The hunted

I’ve posted a series articles on the good news that Father Eric Dejaeger omi is  bound for Iqaluit, Nunavut.  If he’s not already here, our convicted-molester-fugitive-Oblate  will be back on Canadian soil today or tomorrow.   Officials are reluctant to release to his flight times, and, that’s fair enough.  The main thing is Dejager is or will be homeward bound.  That’s all that matters.  When he lands on Canadian soil he will be taken into custody, and off he goes to Iqaluit, where, by the grace of God and in the not too distant future, he will finally face his accusers and justice will be done

My prayers are with those from Igloolik who had the courage to speak up and come forward 16 long years ago.  I pray that their courage has not faltered,  that they still have the resolve to see justice done, and that they have strong support from family and/or friends and/or community members to see this through to the bitter end.

Dejaeger’s name means the hunter.  Thanks be to God the hunter truly has become the hunted.

Hats off to Lieve in Belgium and to the many in Canada and around the globe who fought so hard to see this day come to fruition.  Alas, to their great shame and to my knowledge not one single Canadian or Belgian Oblate can be counted amongst those numbers.  Ditto any Church officials.

So be it.  Here is the media coverage to date:

18 January 2011: Priest returning from Belgium to face sex charges

18 January 2011: RCMP: Dejaeger’s returning soon to Canada

18 January 2011: Canadian priest wanted on child-sex charges detained in Belgium

18 January 2011: Priest returning from Belgium to face sex charges against Inuit children

18 January 2011: Priest returning to Nunavut to face sex charges

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In case you missed it, I have the upcoming court dates for Father Philip Jacobs:

03 October 2011: Trial confirmation hearing

07-10 November 2011 inclusive: preliminary hearing

(the trial confirmation is to confirm that the November preliminary hearing will proceed as scheduled, and to reassess the number of days booked for the hearing)

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Another busy court day today (19 January 2011):

(1) Donald Grecco:  Picton, Ontario  courthouse (on the breach charge)

(2)  Father William Hodgson Marshall csb:  Toronto courthouse (on Toronto charges)

(3) Jean Claude Lefebvre: Sudbury courthouse (to set dates for preliminary inquiry)

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And, of course, The Letter. …

 I posted two more articles on this yesterday.  I also added a comment re the Congregation of the Clergy, the congregation said to be responsible for the decision that the Irish bishop’s policy of mandatory reporting of clerical sex abuse conflicted with canon law.  I will repeat it here for those who don’t follow the comment links.

The head of the Congregation of the Clergy in 1997 was Archbishop Castrillon Hoyos. Once installed as Cardinal,  Hoyos carried the title Prefect of the Congregation for Clergy. Hoyos therefore headed the Congregation for Clergy either as pro-prefect (Archbishop) or prefect (Cardinal) from 1996-2006.

When Hoyos was consecrated bishop in 1971 he chose as his principal consecrator Archbishop Angelo Palmas.  Palmas was then Apostolic Nuncio to Columbia.

Many Canadian Catholics will recall that Archbishop Palmas, now deceased, served as Apostolic Nuncio to Canada, from 1990 to 2003. 

I can’t help but wonder now what role, if any,  Hoyos played via Palmas in directing the course of events in Canada, particularly in Cornwall?

Let us never forget what we heard via the blog some time back, namely that in the mid 90s Palmas (The Nuncio) personally contacted prima lawyer David W Scott and asked him to serve as counsel for the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall 

Angelo Palmas didn’t call Perry Dunlop.   He didn’t call to find out what Perry had to say about clerical sex abuse in the Alexandria-Cornwall Diocese.  Nor, amidst their many trials and tribulations did he call to offer spiritual comfort and solace to the Dunlops.  No, the Nuncio did not reach out to the Dunlops.  The Nuncio did however reach out …..to a lawyer.  And, not just any lawyer:  one of Canada’s prima high-priced lawyers, David W Scott.

Why?  Why was Angelo Palmas, the Apostolic Nuncio,  retaining a lawyer for Bishop Eugene Larocque and his scandal-plagued diocese? Why?

Did Cardinal Hoyos have any input in that particular decision?  We may never know, but oh my goodness with this news of The Letter I certainly can not help but wonder.

Anyway, bit by slow and painful bit the truth will out. 

So, here are yesterday’s articles on The Letter:

18 January 2011: Vatican letter: Irish bishops were warned in ’97 not to report all child-abuse cases to police 

18 January 2011: Vatican warned Irish bishops not to report abuse 

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I’m getting a page ready for another of the Accused.  I should have it posted later today. 

Enough for now

Sylvia