I added a few bits and pieces to the Father Lapierre information, specifically that (1) the newly established Liturgy Commission in the diocese was up and running in 1966 with Father Lapierre as a member, (2) Father Carl Stone was also serving at St. John Bosco the same years that Lapierre was assigned to the parish (Stone disappeared from the Directory in 1964), and (3) Fathers Lapierre and Paul Martin were both serving at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Cornwall in 1963.
I made no mention of it on the website posting but will tell you here that Father Lapierre testified that his appointment to Villa Marie retreat house in 1963 was to be seen “within the context of Vatican II” and that Vatican II was 1959 to 1962. Vatican II was in fact 1962-1965. I believe Father Lapierre got his dates confused and if indeed his 1963 appointment was to be seen within the context of Vatican II it was made well before the council was finished.
Now a few questions which crossed my mind as I put the Lapierre information together:
- What motivated Father Lapierre to choose the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall to be incardinated and serve in as a parish priest?
- Father Lapierre left the diocese in 1968. Priests generally change their incardination after they have moved on to and stayed in another diocese for a number of years. Father Lapierre has never changed his incardination. Why not?
- Father Luc Meunier travelled extensively talking about Vatican II. Did he and Lapierre know each other? If yes, how well?
- The Canadian bishops apparently asked Father Lapierre to co-ordinate a CBC radio/TV show between 1969 and 1971. Between 1969 and 1971 the Gang of Five were active members of the bishop’s conference with Bishop Joseph Aurele Plourde as President, Emmett Carter President of the Office of Liturgy, and Flahiff, Pocock and Alexander Carter members of the executive. Who extended the invitation to Lapierre? And why?
- Many of the Viatorian priests who taught at and operated the Classical College were integrally involved in the day operations of the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall and there was close fraternization between the Viatorians and the priests of the diocese. How then did the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall manage to wheedle itself out of the sex abuse legal action which was initially launched against the diocese and the Viatorians?
- The 1967 Canadian Catholic Directory lists Father Paul Desilets csv in charge of “Jeuenesse en Marche.” Desilets taught at the Classical College and, when it closed its doors in 1968, relocated to Bellingham , Massacusets (Archdiocese of Boston). In 2005 Desilets was found guilty on charges of sexual abuse of a number of young boys. The charges went back to 1970 – some of Desilets victims were as young as nine. Are there Desilets’ victims in Cornwall?
And that’s enough for now,
Sylvia
(cornwall@theinquiry.ca)