HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — The Phoenix Foundation, a newly formed nonprofit organization, is on a mission to protect the site where St. John Paul the Great, then pope of the Roman Catholic Church, stayed overnight during a visit to Guam 42 years ago.
“It marks the only time that a pope visited our island and led to a string of blessings for the church on Guam, including the elevation of our diocese to an archdiocese and elevation of the Agana cathedral to a cathedral-basilica,” the foundation stated in a news release issued Tuesday.
The compound on San Ramon Hill in Hagåtña, used as a chancery office and residence for the island’s archbishop, was included in a list of properties up for sale in the Archdiocese of Agana bankruptcy case, as one of many real estate assets used to pay settlements to victims of clergy sex abuse.
According to the release, the foundation placed a successful bid on the land as a way to allow the archdiocese to continue to use the site.
But its financing plan has come up short by about a half-million dollars, confirmed Eddie Calvo, the island’s former governor, who serves as the foundation’s chair.
The group has less than two months to find the remaining money.
“The Phoenix Foundation made an offer to purchase the chancery at the appraised value of $2.3 million. It has been approved by the bankruptcy court. To date, we have borrowed and raised close to $1.8 million, including a group that is willing to provide a bridge loan of $1 million on generous terms to help close the purchase,” Calvo stated in the release. “When the purchase is completed, the foundation will be in a good position to pay off the loan through conventional bank financing. However, for our immediate needs, we are still short some $500,000 to complete and close the purchase, and we only have until Oct. 17 to raise the $500,000.”
The group is now appealing to members of the public to take part in an “urgent charitable drive” and is requesting contributions from “all who recognize the special significance” of the property.
According to the foundation, it will maintain ownership of the compound and will offer the archdiocese a conditional-use lease for the buildings.
Although the phoenix is the mascot of Father Duenas Memorial School, the Phoenix Foundation is not affiliated with the Mangilao campus nor is it under the local Catholic Church.
“(The foundation) is an independent nonprofit group comprised of former Gov. Eddie Calvo; retired Maj. Gen. Benny Paulino, Guam National Guard; Tim Oftana; Chris Felix; Joaquin Cook; Frank Shimizu Sr.; Edward Untalan; and Annmarie Muna,” the release stated.
The Archdiocese of Agana Chancery Office in Hagåtña is shown Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023.
