Yesterday I posted two articles about the latest turn of events in New Brunswick regarding the compensation process
10 November 2010: New Brunswick Catholic diocese seeks to pay sex abuse victims from training fund
10 November 2010: N.B. diocese wants victims to get clergy funds
I said my piece at the foot of the latter. I’m not finished 🙂
I keep thinking about it.
What the heck is going on now?
If the diocese is cash strapped, why did it initiate the Bastarche process compensate in the first place? Is that not raising false hopes? Are the victims now to sit on the sidelines watching as this seemingly Antigonishesque boondoggle play itself out? Those victims who are part of the compensation process will no doubt be made feel by some that they are responsible for putting the diocese in a financial pickle.
That is not the case. It was the diocese which initiated the process, and it was the diocese which retained former Supreme Court Court Justice Bastarche to put out the clarion call for all victims to come forward, – with the promise of compensation and an apology of some sort.
Now it seems there’s a scramble for dollars.
Something just isn’t adding up here. It makes no sense at all. The pieces aren’t adding up.
I have been trying to think what’s in those documents which the diocese doesn’t want to see the light of day? Without doubt there would be some sort of financial statement of the diocese – something to justify the desire to rob Peter to pay Paul. I think it’s possible, but not probable, that the names of ALL the clerical molesters identified by Bastarache may just be listed in some fashion. I am thinking that perhaps there may be a reference to the dollars expended by the diocese to retain Bastarche? And I am quite certain there will be at least one canonical opinion to justif ya raid of the trust fund.
Here’s what canon law has to say about the contribtions of the faithful:
Canon 1267
§3 Offerings given by the faithful for a specified purpose may be used only for that purpose.
That seems to be pretty clear?
Here’s a section from the commentary on that canon from The Canon Law: Letter & Spirit : A Practical Guide to the Code of Canon Law ( Canon Law Society of Great Britain & Ireland in association with the, Canadian Canon Law Society , 1995):
Here again it is enuntiated a fundamental principle: that which is given, and accepted, for a specific purpose may be devoted to that purpose – and to no other, however worthy or deserving that other may be. This same principle of absolute respect for the intention and wishes of the donor is a significant feature of the church’s law. It is only where the purpose of the offering is stated in general, rather than specific, terms – e.g., ‘for the diocese,’ ‘for the charitable works of the institute’ – that the recipient would have the discretionary power to apply the proceeds as would be considered appropriate within the terms of the gift or offering made.’’
If the monies in the Trust for seminarians were earmarked by the donors for that Trust, then that is the intent of the donor. The principle of absolute respect for the intention and wishes wishes of the donor MUST apply. Not should apply. MUST apply
And then there’s Canon 1300
The intentions of the faithful who give or leave goods to pious causes, whether by an actinter vivos or by an act mortis causa, once lawfully accepted, are to be most carefully observed, even in the manner of the administration and the expending of the goods, without prejudice to the provisions of Canon 1301 §3.
And, a section of the commentary from The Canon Law..
Here once more is the law’s insistence on the primacy of the donor’s wishes in the matter of property or money given or left to pious causes..
It’s quite clear, is it not?
True enough, though, once lawyers sink their teeth into these canons they can shake them about until they’ll have the masses and perhaps, -God forbid! – the courts convinced that a sex abuse settlement is a pious cause, and that donors to the Trust actually want the Trust to pay for the sins and crimes of clerical molesters, and that, besides, even IF that were not the case there will never ever be enough vocations from the Bathurst Diocese to warrant a sizable Trust anyway, so, … why not dig in?
Those monies were earmarked for the Trust. Period. If the diocese dips into the Trust to cover the costs incurred by clerical molesters then rest assured all Catholics will think twic before bequething anything for any specific pious cause.
As I said in my comments, let the money come from the pockets of those who brought us to this sorry state. At least start there. Hold those individuals responsible accountable for their acts of comission and omission. Those who are still alive, put the cottages on the market; force them to tithe; garnishee their wages.
Those living who contributed to the fund should voice their protest. Ditto the families of deceased who willed funds to the Trust in the firm belief that the monies would be used to fund the formation of future priests.
This is a disgrace.
Monday could prove interesting and even more disturbing.
The hearings are in Bathurst. I urge those capable of doing so to attend.
One more note on this…
Another canon from the Code. Canon 1302
§2 The Ordinary must demand that goods left in trust be safely preserved and, in accordance with Canon 1301, he must ensure that the pious disposition is executed
The Ordinary is the local bishop.
Canon 1301:
Canon 1301 §1 The Ordinary is the executor of all pious dispositions whether made mortis causa or inter vivos.§2 Other executors are to render him an account when they have finished their task. §3 Any clause contrary to this right of the Ordinary which is added to a last will is to be regarded as non-existent.
As I see it it is Bishop Valery Vienneau’s duty to protect, not raid, the Trust.
*****
I posted another document on the Father Philip Jacobs page:
Interesting.
I have yet to incorporate the new info and dates contained in the Faculty Academic Information on his page. Will hopefully get at that today.
I have also been told that there was a family cottage at Buckeye Lake in Ohio. Friends from the Boston area would sometimes visit Jacobs at the cottage. Here’s an external link to all I know of Buckeye Lake : http://www.vil.buckeye-lake.oh.us/ It’s not too terribly far from Columbus, Ohio.http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=buckeye+lake+ohio&rls=com.microsoft:en-ca:IE-SearchBox&oe=UTF-8&rlz=1I7ADRA_en&redir_esc=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=Buckeye+Lake,+OH,+USA&gl=ca&ei=jZrbTMKNCIrJnAfIpsQW&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCcQ8gEwAA
I have no word on what happened in court. I will be out for the morning – will see if I can learn anything in the afternoon.
*****
I have some new and rather interesting information on what Viatorian priest and clerical molester Father Jean Primeaucsv was up to after the Cornwall Classical College closed its doors. I will take put the information up later today.
Enough for now,
Sylvia
Strip them of their camps, Harley Davidsons, Lexus and make the criminals pay with holdings aquired through their felonious acts while in office. Lots of hidden assets with this bunch, they are not hurting at all, they eat like roayalty and have all of their needs met by servants. Let them regain the values of the old franciscain orders of true poverty. Sell the large properties annexed to church properties and the little dens they keep off site. My dad use to say where there is a will there is a way.. they need to find the will to do the right thing.
Michael B…I’d like to talk to to you outside of this forum. Sylvia has my contact info. Cheers, Thomas.
I passed Michel your email Thomas 🙂
I wonder if all that lovely trust money, given for training seminary students, was just allowed to sit and earn interest ON PURPOSE. Hmmm.. seven students in 15 years. Doesn’t sound like an active recruiting program to me. Perhaps earnest inquirers were actually discouraged from starting on the long road to priesthood. Maybe only the boys with ‘gentle ways’ made the grade.
On the objective, financial side of the issue, even investments which remain ‘untouched’ must still be the job of managers, investment counselors, and the like. Remember, THEY earn commissions. Somebody has been making money off this little nest egg ALL THESE YEARS. No doubt about it.
When I worked for the Canadian national headquarters of The Salvation Army in Toronto, I discovered that the incredible sums in the coffers of THAT FAMOUS PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATION are never touched. Every time there is a disaster or crisis, and The Salvation Army majors and majorettes nobly march to help — THEY GO ALL OUT ON FUNDRAISING. IN OTHER WORDS, EVERY TIME, THE PUBLIC FOOTS THE BILL FOR THEIR LARGESSE.
The public makes charitable donations to help their neighbours, which is then distributed by The Salvation Army. That’s what is happening here in Newfoundland with Hurricane Igor. Same old, same old.
The experience of working at Headquarters opened my eyes. I am sure that the practices of The Catholic Church, in protecting and expanding their investment portfolio, is much the same. Canon Law or no Canon Law.
Thank you Sylvia.
It always intrigues me how a lawyer such as Michel Bastarache is chosen to broker such a deal like what is happening in the Diocese of Bathurst. Is his name just picked out of a hat? Well , in this case, NOT QUITE. I googled Michel Bastarache and came up with some interesting information……….
Michel Bastarache is a member of the law firm Heenan Blaikie, working out of their Ottawa offices. Also working out of the Ottawa office is a lawyer by the name of Ronald Caza. The name Ronald Caza rang a bell with me, so I googled his name. Turns out Ronald Caza is mentioned on this site, his name is mentioned working alongside Ben Hoffman on what I can only say is eerily familiar as to what is happening in Bathurst.
The information as to what they were part of can be found on the “Ben Hoffman” page, Ronald Caza’s name can be found there under “Hoffman and Roche”.
I would like victims of the Bathurst debacle to have a look at what is titled “Vision to Reconcile” on this page to see if ANY of this sounds familiar to what you dealt with in Bathurst. My gut tells me that Bastarache had a template on how to deal with things before he set foot down there.
I would also like to know if any of you guys in Bathurst had the name Ben Hoffman mentioned to you?
John Mac Donald
Very intersting John. Way to go for digging that up!
Here’s the link to the Ben Hoffman page and the info you reference: http://www.theinquiry.ca/Hoffman.hide.php
I followed the Helpline negotiations. (that was related to sex abuse by the Christian Brothers in Alfred and Uxbridge Ontario) I recall being upset when I learned that, barring the names of the molesters which were already out in the public domain, the names of others disclosed to the recorder (I think that’s what they called the person hearing the allegations) would remain confidential.
That was 17 years ago.
Note under “Ben Hoffman’s analyis of the completed survey” (scroll down right):
John,
I know Ben Hoffman. He is man of unimpeachable credentials and character. Have you had a bad experience with him?
Fr. Tim
Seems to be a lot of peaches with lot of credentials involved in these crimes and many have become ripe and need to be discarded. The question is selection, and how do you know a good peach from a bad one. The survivors do deserve some aknowledgement by way of restitution in some form or another without the rhetoric of poor us. Find the will and God will show the way.
Caza is from Sudbury SSM district, Glaude is from here too, and now we have a bishop from SSm sent to NB curious how these ties are all connected. One might start to think that the peach basket is pretty liberal.
Caza is from the Sudbury are too? A small world.
Which bishop are you referring to Michel B?
A former Sault auxiliary Brian Dunn recently went to Antigonish, but that’s Nova Scotia.
Do you mean former Sault auxiliary, Ricard Harris, who went to Saint John New Brunswick as bishop in 2007?
my mistake I am talking about ploufes aux Dunn who was dispatched to Nova Scotia. Yes Caza did his undergrad at Laurentian and I think he is connected to family alex caza with a firm here might be his dad.
http://www.languageandterritory.laurentian.ca/Laurentian/Home/Faculty+Projects/C2010/Authors/Ronald+CAZA.htm?Laurentian_Lang=en-CA
St Charles graduate, Rick Batolucci I noticed as well he was on your sound off page, if you want connection thats a place to look for sure, I think he also has family who taught there. He was a teacher before his calling to politics.
Father Tim:
I suppose unimpeachable credentials and character depends on who’s eyes are being looked through. Maybe you can tell me what Ben Hoffman has done that would have you looking at him in such high esteem. Here is the way that I look at Ben Hoffman……
-Two failed attempts at getting elected to an MP’s seat (Conservative and Green Party)
-Architect of a disasterous Helpline for the Alfred/Uxbridge victims, with no accountability for the perpetrators.
-Sat on the Advisory Committee for the $60 million dollar Public Inquiry boondoggle in Cornwall (more on this later)
-His Reconcilliation model is being used in Bathurst where once again accountability seems to be an afterthought.
When Mr. Hoffman sat on the Advisory Committee with the Public Inquiry he sank to bottom feeder status by trying to manipulate 2 victims into talking Perry Dunlop into taking the stand and therefore getting himself out of jail.
Mr. Hoffman of unimpeachable credentials and character took these 2 victims for dinner, told them that his seat on the committee was in jeopardy IF Inquiry staff found out what he was up to, then tried using them to further someone’s agenda. These 2 victims filed a formal complaint with Inquiry staff, and recieved a response that THEY (the 2 victims) must have misunderstood what was said.
Father Tim, if you approach Mr. Hoffman about this incident you can ask him if he wants to hear the tape recording of that dinner.
I guess that I am not enamoured by letters following a name. My father always said…..The true test of a mans character is not what he does when he is being watched, it what he does when he isn’t.
John Mac Donald