I wish every diocese in the world had an archbishop like Archbishop Apuron. I know many dioceses have wonderful bishops, but this man of God exudes a love for Our Lord and pride in the priesthood that you can see the moment you meet him. He is consumed with a love for his people, a passion for evangelism, a spirit of fun and joy, and an apostolic desire to defend the faith. We LOVE this man!
In the picture below is the wonderful Fr. Mike on the left and Sister Marian on the right. They too deserve praise. Better people cannot be found. Below is what Archbishop Apuron wrote after Janet and I left his island of Guam. There are talks in progress about us maybe going back next year — maybe with our friend Tim Staples!
“We exposed them to as many of our (120,000) Catholic population (of our total 160,000 population) with presentations at the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica, where their talks were broadcast live simultaneously on our Catholic Educational Radio (90.9FM), at the University of Guam Field house on Sunday, April 17 where they addressed 2,500+ Catholics with a Mass celebrating the life of the late Pope John Paul II and in preparation for the Conclave of Cardinals (which eventually elected His Eminence Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger–who chose the name Pope Benedict XVI), then finally to a group of over 1,300 students from our Tri-Catholic High Schools (Father Duenas Memorial High School, Notre Dame High School and Academy of Our Lady of Guam High School).
“They encouraged our ‘sleeping giant’ Catholics to wake up and march forth in defending and explaining the truths of the Catholic Church which has been preached and taught and lived faithfully since the very early days of the Church, preceding the Bible-olics of the 18th Century! They were truly a ‘breath of fresh air’ so much needed in our Church and our world today. And so, we thank Steve and Janet Ray profusely for their help in making us see the beauty of our Catholic Church ‘ever ancient yet ever new’!“
Servus tuus,
Most Rev. Anthony Sablan Apuron, O.F.M. Cap.,D.D.,
Metropolitan Archbishop of Agana