Amid church controversy, thousands honor Guam's patron saint

HAGATNA, Guam — Though wheelchair-bound, 89-year-old Pilar Malilay made sure she joined thousands of Catholic faithful in Thursday’s annual procession to honor the island’s patron saint, Santa Marian Kamalen, especially after the challenges the church has gone through.

“This church cannot be broken. Guam people are strong in their faith,” said Malilay, a retired nurse.

This year, there were: multiple sex abuse allegations against its highest leader, Archbishop Anthony S. Apuron, whose canonical trial is ongoing at the Vatican; a multimillion seminary property fight; the reassignment of priests; and Pope Francis’ appointment of an Apuron successor, Coadjutor Archbishop Michael Jude Byrnes.

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“This is an exciting, hopeful time for the church and I’m grateful to be a part of it,” said Malilay’s daughter, Agnes White, 55. “This is a time of healing for the church, with the help of the blessed mother. We cannot ignore the issues. We have to embrace anyone who’s hurt.”

White, of Tamuning, brought her family to the annual prayer and commemoration of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which she attends every year. She said the appointment of a new archbishop has given hope to a lot of Catholics who have lived through different church controversies, including abuse allegations.

Francis “Ankie” Toves, a 53-year-old Mongmong resident, said this is a year of reconciling within the church, starting with the temporary leadership of Archbishop Savio Hon Tai Fai in June.

“Archbishop Hon started the changes necessary to heal the church. With Archbishop Byrnes’ appointment, it basically cements the changes that started during Hon’s time. We are hoping for the best,” Toves said.

He said the procession crowd this year looked larger than last year’s, and he is thankful for that.

The Vatican sent Hon to Guam to temporarily administer the church while Apuron was placed on leave over multiple allegations that Apuron sexually abused and raped former altar boys in Agat in the 1970s.

As of Wednesday, 12 former altar boys have filed lawsuits alleging that priests raped and/or sexually abused them. Named defendants in the dozen lawsuits are priests, including Apuron, the Archdiocese of Agana and up to 50 other unnamed individuals who may have helped, abetted, concealed or covered up the clergy abuses.

For many, the challenges the Catholic Church has gone through has made them stronger in their faith.

Evan Quinto, a 12-year-old altar boy, said he wants to be a priest when he grows up. The seventh-grader at Saint Anthony and Saint Victor Catholic Church in Tamuning said it felt good to see a large crowd at the annual procession from the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica in Hagåtña.

“I’m happy that people made time to be at the procession,” Quinto said.

Santa Marian Kamalen, or Our Lady of Camarin, is Guam’s patron saint. Legends and beliefs revolving around the patron saint abound, from the discovery of the statue floating in the waters off Merizo more than 300 years ago to why a strong typhoon hit Guam in 2002 just days after the Legislature removed Santa Marian Kamalen Day from the island’s list of government holidays.