Having exhausted his appeals, Archbishop Anthony S. Apuron, Archbishop of Agaña, Guam, will have penalties imposed upon him after the guilty sentence for having abused minor was upheld by the Apostolic Tribunal of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith.
This morning, the Congregation issued the following statement:
«As was announced on 16 March 2018, the Apostolic Tribunal of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith concluded a First Instance canonical penal trial in the case of the Most Reverend Anthony Sablan Apuron, O.F.M.Cap. (Agaña, Guam).
«As was noted at the time, an appeal was possible and was in fact lodged. That appeal has been concluded. On 7 February 2019, the Tribunal of Second Instance upheld the sentence of First Instance finding the Archbishop guilty of delicts against the Sixth Commandment with minors.
«The penalties imposed are as follows: the privation of office; the perpetual prohibition from dwelling, even temporarily, in the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Agaña; and the perpetual prohibition from using the insignia attached to the rank of Bishop. This decision represents the definitive conclusion in this case.
«No further appeals are possible.»
Following this statement, Director of the Holy See Press Office, Alessandro Gisotti, told journalists that the Holy Father is aware of this decision, and that the Coadjutor of the Archdiocese automatically becomes in charge.
Upon clarifying with the CDF in response to journalists’ inquiries, Alessandro Gisotti confirmed that while being deprived of office, «sacramentally and juridically, he remains a bishop.»
