Kirchenakte Documented events from judgments, reports and church documents
2018-2019 · 1 year · show in timeline

Archbishop Apuron of Agaña, Guam: Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith finds him guilty of sexual abuse of minors in 2018, appeal finally rejected in 2019

The Capuchin Anthony Sablan Apuron was Archbishop of Agaña on Guam. On 16 March 2018 the Apostolic Tribunal of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith announced that a court of five judges had found him guilty at first instance on some of the charges, which included accusations of sexual abuse of minors. Apuron appealed. On 7 February 2019 the court of second instance upheld the guilty verdict for delicts against the Sixth Commandment with minors. He lost his office, may never again live in the archdiocese and may no longer use episcopal insignia. No further appeal is possible.

Period
2018-2019 (1 year)
Country
Guam, Vatican City
Institutions
Archdiocese of Agaña
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Category
Sexual abuse
Level of evidence
A Primary source · what does this mean?
Persons
Anthony Sablan Apuron (Capuchin, Archbishop of Agaña (Guam); finally convicted by a Church court in 2019 of delicts against the Sixth Commandment with minors)

What happened to the people

How were they charged and sentenced?

  1. The Apostolic Tribunal of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, composed of five judges, concluded the canonical trial on the accusations against Archbishop Anthony Sablan Apuron, which included accusations of sexual abuse of minors. At first instance it found him guilty of some of the charges and imposed removal from office and a ban on residing in the Archdiocese of Guam. In the event of an appeal the penalties were suspended until a final decision.
    Evidence: Sala Stampa della Santa Sede, Bollettino N. guam, Comunicado de prensa
    „incluidas las acusaciones de abuso sexual de“
    Comunicado de prensa del Tribunal Apostólico de la Congregación para la Doctrina de la Fe, Comunicado de prensa. Original
    Evidence: Sala Stampa della Santa Sede, Bollettino N. guam, Comunicado de prensa
    „compuesto por cinco jueces“
    Comunicado de prensa del Tribunal Apostólico de la Congregación para la Doctrina de la Fe, Comunicado de prensa. Original
    Evidence: Sala Stampa della Santa Sede, Bollettino N. guam, Comunicado de prensa
    „declarando al acusado culpable de algunas de las acusaciones“
    Comunicado de prensa del Tribunal Apostólico de la Congregación para la Doctrina de la Fe, Comunicado de prensa. Original
    Evidence: Sala Stampa della Santa Sede, Bollettino N. guam, Comunicado de prensa
    „prohibición de residencia en la archidiócesis de Guam“
    Comunicado de prensa del Tribunal Apostólico de la Congregación para la Doctrina de la Fe, Comunicado de prensa. Original
    Evidence: Sala Stampa della Santa Sede, Bollettino N. guam, Comunicado de prensa
    „En el caso de apelación, las sanciones impuestas se suspenden hasta la resolución final.“
    Comunicado de prensa del Tribunal Apostólico de la Congregación para la Doctrina de la Fe, Comunicado de prensa. Original

What happened to those affected?

  1. Apuron appealed. On 7 February 2019 the court of second instance upheld the sentence and the finding of guilt for delicts against the Sixth Commandment with minors. The penalties: privation of office, perpetual prohibition from dwelling, even temporarily, in the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Agaña, and perpetual prohibition from using the insignia of the rank of bishop. On 4 April 2019 the Press Office declared the case definitively concluded; no further appeals are possible.
    Evidence: Sala Stampa della Santa Sede, Bollettino 4. April 2019, Communiqué
    „an appeal was possible and was in fact lodged“
    Communiqué of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Communiqué. Original
    Evidence: Sala Stampa della Santa Sede, Bollettino 4. April 2019, Communiqué
    „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.“
    Communiqué of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Communiqué. Original
    Evidence: Sala Stampa della Santa Sede, Bollettino 4. April 2019, Communiqué
    „the perpetual prohibition from dwelling, even temporarily, in the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Agaña“
    Communiqué of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Communiqué. Original
    Evidence: Sala Stampa della Santa Sede, Bollettino 4. April 2019, Communiqué
    „the perpetual prohibition from using the insignia attached to the rank of Bishop“
    Communiqué of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Communiqué. Original
    Evidence: Sala Stampa della Santa Sede, Bollettino 4. April 2019, Communiqué
    „No further appeals are possible.“
    Communiqué of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Communiqué. Original

See also

Original documents to read

  1. Church document
    Sala Stampa della Santa Sede, Bollettino N. guam: Comunicado de prensa del Tribunal Apostólico de la Congregación para la Doctrina de la Fe, 16 March 2018. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
  2. Church document
    Sala Stampa della Santa Sede, Bollettino 4. April 2019: Communiqué of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 4 April 2019. Original (retrieved 31 Oct 2026)
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Last changed on 31 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.