Letter campaign:  Cornwall resident John MacDonald plans to hand out letters to churchgoers on Sunday, asking for accountability into how collection money is being spent by the local Roman Catholic Church diocese.

Man wants church accountable
Abuse complainant demanding answers on Catholic spending to defend priests

Cornwall Standard Freeholder

24 May 02

By Kevin Lajoie

A city man is demanding to know how Catholic churches in the area are spending donations, and is encouraging parishioners to do the same. Sparked by the stayed trial of Rev. Charles MacDonald on May 13, John MacDonald is demanding a breakdown from the Roman Catholic diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall of how they spent money towards defending those accused who were charged and brought to trial in the Project Truth matter.

John MacDonald, who is one of nine complainants that say Rev. Charles MacDonald abused him, has drafted a letter that asks for accountability of church money. "If there's nothing to hide, open your files up," said MacDonald, who plans on handing out the letters this Sunday at St. Columban's Parish in Cornwall.

"I'm sure when they (the parishioners) drop that dollar in the church basket, they don't think it is going to a legal fund." MacDonald said he has handed out 100 of the letters so far and the reception has been good. "I'll stand out there every Sunday. It's not an attack on the church, it's to make parishioners aware of what is happening.

They never realize that the parish is paying for this," he said. MacDonald is hopeful Cornwall citizens will respond to his call. "They can't avoid it when a load of them are coming in. It's all about accountability. They've never been accountable for anything," he said.