By Pacific Island Times News Staff
The Archdiocese of Agana on Friday released the full list of Guam priests and other laymen convicted by the Vatican and those named in the class action filed by individuals who alleged being sexually abused when they were minors between 1950 and 2015.
Disclosing the defendants' identities was part of the archdiocese's $45-million settlement agreement with "the 287 courageous men and women who revealed their childhood suffering at the hands of members of the church," Archbishop Ryan Jimenez said in a statement.
The archdiocese released two sets of disclosure statements.
The first list names those who faced canonical penal trials:
• Anthony Sablan Apuron: Found guilty of delicts against the Sixth Commandment with minors on Feb. 7, 2019.
• Raymond F. Cepeda (deceased): Dispensed and separated from the clerical state on Nov. 3, 2009.
• Adrian L.F. Cristobal: Dispensed and separated from the clerical state on
June, 25, 2020.
• Jose R. San Agustin (deceased): Dispensed and separated from the clerical state on July, 13, 1973.
Louis Brouillard, a priest who admitted to his sexual transgressions against children from Guam and Saipan, died before the court settlement and before commencing any canonical penal trial. The lawsuit had more than 100 allegations against him.
“Canonical penal procedure requires the right of defense of those who are accused. Hence, criminal action is extinguished by prescription, death of the accused or when the cleric has already been dismissed or granted dispensation from the clerical state,” according to Rev. Fr. Romeo D. Convocar, vicar general and moderator curiae.
Convocar noted that since the civil case in the local court was settled without trial, allegations narrated in the lawsuit were not legally proven.
“While the publication of names on our website is part of the non-monetary commitments included in the final decree of the settlement, from the canonical point of view, we are unable to establish with moral certainty whether those crimes were truly committed since most of those accused have long been deceased,” Convocar said.
The second list includes 47 names of priests, lay members and two nuns, who faced accusations in the civil lawsuit.
"Concisely, the archdiocese will not recommend or place members of the clergy or laypersons in active ministry who have credible claims of sexual abuse pending against them, are undergoing church or civil proceedings for the same, or are considered unsuitable due to substantiated accusations of sexual misconduct, particularly with minors," Jimenez said.
Joshua Walsh, legal counsel for the archdiocese, said the June 20, 2023 settlement with the plaintiffs obligated the archdiocese to transparency by posting the names of the accused on the archdiocese's website.
"This contractual provision requires that the list includes all names of any individual connected to the (archdiocese) who was named in a civil complaint and not just those individuals who may have credibly been found to have
committed abuse," Walsh said.
The church's attorney said the list was generated following a review of civil complaint summary records compiled by the archdiocese.
"The archdiocese renewed and strengthened its commitment by filing the Child Protection Protocols in April 2023 following the Confirmed Fifth Amended Joint Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization, more widely known as the now-settled bankruptcy," Jimenez said.
"We treasure our young ones. We nurture and protect them and want them to have confidence that the adults around them will look after their welfare," he added. "We must never again allow their vulnerability to be taken advantage of and instead be vigilant and committed to the Archdiocese's policy on protecting children."
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