Priest's Lawyer Says Letter Suggests Misunderstanding

Cornwall News AM 1220 

May 30, 2007 — "It suggests there may have been a misunderstanding between the priest and the witness." That from a lawyer representing Father Charles MacDonald at the Cornwall Public Inquiry. An alleged victim who can not be named due to a publication ban read a letter from 1997 he believes is from MacDonald. The witness says he was abused by the priest and the letter hints at an apology about those actions. The charges against MacDonald were stayed in 2002 after a judge determined it had taken too long to get to trial. In an exclusive interview with AM 1220 News, MacDonald's lawyer Mark Ertel says it has not been proven that MacDonald wrote the letter.
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Apology letter aired at inquiry; Witness alleges it came from Rev. Charles MacDonald

Cornwall Standard Freeholder 

Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - 08:00  

Terri Saunders

Local News - A witness at the Cornwall Public Inquiry Tuesday read aloud a letter in which he believes Rev. Charles MacDonald expressed regret for having sexually assaulted him.

The letter, which is dated Dec. 30, 1997, is handwritten and signed, "Sincerely, Charles F."

It has not been determined MacDonald is the author of the letter.

The man, who cannot be identified under a publication ban, told the inquiry Monday he was sexually assaulted by the priest while the pair was visiting a cottage in Eganville, a small community northwest of Ottawa.

The man would have been 18 years old at the time of the alleged assault.

On Tuesday, the man read the letter into the record at the inquiry. "I realize now I should have said or written these words to you a long time ago," the letter reads. "I honestly didn't realize you were hurting."

The author of the letter goes on to ask forgiveness for what happened in the past.

"What's done is done - but I want to tell you . . . that I am very sorry for causing you any hurt or pain," the letter reads. "It was never my intention to hurt you. I wish I could change things but . . . again I'm sorry. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

This is not the first time the letter has surfaced at a court hearing.

During a preliminary hearing held in 1997, the letter was identified as one piece of evidence which may have been entered by prosecutors if the MacDonald matter had gone to trial. At the time, there were arguments as to whether or not MacDonald had actually penned the short note. During testimony at the inquiry, the authorship of the letter didn't come up at all during cross-examination.

"That surprised me," said Dallas Lee, an attorney who represents The Victims Group at the inquiry. "I thought someone would at least ask that question."

Lee, who doesn't represent the witness, decided to enter the document into evidence because he feels it will form an important part of the record of this commission's work.

"We have to keep in mind that the focus of this inquiry is the institutional response to allegations made by individuals such as this witness," said Lee.

"This document was given to police and the Crown.

"How it was received by them, which we will hopefully find out when we examine the response of those institutions, will become very relevant to this inquiry's mandate."

MacDonald was charged with a number of sex-related offences in 1996 but those charges were stayed in 2002 when a judge determined it had taken too long to bring the matter to trial.

Following a day's worth of testimony Monday, the witness was asked if wanted to make a statement to the inquiry about the effect of the alleged abuse throughout his life.

"I have changed greatly over my 44 years," the man said, his voice cracking with emotion. "I am not the same person I was when this occurred.

"If the same were to occur today, it would be a different outcome. I would fight back."

The man said Tuesday his family's relationship with the church had a great deal of influence on how he viewed members of the clergy and this was one reason why he felt powerless in relation to MacDonald. "Priests were irreproachable," said the man. "You didn't go against them."

When Comm. Normand Glaude thanked the man for coming forward to testify at the inquiry, the man thanked the judge in return.

"I'd like to thank you, sir, for doing this," said the man. "It's helping everybody."

The inquiry continues today when it's expected the commission will hear testimony from a woman who says she was repeatedly abused while a ward of the Children's Aid Society.