Clergy Abuse Archives - Page 3 of 9 - Halifax Sexual Abuse Claims Blog

May 29th, 2011

Nowhere to Hide: Internet Helps Bring Sexual Abuser to Justice

Great article by Bob Weber of the Canadian Press about the hunt to bring Eric Dejaeger to justice.

Dejaeger a catholic priest, pleading guilty to sexually abusing nine children while he was in Nunavet. He was released after serving less than a year in jail. RCMP then charged him with three counts of indecent assault and three counts of buggery stemming from his time in Igloolik.

Dejaeger fled to Belgium after being charged. He lived freely and openly with the Oblates in Brussels despite the efforts of the Canadian authorities to extradite him to face charges.

Continue reading →

May 16th, 2011

Vatican’s Abuse Guidelines: Action or Window Dressing?

by John McKiggan

The Vatican’s Guidelines to Bishops for dealing with claims of priest sexual abuse has now been released.

Cardinal William Joseph Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, also released a brief letter accompanying the Guidelines.

Levada says that the Guidelines were drafted to “…facilitate the correct application” of the Pope’s previous instructions.

Continue reading →

May 13th, 2011

Amnesty International Names Vatican for Failing to Protect Children

by John McKiggan

Today Amnesty International published it’s annual report Amnesty International Report 2011: The State of the World’s Human Rights, which examines human rights offences in various countries throughout the world.

The report concludes:

“…the Holy See did not sufficiently comply with its international obligations relating to the protection of children”.

Continue reading →

May 11th, 2011

Vatican to Issue New Abuse Guidelines

by John McKiggan

The Associated Press reports that the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith plans to release new guidelines advising Bishops on how to deal with cases of sexual abuse of children by priests.

The guidelines have been in the works for at least six months. In November last year, Cardinal William Levada indicated the Vatican would recommend establishing prevention programs, better screening of priests and advise Bishops to obey civil reporting requirements.

Need a Recommendation to Obey the Law?

Continue reading →

April 20th, 2011

Church Covered Up Abuse: No Punishment Necessary

by John McKiggan

Justice David Little issued a damning decision today castigating former Bishop John Sherlock and the Roman Catholic Church for years of covering up sexual abuse by Canada’s most notorious pedophile Father Charles Sylvestre.

Cover Up

In a strongly worded judgement Justice Little stated:

Continue reading →

April 14th, 2011

Accused Abuser Doesn’t Have to Produce Psychological Records

by John McKiggan

Reasons for judgement were recently released in the case of B.M.B v. Fallona et al. .

The plaintiff B.M.B. filed a claim accusing the defendant Fallona, a Roman Catholic priest, of sexually assaulting her.

B.M.B. applied to court for an order requiring Fallona to produce a copy of various physicians’ records who provided mental health services to the priest.

Continue reading →

March 24th, 2011

The Catholic Church Still Doesn’t Get It

by John McKiggan

This is the title of a blog post by blogger Adrian Liston. It was referred to me by a reader, Veronica.

I want to thank Veronica for bringing the article to my attention. I thought the post was worth passing on to a wider audience.

The Catholic Church still doesn’t get it…

Continue reading →

March 16th, 2011

More Criminal Charges Against Former Yarmouth Priest Albert LeBlanc

by John McKiggan

RCMP have laid 10 more charges of criminal sexual abuse against former Roman Catholic priest Albert LeBlanc.

LeBlanc is now facing charges in more than 50 sexual related offences, 18 counts of indecent assault and 32 counts of gross indecency.

RCMP stated that the charges relate to alleged offences commited from 1967 to 1985 when LeBlanc was living in Yarmouth county.

Continue reading →

January 28th, 2011

Mounting evidence of Catholic conspiracy to cover up sexual abuse by priests?

by John McKiggan

Did Vatican Letters Order Cover Up?

There is mounting evidence that the Vatican has been instructing Catholic Bishops throughout the world to cover up allegations of sexual abuse against priests.

Vatican Opposed Mandatory Reporting of Sexual Abuse

Continue reading →

January 24th, 2011

More Sexual Abuse Charges against another Yarmouth Priest: Father Albert LeBlanc

by John McKiggan

Yarmouth RCMP have charged former Roman Catholic priest, Father Albert LeBlanc with 40 criminal charges of sexual abuse including 11 charges of indecent assault and 29 charges of gross indecency. The alleged assaults involve 3 male victims who were between seven and 11 years of age when the assaults are alleged to have occurred.

The Yarmouth Diocese is already facing compensation claims by victims of three other priests, Father Raoul Deveau, Father Adolphe LeBlanc and Father Edouard (Eddie) Theriault.

Continue reading →

Category: Clergy Abuse