July 20, 2013
My Dear Parishioners of Santa Barbara Catholic Church:
I write this letter with a heavy heart, but a letter I must
write to explain to you what had transpired over this past week
which has led to Fr. Dan Bien being appointed as a temporary
Parochial Administrator of our Parish.
I have been asked by our Archbishop to resign as your Pastor
because the Archbishop believes that I am still employing an
individual who the Vicar General directed me in 2011 to terminate.
I was required to terminate this person because of a crime he
committed over 32 years ago. I knew this individual had paid his
debt to society, and had fully repented, and he and his wife and
their two daughters were eager to return to the Church and embrace
their Catholic faith. Although I disagreed with this decision, out
of obedience to the Archbishop, I had to comply.
Unfortunately, the Archbishop and his advisors are under the
mistaken belief that I have not carried out his requirement.
Consequently, in a letter addressed to me on July 16, I was asked
to resign or experience a more arduous and painful closure to your
assignment at Santa Barbara Church.
While this entire issue could have been cleared up if they had
simply spoken with me, and done a basic investigation, I now find
myself in a difficult situation. I can simply accept their demand
to resign, or I can follow the more difficult path which will
ultimately lead to the truth. After much prayer and quiet
reflection on what our Lord Jesus Christ would do, I have decided
not to take the easy path and resign. Rather, I have decided to
take the difficult path and ask for a hearing so I may be allowed
to defend myself and to save my vocation as a priest. I cannot in
good conscience accede to their demands without defending my
vocation as a priest and allowing the truth to be heard.
As your pastor I ask you to please join me in supporting Fr. Dan
Bien in all of his decisions and actions. I will still be at the
parish, and you can still contact me for any matter you need to
discuss. I look forward to continue celebrating all the Sacraments
with you.
Finally, I ask for your prayers, not only for myself, but for
the Archbishop, praying that this matter will resolve itself for
the benefit of all involved, and most especially for the Church as
a whole.
Prayerfully yours,
Fr. Paul Gofigan
SANTA BARBARA CATHOLIC CHURCH330 Iglesias Circle Dededo, Guam
96929-5327Tel: (671) 632-5659-9534 Fax: (671) 632-1713
