Vatican removes Guam archbishop after conviction of sexual abuse
Source: Reuters
WORLD NEWS APRIL 4, 2019 / 7:09 AM / 2 DAYS AGO
Vatican removes Guam archbishop after conviction of sexual abuse
Philip Pullella
3 MIN READ
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Catholic archbishop of the U.S. island territory of Guam has been definitively convicted of sexual abuse of minors and removed from office, the Vatican said on Thursday in a ruling that advocates for abuse victims condemned as weak.
Anthony Apuron, who was accused of abusing three young men decades ago, was first convicted by a Vatican tribunal a year ago and had appealed. He has denied wrongdoing.
The tribunal of the Vaticans Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith upheld the first verdict, a statement said.
Apuron, 73 and a native of Guam, was removed from office and prohibited from living on the island, even temporarily, the Vatican said.
He was not however, expelled from the priesthood and was allowed to keep the title of bishop, something which advocates for victims of abuse said they found shocking.
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https://www.reuters.com/article/us-church-abuse-guam/vatican-removes-guam-archbishop-after-conviction-of-sexual-abuse-idUSKCN1RG1AC