New abuse complaint against church, Boy Scouts

By Neil Pang
Guam Daily Post
May 3, 2017

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/new-abuse-complaint-against-church-boy-scouts/article_6d11a480-2fd5-11e7-888a-f31fd4c31619.html

A new complaint of child sexual abuse has been filed in federal court against former Guam priest Rev. Louis Brouillard, the Archdiocese of Agana and the Guam chapter of the Boy Scouts of America.

In the latest case of abuse wrought by clergy against young boys held under their care, a plaintiff with the initials J.Q. is alleging that Brouillard sexually molested and abused him in the 1970s when he was between the ages of 13 and 15 and an altar boy at the Santa Teresita Catholic Church in Mangilao as well as a member of the Mangilao Boy Scout Troop 14, where Brouillard served as priest and scoutmaster.

Like many of the cases filed before this one, J.Q.'s complaint centers around outings with the boys scouts where Brouillard allegedly groped and fondled him and other boys who were instructed by Brouillard to swim naked in order to earn their merit badges.

According to the case filed yesterday afternoon, this practice of sexual abuse of young children was widespread and infected the highest rungs of the archdiocese's hierarchy. Court documents allege that other priests and church officials, including Bishop Apollinaris Baumgartner, Archbishop Anthony Apuron, Monsignor Zoilo Camacho, now-deceased Rev. Antonio Cruz and others, either took part in similar abuse or knew about the abuse being perpetrated by others.

"The systematic and ongoing pattern of sexual abuse of young children was characteristic of an internal society within Defendant Agana Archdiocese and whose norms were based on pedophilic conduct disguised by the rituals and pageantry of liturgical services, together with the aura of prestige that was inculcated in the community and which caused Catholic parishioners to place the highest level of confidence and trust in the church and its clergy," court documents state. 

The complaint alleges the archdiocese and the Boy Scouts of America Aloha Council Chamorro District were an "integral part" of a long-standing relationship which promoted an "environment conducive to the sexual abuse of young boys on Guam" in which priests were encouraged to serve as scout leaders.

J.Q.'s suit is seeking $10 million in damages and joins 45 other similar cases filed by prosecutor David Lujan; all of which are in the District Court of Guam pending the resolution of jurisdictional issues raised before the court.