These guys are back to their old tricks

Quite the prank on us. The Archdiocese of Agana managed for five decades to systematically allow priests, teachers, and other lay officials to rape boys and girls under their care, then cover it all up. That cover-up came by way of false prophecy, shame, threats, and even the brainwashing of parents and grandparents against their children and grandchildren. Not the work of Christ or His Church, to say the least.

Then, when it all came out midway through the last decade, this same group of men that for all these years condescended to us faithful to live by truth and light and to turn away from injustice DID NOT say they were sorry for what should have been a racketeer influenced and corrupt organization (RICO) case, had it not been for the statute of limits in place at the time. No. They had to be dragged into court, kicking and screaming.

They hired high-powered lawyers from Washington, D.C. who dragged out the court case for a decade, depriving the victims of meager compensation during that time and WORSE: forcing the surviving victims into depositions to relive each of their nightmares CAUSED BY THE ARCHDIOCESE.

The victims began receiving payments about two years ago, followed by apologies from Archbishop Emeritus Michael Byrnes, then Father Romeo Convocar, then Father Jeff San Nicolas at last year’s procession in honor of Santa Marian Kamalen, then by Archbishop Ryan Jimenez at his installation Mass this past summer.

There have been daily prayers for the victims of the Archdiocese. Archbishop Jimenez has promised transparency and strict vigilance to protect children within the church, its schools, and its other programs. The Archdiocese created protocols and programs, all forced upon it by Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood of the U.S. District Court of Guam.

The dust had finally settled on the scandal. The victims were finally getting a reprieve from their nightmare; some were able to start a journey of healing.

And then the Archdiocese began to do what some suspected it would when the lawsuits ended. The Archdiocese is back to its old tricks.

A few days ago I wrote about my experience at San Juan Bautista Catholic Church in Ordot on Saturday, when a church leader there blamed the clergy sex abuse victims for the financial situation of the parish during parish announcements. I immediately emailed the archbishop, asking for an interview on the matter. I have followed up a number of times, and he hasn’t had the decency to reply at all, despite his promise made the day after his installation that he would be transparent and available to the local media.

That promise of transparency has to mean something, and there has to be a benchmark. That benchmark needs to rest on the idea that the archbishop and his curia will be open, truthful, and forthcoming about bad news. Bad news happens. Bad things happen. It is always, always, always the cover-up that turns something from bad to evil.

Weeks ago, the Archdiocese –  by order of the federal court – was supposed to have published onto its website the names of two active priests who have been accused of sexual misconduct. That disclosure never happened. I asked the archbishop in an email why the Archdiocese has not complied with the court order. He hasn’t replied.

Then today, the archbishop emailed a letter to all the priests of the Archdiocese informing them that another priest had been accused of sexual misconduct. (We received this letter from a confidential source, agreeing to redact identifying information in exchange for permission to publish it.) This letter was not released to the public. There has been no disclosure to the Catholic faithful or the general community.

Different times. Different archbishop. Same Archdiocese. Cold. Conflicted. Dishonest. And uncaring in the least about the trail of tears it has left in the wake of its struggle for power and influence.