WHY I CARE

By Tim Rohr

In HE'S NOT GOING TO TELL US, Anonymous complains that I am making more out of "the incident" than necessary and that the Archbishop's letter closes the matter. 

My main contention about "the incident" is not the incident itself - since abuses of all kinds abound in this archdiocese and said "incident" is hardly a blip on the abuse graph - but rather the delay in addressing the incident, a delay which provoked speculation that chancery officials were either delaying in hopes the story would go away, or buying time to figure out how to cover it up. 

Even this "delay", on its own, would have been little cause for me to care save for the several years of hell I and others suffered during the Collapse of Apuron. 

The fall of Apuron was unthinkable, and he himself liked to proclaim "no one can get me." He was right of course. A bishop is the absolute power in a diocese. He can't be recalled, impeached, voted out, or even "FOIA'd." A bishop has total impunity and immunity. 

Thus, as the unthinkable began to be thinkable, and as brick by brick Apuron's neo-clad wall began to crumble, Apuron's gestapo began an all out war on me, and eventually my family. Threats of law suits by Apuron against "Tim Rohr" and accusations of my involvement with a real estate and Chinese gambling conspiracy made local and even international headlines:

"In 2012, a blog called “Jungle Watch” was created online, attacking Archbishop Apuron and the Neocatechumenal Way, accusing them of manipulating the prelate and “colonizing” the entire Agaña diocese. The site is managed by Tim Rohr, a real estate agent employed by Msgr. Benavente and involved in the projected sale of the seminary. The online attacks became more and more violent..." - LA STAMPA

The reason I was singled out was because even though there were many others working behind the scenes, it was this blog where the battle began, a battle which led to a year long picket in front of the Cathedral and calls for Apuron's "defrocking," and ultimately a canonical trial which found Apuron guilty.

It was after the Vatican found Apuron guilty that all hell broke loose. The fall of Apuron's Reich was the fall of a central piece of "Kiko's Kingdom" - Kiko Arguello, the founder and leader of the Neocatechumenal Way which had made massive inroads into the halls of Catholic Church power. 

With such power, one might wonder why little Guam mattered. I've spelled this out numerous times, but I'll spell it out again here.

Power in the Catholic Church government, like most governments, is synonymous with numbers: the more supporters the greater the power. In the Catholic Church, numbers = vocations, especially ordained ones. The more priests a bishop has, a religious order has, an organization like the NCW has: the more power. 

However, the only way to "get a priest" is for a bishop to ordain him. And while Kiko was successful in recruiting vocations and funneling them into his many seminaries, he still needed bishops to ordain them. For some reason, he had particular success with U.S. Capuchins, namely Sean O'Malley, Charles Chaput, and Anthony Apuron.

However, O'Malley and Chaput appear to have been discerning about who they ordained. Kiko needed a bishop who would ordain who ever Kiko wanted ordained, namely all of them. And that's where Apuron came in. And it is also where the now "defrocked" Adrian Cristobal comes in. 

For years, many local Catholics knew that Adrian had designs on succeeding Apuron, and that these designs were more rooted in his competition with - and dislike (to put it mildly) for - some other members of the local clergy than any desire to serve the Church and its flock. 

Apparently, this "competition" hearkened back to the days when they were all in seminary together, a competition that was gravely exacerbated when Apuron passed over Adrian for the title of "Monsignor" and conferred it on Adrian's immediate competitors. 

Adrian responded by promptly disappearing from Guam for several years, and then returned in 1995 with the Neocatechumenal Way in tow, in the person of a mysterious monk named Pius. Pius moved in with Apuron and the NCW takeover of Guam began.

However, the "takeover" was really Adrian positioning himself, by building a power base, to oust his competitors for the "Chair of Apuron" and coronate himself as Guam's next archbishop. This is why Adrian's Barrigada parish, where he kept himself ensconced as pastor, became, and still is, "Neocat-Central."

Enter John Toves

The late-John Toves, who, in addition to being one of the altar boys at Mt. Carmel in the 1970's when Apuron was helping himself to the bodies of John's friends, Toves, later, was also in the seminary with Adrian and others and knew "what was what." 

So when John showed up in 2014 and knocked on the door of the Chancery, it was clear that he scared the hell out of Adrian.

Toves request to meet with Apuron denied, Guam Daily Post, Dec. 5, 2014

By 2014, when John showed up, Adrian was totally running things and Apuron was pretty much hiding in a closet. 

The backstory is this. 

Adrian, like just about every other member of Guam's clergy as well as many lay Catholics, knew of Apuron's history of molesting boys. However, Apuron, relying on fear, misplaced respect for his office, and the dirt he had on other clerics, had so consolidated power that no one dared challenge him let alone "out" him. 

But the tell-tale heart of Apuron's sordid past never stopped thumping beneath the chancery floorboards.

At first, Apuron put his confidence in "David the Tall" (after sending him to canon law school for many years), to keep him out of trouble should any of the ghosts from Apuron's past appear. 

But "David the Tall" was a too thin line of defense, so Apuron was looking for a lot more protection as well as an escape plan if he needed one. 

Functionally, protection and escape was what Pius and the neocat machine offered Apuron, and offered it in return for his rubber stamp, a rubber stamp on everything from ordinations to gifting away a mega-million dollar property into their control.

 Bottom line for Kiko et. al was that they now had a bishop who would ordain whoever he was told to ordain, including rejects from the other Neocat seminaries. 

And this was the path to power for both Adrian - who had local designs on power, and the Neocat generals - who had universal designs on power. And so the Neocat seminary swung into overdrive with locals - believing this was a "Seminary for Guam" - contributing millions. Perfect, the Neocats had a bishop in their control and a funding source: us. 

SMEAR Tim Rohr: Object No. 1

So you can see why all hell broke loose when it became obvious around 2016 that Apuron's wall was breeched, and breeched initially by this blog and the tens of thousands of comments. Thus "Tim Rohr" became "Tim Rohr and his associates" and smearing me became Object No. 1. 

I was okay with the smearing. I expected it. Welcomed it actually. Because I knew that they, Apuron's gestapo, was heading right for a cascade of mistakes - which in fact happened. However, my family didn't take it so well. Some of them were embarrassed by all the negative attention. I understood it but didn't know what to do about it. I had hopes that those who had promised to support my family when all hell broke loose would actually be there. They weren't. And my family suffered and they're still suffering. 

At the center of the planned attack on me and my family were certain members of the clergy, including Adrian. I know who they are, and, if you were following the action back in those days, you do too. 

After Apuron was found guilty by a Vatican tribunal in March 2018, Apuron's goons immediately began planning for his appeal. As already set out in La Stampa, the path to a successful appeal lay in proving that Apuron was the victim of a conspiracy led by "Tim Rohr, a real estate agent employed by Msgr. Benavente and involved in the projected sale of the seminary..."

However, their problem was that they had no evidence that I was "involved in the projected sale of the seminary" (because there was none), so they had to find another way to discredit me.

In May 2018, less than two months after the Vatican's guilty verdict, my name and face was plastered all over the local media for a full week with stories of accusations that I was a wife beater and a molester of my own children.

Krystal Paco, then a reporter for KUAM, had texted me on the morning of May 9, 2018, asking for my comments on allegations made against me in court filings.

Krystal sent pictures of some of the filings. I asked her how she got them. She said she pulled them herself (from the court) after having been "given a case number as a tip."

The plan, of course, was to discredit me by getting me accused of the same crimes Apuron was accused of to pave the way for Apuron's appeal. 

Enter Theodore McCarrick

It almost worked. The kiko's in Rome engineered the appeal to bypass the normal process of appeal through a tribunal, and got the pope to take on Apuron's appeal personally:

The pope explained that in considering Apuron's appeal, he is bypassing the traditional "giuria"--the council of bishops that make up a tribunal--and will be considering the appeal himself. This is because Apuron's situation is a "very difficult case." - Catholic News Agency, Aug. 28, 2018

I remember watching the pope say this on TV. Francis was on a flight back to Rome from an event in Ireland. However, the aim of the interview was not what he was going to do with Apuron, but what he was going to do about a much bigger fish, then-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. 

The McCarrick scandal was full of hooks and traps, especially for Francis, because there was a paper trail showing a connection between Francis and McCarrick. McCarrick had already been removed from his office by Francis' predecessor, Benedict, for decades of sexual misconduct with multiple seminarians. However, Francis had restored McCarrick to a position of power and now McCarrick, in 2018, was all over the news due to a now infamous letter by the now excommunicated Archbishop Vigano. 

This is all very complex, and would make a much better movie than the Da Vinci Code ever did, but bottom line is that Francis was caught with his hands in the cookie jar and he needed to do something quick to salvage his reputation for on being tough on clerics who were sexual miscreants. 

This is why, when Francis was being questioned about McCarrick, Francis himself changed the subject to Apuron - when the press probably knew little to nothing of Apuron. So now, with the stage lights glaring on Francis over McCarrick, he could not let Apuron off the hook. So Francis denied Apuron's appeal and finished him off.

BUT, had it not been for the timing of the McCarrick thing, I am very certain that Apuron's appeal would have been granted by Francis and he'd be living happily ever after in Guam. 

So, why do I care?

So, WHY do I CARE? Why do I care about a little liturgical abuse at a little school? Why do I care that the new archbishop took a month to say anything about it? And why do I care that when he finally did say something he ultimately said nothing. 

I guess it just reminds me of the terrible price some us had to pay and are still paying for shining the light on half a century of horrors, horrors shrouded in silence. In the end though, it was that silence that helped everyone eventually hear the pounding of that tell-tale heart - or should I say "hearts"...hundreds and hundreds of hearts.

I'll stop now.

HIGH DRAMA IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF AGANA - PART 7: THE TOVES APOCALYPSE

By Tim Rohr

CONTINUED FROM PART 6

Note: Apocalypse (from Ancient Greek ἀποκάλυψις (apokálupsis) 'revelation, disclosure'), and has come to be synonymous with "an event involving destruction or damage on an awesome or catastrophic scale."

Before going on with what I'm going to call "The Hon Dynasty," we need to review the backstory of how the issues in the Archdiocese of Agana jumped from Apuron's local squabble with a couple of priests, that probably would have died out in a couple of months, to a clergy sex abuse crisis of catastrophic proportions - a crisis which brought Hon to Guam, and a crisis that, per capita, became 14 times the size of the crisis in the Archdiocese of Boston which led to the Academy Award winning movie "Spotlight."

*****

Even after Apuron attacked Msgr. James Benavente and kicked him out of the Cathedral - where he was both rector and functionally the pastor - the whole fiasco might have remained just a local church squabble. 

The problem was that the squabble had grown louder after Apuron further attacked Benavente publicly and in print. This caused the laity to mobilize both in support of Benavente but also in reaction to Apuron's incomprehensible actions, first against Gofigan and now Benavente.

There was a large public demonstration in support of Benavente on the steps of the Cathedral, a motorcade, and an increased interest by the local media. 

Benavente was well-connected and well-liked, and he had the immediate support of many, but nothing any of Benavente's close associates did or said appeared to give Apuron pause. In fact, Apuron (or really his people) ramped up their attacks in response to the defense of Benavente.

However, these ramped up attacks created the ever increasing din that eventually was heard across the Pacific and began to raise ghosts from both Benavente and Apuron's past, one of whom was John Toves. 

Toves first approached me anonymously through a comment on this blog. In the comment he accused Apuron of sexually molesting his relative. I posted back that if the "commenter" wanted the comment to be public, he (I didn't know yet if the commenter was a he or she yet), would have to put his name to the comment.

John commented back that his name was John Charles Ada Toves and that Apuron had molested his relative. 

There was nothing I could do with the comment other than to leave it on the blog. John had put his name to his accusation and there it was. But I didn't need to do anything as the comments in response to John's accusation began exploding. And then, a few weeks later, in November of 2014, John called into Jesse Lujan's KUAM show and made the same accusation. This was the first time anyone had publicly accused Apuron of sex abuse - though it had been rumored for years.

The next month, John, who lived in California, came to Guam and attempted to confront Apuron on multiple occasions. Toves, in a confrontation with then-Fr. Adrian Cristobal that was memorialized in a KUAM news story, was unceremoniously thrown off "The Hill" and threatened with police action should he try again.

John Toves unable to meet with archbishop - KUAM

And it was here that Apuron made his first of many big mistakes. Certainly how he handled the Gofigan and Benavente matters was already a big mistake, but those matters would not have led to Apuron's ouster nor to the bankruptcy of the archdiocese. However, allegations of sexual abuse were a different matter. 

Toves hadn't lived in Guam since his youth and few people knew him. He had no credibility. All Apuron had to do was meet with him, say that he met with him, and say I'm sorry but Mr. Toves seems to be misinformed. Something like that. Toves then would have nowhere to go and he probably would have been refused any more airtime, especially since Toves' "relative" refused to substantiate Toves' allegation against Apuron. 

Instead, Apuron sent out Cristobal to bar Apuron's door. Sending Cristobal out to meet John was also a big mistake. John and Cristobal had been in the seminary together and each knew each other's dirty laundry. Cristobal knew how dangerous John was, not just to Apuron, but to himself. And it showed.

CONTINUED IN PART 8

REAL JUSTICE VS THE MONSTERS OF SAN RAMON

By Tim Rohr

In the video in this news story, Atty. Ed Caldie breaks into a passionate speech about "those who came forward" and how "we all got a huge gift from them for doing that." 

A typical lawyer speech - especially one who is walking away with millions regardless of the outcome. But beyond that:

Who exactly "came forward?" 

Other than Leo Tudela, Roy Quintanilla, Walter Denton, Roland Sondia, and Doris Concepcion - for her deceased son ("Sonny" Quinata), every one of the hundreds of other "survivors," save one or two others, have hidden behind their initials instead of putting their names and faces out there like the brave few just named.

Moreover...

it was ONLY the a-forenamed brave FEW who publicly testified in support of the bill that eventually gave the hundreds of other "survivors" the opportunity to sue the Archdiocese of Agana for damages. 

REAL JUSTICE..

If there's going to be "justice" - if anything is left after the attorneys are done - then REAL "justice" should disproportionately compensate the very few who actually did "come forward," and DID NOT cower behind an attorney or their initials in a court filing.

And that's another thing. 

Those FIRST FEW who actually did "come forward," came "forward" without an attorney and without a law to protect them from the WRATH of Apuron and his Goblins. 

In fact, Apuron and his Goblins responded to these FIRST FEW with threats to sue civilly and canonically. 

Here is one example:

Tim Rohr and his associates launched a vicious and calumnious attack on the Archbishop and the Church...The perpetrators of these calumnies have resorted to insults and violence revealing their true intention to destroy the Catholic Church and discredit the Archbishop by whatever means. Their method is to confuse and mislead the faithful, even to the point of inducing some to bring false testimony. This was predicted even before the first accusation was revealed.

Those who are orchestrating this campaign are inciting people into hatred of the Archbishop and the Catholic Church. They have produced scandal, confusion and grave errors with the cruel intent to injure the Archbishop, the Catholic Church in Guam and many other people of good will who have been outraged and harassed. Therefore, the Archdiocese of Agana is in the process of taking canonical and legal measures against those perpetrating these malicious lies.

And let's not forget the late John Toves who was and is still the real hero here. 

It was John Toves who first pointed a public finger at Apuron. 

It was John Toves who first marched on "Fortress Apuron" on San Ramon Hill.  

And it was John Toves who was first thrown off that hill by Apuron's Goblin-in-Chief, the now disgraced and defrocked run-away, the former Fr. Adrian Cristobal. 

Toves died without receiving a single cent for his courage. 

NOTE: The references to Toves are many. See here to all references on JW. 

SO: Let us see some REAL JUSTICE. 

Let's see to it that the survivors who put their REAL NAMES and FACES out there when there was not only no hope of compensation, but the full expectation that they would be sued into poverty and oblivion by the "filthy" machine - including the New Jersey Mafia who protected Apuron and sought to crush anyone and everyone who stood up to "the filth in the Church." 

"How much filth there is in the church, even among those who, in the priesthood, should belong entirely to Him. How much pride, how much self-sufficiency." - Pope Benedict XVI

And now let us speak of others who "came forward." 

How about the Catholics who spent FIFTY-FOUR SUNDAYS marching in front of the Agana Cathedral during the 9:30am Mass - "Apuron's Mass." 

Yes. What about them? 

What about the sneers and the hate from fellow "Catholics" (?) who intentionally and brazenly pushed through the marchers' picket line Sunday after Sunday and who entered the once-hallowed walls of the Agana Cathedral and presented themselves for "Holy Communion" -  with nary a thought to the "FILTH" that was perpetrated from THAT same altar. 

And what about the many Catholics who testified in support of the bill to lift the civil statute of limitations so that survivors could finally seek justice - EVEN THOUGH those same Catholics knew that they would have to pay the bill because the actual perpetrators would never be required to pay a single shekel?

Yes. What about them?

SETTLE THIS and give whatever is left to the real SURVIVORS who dared put their names and faces up against the MONSTERS OF SAN RAMON when they had nothing to gain and everything to lose. 

THE CRISTOBAL FILE - PART 4: CRISTOBAL V ROHR

Re the now "defrocked" Adrian Cristobal, I had sent a letter on July 19, 2016 to the then-Apostolic Administrator, Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai re the damage and destruction the now-defrocked Cristobal had personally done to me and my family in a very public way. 

Given that what I did - mostly on this blog - between 2013 and 2016 - ultimately cost Cristobal and his Neocat Bolsheviks the absolute control of the Archdiocese of Agana, I have serious reason to believe - as I have for awhile now - that the fight is just beginning. 

For now, I will just copy my letter to Hon:

Timothy J. Rohr

PO Box 9001

Agat, GU 96928

timrohr.guam@gmail.com

July 19, 2016

Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai

Apostolic Administrator, Archdiocese of Agana

196 Cuesta San Ramon Ste B, 

Hagåtña, GU 96910-4334

RE: DEMAND TO DISAVOW PUBLIC ACCUSATIONS MADE AGAINST TIM ROHR BY ARCHDIOCESE OF AGANA

On May 31, 2016, a Media Release (Exhibit A) was sent from the Chancery Office of the Archdiocese of Agana to the local Media. 

The Release dealt with, inter alia, me, Tim Rohr, and states in pertinent part:

• Tim Rohr and his associates launched a vicious and calumnious attack on the Archbishop and the Church. 
• They demanded that the Archbishop return to the former ways of financial administration… 
• They wanted to sell the seminary in Yona… 
• The perpetrators of these calumnies have resorted to insults and violence revealing their true intention to destroy the Catholic Church…
• They have…cruel intent to injure the Archbishop, the Catholic Church in Guam and many other people of good will who have been outraged and harassed.

The accusations against me, Tim Rohr, contained in this May 31, 2016 Media Release, were published  (Exhibit B) as follows:

“Tim Rohr and his associates launched a vicious and calumnious attack on the Archbishop and the Church,” the Archdiocese of Agana said. “They demanded that the Archbishop return to the former ways of financial administration, when the archdiocese was increasing debts every year because of mismanagement. They wanted to sell the seminary in Yona to cover the substantial debt accumulated by the previous administration of these three entities. The Archbishop was adamantly opposed to the idea of selling the seminary to cover these debts. Thus began a malicious campaign to denounce and attack the Archbishop at whatever cost to get him out of the way.” - Eugenio, Haidee V. “Archdiocese plans to sue for ‘malicious lies’ again.” Pacific Daily News. Hagatna, Guam. June 1, 2016

The release blames catholic blogger Tim Rohr for "launching a vicious and calumnious attack on the archbishop and the church." The release says that the malicious campaign is in retaliation for refusing to sell the Yona seminary to cover debt from the previous administration. (The news item goes on to quote the May 31, 2016 Media Release from the Chancery in full.) - “Archbishop Apuron Denies Sexually Abusing Doris Concepcion's Son.” Pacific News Center. Hagatna, Guam. May 31, 2016.

“Tim Rohr and his associates launched a 'vicious and calumnious attack' on the archbishop and the church,” the statement says. - Guzman, Jaqueline Perry. “Archdiocese responds to new allegation.” The Guam Daily Post. Hagatna, Guam. June 1, 2016.

May 31, 2016 Media Release reprinted in full. - Umatuna Si Yu’os (the official newspaper for the Archdiocese of Agana). Hagatna, Guam. June 5, 2016.

On June 3, 2016, another Media Release (Exhibit C) was sent from the Chancery Office of the Archdiocese of Agana to the local Media. 

Referencing, again, the supposed plan to sell the seminary, the Release states in pertinent part:

• Tim Rohr…had a personal interest in this plan and was supposed to be involved in this multi-million dollar sale as a real estate mediator. 

The accusation against me, Tim Rohr, contained in this Media Release, was published (Exhibit D) as follows:

The church meanwhile is also accusing Martinez of being part of a conspiracy or the "Rohr Group" to topple the archbishop. Tim Rohr operates the JungleWatch blog, which has been critical of the archbishop over the last several years. The church further claims Martinez, who was the former archdiocesan financial officer was incompetent in his position and for six years in a row failed to submit required financial reports to the Vatican.  The archdiocese alleges this finance council conspired to sell the Yona seminary property in order to cover their financial misdeeds. So where does Rohr fit in? According to the church they allege he had a personal interest in the plan and was supposed to be involved in the multi-million dollar sale as a real estate mediator. - Matanane, Sabrina Salas. “Church says there's a plot to topple the archbishop.” KUAM. Hagatna, Guam. June 3, 2016. 

Both media releases, dated May 31 and June 3, 2016, were inscribed on what appears to be the official stationary of the Archdiocese of Agana and nothing in or about the release suggests that it is anything other than an official communication of the Chancery Office of the Archdiocese of Agana. Therefore I must treat the release as official and genuine. And because the release was intended to, and did, have broad circulation, I must treat both communications as an extremely serious matter. 

In addition, the accusation implying that I, Tim Rohr, was part of a conspiracy involving an improper and clandestine real estate transaction is libelous and potentially injurious to my profession.

I hereby request that you, as Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Agana, publicly retract, apologize for, repudiate, disavow and cancel the accusations made against me, Tim Rohr, in these two media releases, and to set the record straight forthwith.

Respectfully,

Timothy J. Rohr

The full letter with Exhibits is copied here in PDF. 

It has come to my attention that there may be some difficulty in viewing the above referenced file. I am posting it below:

THE CRISTOBAL FILE - PART 3

 Reposting:

NO MORE MISTER NICE GUY

THE CRISTOBAL FILE - PART 2

 Here is a quick way to see all the stories relative to the former priest, Adrian Cristobal as posted on JungleWatch over the years. 

Let it be known that we (JW) have no desire to see priests go down as Cristobal has. However, had Cristobal simply offered repentance and begged forgiveness, he would not only have been our next Bishop, he probably would have been one of our most beloved - even more than "Flores." 

But Cristobal did not do that. Cristobal chose to wage war in the name of the gods of the Neocatechumenal Way. And thus, Cristobal brought down all hell upon his own head. But no worries for the Cristobal worshipers. Cristobal is still a priest in the halls of the NCW, even a martyr, as is Apuron.

More to come. 

THE CRISTOBAL FILE - PART 1

In light of today's announcement by Archbishop Michael Byrnes that the former priest, Adrian Cristobal, has been laicized, I decided to search my files and came up with a few things. Here's one. A timeline of things re Cristobal from 2013 to 2016. More things will be coming, so keep on an eye on JW.

THE CRISTOBAL FILE. 2013-2016

July 22, 2013. 

Adrian Cristobal sends a statement to the Media 1) claiming that Apuron had spoken with Fr. Paul Gofigan about his alleged infraction when in fact the only meeting about the alleged infraction was the meeting at which Apuron told Fr. Gofigan to resign, 2) claiming that there had been an investigation into Fr. Paul’s alleged infraction when in fact there was none, 3) claimed that Fr. Paul had disobeyed the Archbishop even though Fr. Paul had already produced the documentation showing that he had obeyed as ordered, 4) claimed that Fr. Paul’s actions were a “danger to children” when in fact it was later proved that Apuron had permitted the same person to work at the parish 13 years earlier. - Archdiocese of Agana. (2013, July 22). Archdiocese Statement Regarding Father Paul Gofigan. https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B5IW0Zxhdou0ek00Qno4MEJaYkU

September 4, 2013 to December 27, 2013

Adrian Cristobal misleads Aaron Quitugua about why he cannot be sponsored to a seminary other than RMS which explicitly forms its priests according to the life and practice of the Neocatechumenal Way. Cornered by Quitugua’s questions, Cristobal tells Aaron that there is no money to support his priestly studies elsewhere, but when Aaron offers to pay for his own education Cristobal still denies him sponsorship. - http://www.junglewatch.info/2014/02/i-regret-to-inform-you-that-your.html

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Adrian Cristobal stonewalls the press on its inquiry into the treatment of Fr. Paul Gofigan saying:

"The conversations that Father Gofigan did write about would be considered internal and private matters concern the case of clergy discipline and basically where we stand as the archdioceses is that they don't believe that they warrant any further public comment," even though Cristobal himself, on July 22, 2013, went to the media to publicly accuse and denigrate Fr. Gofigan. 

http://www.junglewatch.info/2014/01/people-power-is-next.html

March 5, 2014

Adrian Cristobal declines comment to the Media regarding his mistreatment of Aaron Quitugua saying he “wouldn’t respond to rumors” when in fact the “rumors” were his own words documented by copies of his emails to Aaron Quitugua. - http://www.junglewatch.info/2014/03/we-are-wating-for-you.html and VIDEO: Local Teen Denied Sponsorship to Off-Island Seminary, Archdiocese's Reasons Unclear

Friday, July 18, 2014

Adrian Cristobal, at a clergy meeting in the presence of Archbishop Martin Krebs, Apostolic Delegate to Oceania, denies that candidates to the permanent diaconate were forced to join the NCW as a condition of their formation, says he “merely wanted them to listen to a catechesis” and apologized if there was a “misunderstanding.” Cristobal was immediately countered by Deacon Len Stohr and Deacon Bill Hagen who both verified that the candidates were told to "walk" and that it was not voluntary. Caught in a lie, Cristobal says that he “couldn’t remember.” - http://www.junglewatch.info/2014/07/spaghetti-for-everyone-and-guam-is.html

July 22, 2014

Adrian Cristobal runs interference for Apuron and Fr. John Wadeson after Wadeson’s record of sexual abuse allegations is exposed ten years after Apuron incardinated Wadeson as a priest of the Archdiocese of Agana. PNC News. (2014, July 22). Archdiocese Admits They Were Aware of Allegations of Sexual Abuse Against Father Wadeson 

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Adrian Cristobal runs interference for the now-exposed, twice-accused for child sexual molestation, Fr. John Wadeson, a priest who had been incardinated by Apuron ten years previously, saying ”the allegations were made in 1990s and they were never substantiated. There was no settlement, the allegations just appeared.” He further added that the Archdiocese of Agana “does not discriminate against false or true accusations.” - Pacific News Center

http://www.junglewatch.info/2014/07/the-silence-of-lambsbut-for-how-long.html

July 26, 2014

Adrian Cristobal delivers the decree to Msgr. James Benavente, evicting him from his position as rector of the Cathedral after participating in the accumulation of allegations against Benavente and denying him any opportunity to respond. - http://www.junglewatch.info/2014/07/msgr-james-benavente-removed-as-rector.html

August 4, 2014

Adrian Cristobal lied to the public via the news media about the closing of the Cathedral Museum upon the ouster of Msgr. James Benavente as rector. Cristobal said that the museum was only closed temporarily due to the transition of leadership at the Cathedral. The museum was never reopened. - Lujan, V. (2014, October 30, 2014) Letter to Archbishop Apuron from Vangie Lujan. http://www.junglewatch.info/2014/10/the-truth-about-national-museum-at.html

August 19, 2014

Adrian Cristobal misleads the Media and the faithful claiming that Apuron intends to meet with the members of the Presbyteral council who wrote Apuron, challenging his statement that they had agreed to the removal of Msgr. James Benavente as rector of the Cathedral. Apuron never met with them. - Mantanane, S. (2014, August 19). Archbishop responds. KUAM

December 4, 2014.

Adrian Cristobal obstructs John Toves from meeting with Apuron saying that Apuron wasn’t available. Instructed Toves to meet with Deacon Larry Claros who then claimed Apuron’s innocence. - Dumat-­ol Daleno, G. (2014, December 4). Church official: Archbishop Apuron innocent. Pacific Daily News

December 5, 2014. 

Adrian Cristobal obstructs John Toves from meeting with Apuron saying that Apuron is “fully booked.”  - Deacon Claros Defends Archbishop from Sex Abuse Allegations.

December 6, 2014. 

Adrian Cristobal tells Media that Apuron will not meet with John Toves without a lawyer present.  Threatens to sue Toves. - Stole, J. (2014, December 6). Toves’ request to meet with Apuron denied. Marianas Variety.

December 24, 2014

Adrian Cristobal misleads the Media about Apuron’s censure of Deacon Steve Martinez regarding his involvement with the Concerned Catholics of Guam. Cristobal says there was no censure when in fact, Martinez was threatened with a censure unless he quit the CCOG. - Stole, J. (2014, December 24). Archdiocese says Deacon Steve Martinez was not censured. Marianas Variety.

January 5, 2015

Adrian Cristobal, after telling the press that the Visitators (Archbishop Hon, Archbishop Krebs, Fr. Nowak) intend to meet with various lay groups, blocks a meeting with the Concerned Catholics of Guam - http://www.junglewatch.info/2015/01/no-meeting-of-course-not.html

January 7, 2015

Adrian Cristobal sends a letter to KUAM in which he:

Accuses the previous Archdiocesan Finance Council of wanting to alienate the Yona property - when in fact they voted against it.

Accuses the finance council of intending to sell the property to cover debt incurred by the Cathedral and the Catholic Cemeteries. (The AFC has no authority to sell anything. Only the Archbishop can authorize a sale of church property.)

Asserts that RMS is NOT forming priests for the neocatechumenal way when in fact its articles of incorporations specifically state that RMS is for the exclusive formation of priests per the “life and practice of the neocatechumenal way.”

Misleads the public about the true ownership of the Yona property by referring to an opinion by the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Acts - an opinion not permitted for the public to see and which we later learned, an opinion wholly formed out of the information given to it by Pius Sammut, the chief catechist for the NCW in Guam.

Lies to the public about the transfer of title to the Yona property saying that it was just a transfer of title between two corporations sole, when, as already proved in a legal opinion, and later proved by the events which transferred title back to the Archdiocese of Agana, RMS was NOT a corporation sole, but a corporation separately incorporated from the Archdiocese of Agana and of which Apuron only one vote on its board and the board was further controlled by a Board of Guarantors which was controlled by the Neocatechumenal Way Team for the United States.

Lies to the public about the intention of the donor saying that it was for the erection of the RMS seminary and the Theological Institute. The lie was later laid bare by the Mother Prioress of the local Carmelite Monastery who told the media that the donor, a sister Carmelite monastery in St. Louis, MO, had never heard of RMS or the Theological Institute and had only wanted to help establish a seminary for Guam which they believed would provide an actual diocesan formation.

Misleads the public about the role of the RMS Board of Guarantors, saying they only existed to insure the purpose of the corporation when in fact they controlled every aspect of the corporation even down to expenses of more than $5000 as stated clearly in the RMS Bylaws.

Cristobal, A. (2015, January 7). Answer to Question submitted by KUAM News Jolene Toves. https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B5IW0Zxhdou0UTl2SS1rUWdJUVE

June 17th, 2015 

Adrian Cristobal met with CCOG vice president, David Sablan. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss conditions of any future meetings between CCOG officials and Archbishop Apuron to bring about healing and unity within our Archdiocese.  After the meeting, Mr. Sablan sent Fr. Adrian Cristobal an email confirmation of the conditions discussed at the meeting for his ready reference and discussion with Archbishop Apuron (see email below).  Fr. Adrian responded, stating he will get back to Mr. Sablan.  To date, CCOG has not received any response from the Chancery on whether the Archbishop will agree to the conditions put forth by CCOG to begin healing and unity, and to restore the trust the Catholic Faithful have in Archbishop Apuron. - http://concernedcatholicsofguam.org/announcements/ccog-lists-conditions-for-meeting-with-archbishop-and-chancery-officials/

January 25, 2015

Adrian Cristobal forwards to the Media a report which publicly abuses Msgr. James Benavente. The email header showing that Cristobal was the one who forward the report is found here

http://www.junglewatch.info/2015/01/dear-archbishop-savio-hon-tai-fai_26.html

June 23, 2015

Adrian Cristobal misleads the public about the true nature of RMS: “The Redemptoris Mater doesn't teach the Neocatechumenal Way, Cristobal said. Seminarians are trained for ministry in the church, they are not trained for the Neocatechumenal Way as was falsely noted," Cristobal wrote. - Raymundo, S. (2015, June 23). Church explains spending: Appeal goes to seminaries, chaplains. Pacific Daily News

July 12, 2015

Adrian Cristobal violated the intentions of the donor by taking it upon himself to rename the Boys Chapel at Father Duenas High School. Apuron later confirmed that it was Cristobal who had renamed the chapel. -  http://www.junglewatch.info/2015/07/special-message-to-archbishop-hon-tai.html

September 24, 2015

Adrian Cristobal via the Marianas Variety again misleads the public about the ownership of the Yona property and the true purpose of RMS. - http://www.junglewatch.info/2015/09/lie-cheat-steal-deny-deflect-deny.html

April 12, 2016

Adrian Cristobal, with Edivaldo, go before the Rotary Club of Guam to repeat the lies about the ownership of the Yona Property and the purpose of RMS. - Quintanilla, K. (2016, April 12). Archdiocese seeks to dispel “lies”. KUAM http://www.kuam.com/story/31697625/2016/04/11/archdiocese-seeks-to-dispel-lies

April 13, 2016

Adrian Cristobal misleads the public about the status of Fr. Luis Camacho who was arrested by Guam police a year earlier. Cristobal told the press that Camacho “was sent to a place he could be followed psychologically and spiritually, and is still under supervised ministry.” (However, a parish in Doha, Qatar had published a flyer about Camacho leading a youth retreat, and Bishop Camillo Ballin had written that Camacho was “my priest now.” - Baza, I. (2016, April 13). Church continues to investigate Fr. Luis Camacho. KUAM. 

May 31, 2016

Adrian Cristobal accuses the mother of Joseph Quinata of “malicious and calumnious accusations”: “In the past days, malicious and calumnious accusations against the Archbishop have surfaced, even from a deceased person,” Father Adrian L.F. Cristobal, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Agana, said in a statement. - Eugenio, H. (2016, May 31). Mother of deceased man accuses Apuron of molesting son. Pacific Daily News.

June 3, 2016

Adrian Cristobal accuses Deacon Steve Martinez of “malicious and intentionally false claims” against Archbishop Apuron, and threatens canonical and civil action against him. In his media statement, Cristobal went on to publicly accuse Martinez of incompetence as the archdiocese’s financial officer. In the same press release, Cristobal accuses Martinez of being part of the “Rohr Group,” and further accuses Tim Rohr of conspiring to sell the Yona property in order to cash in on a real estate commission. - Archdiocese of Agana. (2016, June 3). Archdiocese of Agana Media Release, June 3, 2016. https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B5IW0Zxhdou0TzJpaEVrU3FzVXM

June 5, 2016

Adrian Cristobal signs the decree labeling the Concerned Catholics of Guam a “prohibited society.” http://www.junglewatch.info/2016/06/love-letter-from-adrian-ass.html

Other:

Adrian Cristobal told the future Fr. Richard Kidd that in the Archdiocese of Agana the diocesan priesthood was no more, there was only the Neocatechumenal Way. - May be verified by Fr. Richard Kidd

Adrian Cristobal complains that he’s not getting paid enough.http://www.junglewatch.info/2015/10/fly-on-chancery-wall-reports.html

Comments from JungleWatch.info 

Monday, January 13, 2014

We have to remove the psychological fear which is being conveyed by the three on the hill. They use fear to mentally break priests. It's been going on for years from Archbishop Apuron and Fr. Adrian. Some priests are sick at this time because of what's happening. We must clear up this fear that has been perpetrated on our priests. It's a very unhealthy situation and I believe it is destroying priests in the region.  It's about healing the past and renewing. I believe priests on Guam are silently hurting, afraid to express themselves because of fear. We need to heal. It's time to prepare for priest-people power.

There is nothing we can really do until the Holy See decides to send a visitor to Guam. Priests and people need to be individually interviewed  so there is no fear of revenge by Archbishop Apuron, Fr. Adrian, or Msgr. David. A group of priests who see the danger Guam is in will have to come together and seek an appointment with Archbishop Krebs the Apostolic Nuncio. Guam’s people will back these priests.

Name withheld out of fear

http://www.junglewatch.info/2014/01/sent-via-email-breaking-priests.html

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

The priests in the Archdiocese of Agana are under duress. The core aspects of preaching about injustices have been muffled by the Archbishop,  Msgr. David C. Quitugua (vicar general), and Fr. Adrian Cristobal (chancellor).  Because all three are beside themselves, not knowing what to do or how to deal with issues before them, and based on historical facts, they are more prone to making rash and ill-guided decisions.  Because they are desperate, they are likely to make decisions that hurt people in an attempt to survive.  To those monitoring from Rome, come to Guam and you'll be surprise how many clergy and lay faithful will come forward to meet with you.  The Archdiocese is no longer under the control the Archbishop.  The Archdiocese is in peril. The Archdiocese needs the intervention of Rome, and it is needed immediately. 

http://www.junglewatch.info/2014/01/dear-pope-francis.html

http://www.junglewatch.info/2015/04/what-healing-looks-like.html

CRISTOBAL LAICIZED

 Jan. 27, 2021

 

NEWS RELEASE

Archbishop removes Adrian Cristobal from clerical state

 

Archbishop Michael Byrnes announces that former Father Adrian Cristobal has been laicized in accordance with violations against the Sixth Commandment with minors.

 

The canonical administrative penal process began in 2018 after consulting with the Vatican. Laicization, or Loss of Clerical State means Cristobal is not to wear ecclesiastical garb or be addressed by titles used by ordained priests, such as Father or Reverend. He is deprived of clerical offices, functions, and any designated power granted to him as a cleric. He has no right to financial support from the Archdiocese of Agaña.

 

This decision is in accordance with the authority granted to Archbishop Byrnes by the Holy See. The Archdiocese completed its canonical administrative process in December 2020.

 

Legal counsel has advised that the archdiocese make no further comment on the matter due to on-going litigation.

 

Sent by Tony C. Diaz

Director of Communication, (671) 562-0065, tony.diaz@archagana.org

PDF of LETTER from Archbishop Byrnes 

CRISTOBAL OUT

NOTE: Actually the real reason pending proof of his abuse, is more likely gross disobedience. Cristobal has refused to return to the Archdiocese of Agana as ordered by Archbishop Byrnes. In his "heyday," Cristobal was front and center in trying to stop us from uncovering what is now, per capita, the largest clergy sex abuse crisis in the world. Specifically, Cristobal tried to stop Tim Rohr and Associates: "Tim Rohr and his associates launched a vicious and calumnious attack on the Archbishop and the Church." Cristobal is still trying to stop "Tim Rohr and Associates." 

PDN: Archdiocese moves to strip Father Adrian Cristobal of priestly duties over abuse of minors

"The civil lawsuits alleged that Cristobal's sexual abuse of minors happened between 1995 and 2013. One plaintiff said the priest abused him for about 18 years, at two parishes, the school, the priest's residence, his vehicle and at a private beach in Ipan. 

After consulting with Rome, the archdiocese initiated an administrative penal process last year against Cristobal." 

FULL STORY

GUAM DAILY POST: Former chancellor to lose priest role

FULL STORY

PNC: Archdiocese moves to ‘laicize’ Father Cristobal; awaits Rome decision on appeal

FULL STORY

KUAM: Father Adrian Cristobal appeals decision to laicize him

FULL STORY

Comments may be made at www.Facebook.com/JungleWatch

BLOG NOTES: 

Pageviews last 30 DAYS: 40,115 = 1,337 Pageviews per day. 

ADRIAN CRISTOBAL CONTINUED

Last week, we did a post titled THE CRISTOBAL FACTOR. The post was motivated by an sudden uptick in the page views of a 2016 story about Adrian Cristobal's rejection of his being assigned to San Dionisio Parish in Umatac by Archbishop Hon, the Vatican-assigned Administrator. As we hadn't heard anything from or about Cristobal in awhile, we were curious as to the sudden surge in traffic. 

As some know, Cristobal, the bully who happily helped oust Fr. Paul Gofigan and Msgr. James Benavente, ran away - just like Apuron - at the first mention of an abuse allegation against him. And like Apuron, remains in hiding. Yesterday, there was news about Cristobal in the PDN: 

Archdiocese sends to Vatican Father Cristobal's case on alleged sex abuses of minors

To be continued

CURIOUS - THE CRISTOBAL FACTOR

Our "page views" have always told us a lot - and indeed - have been the main driver of this blog, which we now know eventually led to not just the overthrow of an evil bishop, but opened up the dark perverted recesses that have led directly to the heart of the Vatican. 

So why would a post from 2016 (per our page view stats) be getting the second most VIEWS this week...(September, 2019)?

Could it be an upcoming trial scheduled for November? 

By "The Way"....where is he?

WHERE IS ADRIAN (CONTINUED)

(Posted by Frenchie)

While lawsuits are starting to pile up against the former Chancellor, and former Apuron's Whip, the Archdiocese has to finally take some action against the man, whom the Seminary had advised Apuron against making him a priest. (only one of two at the time, but the other was for subpar studies, while Cristobal was for serious moral and ethical reasons).

Once again, the Archdiocese has to clean up after another mess Apuron and the Neos left us with.

So we learned about another victim, suing the Archdiocese, because of Adrian.

This lawsuit falls within the sick and manipulating modus operandi Cristobal is famous for: intimidation, black mail, threats. The run of the mill for this truly corrupt individual.

Following the refusal by Adrian to obey Archbishop Byrnes, and return to Guam to face the complaints, the Archbishop had no other choice but to strip him from his priest faculties, (wearing the collar, celebrating mass, and other restrictions)

This is what the canon law, recommends as first steps in this kind of cases. Unfortunately we have ample evidence that the NCW leaders seldom obey such command, and usually hide and shelter the presbyters who have been accused. Giving them time to besmirch the victims and circle the proverbial wagons against their proteges. Often these runaways keep on celebrating within their communities despite the restrictions imposed upon them by the lawful Ecclesiastical authority.

The fact that the "responsible" use these kinds of tactics, and in the process put in danger the children of their honest followers, says more about their lack of ethics, that anything else.

This left little options to the Chancery, but to up the antes a little bit.


 So here we are, faced with the continued disobedience of Cristobal, the Archdiocese of Guam, could only go to the next step, which is to stop payment to Cristobal.

Of course this shall not impact Adrian, since he is  one of the few accused, that could actually pay a multi million settlement. Adrian is independently filthy rich. So we are not going to shed crocodile tears on his financial situation.

We know, here that he is at the center of the plot to destroy Tim Rohr.

So far, none of the normal measures taken by the chancery, shall have much impact on Adrian and the evil people who abetted his crimes.

Two questions remain:

Where is Adrian?

How long is it going to take to defrock the SOB?

In the meantime, if you are the parent of a child in close proximity to Adrian, keep a watchful eye.

DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN

(Posted by Frenchie)

The standoff between our dearly departed John Toves and corrupt Adrian Cristobal

the Chancellor for Apuron, is now part of our local history.

What followed was now the infamous : "the Archbishop is innocent, for sure for sure" from Deacon Claros, who had replaced Deacon Martinez who dared call Apuron to task, in regards to the Fr.  Luis Camacho affair.

This was the perfect visualization of the corruption of the Apuron administration.

What John did not do was using foul language, or go knock on Apuron's door in the middle of the night. John remained a perfect gentleman about it. Yet the point was made in no uncertain terms.

By the same token, Junglewatch did not try to destroy the Church, as claimed by the Kikos, but instead thanks to a continuous flow of revelation and testimonies, as well as interventions with the legal Church authorities, we continued to try to protect our Church from the wolves in sheep clothing

What we got for our effort, was a flow of insults, threats and bird calls.

We were threatened with lawsuits, by reputable entities in our Church.

In return we turn the other cheek , volunteers picketed the Cathedral/Basilica, the courageous ladies of the LFM "welcome" the American leader of the NCW, Mr Genarrini and his escort at the airport.

To this day, the kikos accuse Tim of having fabricated and invented the complaints against Apuron and the cadre of corrupted people around him.

The Vatican after two and half years begged to differ.

Yet the concert of fake news continued.

Tim got personally attacked .

That being said, here comes gadfly extraordinaire Mr Torres, who based on the fact that the people at Mt Carmel met with Archbishop Byrnes, and not knowing the content of that meeting, concluded that the "Catholic Church" was guilty of coverup.

Worse, Mr Torres who otherwise can do decent investigation, is so dead set on condemning the Church and the Archbishop, rather than trying to go after the real people guilty of coverup.

Actually he is a lot more interested in doing this, that he was in pursuing his own case

See here

This more and more looks like some interested parties are pulling the strings of Mr Torres, for their own benefit.

The question remains :

Where is Adrian Cristobal?

We at junglewatch have helped expose the evil doers within the Church.

The last thing we need, is some Johnny come lately, try to capitalize on over 6 years of hard work.

Of course that is going to make a few people go mad and accuse the Jungle for shining light on all the corners of the picture, and they don't like it.