I will bog in more detail later but want to relay two brief thoughts:
(1) Everything came to a grinding halt at 3pm yesterday (05 October) at the Weave Shed. Justice Glaude had a train to catch.
The witness on the stand, the mother of a victim of clerical sexual abuse, was unable to complete her testimony and is unavailable until next Thursday.
And so after a multitude of promises that the inquiry hearings week would be lengthened to make up for lost time we started the Fall with no hearings for the full month of September and then launched into October with this: a two day week – 2 pm Tuesday to 3 pm Thursday.
And that’s it until 2 pm Tuesday 10 October 2006. Yes. 2 pm. Given that Mrs. Brisson won’t be back on the stand until Thursday the 12th I have no idea who will be called. Perhaps Benoit Brission?
(2) Before the cameras stopped whirring at 3 pm yesterday David Sheriff-Scott, lawyer for the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall, leapt to his feet and – on behalf of Bishop Paul Andre Durocher – offered an apology to Mrs. Brisson, the mother of Benoit Brisson who was sexually molested by Father Gilles Deslaurier.
It was very dramatic. However I can’t help but think that had Scott waited just a moment or two until the lady was out of the glare of the camera’s eye he might have spared her a little dignity.
And I’m also wondering why in the name of goodness the apology was transmitted through David Sheriff Scott? Why didn’t Durocher do it himself? Are we to truly to believe that Bishop Durocher became so overwhelmed watching the proceedings that he couldn’t wait to make the apology in person?
Perhaps so? But I must tell you that I have my druthers. You see I’ve been thinking back to the day my husband and I sat in St. Finnan’s Cathedral (Alexandria) for Bishop Durocher’s installation. I can still see him at the lectern, fresh rose bud pinned to breast of his flowing robes, rainbow back pack and teddy bear in hand – mocking the victims who were protesting outside the cathedral.
I haven’t forgotten that moment. So while on the one hand I am happy for Mrs. Brisson, who, dear love her, was overwhelmed by Durocher’s apology, on the other hand I smell a rat.
And that’s enough for now,
Sylvia
(cornwall@theinquiry.ca)