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More than 100 people are suing Guam’s Catholic Church, saying they were sexually abused by priests in cases that go back decades. Sex abuse within the Catholic Church is a well-known issue on the mainland, but this is the first time Guam has had to come to grips with it. And it’s a huge deal. Not just because of the abuse, but because the outpouring of accusations is a sign of massive societal change in Guam — an island where, after centuries of colonization, many people view Catholicism as an inextricable part of Chamorro culture. This is a story about the abuse cases, but it’s also a story about the evolving role of the Catholic Church on Guam. And about a reporter who’s struggled for years to explain where she comes from and what it means to be Chamorro, finding answers in some very unexpected places.
