+ConcernedCatholicsofGuam,Inc.

+
ForImmediateRelease
Forfurtherinformation,contact:
GregoryPerez,presidentat7273233or
DavidSablan,vicepresidentat4824647
December9,2014
GuamCatholicsorganizetoinvestigatearchdiocese
AgroupofCatholicsfromparishesacrossGuamhavedecidedtoformallyincorporateasanon
profitorganizationtoinvestigateproblemswiththeArchdioceseanditsmanagementthathave
comeunderfirerecently,andtoaddresswaystoimprovetheservicesofthearchdiocesetothe
parishesthroughoutGuam.
Thenonprofitcorporationorganizedtoaddressmajorconcernsandissuesthathaveaffectedthe
CatholicfaithfulonGuam,withtheobjectiveofresolvingtheproblemsaffectingtheconfidence
andtrusttheyhaveintheirchurchleadership.
ConcernedCatholicsofGuam,Inc.(CCOG)wasestablishedbecausemanyoftheCatholic
faithfulareatalossandconfusedastowhatisgoingonattheChancery,saidGregPerez,
presidentoftheorganization.Afewofuswouldmeetoccasionallytodiscussthesestories
abouttheArchbishop,priestswhohavebeenallegedlyblamedformismanagementoffundsor
allegeddisobedienceandthenremovedfromtheirparishes,thelackoftransparencywiththe
financesoftheArchdiocese,neglectofpreciousartifactsinthearchdiocesanmuseum,among
otherissues.Wedecidedtodosomethingaboutthis,soweorganizedourselvestoaddressthese
problemsandseekthebestsolutionspossibletocorrectthem.Perezfurtherstated.
Theseproblemsareserious,saidDavidSablan,vicepresidentofCCOG.Ibelievemanyof
thefaithfuloftheCatholicChurchonGuamhavelosttrustandconfidenceintheirchurch
leadership.Theydeservetoknowthetruth.Forexample,weweretoldplausiblereasonsforthe
removaloftwopriestsfromtheirparishduties.Wefoundoutlaterthewaythearchdiocese
actuallyhandledtheremovalofthosetwopriestsfromtheirdutieswasshocking.Thedue
processrightsofthesetwopriestswereignored.Reasonsgivenfortheirremovalweresuspect.
SomeofusquestionalsowhydoweneedtwoseminariesonGuam?Dowereallyhavethat
manyvocationstothepriesthoodthatwarranttwoseminaries?Howarethesetwoseminaries
beingfunded?Theyshouldnotbefundedfromthemoneypeoplegivetothearchdioceseand
theparishesthroughoutGuam.Theyshouldraisefundsandchargetuitionandotherfeesto
sustainthemselves,butisthishappening?Sablanadded.Thesemattersarejusttheproverbial
tipoftheiceberg.Statementscomingfromthearchdiocesecannotbereliedupon,unfortunately,
inlightofallthathasoccurredthesecoupleofyears,Sablansaid.
ThegroupwillbeproactiveinrepresentingthelaityoftheCatholicChurchonGuam.They
needavoicethatwillbeheardonissuesofconcerntoall,saidEvangelineLujan,thesecretary
1

ofCCOG,andaformervolunteerattheCathedralBasilicanationalmuseumbeforeitwasclosed
bythearchbishopatthesametimeMonsignorJamesBenaventewasremovedasrectorofthe
CathedralBasilica,fourmonthsago.
Wehavereadnewsreportsofproblemswiththefinancesofthearchdioceseabout
mistreatmentofmembersoftheclergy,andhowmembersoftheneocatechumenalway
movementattheinvitationofthearchbishophaveworkeditswayintotheaffairsofthe
archdioceseandsomeparishesthroughoutGuam.Parishionersarewonderingiftheirpractices
areinlinewiththepreceptsandrubricsoftheRomanCatholicChurchandtheirownstatutesas
approvedbytheVatican.Weneedanswersandthetruthtothesetroublingquestions.Sablan
furtheradded.
Inadditiontothemanagementissuesofthearchdiocese,CCOGlistedotherobjectivesthey
intendtoaddresspertheattachedlist.
TheofficersofConcernedCatholicsofGuam,Inc.are:
GregoryD.Perez,President
DavidJ.Sablan,VicePresident
StephenWm.Martinez,Treasurer
EvangelineD.Lujan,Secretary
30