priest Diocese of Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Ordained 1957. In mid 70s allegations of sex abuse of 11-year-old boy from Sydney, Nova Scotia dating to 1963 – sent to Southdown, then recyled to and served as a parish priest in the Diocese of Hamilton, Ontario.
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The following dates and information are drawn from available Canadian Catholic Church Directories (CCCD), 1980 Ontartio Catholic Directory, and media (M) Additional timelines will be added as information becomes available.
2002 & 2010: not listed
2000: 56 Governor’s Rd., Dundas (St Joseph’s Villa retirement home)
1992: Pastor, St. Ann’s RC Church, Hamilton, 120 Sherman Ave. Hamilton
1985: Pastor, St. Ann’s RC Church, Hamilton, Ontario (Anthony Tonnos Bishop of Hamilton)
1980: at St. Francis Xavier RC Church, Stony Creek, Ontario with Father G.M. Warren (Paul F. Reding Bishop of Hamilton since 1973. Auxiliary Bishop since 1978 – James M. MacDonald)
1975: allegations of sex abuse of 11-year-old boy from Sydney, Nova Scotia in 1963.
1973-74 & 1971-72: Pastor St. Joseph RC Church, Port Felix with mission in St. Vincent de Paul in Queensport (William Edward Power Bishop of Antigonish)
1969: St. Anne’s RC Church, Glace Bay, Nova Scotia (Pastor Father Alex J MacIassac) (William Edward Power Bishop of Antigonish)
1967: address Port Hawksbury, Nova Scotia (Father Jewell listed as administrator) (William Edward Power Bishop of Antigonish)
1963: Sydney , Nova Scotia – according to media reports, allegations of sex abuse stem from this place and time – parish in which he wasew serving is unknown at this time (M)
1959: assiting at Holy Guardian Angels RC Church in L’Ardoise, Nova Scotia (Pastor Father Placide A. Leblanc) (John Roderick MacDonald Bishop of Antigonish)
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Church settles lawsuits over abuse by priests
Canadian Press
February 7, 1996 21.06 EST
HALIFAX (CP)
The Roman Catholic diocese of Antigonish, N.S., has quietly settled lawsuits by eight men who say they were sexually assaulted by priests decades ago.
The diocese agreed to pay an undisclosed amount in out‑of‑court deals with the men in December and January.
The settlements, revealed through court documents, bring the church closer to the end of a five‑year scandal involving 43 sex‑related charges and 10 civil suits.
Bishop Colin Campbell did not return phone calls about the settlements, and lawyer John McKiggan, who represented all but one of the men, would not comment Wednesday, citing client confidentiality.
Last year he indicated that one of the abuse victims was seeking close to $100,000 in damages.
Since 1992, three priests have served jail terms for indecently assaulting young boys in the 1960s and ’70s in northeastern Nova Scotia. A fourth was jailed for sex crimes predating his 1990 ordination.
The diocese has settled all but two victims’ lawsuits, including one against a priest who is no longer with the diocese and has never been charged.
Rev. Anthony O’Brien, 68, was sent to Southdown, an Ontario treatment centre, after a complaint in 1975, and was transferred to the Hamilton diocese upon release.
The chancellor of the Hamilton diocese said this week he thought O’Brien was treated for alcoholism and was unaware of an allegation ivolving an 11‑year‑old boy from Sydney, N.S., in 1963 until the priest was sued last summer.
“I was rather surprised because he’s been doing a very good job,” said Rev. Gerard Bergie. “There’s never been any hint of a problem.”
Last November, in the only civil case to go to court, former altar boy Francis Wayne McDonald was awarded $23,000 by the Nova Scotia Supreme Court for pain, suffering and humiliation inflicted by Rev. Jim Mombourquette.
That settlement has been been appealed by the diocese and McDonald filed a cross‑appeal asking for more compensation.
McDonald’s lawyer, Mike LeBlanc, said he thought the outcome in his client’s case, which determined that the church was responsible for the off‑hour activities of its priests, played a
role in reaching the out‑of‑court settlements.
The lawsuits, claiming punitive and general damages for “malicious” and “reprehensible” acts, were filed in the past year by individuals, mostly former altar boys, who were sexually abused as children by parish priests.
In 1991, the RCMP laid 42 sex‑related charges against the priests who had been posted to parishes in Cape Breton and northeast Nova Scotia.
Rev. Claude Richard and his twin brother Rev. Clair Richard were convicted of indecent assault and jailed, as was Mombourquette, who pleaded guilty to similar charges. Another priest, Rev. Dan Doucet, was acquitted.
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I would like to know if there are others out there who have been sexually abused by Father Anthony O’Brien of Nova Scotia; I am searching for a any others for a dear male friend of mine. He was sexually abuse and would like to come forward but is very afraid; Fr. O’Brien was with the Antigonish diocese at the time but served severla Cape Breton and in Eastern NS. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Irene, if you go to the Accused section of this website, and scroll down, you will find the Name of Fr. Anthony O”brien, and a history of accusations against him.
I would like to know if there are others out there who have been sexually abused by Father Anthony O’Brien of Nova Scotia; I am searching for a any others for a dear male friend of mine. He was sexually abuse and would like to come forward but is very afraid; Fr. O’Brien was with the Antigonish diocese at the time but served several parishes in Cape Breton and in Eastern NS. Any info would be greatly appreciated.