with diabetes, and it came as no surprise when I heard that Fr. Mike had one. But the archbishop's words WERE a surprise: "...please refrain from circulating rumors and unofficial, unfounded information." It sounds like the archbishop is afraid of something. Damage control?

Now, compare Fr. Mike's death to the death of another priest which in fact did very much warrant the circulation of rumors and unofficial information: the death of Fr. Fr Antonino Caminiti almost exactly one year ago (Dec. 14, 2024). 

The reason Fr. "Nino's" death warranted rumors isn't hard to guess at: he had been accused of sexual misconduct with a parishioner, he had been removed from the parish by Archbishop Jimenez, and he died while in the "custody" of the same archbishop.  

YET! There was NOTHING from the archbishop about the sudden and mysterious death of Fr. Antonio Caminiti other than the usual announcements about services and burial - not even a mention about the cause of death.

Additionally, pursuant to the archbishop's letter of Nov. 12, 2024, Fr. Nino was under investigation: “...the preliminary investigation was conducted and the allegation is now under further investigation as recommended by the Independent Review Board."

Has anyone heard a peep about this investigation in what is now more than one year? Nothing, as far as I know. Just because the accused is dead doesn't mean the investigation should die too. But apparently it did. 

If in fact, Fr. Nino engaged in sexual misconduct with a parishioner, this should be known. And if he didn't, then his name should be cleared. 

In the exposition of the horrible scandal this diocese has had to suffer through for ten years now, there were several dead priests who were "on trial." Just because they were dead was no cause for sudden silence about the allegations against them - as it appears to be in the Caminiti case. 

But NOTHING. (But then again, Caminiti was a Neo.)

Meanwhile, Fr. Mike, who, as already mentioned, was very visibly ill for the last several years, has a stroke and the archbishop jumps out to do what can only be characterized as DAMAGE CONTROL.

Why? 

P.S. Note that the NEWS RELEASE is not signed by anyone and only says "sent by Tony Diaz." That's exceptionally bad form. This is what the goons who ran the asylum for Apuron did: just sent out all kinds of stuff on archdiocesan letterhead but from no one. We're not going to let that go. If it's on the letterhead then it's from the archbishop. Period.