Things are slowly changing

In case you missed it,  Rino Deschense, formerly a priest with the Diocese of Edmundston New Brunswick who allegedly left the priesthood at some point and married, was sentenced yesterday.

Deschenes entered a guilty plea in November 2014 guilty to four counts of sexual assault against minors , three counts of gross indecency and one of attempted buggery.  On Friday  he was sentenced to 7.5 years in jail.

I know, it’s not enough, and it’s never enough, but, please know that it’s more than molesters received only a few short years ago in Canada. Things are slowly changing.

I used to say we must be thankful for the crumbs which are thrown our way under the table.  Well, 19 years for Eric Dejeager only days ago, and now 7.5 for Deschenes. There is much to be thankful for.  There is still a long long way to go, but, thanks to all of you victims who come forward, and to all of you who find the courage to speak out, things are changing.  People are listening.  I truly believe that these crimes are so heinous that the perpetrators should be in jail for life, but right now we are doing well to move away from the ‘Tut. Tut. Bad bad boy,’ days ie, conditional sentences, or one year sentences, or two years less a day.

My thanks to those victims of Rino Deschenes who found the courage to go to police.  Thanks to you people now know what you have known all along –  Rino Deschens is a child molester.  He now has a few years ahead to meditate upon his crimes.  Hopefully he will commit ample time in those years  to pray for all those who suffered at his hands.

*****

There are four courtdates for this coming week.  As always, please attend if you possibly can, and please pass along any news of the outcome:

(1) Monday, 09 February 2015

(i) Father Stephen Amesse (Archdiocese of Ottawa, Ontario)

Late vocation to the priesthood who, as a layman, was part of the team who contributed to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishop 1992 sex abuse guidelines From Pain to Hope

09 February 2015:   08:30 am, “to be spoken to,” Ottawa Ontario courthouse (161 Elgin St.)

A group of Roman Catholics have set up a “Friends of Father Steve” organization both to fund-raise and support Father Amesse.   Some of you will recall that a similar approach was taken after Father Joe LeClair was charged, at least as far as fund-raising is concerned.

Anyway, the Father Amesse  group is up and running.  The cover-letter refers to “these false allegations.”  More on this tomorrow.

Please keep the complainant in your prayers.

(ii)   Marcel Lalonde

Marcel Lalonde is the Cornwall Ontario former Roman Catholic teacher who was not, not once, not twice, but thrice,  previously convicted for sex abuse of boys.

09 February 2015:  09:oo am, Assignment Court,Ontario  Superior Court of Justice,  Cornwall, Ontario  courthouse (29 Second St. W.)

The current charges were laid February 2014.  After a preliminary hearing Lalonde was committed to stand trial in Ontario Superior court of justice.

These current charges post-date the botched Cornwall Police Service into sex abuse allegations against Lalonde in 1989.  There six complainants at that time – nothing was done!   That botched ‘investigation’ was the subject of much testimony at multi-million-dollar Cornwall Public Inquiry.

As always, please keep the complainant in your prayers

(2)  Tuesday, 10 February 2015

(i)  Father Robyn Gwyn (Archdiocese of Kingston, Ontario)

Father Robyn Gwyn, who ‘retired” and was placed on  “indefinite leave from active ministry” in the Archdiocese of Kingston, Ontario in 2004, was charged in September 2014.  Father Gwyn was living in Berwick, Nova Scotia when he was arrested.  The initial  charge relates to allegations of sex abuse of a boy in Kingston in 2000.

10 February 2015:  09:00 am, “to set a date,”Kingston Ontario courthouse (279 Wellington St.)

Keep the complainant in your prayers

(ii) Father Peter Groulx (Diocese of Thunder Bay, Ontario)

Father Groulx was charged October 2014.

 1o February 2015 :  09:30 am, “to set a date,”    Thunder Bay, Ontario courthouse (125 Brodie Street North. Thunder Bay, Ontario)

An interesting little tid bit here is the fact that Justice Terence Platana served as a Deacon at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, Dryden during at least some of the years Father Groulx served at that church as Pastor.)

As always, please keep the complainant in your prayers

*****

Please keep tabs on the legal calendar for and with me.  If I don’t get a courtdate posted on the legal calendar as soon as I get a date I may miss it.  When I find out what the next courtdate is I usually change the date om the page of the accused first, and then add the info to the legal calendar.  But, if I get a phone call or tied up with something else I may forget to go back to add that date to the calendar.  That means chances are high I will overlook reminding people of the courtdate and asking for prayers for the complainants.  So, please, if you notice that I have failed to add a date to the calendar please let me know.  I missed making note of  Rino Deschense, sentencing on Friday – feel badly about it. My apologies to the victims and their families.

*****

Has anyone heard a word about the ‘inquiry’ which is supposed to be conducted into allegations at St. Mary’s International School in Japan?  The last we heard was that a panel had been established.  That was 18 November last.  Not another word.  Is anything happening?

Enough for now,

Sylvia