Category: Priest Abuse

Appeal of Acquittal of Father Charles J. Picot Scheduled

by John McKiggan

Father Charles J. Picot is a former priest from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bathurst, New Brunswick. Picot was ordained in 1974 and served in the Bathurst Diocese until 1993.

In 1993 Picot was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault.

In March of this year he was found not guilty of the indecent assault against a boy who was a member of his parish in Dalhousie, New Brunswick in the 1970s.

Continue reading →

Posted in: Clergy Abuse, Father Charles Picot, Priest Abuse, Priest Sexual Abuse, Uncategorized

Priest Sexual Abuse Class Action Filed in Montreal

by John McKiggan

A new class action has been filed in Quebec alleging sexual abuse by priests.

The class action names the Community of the Clerics of St. Viateur in Montreal and the Raymond-Dewar Institute (also known as the Institute for the Deaf and Dumb) as defendants.

The representative plaintiff, Serge D’arcy says he was a victim of sexual abuse by priests while attending the institute between 1967 and 1972. D’arcy states that he was subjected to physical and sexual abuse by priests who were members of the religious group who taught and worked at the Dewar Institute.

Continue reading →

Posted in: Child Abuse, Clergy Abuse, Priest Abuse, Priest Sexual Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Uncategorized

Bishop Admits “We Could Have Done More” After Priest Charged with Sexual Abuse Crimes

by John McKiggan

Wants to See Justice

Bishop Richard Gagnon, the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Victoria British Columbia said he wants to “see that justice gets done” after British Columbia priest, Father Philip Jacobs was charged with sexual assault.

Jacobs served as a priest for St. Joseph the Worker in Saanich, British Columbia from 1998 to 2002.

Continue reading →

Posted in: Clergy Abuse, Priest Abuse, Priest Sexual Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Uncategorized

Pope Running Out of Persons to Blame for Priest Sexual Abuse

by John McKiggan

Pope Begs Forgiveness – But Doesn’t Apologize

I posted earlier today that the Pope has begged for forgiveness from survivors of priest sexual abuse. Unfortunately, the statement did not contain an apology or any acknowlegement that the Vatican or the Catholic Church were to blame for the tidal wave of priest abuse claims that have crossed the Atlantic from North America and swept across the U.K. and Europe.

Blame Everyone – Admit Nothing

Continue reading →

Posted in: Child Abuse, Clergy Abuse, Priest Abuse, Priest Sexual Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Uncategorized

Pope begs forgiveness from sexual abuse victims: But will he take action?

by John McKiggan

Pope “Begs” for Forgiveness
Pope%20Benedict.jpg

At a mass with some 15,000 priests marking the end of the Roman Catholic Church’s Year for Priests, the Pope asked for forgiveness from victims of priest sexual abuse:

“We … insistently beg forgiveness from God and from the persons involved, while promising to do everything possible to ensure that such abuse will never occur again,”

Continue reading →

Posted in: Antigonish Diocese Class Action, Clergy Abuse, Priest Abuse, Priest Sexual Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Uncategorized

Can the Pope Learn a Lesson From Spiderman? Vatican Claims Bishops Not Employees of Church

by John McKiggan

Vatican Not Responsible for Bishops Actions

The Vatican is defending a lawsuit that claims Bishops in the United States covered up allegations of sexual abuse. That’s not news. The Pope and the Roman Catholic Church have never acknowledged the responsibility the Church as an institution has to survivors of priest sexual abuse. The Catholic Church tends to fight lawsuits filed by priest abuse victims vigorously, even if the priests involved have been criminally convicted.
Finger%20pointing.jpg

Blame Everyone Else

Continue reading →

Posted in: Clergy Abuse, Priest Abuse, Priest Sexual Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Uncategorized

Sexual Abuse Allegations Levelled Against Father Levi Noel, Father Charles Picot and Diocese of Bathurst

by John McKiggan

New Brunswick Priests Convicted of Sexual Abuse

Two former priests employed by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bathurst, Levi Noel and Charles Picot have been convicted of sexually assaulting children in their parishes during several decades spanning the 1950’s through to the early 1980’s.

We have been asked to help a number of survivors who have advised us they were sexually abused by Levi Noel and Charles Picot.

Continue reading →

Posted in: Clergy Abuse, Priest Abuse, Priest Sexual Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Uncategorized

Institutional Liability for Sexual Assault & Abuse

by John McKiggan

Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of being invited to present at the Canadian Institute’s 9th Annual summit on Institutional Liability for Sexual Assault & Abuse.

The two day conference brought together plaintiff and defence counsel from across the country to discuss emerging issues in the law pertaining to liability for child abuse.

This is the third time I have been invited to speak by the Canadian Institute. I was asked to make two presentations. I presented on the use of class actions as a tool for the resolution of institutional sexual abuse claims.

Continue reading →

Posted in: Child Abuse, Clergy Abuse, Priest Abuse, Priest Sexual Abuse, Residential School Claims, Sexual Abuse, Uncategorized
  • badges