Father Paul Says Sex Offender Did Not Possess Keys to Church or Its

Facilities
Last Updated on Thursday, 25 July 2013 09:15
Written by Kevin Kerrigan
Thursday, 25 July 2013 08:20
Guam News - Guam News
Guam - Father Paul Gofigan says that the sex offender that has been volunteering at Dededo's Santa Barbara Church did not have keys to the Church
or its facilities.
Its the latest from Father Gofigan in response to the ongoing controversy over the Archbishop's demand that Father Gofigan resign as Pastor of the
Church for continuing his association with a man who is on the Guam Sex Offender registry.
Last week, Archbishop Anthony Apuron demanded Father Gofigan's resignation after learning that the man was still serving in a volunteer capacity, 3
years after he had ordered Father Gofigan to fire the man who was then working as a maintenance employee at the Church.
Father Gofigan has defended his association with the man saying that the crime was committed 32 years ago and involved an adult, not a child. Father
Gofigan has refused to resign and hired a canon lawyer saying he intends to fight for his rights.
The Archbishop has accused Father Gofigan of causing "grave harm to the parish by allowing such an individual with a publicly known sex-offense
record to work in the Church thus exposing him to your parishioners, especially the youth."
However in his release to the media [see below] , Father Gofigan points out that the "Santa Barbara school is independently run by the good Sisters
of Mercy. We have no involvement in operating the school. The church and its employees including myself as pastor do not have special or
independent access to the school and cannot enter the school premises(which has a fence around it) without going through the security process, like
everyone else."
READ the release from Father Gofigan below:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Father Paul Gofigan, Pastor, Santa Barbara Church
Dededo, Guam July 23, 2013
In response to certain statements made by the Archbishops office relative to the close proximity of the Santa Barbara school to the church:
Santa Barbara school is independently run by the good Sisters of Mercy. We have no involvement in operating the school. The church and its
employees including myself as pastor do not have special or independent access to the school and cannot enter the school premises(which has a fence
around it) without going through the security process, like everyone else. The screening process is strictly enforced by the good Sisters of Mercy
regardless of who you are.
The person who was terminated in 2011 does not possess keys to the Church and its facilities. That person and spouse as well as their children are
parishioners of Santa Barbara and have frequented Santa Barbara church and its facilities many times for Mass, functions, and other activities
happening at the church and its facilities. In my refusal to resign as pastor, I am requesting that the Archbishop performs his duties and obligations
in accordance with the teachings and laws of the Church.
For further information, please contact Fr. Paul at 488-0613
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