Jean-Claude Lefebvre (Father Jean-Claude Lefebvre)
priest Diocese Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Late voctation. Widower. Ordained 2001. Charged late October or early November 2010. Charges relate to allegations of sex abuse of two young boys. One set of allegations relate to offences 30 to 32 years ago. The other allegations date between 01 Jan. ’89 to 31 December 1999. Lefebvre denies the allegations.
(Picture above by Gino Donato, Sudbury Star, 03 November 2010. “Father Jean-Claude Lefebvre, is a new priest at St. Jacques Church in Hanmer.”)
Court dates: committed to stand trial in Ontario Superior Court
Next court date: 29 May 2012: 3:20 pm, pre-trial, Sudbury, Ontario courthouse (not open to the public); 13 December 2011: pre-trial hearing in chambers – not open to public) 2 pm, Sudbury court house; 17 & 18 October 2011: Preliminary hearing (Sudbury, Ontario) 10 am Courtroom “C,” Elm St. courthouse, Sudbury, Ontario; 16 September 2011: Elm St. courthouse, Sudbury, Ontario (10 am. Courtroom “B”); 31 May 2011, Elm St. courthouse, Sudbury, Ontario (10 am. Courtroom “B” – Trial confirmation hearing); 23 February 2011 ; 19 January 2011: to set dates for preliminary inquiry (10 am. Elm St. courthouse, Sudbury); 07 December 2010 to confirm dates for a preliminary inquiry.
Court file # 401199810108400 (before it was committed to Ontario Superior Court)
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o5 November 2010: BLOG I thank God
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Priest denies charges
Sudbury Star
05 November 2010
By CAROL MULLIGAN, THE SUDBURY STAR
A Roman Catholic priest facing nine counts of historic sexual abuse says he is innocent of all charges and that will be proven in court.
Rev. Jean-Claude Lefebvre, 75, says he is not afraid to face his accusers — both of whom are male — on charges that relate to abuse alleged to have occurred 30-32 years ago in one instance and about 12 years ago in the other.
None of the charges have been proven in court.
All charges relate to incidents alleged to have occurred before Lefebvre was ordained to the priesthood in 2001.
Lefebvre did not enter the seminary until after his wife died in the early 1990s. Before entering the priesthood, he had a 30-year career as an Inco miner and worked for a news-paper for five years.
Lefebvre told The Star on Thursday he was not angry about the story outlining the charges against him.
But the story was upsetting to his family. The soft-spoken Lefebvre has five children and several grandchildren.
He said there is another side to the story and it will come out in court.
He or his lawyer are scheduled to appear in Sudbury Court on Dec. 7 to set dates for a preliminary inquiry into the charges.
Lefebvre said he was sad to be relieved of his duties at four small parishes with a combined congrega tion of 5,000 members in Cache Bay, Field, Crystal Falls and River Valley.
“I don’t cry because I’m 75 and I know it’s time to retire,” he said.
He said parishioners often told him they enjoyed his preachings because he had experienced family life before becoming their priest.
When asked if he was receiving support from the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie or its bishop, Jean-Louis Plouffe, Lefebvre replied: “Not at all.”
When asked how he felt about that, he said: “Very bad.”
He did receive severance from the diocese, he said.
Lefebvre said he has incurred thousands of dollars in legal fees to defend himself against the charges.
He is charged with two counts of sexual assault, two counts of sexual interference, two counts of sexual exploitation, two counts of invitation to sexual touching and one count of indecent assault on a male.
A phone call to Bishop Plouffe’s office Tuesday by The Star has not been returned.
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Priest faces abuse charges
Sudbury Star
03 November 2010
By CAROL MULLIGAN THE SUDBURY STAR
A Roman Catholic priest who once served at parishes in Hanmer and Val Caron, and more recently in the Field area, will appear in Sudbury court Dec. 7 to confirm dates for a preliminary inquiry into historic sexual abuse charges.
Rev. Jean-Claude Lefebvre, 74, was charged Feb. 12 and Feb. 23 with nine counts relating to two victims, said Det.-Const. Norm O’Bonsawin of the Noelville detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police.
Lefebvre stands charged with two counts of sexual assault, two counts of sexual interference, two counts of sexual exploitation, two counts of invitation to sexual touching and one count of indecent assault on a male.
Both victims were minors at the time the charges are alleged to have occurred.
One victim alleges the abuse dated back 30 or 32 years and the other alleges abuse occurred between Jan. 1, 1998, and Dec. 31, 1999.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
Lefebvre was not ordained into the priesthood until 10 years ago — after the incidents of sexual misconduct are alleged to have occurred.
Before that, Lefebvre, who is originally from Shawinigan, Que., was a 30-year employee of Inco Ltd., worked at a French-language newspaper, and was a volunteer hospital and palliative care chaplain.
O’Bonsawin confirmed Lefebvre was pastor at four parishes in Cache Bay, Crystal Falls, Field and River Valley when he was charged earlier this year. He retired some time after the charges were laid.
He said the OPP has closed its investigation into the complaints filed by the two victims and said no other complainants have come forward so far.
O’Bonsawin said he thought Lefebvre would be tried on both sets of charges at the same time. A call to the office of Jean- Louis Plouffe, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie, was not immediately returned.
I just found out that Lefebvre had a court date in Sudbury today. If anyone knows anyhting about what transpired or the outcome please pass on the word
I have just updated the Legal Calendar. There are two court dates scheduled for Father Jean-Claude Lefebvre:
(1) 16 September 2011: confirmation hearing (10 am. Courtroom “B.” Elm St., court house, Sudbury, Ontario)
(2) 17 & 18 October 2011: Preliminary hearing. (I don’t have the time, but it will be in the Sudbury court house – I should have start time by the time October rolls around.)
Father Jean-Claude Lefebvre’s preliminary hearing is still scheduled for two days: 17 & 18 October 2011. The time 10 am. Courtroom “C”, the Elm Street courthouse, Sudbury, Ontario
Father Lefebvre has been committed to stand trial. A trial date has not been set but should be known within the next few days. There has been no media coverage because of a publication ban. I will check again in few days to see if a trial date has been set.
The case has been committed to trial in Ontario Superior Court. I may be able to find out a little more about where it’s at next week, but, I am told it could be ages for a trial date is set. I will stay on it as best I can, but it’s going to be a while.
The case has been committed to trial in Ontario Superior Court. Right now there is no further information to be had. I will find out a little more around the middle of next week, but it will only be info regarding the process of moving toward setting a trial date. Apparently getting to the point of actually setting a trial date can take quite some time. I will keep on top of it as best I can: we will walk through it and learn the ropes together, alongside the complainants.
There is a pre-trial hearing scheduled for Lefebvre 13 December 2011 at 2 pm. This is conducted ‘in chambers.’ It is NOT open to the public. There may actually be several of these conducted before the case is turned over to assignment court, at which time the process begins to set a date for trial. Because it is not open to the public we will probably not hear what goes on. Discussions will include which witnesses each side proposes to call. There will be a decision made for trial by judge or jury. There will be discussions on how many days to book for trial. If there are issues regarding disclosure of documents they are often dealt with here before a judge. It’s all the details of getting the case to trial.
Setting a trial date entails finding dates which suit the calendars of both Crown and defence and the availability of court rooms. While it may sound as though trial is not too far away, it could be many months from now.
Does this happen for other alleged criminals… no and why .. could it be that Judge Glaude is working his best to protect the integrity of the catholic establishment .. Sudbury a hole in a hovel run by red dragoons and all from Had’s alma matter St. Charles college.
There is no pending court date as yet for Father Lefebvre. Assignment court (for the Ontario Superior Court of Justice) is held the first Tuesday of every month. Dates are set at assignment court. I will check again around 08 March – IF his case goes to assignment court on the first Tuesday in March (7th) there should be news the following day.
Things have started moving again on the Father Lefebvre charges. There is a pre-trial scheduled for 29 May 2012 at 3:20 pm (Sudbury courthouse). This is not open to the public. (Lefebvre was charged in October or November 2010)