Disgraced retired priest sentenced to penitentiary; Monsignor Bernard Prince's name will appear on national sex offender registry

Pembroke Observer

15 January 2008

Posted By TINA PEPLINSKIE

Monsignor Bernard Prince will spend four years in a federal penitentiary for sexually abusing 13 boys nearly 25 years ago.

The retired Roman Catholic priest, who was once a Vatican official, pleaded guilty to 12 charges and not guilty to a thirteenth. The trial on the latter charge was held last week, however Justice Julianne Parfett found him guilty on that charge in superior court in Pembroke Monday.

The monsignor's name will now join those of other sex offenders listed on a national registry. A sample of his DNA will also be placed on a data bank alongside that of other known criminals.  

When released from prison he will be under a lifetime ban prohibiting him from being near any child under the age of 14.

The court appearance of the monsignor, who once served in the Diocese of Pembroke, attracted the attention of provincial media and numerous spectators.

The courtroom was packed yesterday, as the details of the Ontario Provincial Police investigation and subsequent arrest of the once popular priest, were made public.

Twelve of the 13 victims and their families stoically sat in court as their individual experiences were described.

The boys, who are now men ranging in age from 40 to 57, were sexually abuse at the priest's Wilno cottage and Ottawa apartment. At the time of the incidents the boys, all from devout Roman Catholic families, ranged in age from 12 to 16 years.

All but one provided a victim impact statement, although only six were read in open court. Two of the victims chose to read their statements aloud.

Staring down his abuser, one of the victims urged Justice Parfett, not to show leniency to the now elderly priest.

"... my innocence, poverty, and admiration made me an easy target and his respected stature in the community and Catholic Church as a priest gave him the perfect opportunity to take advantage of this easy target," he said. "Do not be swayed toward a lenient sentence for the elderly gentleman before you. Instead, please punish the deviant, deceitful, predatorial pedophile for his horrific criminal actions and send a clear message that his abusive behavior will not be tolerated and will be appropriately punished so that future children will not have to bear the emotional scars that I carry."

After hearing the sentence the man, whose identity along with the other victims is protected by a publication ban, said the Canadian system has to be much tougher if it is going to deter priests or other adults from abusing young children.

"They must hand out a punishment that equals the torment of the victims of these crimes," he said.

It was very important for the man to read his statement and direct the comments directly at his abuser.

"I want (Msgr. Prince) to understand the amount of pain and emotional torment I've felt," he explained.

The next victim told the court he has thought about the abuse every day for the past 20 years, but was prepared to take his secret to the grave.

"I lived a lie all my life as my family brought me up to be a devout Catholic, respect the church, however no one could learn of the terrible acts Msgr. Prince perpetrated on me," he read, as his hands trembled.

He admitted to contemplating suicide numerous times because he could no longer bear the pain.

He said the priest's guilty plea and sentencing provided some sense of relief and closure and means he no longer has to feel ashamed.

"He was found guilty of what I knew all my life," he said. "Now he will be serving a life sentence I've been living with all of my life. I don't think any sentence will replace what he took away from us."

He felt it was important to read his own statement, a decision he made at the beginning of the process.

"He took my life away and I wanted him to hear that right from me," he said.

Prior to hearing the sentence, Msgr. Prince addressed the court and his victims, most of whom were altar boys, acknowledging his "moral and legal wrong doing" more than 40 years after he began molesting young boys.

"I want to sincerely apologize to everyone concerned, for the harm I've caused directly or indirectly," he said in a steady voice, as he read from a note pad he had carried with him throughout the proceedings.

"My wish is to begin the healing process and not frustrate it in any way," he continued. "I wished what is true to be known."

He said he accepts the decision and will attempt to restore honour to his name in the years to come.  

Defence lawyer Chris Kelly, counsel for Msgr. Prince, noted it was important for his client to make a statement as it was his only opportunity to address the victims directly. He explained the priest wanted to send letters of apology to the victims earlier but he was not permitted to communicate with them under the terms of his bail.

Mr. Kelly noted his client has been very solid, remarkably composed, and extremely realistic throughout the process.

Both victims were surprised when Msgr. Prince spoke but one of them did not accept it as a true apology.

Speaking to the media outside the courtroom he said, "(Msgr. Prince) did not show any remorse or emotion. He spoke in a flat voice saying his statement not saying sorry for what he'd done."

Crown Attorney John Pepper was pleased with the outcome saying the sentence was appropriate when all the factors were weighed, including the seriousness of the offences, the damage done to the victims and that the priest is not considered a risk to re-offend.

He also indicated that the investigating officers had interviewed a number of other possible victims, however these individuals did not want to come forward.

tpeplinskie@thedailyobserver.caArticle ID# 857969  

Ottawa Citizen (orttawacitizen.com)

Monday, 14 January 2008

Andrew Seymour

PEMBROKE - A retired priest and former Vatican official has pleaded and been found guilty of sexually molesting 13 young boys.

Msgr. Bernard Prince, 72, pleaded guilty Monday to 12 charges of indecent or sexual assault that occurred over a 20-year period between 1964 and 1984.

Justice Julie-Ann Parfett also found him guilty of a 13th charge of indecent assault.

Following the guilty verdict on the single charge, Msgr. Prince entered his plea on the 12 additional counts.

"Guilty your honour," Msgr. Prince repeated a dozen times. Accoding to the information filed in court, nine of the 12 additional charges occurred in the Killaloe area. Three of the assaults occured in Ottawa.

Twelve of the 13 vicitms, and their families, were in the packed courtroom to hear the verdicts. An agreed statement of facts is expected to be read into the record Monday morning along with victim-impact statements of nine of the now grown men victimized by Msgr. Prince.

Msgr. Prince was found guilty of sexually assaulting a young male who was 13 and 14 years old while he visited his Wilno cabin and Ottawa apartment.

A bench warrant had been issued for Msgr. Prince, who had been living near Rome, in mid-October 2005, after police laid initial charges of buggery and indecent assault for the alleged assault of a then-12-year-old boy in 1969.

Msgr. Prince was arrested at Montreal's Trudeau Airport in February 2006 after returning to Canada from Italy to face the charges in connection with the first alleged victim.

Msgr. Prince, who is from the Wilno area, was ordained in 1963. His career included posts at the Vatican as the secretary general of the Pontifical Work for the Propagation of Faith until his retirement more than three years ago. He had lived in Italy since 1991.

He had also worked at parishes in Arnprior and Pembroke before he took a posting at the Apostolic Nunciature in Ottawa.

He later worked at the Canadian Conference of Bishops in Ottawa and taught at Saint Paul University on Main Street before moving to Toronto as director of Canada's Pontifical Mission Society.

aseymour@thecitizen.canwest.com

© Ottawa Citizen 2008