A heads up for Valentine’s Day, Tuesday 14 February 2012…
Father Linus Bastien us due in the Windsor, Ontario court house to answer to the 18 new charges against him. I don’t have the start time – will get that and the courtroom number tomorrow and pass it along.
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I have been trying without success as yet to get the next court date in Hamilton for Father Jose Silva. I will try again tomorrow. (If anyone knows the date and could pass it along I would appreciate the assistance.)
Enough for now,
Sylvia
It’s important to remember Fr. Silva is accused of sexual assault against an adult; a musician who was on break during a performance in the church yard. Of all the accusations I’ve read this one seems the weakest. Don’t be surprised if it turns out this guy was looking for a quick cash settlement.
A sexual assault is a crime Glen, no less so a priest than for anyone else.
A question: Why do you suppose he went to police if, as you suggest, he was after money?
Consider if this was your daughter or your son and they did not want or expect an advance of that nature even as young adults and made it clear they did not want to be sexually involved with any man or women this then is a crime and he reported it and charges have been laid. If you do not want to be put in question or charged you should not put yourself in the position to be put in question, doubt or charged criminally. The responsibility here rest with accused not the abused.
All we know is Fr. Silva has been accused of sexual assault on an adult. These days the term sexual assault can range from a pat on the rear end to rape. According to the police report the musician was on break in between sets. The two went to the rectory to look at one of Fr. Silva’s guitars. The complainant left the rectory unharmed and called police. What could possibly have happened in the short amount of time they were alone? Did Fr. Silva make a sexual advance? Maybe. Is that assault? Not by the standard of common sense. If it was then most men have committed the same crime and some women.
I applaud your efforts at exposing child abuse Silvia, but could it be you’ve become so enveloped in this cause you’re losing perspective?
At this point in the Church’s scandal and society’s in general I would like to see citizens organize to toughen child abuse sentences. Maybe if these perverts did serious time they’d refrain from violating children. Especially with the rise in accessibility of child porn on the Internet, children need protecting now more than ever.
Glen, are you saying that according to ( not yours ) but the definition of the law , you have commited sexual assault?
In this instance the police saw fit to lay the charge Glen.
As for what happened, I have no idea how long the complainant and the priest were in the rectory together: do you? That aside, ask some of the victims to tell you how long it takes to do whatever.
You say the complainant left the rectory “unharmed.” I don’t know that he was unharmed. Do you? No matter, what does unharmed mean when it comes to sexual assault by a priest? Is it unharmed physically? unharmed emotionally? and/or unharmed spiritually? Until we hear more I doubt that any of us in a position to answer that question as it relates to these charges.
And, if he was unharmed why did he feel it necessary to contact police?
If, as you speculate, Silva made a sexual advance of some sort, why, if it was unwelcome, should that be alright? I don’t think that even that is appropriate conduct for a priest, do you? Priest or not, whatever happened the police obliviously determined that whatever Silva is alleged to have done was in violation of the law of the land.
Will the charges stand in court? We shall see.
Yes, there is absolutely a need to toughen sentencing. Sadly there are many things which must be done to make our streets, rectories, schools and sanctuaries safe for one and all.
Police take statements and according to those statements look at the criminal code to see if it is in keeping with offenses in that code and charge based on what they find. rather unlikely to be a pat on the bum or a miss placed accidental advance. Sylvia is right.. given he is a black robe. Add needing improvements to make safe … playgrounds, swimming pools, malls, foster homes, group homes and social events anywhere a pedophile targets children.