Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral Basilica in Guam Photo: 123rf
Two new allegations of abuse by priests in Guam have been made in multi-million dollar lawsuits.
In one case Archbishop Anthony Apuron is alleged to have encouraged prayer as a way of getting over repeated abuse by a priest.
A former altar boy who alleges he was sexually abused by a now defrocked priest Raymond Cepeda for eight years in the 1990s is seeking US$5 million in damages.
He claims when he reported the abuse to Archbishop Apuron and another priest in 1999 he was "shunned away".
Meanwhile Pacific Daily News reports a now-deceased priest Monsignor Jose Guerrero has been added to the list of clergy accused of abusing children.
He was accused of abusing an altar boy for five years in the 1970s.
A US$10 million lawsuit alleges the boy was just nine years old when the abuse began and continued about twice a week until 1973.
More than 130 people have now filed sexual abuse lawsuits against Guam's Archdiocese.