CTV
Published Thursday, May 2, 2013 3:59PM ADT
Last Updated Thursday, May 2, 2013 7:19PM ADT
Kevin Bissett, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Click here to view video clip on CTV website
MONCTON, N.B. — The archbishop of a Roman Catholic diocese in New Brunswick says he has been forced to sell assets and reduce staff in order to cover the costs of about $5 million in compensation to people who allege they were sexually abused by priests.
The number of employees within the Moncton Catholic diocese will be cut to 14 from 20 and the diocese will sell its office and a vacant piece of land, both in Dieppe, Archbishop Valery Vienneau said Thursday.
Vienneau said the office, which costs about $60,000 per year to operate, will be appraised and the diocese will seek a fair market price for it.
The Diocese of Moncton is selling this building and slashing staff to cover sexual abuse compensation. (CTV Atlantic)
“We’re not going to sell it at a sacrifice price,” Vienneau said.
Vienneau said the diocese has faced declining revenues, registering a $200,000 deficit last year, and the sex abuse settlement compounded its fiscal problems.
“We had money before that could have paid that, but that money has gone to victims,” he said.
Michel Bastarache, a former judge of the Supreme Court of Canada, was hired by the diocese last year to conduct a reconciliation and compensation process for alleged victims of sexual abuse by former priests.
Vienneau said Bastarache, who heard from about 80 people, will deliver a final report this summer.
In January, Bastarache said the payments ranged from $15,000 to $300,000 each.
Vienneau said he expects at least one person will seek compensation through the courts, and that could force the diocese to sell more property.
The reconciliation and compensation process was supposed to end last August, but it was extended to the end of March as more people came forward alleging they were the victims of abuse at the hands of clergymen.
In Nova Scotia, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Antigonish was forced to put about 150 properties up for sale and more than 100 parishes were drained of their savings as they dealt with a sex abuse settlement with 125 people.
That diocese paid out $16 million in compensation for confirmed and alleged victims of sexual abuse.
Vienneau said he believes the Moncton diocese won’t need to take such measures.
“Right now, I don’t think we’ll have to go to the parishes and sell parish property,” he said. “We’re trying to solve this at the diocesian level.”
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N.B. Roman Catholic diocese selling properties to cover sex abuse compensation costs
CTV News
Published Friday, May 3, 2013 6:47AM EDT
The Canadian Press
Former Supreme Court justice Michel Bastarache is shown in this file photo. (Jacques Boissinot / THE CANADIAN PRESS)
MONCTON, N.B. — The archbishop of a Roman Catholic diocese in New Brunswick says it wants fair market value for properties it’s selling to help cover the costs of a $5-million compensation package for people who allege they were sexually abused by priests.
The number of employees within the Moncton Catholic diocese will also be cut to 14 from 20.
Archbishop Valery Vienneau says the diocese will sell its office and a vacant piece of land.
Both are in Dieppe.
Vienneau says the diocese has faced declining revenues, registering a $200,00 deficit last year.
He says the sex abuse settlement compounded its fiscal problems.
Michel Bastarache, a former Supreme Court of Canada justice, was hired by the diocese last year to conduct a reconciliation and compensation process for alleged victims of sexual abuse by former priests.
Vienneau says Bastarache heard from about 80 people and will deliver a final report this summer.
In January, Bastarache said the payments ranged from $15,000 to $300,000 each.
This is uncanny. I was checking back on the Michel Bastarache/Diocese of Bathurst deal to try to sort out how many victims were eventually compensated.
Would you believe 80? Archdiocese of Moncton: 80. Diocese of Bathurst: 80.
I don’t know why that surprises me, but, it does. Happenstance I guess.
Archbishop Vienneau anticipates there will be at least one person who will seek compensation through the courts (sue). I believe ther number is significantly higher, is it not? An article earlier today quoted lawyer Rob Talach saying his firm is handling about 15.
Note that the Archbishop implied that one person suing could force the diocese to sell off more property. Is the message therefore that those who opt to sue will be solely responsible for the sale of any and all properties which transpire in the future over and above that of the diocesan centre? That’s what I take it to mean. I could be mistaken, but, if that’s the case, I am less than impressed at this lack of episcopal charity for victims.
A final comment here. I have added a link to the CTV website to view the video clip (no, unfortunately I just am unable to download or embed it). If you take the few minutes it takes to watch you will hear the archbishop making comment about “once all of this is done” he can hopefully get back to work more on “pastoral issues.”
Sad but true, there is not a pastoral thread in the whole process, is there?
And, sad but true, had our bishops been more pastoral some years back we wouldn’t be in this dirty mess now would we?
Sylvia, I too would think that “pastoral” work would include, if not be a priority, the recompense and rebuilding of the ruined lives of his priest’s victims. This bishop’s present and past employees caused this in the first place, didn’t they?
I believe the bishop, in referring to “return to pastoral work”, means he now wants to get some money back, and rebuild his wealthy coffers for retirement. Mike.