Father Linus Bastien
Beaume Linus F. Bastien
Priest, Diocese of London, Ontario. Ordained 19 May 1951. October 2o11 charged with two counts of indecent assault and two counts of gross indecency – initial charges relate to allegations of two former altar boys at St. Mary’s RC Church in Maidstone in 1978. As of 12 January there are a total of 22 charges and seven complainants
12 January 2012: an additional 18 charges laid, including indecent assault, sexual assault and sexual interference. The charges relate to 1970-1977 and 1988-1989 when Bastien was at St. Paul’s in LaSalle and St. Joachim in Lakeshore. It’s hard to keep track, but I have been told that there are now ten complainants – it seems that all were students at either St. Mary’s in Maidstone, St. Paul’s school or St. St. Ambrose school in Lakeshore when the alleged offences occurred.
27 October 2011: further two charges laid, one of indecent assault and one of gross indecency – charges relate to his time at St. Paul’s in Lasalle and, it seems to a school affiliated with the parish. Bastien now faces three counts of indecent assault and three counts of gross indecency
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“Police said any person with further information regarding this investigation should immediately contact the Essex County OPP at 1-800-310-1122 or their nearest police authority.” (CBC News 27 October 2011)
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Next court date: 31 May 2012: (NOT Open to the public) courtroom #10, Windsor, Ontario courthouse; 13 March 2012: Windsor, Ontario courthouse; 21 February 2012, (initial charges – plus 2 other ‘informations’/matters brought forward to that date – probably the second set of charges) 09:30 am, courtroom #6 (Windsor courthouse); 14 February 2012: Windsor Ontario court house to answer to 18 new charges; 24 January 2012: 09:30 am, courtroom # 6 “to speak to” (Windsor, Ontario court house); 13 January 2012: pre-trial, 09:30 am, courtroom #10, Windsor Ontario court house; 29 November 2011: 09:30 am, court room #6, Windsor, Ontario Court house (“to be spoken to”); 01 November 2011: 09:30 am, courtroom #6, Windsor court house, Windsor, Ontario (Ontario Court of Justice)
Court file number: 121134 11/11909
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Bishops of London Diocese from time of Father Linus Bastien’s ordination: John Thomas Kidd (03 July 1931 – 02 June 1950) ; John Christopher Cody (02 Jun 1950 - 05 Dec 1963); Gerald Emmett Carter (17 February 1964 – 29 April 1978 -Appointed, Archbishop of Toronto, Ontario) John Michael Sherlock (7 July 1978 – 27 April 2002 ); Ronald Peter Fabbro, C.S.B. (27 Apr 2002 – - )
Coadjutor Bishops: John Christopher Cody (06 April 1946 – Bishop: 02 Jun 1950 to 05 Dec 1963)
Auxiliary Bishops: John Michael Sherlock (25 June 1974 — Bishop: 7 Jul 1978); Marcel André J. Gervais (19 Apr 1980 – 3 May 1985); Frederick Bernard Henry (18 April 1986 -o 24 Mar 1995); Richard John Grecco (5 December 1997 – 27 April 2002); Robert Anthony Daniels ( 21 September 2004 to 1 March 2011)
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13 January 2012: New sex charges laid against priest
12 January 2012: Retired priest faces 18 additional sex charges
12 January 2012: 18 more abuse charges against former Essex County area Catholic priest Linus Bastien
02 November 2011: Court date set for accused priest
28 October 2011: Diocese Reacts To Allegations
28 October 2011: 2 more sex charges laid against former Maidstone priest
27 October 2011: Priest faces more sex charges
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The following information is drawn from Canadian Catholic Church Directories (CCCD) which I have on hand, the 1980 Ontario Catholic Directory ( OCD), media (M) and Diocesan statement (D)
2011, 2010: address on Kell Drive. Chatham, Ontario (CCCD)
2002: address in index that of Sts. Simon & Jude Roman Catholic Church , Belle River, Ontario (Pastor Father G.A. Bedard [Gerard - ordained 1990]) (CCCD)
2000: not listed (CCCD)
1999: address in index that of Sts. Simon & Jude Roman Catholic Church , Belle River, Ontario (Pastor Father R. M. Rocheleau)
1998: address for Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, Windsor, Ontario (Pastor Father S. A. Wlusek) (CCCD)
1997: retired (D)
1991-1997: Priest-Chaplain Windsor Hospital (D) (media has him serving at the Grace Hospital as Chaplain. Did he serve in both?)
1997, 1996: address for Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, Windsor, Ontario (Pastor Father M. J. Graham) (CCCD) (it seems he was living in the rectory while serving as Chaplain at the hospital? )
according to media reports was serving as chaplain at Grace Hospital before he retired in 1997 (M)
1995, 1994, 1993, 1992: address for Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, Windsor, Ontario (Pastor Father G. A. Del Bianco)
1991-Dec. 1991: St. Francis Xavier, Tilbury, Ontario (D)
1985-1991: Pastor at St. Joachim Roman Catholic Church, Ontario (online) and (D)
1991: Pastor, St. Joachim, St. Joachim, Ontario (CCCD)
1988-1989: Pastor, St. Joachim, St. Joachim, Ontario (M)
1985-1986: Pastor, St. Joachim, St. Joachim, Ontario (CCCD)
1978-85: St. Mary Roman Catholic Church, Maidstone, Ontario (D)
1980: Pastor, St. Mary Roman Catholic Church, Maidstone, Ontario (OCD)
1978: allegations of abuse date to 1978 while Bastien was pastor at St. Mary’s (M)
1970-1978: St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Church, LaSalle, Ontario (D)
1974-75: St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Church, LaSalle, Ontario (M)
allegations of sex abuse abuse from one complainant relate to this year at a school in LaSalle.
1973-74, 1971-72: Pastor, St. Paul Roman Catholic Church, Windsor, Ontario (CCCD)
1963-70: St. Charles Roman Catholic Church, Stevenson (Diocese)
1969-70: Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Wheatley, Ontario (D)
1968-69, 1967: pastor, St. Charles Roman Catholic Church, Stevenson, R.R. #1, Coatsworth, Ontario (CCCD)
1961-63: St Clare, Windsor, Ontario (D)
1960-1961: Sacred Heart, LaSalle, Ontario (D)
1953-60: Our Lady of the Rosary, Windsor, Ontario (D)
1959: Our Lady of the Rosary, Windsor, Ontario (Pastor Msgr. W. J. Schiller – also at the church Father P. J. Schiller) (CCCD)
1951-53: Most Precious Blood, Windsor, Ontario (D)
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Former Essex County priest faces sex charges
Charges stem from alleged abuse in 1978 at St. Mary’s in Maidstone
The Windsor Star
14 October 2011 4:05 PM
WINDSOR, Ont. — A former Essex County priest has been charged with sexual offences that allegedly occurred more than 30 years ago.
Rev. Linus Bastien, 85, faces two counts of indecent assault and two counts of gross indecency, the charges that were on the books back in 1978 when the alleged incidents occurred.
The charges stem from complaints by two former altar boys at St. Mary’s Parish in Maidstone.
Bastien, who lives in Chatham, was arrested this week and released on a promise to appear in Ontario Court in Windsor on Nov. 1.
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Priest faces sex charges
Alleged crimes to have occurred at St. Mary’s Parish in Maidstone, Ont.
Posted: Oct 14, 2011 3:16 PM ET
Last Updated: Oct 14, 2011 2:40 PM ET
Police charged father Linus Bastien of Chatham with two counts of indecent assault and two counts of gross indecency contrary to Section 157 of the 1978 Criminal Code of Canada.
Bastien was assigned to St. Mary’s Parish in Maidstone, Ont., when the crimes were to have allegedly occurred.
The two male victims were both alter boys volunteering at the church during the same time period.
Police arrested Bastien on Oct. 12. He is scheduled to appear in Windsor court Nov. 1.
Police ask that any person with further information regarding this investigation should immediately contact the Essex County OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
Two more charges laid today against Bastien. Well done. Whoever it is who summoned up the courage to go to police, well done!
I encourage anyone with allegations against Father Linus Bastien to contact the police. You can contact either your local police or the Essex County OPP (the number is in the aricle above)
Thanks Chuck. I now have them posted (see above under the list oi bishops)
Was Bastien a teacher at a school or schools Chuck? or was he assigned to a school or schools as chaplain? or did he visit schools because they were affiliated with the parish?
Start time o1 November is 09:30 am, courtroom #6 (Windsor courthouse)
Thanks Chuck.
Thanks Chuck. I will see if I can find out anything.
There are no new charges filed at the courthouse Chuck. The new allegations you reference are probably still under investigation?
Next court date is for pre-trial, 13 January 2012, at 9:30 am, court room #10, Windsor, Ontario courthouse
Radio station CKLW, in Windsor, has reported that Bastien was charged with an additional 18 counts today. It’s also reported in the Windsor Star digital edition.
In light of this does anyone know if the pretrial will go ahead tomorrow? I would like to attend but not to keen on making the trip if it’s postponed.
I posted both the articles John. Thank you for relaying that information.
I think tomorrow’s hearing is probably postponed, BUT, I don’t know for certain. The fact that there are 18 new charges changes everything, so I would think there is not much point in proceeding until he has answered to those new charges in court on 14 February 2012.
Does anyone know for certain if tomorrow’s court date has been cancelled or postponed? I won’t be able to find out until after 9:30am – that’s no help to those who plan to attend and have to drive a distance.
If anyone knows would you please post a comment here, or send me an email at: cornwall@theinquiry.ca
I see in today’s paper that TODAY’s COURT APPEARANCE IS STILL ON
The next court date for Father Linus Bastien is 24 January 2012: 09:30 am, court room #6. Windsor, Ontario court house “to speak to.”
The next court date for Linus Bastien is 21 February 2012, 09:30 am, courtroom #6. I have learned that his lawyer is Patrick Ducharme, apparently a man of some repute in Windsor and a high profile criminal lawyer. I am sure Mr. Ducharme’s services cost a pretty penny. Is the Diocese picking up the tab on this one? I’m sure it is, but I don’t know for certain.
I wonder if the plan is to let him answer to the new charges 14 February 14, and then 0n 21 Feb the initial and the new charges would be merged? I am sure they will merge the two sets of charges, so I wonder if that’s what’s happening here? Does anyone know?
Patrick Ducharme was not in court yesterday – it was someone from the firm. That is not uncommon for these appearances.
Please note that I have added some more dates and churches. The London Diocese has information posted on its site – I added that data.
The best I can do for time for Bastien’s court appearance tomorrow morning is let you know that most cases in the Windsor court house start at 9:30 am. There is a strange rule that apparently stipulates that because this is a first appearance on new charges the court does not or can not release any further information, But, it will probably be 9:30 am.
Hi Sylvia,
I continue to visit your web site and check for updates on the Bastien case and so many of the other cases that are unfolding across Canada. Needless to say, I am looking forward to what developments may transpire on February 21.
At this time, I am writing with regard to a very tiny technical error that appears on the profile page of Linus Bastien. In it, you wrote the following…
“There are now seven complainants – all were students at St. Paul’s school or St. St. Ambrose school when the alleged offences occurred.”
Of course, myself and the other altar boy who first reported to the police attended St. Mary’s school. As your own time line shows, that was where he served after St. Paul’s and just before St. Ambrose. So, it is likely that the seven complainants came from all three of these schools.
I will be sure to notify you if I hear any news at my end on February 21. Keep up the good work! Dan B. ( Court publication ban on my name. )
Thanks Dan. I appreciate and have corrected.
My thoughts and prayers are with you all!
Go get um Dan…it’s never easy but at least you’re willing to go all the way! Been there, done that.
I don’t know what happened re the 14 February court date, but I contacted the court house and learned that there are 3 ‘informations’ /matters being brought forward to 21 February 2012. There is no other court date scheduled so it sounds as though the new charges have been joined to the original charges and all charges will be dealt with together from here on in, starting on 21 February.
The next court date for Father Linus Bastien is 13 March 2012.
The next court date for Father Linus Bastien is 31 May 2012. The is a pre-trial and is NOT open to the public.