Countless little secrets

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I had this nearly ready to post, and my Microsoft Word shut down.  And, no, I hadn’t saved it 🙁

So, very quickly.  A number of articles which merit a quick comment, and then on to Monsignor Prince,  I will make a fewe comments there and then do a separate blog on him later.  There is much to be said.

So, for now, the following:

(1) 09 April 2010:  Lahey accused of sex abuse 

09 April 2010: New allegations against Bishop Lahey 

Is it just me, or does anyone else think that with the latest Lahey sex abuse  bombshell the disgraced bishop should  definitely be put behind bars pending his kiddie porn trial next April?

When exactly does the safety of children trump the Charter rights of a sexual predator, real or alleged?

As far as Lahey is concerned I think that between (i) the laptop “allegedly”  loaded with kiddie porn, and (ii) the bishop’s confusing claims when he was caught with the porn that, on the one hand that he has no interest in anyone under 18, and on the other that he is attracted to males between the ages of 21 and 22, and (iii) the recent allegations that he sexually abused a young boy from Mount Cashel there is more than enough cause for concern.

Will Ottawa’s Archbishop Prendergast continue to harbour this man?  Or will he suggest that it best for all concerned that Lahey be incarcerated pending trial?

(2) 08 April 2010: Church: Norway bishop resigned in ‘09 over abuse 

The Bishop of Norway’s victim was indeed paid off.  I figured as much. Shades of the $32,000 David Silmser pay-off.

Do you suppose victim the was silenced when he signed the dotted line?  I would guess he was.  That’s usually the way these episcopal deals work.

(3) 07 April 2010: Whistleblower wins case against feds 

After an arduous and painful 17-years former foreign affairs realty portfolio officer and whistleblower Joanna Gualtieri finally won her battle with the federal government.

Perhaps a timely reminder that in the end justice does prevail.  It’s not an easy battle, but it can be done.

Well done Joanna!  A victory for whistleblowers.

Perry, your day will come.  I keep saying that, but, it will.

(4) 09 April 2010: “Why did Bishop leave his post” & “Catholics surprised by Wingle’s move” 

       07 April 2010: Bishop James Wingle’s 07 April 2010 letter of resignation 

Yet again, seems that not a soul in the Diocese of St. Catherine’s Ontario knows why the sudden resignation of their bishop, and seems not a one had an inkling it was coming.

My guess is that someone somewhere in the diocese knows something, but, we shall wait and watch as the story unfold.

Meanwhile sounds as though the departing bishop decided to promptly pack his tent and silently steal away.  And seems not a soul knows where he is!

(I posted the Bishop’s letter of resignation as a separate entity for ease of access)

(4)  09 April 2010: The Troubled Church: Vatican. Canadian church officials tried to keep scandal secret (access via RC Scandal/Canada/Monsignor Bernard Prince)

10 February 1993:  Pembroke’s Bishop Windle letter to Papal Nuncio re Father  Bernard Prince  expressing concerns that Prince’s sexual abuse of several young boys might become public knowledge

And the Canadian chickens are finally coming home to roost.

Barely was the ink set on the Canadian Bishops highly acclaimed sex abuse guidelines From Pain to Hope than a little gaggle of Canada’s own  was covering up for the sins and crimes of Pembroke’s Monsignor Bernard Prince.

Gervais, O’Mara, Tonnos, Wilhelm, Ambrozic, Spence and Windle.  Seven Canadian bishops knew!  And you can bet that if seven knew most if not all knew!  

And Prince was set loose to travel the world.  

Not only that, Prince was bestowed the honorary title of Monsignor to boot!!   And the Nuncio did nothing!   And those in the Vatican who knew did nothing – aside of course honouring this sexual pervert with the title of Monsignor.

And our bishops have the audacity to slap themselves on the back as the standard bearers for dealing with clerical sex abuse?!!!!

Many know better.  There are countless little secrets across this country.  By the grace of God they will come out into the open.

Anyway, back to Windle’s letter.

Note in the letter that Windle refers to recent scandals “involving a priest and a Bishop from Ottawa” as proof that “the mere passage of time does not ensure that charges will not be surface in the future. ” 

Well, yes.   The recent scandals in Ottawa…

There was proof positive that some day victims may break their silence and press charges.  Proof positive that  there truly is no guarantee that with the passage of time such “inappropriate activity: will not come to the fore.

 A surprise to Windle it seems.

The Ottawa priest and bishop in question would have been Father Ken Keeler and Bishop Beehan. 

Beehan, like Windle a Canon lawyer, actually succeeded Windle as Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese of Ottawa.  Wingle in fact was an auxiliary in Ottawa from 1961 to 1968.

The startling testimony regarding “a bishop, and a priest” which spilled into the Ottawa courtroom during Father Ken Keeler’s sex abuse trial no doubt rocked Windle and all those who thought such dirty clerical secrets would never see the light of day.  Heartbreaking tales they were, of young boys at St. Brigid’s summer camp blocking the door to their dorms with bunk beds to keep Beehan at bay.  And of course the testimony about Keeler and Beehan doing their sexual thing on a cottage deck ,

Beehan himself was about to stand trial on charges of sex abuse of young boys.  Who knows what would have wafted into the courtroom on that one?  Or perhaps there would have been a guilty plea?  No matter, Beehan died before it came to that.  A massive stroke if memory serves me right?  And, if memory serves me right, it happened while he was in Pembroke!  I think maybe even in the sanctuary at the Cathedral?  I will have to dig to clarify that, but I am quite certain he had made a run to Pembroke and there he died.  Whether it was in the cathderal or not is subject to question.

Starnge how details which seem of little import at the time suddenly take on relevance.

One more thing here.  I have previously mentioned the school teacher in Ottawa who tried valiantly to have Archbishop Plourde deal with allegations of clerical sex abusers.  Well, one of the abusers Mike knew all about was Beehan.

I recall all too well the day Beehan died.  I was new to Ottawa.  I was helping out at a local parish.  The parish priest was a canon lawyer, and, as I would later find out, he was also a homosexual who kindly found a paying niche in the parish for his sexual partner.

The pair were great friends of Beehan, in fact they even invited him for dinners and would invite young lads from the parish in to dine with the bishop!  The idea was said to be to see if the young lads might have a vocation, and Beehan was such a nice guy he would set them at ease.  It was only years downstream that I looked back and had an inkling of what may have been going on there.    Sadly the pair are both dead.  I did talk to the significant other many years later. By then he had been given the heave-ho to make way for a fellow who was recruited in Mexico or somewhere.  

Anyway, back to the story.  The day Beehan died the priest’s significant other came into the rectory kitchen close to tears.  He banged his fist on the counter and yelled”  “He killed him,  That b…. Mike G killed him.”

I had not the faintest idea what he was talking or railing about.  But, I remember.  It was so peculiar it stuck in my mind.  The pair of them despised Mike. The hatred was palpable.

You may recall as well that Archbishop Plourde threatened to excommunicate Mike.

Amazing how all of these little bits and pieces start to weave together.

One more little note here before I call it quits.

10 February 1993. 

The lid was lifting in Cornwall.  David Silmser had gone to police.   The diocese had momentarily lost control.  The cat was wiggling out of the bag.  A  $32,000 pay-off was looming.

What would have happened in Cornwall had the bishops outed Prince as a molester right then and there?  Food for thought, isn’t?  Especially with another canon lawyer involved in the cover-up?

That’s it.  I’ve had it.  More on Prince, and those who covered up on his behalf later, but I am going to take a break. 🙂  I will add links later….

Enough for now,

Sylvia

(cornwall@theinquiry.ca)

This entry was posted in Bernard Prince, Circling the wagons, Clerical sexual predators, Raymond Lahey and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.

13 Responses to Countless little secrets

  1. charts.1 says:

    When seminarians became priests they quickly learn the inner workings of the catholic church, they learn about the perverted sub culture within. Priests share living quarters with other priests in their dioceses and they know personal traits about each other that the parishioners wouldn’t know. Each priest learns who the lazy priests are, the alcoholics, the drug abusers and yes the molesters.

    I am sure many of these cowardly clergy have valuable information about priests/bishops that authorities could use to proscecute the perverts from within and save even a few more victims horror and agony.

    I can’t imagine how many thousands of victims have gone to their graves with dirty secrets of catholic clergy molesting them and no one ever to tell, because no one would ever believe them

    Shame on the catholic church, what is unfolding right now is a worldwide perverted epedemic that thousands of criminal clergy have been hidden away and others have LIED and covered up these criminal acts to save face of the church instead of protecting our children.

  2. Scott says:

    Thank-you Sylvia for your tireless efforts to lay the truth open for everyone to see. What a shame that the clergy and church hierarchy can’t clean up their act and get rid of their ‘dirty laundry’ on their own!

    I have faith in Jesus Christ our risen Lord and Saviour! However, the shameful and perverted actions of some of the clergy and the lack of action or even criminal actions of those higher up is disgusting and enough to totally shake one’s confidence in the institutional aspects of the Church.

    Let’s get this Church cleaned up and get rid of all these perverted and criminally-minded people and let the Church become a community of faithful believers once again – as Christ desired. Otherwise people like me will continue to live their faith without attachment to a group of messed up and perverted clergy. Unfortunate, but there is no real choice…

    Scott

  3. Reality Checker says:

    PERRY – YOUR DAY WILL COME

    A quote from Joanna on her victory…

    Gualtieri said it had been a long and hard road to travel.

    “Basically as my doctor said, I’ve been under the bus for 15 years, and what I learned is that the caring and decency of those who supported and advocated for me ultimately triumphed,” she said.

    “That’s a life lesson that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

    Just remember who your ‘friends’ are 🙂

    You will always have my support Perry and family. Wish you well!!!

  4. Reality Checker says:

    …and John I believe your day will come too!!! 🙂

  5. Reality Checker says:

    ….and Sylvia THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO!!!

    (Been busy – but I’m following this nonsense!!!)

  6. Sylvia says:

    Reaity Checker, time to put that good thinking cap of yours on again 🙂

    Scott, they`ve hijacked our Church. It`s that simple. Contrary to what many of them would have us believe, they are not the Church, and thank goodness for that.

    They are not fit to be priests. Let them live their life like the rest of us, as laymen striving to know, love and serve God on this earth and, by the grace of God, to be happy with Him in the next. We need good holy and pure priests to guide us on our way, not sexual predators who defy God, violate the innocence and rape the souls of our children, and scandalize the faithful.

    Hang in there Scott. The days of the rule of the sexual predator in the church are coming to a close. Not overnight by any means. And not without a fight. But, it`s coming to an end.

    God is good. I sometimes forget that. I sometimes wonder where He is in this dirty mess, and why he doesn’t do something. Then a sign here, and sign there. We are not abandoned. He`s in charge. He is doing things His way, and in His time. I don’t understand, but I trust Him.

    Hang in.

  7. Sylvia says:

    Let’s hope and pray people speak up and speak out. Now is the time.

  8. Charlie says:

    Behan was in the pulpit in North Bay I believe when he had the attack…at least in the North..North of Pembroke..

  9. Reality Checker says:

    Sylvia – do you know what ever became of Rev. James Kneale? (Father Jim)

    I’m just curious. He left for a sabbatical in Europe in 2002 after he was outed at a parish in Calgary for being a convicted sexual pervert (the parishoners weren’t told about his past).

    What has happened to him?
    Still on sabbatical?
    Still in Europe?
    Has he returned to Canada?
    Was he ever defrocked?
    Is he still a practising priest – and where???

    ANYONE KNOW???

  10. Sylvia says:

    You think Beehan succumbed in North Bay or in thet area Charlie? You may well be right. Does anyone out there remember with certainty? I will try to check and confirm the location.

    Reality Checker, I have not the slightest clue where Kneale is now. Like you the last I knew Bishop Henry had kindly given him a home – and a parish = in the Archdiocese of Calgary. Parishioners didn’t have a clue that the new priest in the sanctuary was a molester. Then, after about a year, someone in the parish found out. Fury! Parishioners were angry. They absolutley did NOT want a child molester priest. There was a bit of an impasse which finally broke when parishioners talked through the collection plate. And Kneale was gone.

    Starnge isn’t it? and disturbing? – when it comes to tolerance of clercial sexual predators we seem to be miles apart from the bishops, canon lawyers and the gurus in the recycling centres.

    That off my chest, where oh where is Kneale? Anyone know or have an inkling?

  11. Reality Checker says:

    2001 – Colleen Green moved from N-O-T-L to Picton with her husband (Don Grecco)

    2002 – Don Grecco was still listed as a priest with the St. Catharines Diosese

    It was in 2001 Bishop Wingle was transferred into the St. Catharines Diosese.

    Hmmm –

    Thinking….do you think Wingle was apprised of the situation with Grecco?

  12. Prima Facie says:

    On The Path To Revolutionary Change Within The Church:

    During the “Cornwall Public Inquiry”, many attempts were made to convince “the world” that Cornwall and Area is “homophobic” and that Mr. and Mrs. Dunlop and their supporters were also “homophobic”. In addition, various news media, at times, elected to run with the “accusers are anti-homosexual” theme. The aforementioned did not “fly” because the assertions were “constructed lies” in an effort to provoke argument for other purposes.

    The “homosexual/homophobic-card” so-to-speak was “one” issue that was supposed to have been argued at length at the “Inquiry” Instead, the “real argument” was set aside, for the most part.
    The Inquiry findings were to be utilized worldwide but instead, will go nowhere of real significance. The issue of homosexuality in the priesthood and generally has yet to be resolved. But, mark my words; the resolution regarding the priesthood is near, very near. Unfortunately, the path taken to come to a resolution is precariously weak and dangerously misinformed.

    Secularists and the “Religious faithful” will face significant challenge.

    Because of various fears or unwillingness to at least see the big picture, many people will be preoccupied with individual cases, wasting valuable energy in what could be spent on organizing and confronting “the big picture”.
    Unfortunately or fortunately, but for various reasons, “Religion” is part of the “revolutionary changes” to occur in this “new world order”.
    Our beliefs and practices will be challenged to the core. Some of us will not be able to accept the changes; some of us will form other alliances.
    Reportedly, The Roman Catholic Church is in chaos.

    In many, many news articles lately, I read where the accused claim to be homosexual. Not sexual predators, not paedophiles, not sexual perverts, but homosexuals who allegedly engaged in consensual, same-sex relationships. Does this not anger the homosexual community or gay-lesbian activists? Why are they not screaming out!! “Homosexuality is not the same as paedophilia!” Why are they not saying, “there are heterosexual paedophiles and there are homosexual paedophiles”.

    No, for the accused and for today’s “system”, the easiest way out for everyone is to claim to be “homosexual”; as Bishop Lahey and others have eluded to.
    To compound the misunderstandings and labelling, many people are ignorant about the religious beliefs surrounding “homosexuality” or the secular beliefs surrounding “homosexuality”. In the eyes of many, “homosexuality” doesn’t exist. But as a whole, what “wording or terminology” do we feel more comfortable in confronting, “paedophilia or homosexuality”? In “today’s world”, will a claim of “homosexuality or paedophilia” be more likely to secure mitigating circumstances?
    Have you ever spoken to some people who are so conditioned and indoctrinated in their beliefs, that they don’t even hear what you are saying, let alone denounce the words or support them?
    They are so indoctrinated or self-disciplined into what they believe that they reject any “change” or interpretation contrary to their own.

    As a consequence, it is easy to attack homosexuality because some “authority” said it was “wrong”. In the meantime, as we all argue “homosexuality”, the sexual predator, paedophilia, sexual abusers, etc. are forgotten.

    Today, for obvious reasons, many of the accused will even pronounce or define the ages of the relationships they were pursuing; ex: between ages 18-23 or 21-23 or 14-23, depending on the legal jurisdiction they are arrested in.
    In fact, I submit that, our collective fears, ignorance and obedience’s wrongly facilitate the freedom and the re-offending of paedophiles, sexual predators and other sexual abusers. Make no mistake about it, with a homosexual defence: our current system implies, therein lays a defence requiring mitigating circumstances and little or no accountability/consequences.

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