Church Pays Legal Fees For Accused Priests: LaRocque

July 31, 2008 — A former Cornwall bishop says the law was not protecting the church so the church had to protect itself. Eugene LaRocque is testifying at the Cornwall Public Inquiry today about the rights of a priest facing criminal allegations. The church protocol from the 1990s says a priest is entitled to full legal fees. LaRocque says if a priest is found guilty on a criminal charge he has to pay back the church. But he does not believe the church discussed what would happen if it was only a civil action. LaRocque told Lead Commission Counsel Peter Engelmann that it's important to understand why this protocol is in place. (Hear audio clip below) Ron Leroux had levelled allegations against a few priests including LaRocque. However, it's believed no one was charged. Leroux is the alleged victim who recanted statements while on the stand at the inquiry last summer.

[Transcript of audio clip:   

Larocque:  Many of my priests as well as myself were accused

Engelmann:  So you beleive that all of these rights that were set out for you and other priests in the diocese might have been influenced by the Leroux affidavit.

Larocque:  Absolutely.  We knew that we were innocent – the law was not protecting us so we had to have some way of being able to protect ourselves. ]