Church: Guam archbishop faces new sexual assault allegation

HAGATNA, Guam – Catholic church officials in Guam say they have notified the Vatican of a new sexual abuse allegation against Archbishop Anthony Apuron.

According to the Archdiocese of Agana, a relative of Apuron claimed to local media he was abused by the archbishop in 1990.

Apuron already faces multiple allegations of sexual abuse of altar boys in the 1970s.

He has denied those claims and has not been criminally charged. His lawyer Jacqueline Terlaje didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

The allegations against Apuron prompted a Vatican tribunal. Archbishop Michael Byrnes says he was informed by Vatican officials late last year that a verdict has been reached, but it has not yet been released.

The Vatican sent Byrnes to Guam to replace Apuron on an administrative basis.