I manged to take care of a few more papers I have been planning to scan and post for ages.
(1) Ex Roman Catholic seminarian turned probation officer Nelson Barque
Those familiar with the Cornwall sex abuse scandal and cover-up will recall that Barque committed suicide after he was charged. Here is the funeral notice:
16 July 1998: Funeral notice of sexual predator Nelson Barque.
(2) Ex priest turned Canada Manpower employee Richard Hickerson
Hickerson committed suicide in June 1998 after being interviewed by police officers re sex abuse allegations (related to his post priest years).
Hickerson was a friend of both Barque and “alleged” molester and former-seminarian-turned- probation-officer Ken Seguin. Seguin also committed suicide.
Though there are various levels of denials during the Cornwall Public Inquiry, the three – Barque, Seguin and Hickesron – all were said to have been friendly to various degrees with Father Charles MacDonald, former Chief of Police Claude Shaver, and lawyer and former Crown attorney Malcolm MacDonald. The latter was charged with obstruction of justice for illegally gagging David Silmser in the infamous $32,000 pay-off. Later still Malcolm MacDonald faced allegations of sexual abuse – he died before standing trial. (Jacques Leduc, the lawyer and canon lawyer who represented the diocese in brokering the $32,000 pay-off was later charged and stood trial on sex abuse charges. He eluded justice with a ruling that his right to a speedy trial had been violated)
Anyway, back to Hickerson.
Here is his obituary:
It never really dawned on me before that Hickerson and Barque committed suicide a mere 9 days apart. First Hickerson (19 June 1998); then Barque (28 June 1998).
Nor do I recall being aware that Hickerson did not have a Roman Catholic funeral. Barque did. Hickerson did not.
Does anyone know why there was no Catholic funeral for Hickerson? And why a United Church minister and not a priest?
Was that the way he wanted it? Or was that his good friend James Lewis‘ decision? (Lewis, who inherited Hickerson’s estate, was twice convicted of possession of child pornography and once of child sexual abuse)
I have also posted a file related to Hickerson’s years as a Marianist priest. Below are several pages from the 1961-1963 Academie Provencher yearbooks showing Hickerson as a teacher at the school. (Provencher is in Saint Boniface Manitoba.)
The scans are poor quality, but suffice to see both what Father Richard Hickerson looked like back then and that he was actively involved in student activities. (I blanked out the names of students shown pictured with Hickerson – my decision)
I have a contact who told me that Hickerson was known to the boys at Provencher as “homo-priest.” I was also told that Hickerson taught at the school before his ordination to the priesthood.
Father Hickerson went from Saint Boniface to the Diocese of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. I know for a fact he was molesting in Prince Albert. His victims have never come forward publicly. There is also a possibilty that he was initially recycled back to Provencher after getting caught in Prince Albert.
I must make mention too of an article which appeared in yesterday’s Ottawa Citizen:
14 June 2010: Expert says predatory priests often work in packs
Where oh where was David Lisak during the Cornwall Public Inquiry?
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Pray for those men who have finally found the strength and courage to come forward with sex abuse allegations against Father Hod Marshall. It is as a difficult time for them. Ditto those who are right now struggling with the decision to go to police with sex abuse allegations against a particular priest or not to go, and if, when and how to tell family and friends. They need prayers. They need encouragement. They need support. The pain and turmoil they feel are evident in their blogs. Keep them in your prayers.
Enough for now,
Sylvia
(contact me at cornwall@theinquiry.ca)