Father Roger Rinfret
Roger Rinfret M.A., L. Ph., L.Th., M. Sc.
Priest, Archdiocese of Ottawa, Ontario. Ordained 08 February 1957 . (in 1963 the Diocese of Hull Quebec was erected. Some time after that Father Rinfret’s incardination changed from the Archdiocese of Ottawa to the Diocese of Hull Quebec [the Diocese of Hull later became the Diocese of Gatineau-Hull(1982) , and, in October 1990, the Archdiocese of Gatineau-Hull.)
01 April 1980 found stabbed and strangled to death in a Gatineau Quebec motel room. (murdered 31 March 1980) A 20-year-old and 17-year-old say they agreed to accompany Rinfret to motel – receive $20 each for sexual favours. According to media reports, Father Rinfret worked with “local youth and handicapped groups,” and “youth and marriage encounter groups” and was active with Boy Scouts and Girl Guides.
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Archbishops of Ottawa Archdiocese while Father Roger Rinfret serving in the archdiocese: Marie-Joseph Lemieux, O.P. (20 June 1953 – 16 September 1966); Joseph-Aurèle Plourde (02 January 1967 – 27 September 1989 )
Auxiliary bishops serving in Ottawa Archdiocese of while Father Roger Rinfret serving in the archdiocese: Joseph Raymond Windle (Auxiliary Bishop: 15 November 1960 to 23 January 1969)
Bishops of Hull/Gatineau Diocese while Father Rinfret serving in diocese: Paul-Émile Charbonneau (21 May 1963 – 12 April 1973 Resigned at age 50); Adolphe E. Proulx (13 February 1974 – 22 July 1987 )
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Media Coverage
24 January 1981: Priest was loved by all
25 July 1980: -Suspect Threatens detective
17 July 1980: Slain priest was target of robbery
16 July 1980: Motions delay hearing into priests death
14 June 1980: Homosexual party led to priests murder: youth
10 June 1980: Man confesses to slaying priest
08 April 1980: Huge crowd attends slain priests funeral
05 April 1980: Police mix with mourners
03 April 1980: Paper took anonymous call asking about priests death
02 April 1980: Popular priest found murdered in motel room (two pages)
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The following information is drawn from copies of the Canadian Catholic Church Directories which I have on hand (CCCD) and media (M)
23 January 1981: At some timer McMurtry entered a plea of guilty. On 23 January ’81 he was sentenced to life in prison with a possibility of parole in 10 years (M)
July 1980: Preliminary hearing (20-year-old Alain McMurtie charged)
09 June 1980: unidentified man confesses (M)
01 April 1980: 1 pm. found murdered at the Ritz Motel, 137 Greber Blvd, Gatineau, Quebec. The motel was 20 kms from his home.
According to Bishop Adolphe Proulx, Father Rinfret was last seen alive on Sunday evening after a dinner with friends in Hull, Quebec. According to Proulx, Father Rinfret stayed at local hotels when “he was too tired to risk the drive home.” (M)
According to the Ottawa Journal (02 April 1980)
“Paul Bouladier, a Hull Diocese spokesman , speculated that Rinfret may have been at the motel to ‘relax’ and ‘have some peace ‘ after a busy weekend with youth or marriage encounter groups”
Rinfret was also said to be “close to children” and active in both boys scouts and girl guides
1979: Pastor at Ange-Gardien Church, Angers, Quebec (M)
1971-1978: Pastor, Saint Matthieu Roman Catholic Church, Touraine, Quebec (M)
1973-74: Pastor, Saint Matthieu Roman Catholic Church, Touraine, Quebec – shown as incardinated in (sort of ‘belonging to’) the Diocese of Hull, Quebec (CCCD)
1971-72: Not listed in CCCD index (CCCD)
1969: California (etudiant au service de L’Universite St. Paul, 201 Oak Grove, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA) (CCCD) (the address is that of the Church of the Nativity in Menlo Park. Was he residing in the rectory while pursuing further studies at Saint Patrick’s Seminary and University? or, was he teaching at St. Pat’s? (Diocese of incardination not indicated)
1967: Classical College, 15 Bisson St., Hull, Quebec (CCCD) (Diocese not indicated)
– listed, along with Father Rosaire Page, as contact for Catholic Scouts in Hull Diocese (CCCD)
– according to media coverage he was a professor at Marie Mediatric Classical College in Hull, Quebec
1959: student in Quebec (CCCD) (Archdiocese of Ottawa)
08 February 1957
Ordained at St. Pius x Roman Catholic Church in Ottawa for the Archdiocese of Ottawa
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Life for killing priest
Ottawa Citizen
Saturday, January 24, 1981
Hull PQ — HULL (CP) – Alain McMurtie, who pleaded guilty to the murder of priest Roger Rinfret, was sentenced yesterday to life in prison with possibility of parole after 10 years. Superior Court Judge Francois Chevalier told the 20-year-old Hull resident that with “savagery and sadistic fury” he had killed a man of peace who had devoted himself to service to others. Mr.
McMurtie, who had consumed alcohol and Valium, stabbed Father Rinfret to death in a Gatineau motel last March after he and a friend decided to “roll someone.” The court was told they asked a man in a car outside Ottawa’s Chateau Laurier if he wanted ”a party for three.” The man agreed, they drove to a Gatineau motel, and once inside the man asked for a kiss. It was then Mr. McMurtie stabbed him. A second man is still to be tried in the case.