Archbishop takes action against priest accused of child molestation
Tim Rohr, an outspoken critic of Archbishop Anthony Apuron, feels his latest action against an accused clergyman is a ruse.
July 22, 2014Updated: July 22, 2014
By KUAM News
By KUAM News by Jolene Toves
Guam - Archbishop Anthony Apuron has removed Father John Wadeson from active and public ministry on Guam. The action follows the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP), calling on the archbishop to have him removed. According to the organization, Fr. Wadeson was accused twice of child molestation and had been banned from the Los Angeles Archdiocese.
Although he was not convicted of any crimes, SNAP says the fact that he was banned from ministry in California is just cause for the archbishop to have him removed. The organization in a press release stated, "We fear that Apuron is putting Guam's children at direct risk and protecting a credibly accused predator instead of protecting his flock."
Tim Rohr, who runs the JungleWatch blog about the local Catholic community, has been an outspoken critic of the archbishop and feels his action is a ruse. "Actually, there is no punishment against Fr. Wadeson because all it says is that they removed him from public ministry," Rohr commented. "He wasn't involved in public ministry; there's nothing there. He basically lives a private life in a Neocatechemunal center."
The press release from the archdiocese about the priest's removal did not provide information as to where he was providing ministry or how long he has been on Guam. We do know however that he is at the Redemportis Mater Seminary in Yona.
"We know that he had to be aware since 2004, because in 2004 is when the Los Angeles Archdiocese published a list with Fr. Wadeson's name on it, as a priest who was basically banned from practicing as a priest in the Los Angeles Archdiocese," he added.
KUAM News contacted the archdiocese for further information regarding Fr. Wadeson's history in on , however we were told they were working on an additional statement.
Guam - Archbishop Anthony Apuron has removed Father John Wadeson from active and public ministry on Guam. The action follows the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP), calling on the archbishop to have him removed. According to the organization, Fr. Wadeson was accused twice of child molestation and had been banned from the Los Angeles Archdiocese.
Although he was not convicted of any crimes, SNAP says the fact that he was banned from ministry in California is just cause for the archbishop to have him removed. The organization in a press release stated, "We fear that Apuron is putting Guam's children at direct risk and protecting a credibly accused predator instead of protecting his flock."
Tim Rohr, who runs the JungleWatch blog about the local Catholic community, has been an outspoken critic of the archbishop and feels his action is a ruse. "Actually, there is no punishment against Fr. Wadeson because all it says is that they removed him from public ministry," Rohr commented. "He wasn't involved in public ministry; there's nothing there. He basically lives a private life in a Neocatechemunal center."
The press release from the archdiocese about the priest's removal did not provide information as to where he was providing ministry or how long he has been on Guam. We do know however that he is at the Redemportis Mater Seminary in Yona.
"We know that he had to be aware since 2004, because in 2004 is when the Los Angeles Archdiocese published a list with Fr. Wadeson's name on it, as a priest who was basically banned from practicing as a priest in the Los Angeles Archdiocese," he added.
KUAM News contacted the archdiocese for further information regarding Fr. Wadeson's history in on , however we were told they were working on an additional statement.