1/5/2016

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Archbishopresponds

Posted:Aug19,20145:17PM
Updated:Sep08,20142:28PM
bySabrinaSalasMatanane
GuamArchbishopAnthonyApuronrespondstoaletterwrittenbyfiveCatholicpriestscalling
onhimtoclarifystatementshemadeinaJuly29thpressreleaseregardinghisreasonsforthe
removalofMonsignorJamesBenavente.
AccordingtoFatherAdrianCristobalArchbishopAnthonyApuronhadandstillhasevery
intentionofmeetingwithFathersTomMcGrath,JeffSanNicolas,MikeCrisostomo,Patrick
CastroandGusGumataotao.Thefivepriestsaswereportedwrotealettertothearchbishop
datedAugust4th.TheywereseekingclarificationonhisstatementinhisJuly29thpress
releaseexplaininghisdecisiontoremoveMonsignorJamesBenaventefromhispositionsas
rectoroftheArchdioceseofAganaanddirectoroftheCatholicCemeteries.Thebasisforhis
removal?Allegationsoffinancialmismanagement.Inthestatementthearchbishopwrote,"I
informedthePresbyteralCouncil,theCollegeofConsultorsandtheArchdiocesanFinance
Councilaboutthissituationandtheyexpressedtheirsupport."
ThefivepriestsarepartofthatPresbyteralCouncilandintheirlettertothearchbishopsaid
theydisagreewithhisstatementandit'sconnectionwithhisdecisiontoremoveMonsignor
James.AswereportedtheyreferredtoameetingtheyhadwiththearchbishoponJuly25th
duringwhichhepresentedthefinancialsituationoftheArchdioceseofAgana.Thepriestsstate
thearchbishopmadenomentionofhisintenttoremoveMonsignorJamesandthattheywere
notconsultedonthematter.Theyalsostatedtheyhadnoopportunitytodiscussorraise
objectiontohisremovalandthatatnopointduringtheseproceedingswasavoteorquestion
onthematterplacedonthetablefordiscussiontocometotheconclusionofour"expressed
supportofyourdecisiontoremovehim".
AccordingtoFatherCristobalhowever,hetellsKUAMtodaythatthearchbishopexplainedin
detailtheserioussituationthatthearchdiocesefounditselftothePresybteralCouncilduring
thatjuly25thmeetingandhetoldthecouncilclearlythathewasgoingtotakeaction.
Cristobaladdedanumberofthepriestsexpressedtheirsurpriseandconcern.Manyagreed
thatthearchbishopneededtodosomethingaboutthesituation.Thearchbishopdidnot,and
couldnot,tellthemwhatspecificactionwasgoingtobetaken,becausehehadnotyetspoken
totheperson/sinvolved.FatherAdrianadds,"ThePresbyteralCouncilisanadvisorybodyand
thearchbishopisnotrequiredtoseektheirpermissionwithregardstoassignmentsofpriests.
Whatwaswritteninthepressreleasewascorrect."Afterreceivingtheletterofthesefive

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1/5/2016

Archbishop responds - KUAM.com-KUAM News: On Air. Online. On Demand.

Whatwaswritteninthepressreleasewascorrect."Afterreceivingtheletterofthesefive
priestsFatherAdrianaddshehadinmindtospeakwiththeminaprivatemeeting,andhestill
intendstospeakwiththem.HecouldnotdoitearlierbecausehewenttoKoreaforthepope's
visit.Unfortunatelythisletterwentpublicandevenappearedonablogsomewhere.

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