Yes. I’m still here. Those who have followed the site for the past years know that from time to time I take a break to think something or other that’s bothering me through. So, that’s what I’ve been up to. Lots of thinking over the past few days, and then busy in the home front. But still working on the site – and yesterdat posted quite a number of articles, just not blogging as much.
The civil trial of Father Charles Sylvestre continues tomorrow at the London Ontario courthouse.
I encourage those who have the time to attend to do so. Your presence would I am sure mean a lot to Kelly.
Stay strong Kelly. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
*****
I have posted a number of articles from the original charges and trial of Father Eric Dejaeger. They add a little more information and fill in a few gaps. I will post the links below with quick comment. Tomorrow I will update the time lines on the Eric Dejaeger omi page.
(1) 24 August 1989: Charges allege priest had sex with minors
Note Dejaeger was arrested and charged in Langley B.C. According to other articles he was studying linguistics.
(2) 29 August 1989: Sex charges against priest shock to northern town
Note that in April 1989 Bishop Rouleau learned ‘from someone outside the community” that Dejaeger might be charged.
Who, I wonder, told Rouleau? And, why?
Note too that some Baker Lake residents said Dejaeger frightened children, and that some in the community didn’t want him to come back.
We know the outcome of the trial. Is it any wonder the children were frightened and some people didn’t want him back?
Finally, I find it rather interesting to see that Dejaeger was presumably pre-scheduled to begin a one year sabbatical that September.
(3) 30 August 1989: Court grants bail to priest charged in sex assaults
Dejaeger posted $10,000 and the Oblates posted $75,000 to cover the $85,000 bail.
(4) 30 August 1989: Priest facing sex counts has bail set at $85,000
“He was ordered to surrender his passports before leaving for a Catholic retreat in Manitoba.”
Passports. Plural. Did Dejaeger have both a Canadian and Belgian passport at this time?
(5) 31` August 1989: Priest released on bail after sex assault charges
This is “passport” – singular. I wonder which is correct?
I also wonder what retreat he went on?
(6) 07 October 1989: Warrant issued for priest accused of child molesting
Dejaeger was taking a course at the evangelical Christian Trinity Western University in Langley, B.C.?
(7) 29 November 1989: Second delay for sex case
Dejaeger was staying at a Manitoba “mission”? Was this simply an Oblate residence in Winnipeg?
(8) 07 April 1990: Priest gets 5 years for sex assaults
A guilty plea. A five year sentence.
(9) 03 January 1991: Priest faces 5 sex charges
This isn’t too clear because there is no reference to the fact that these are a second set of charges, but I believe there is no doubt that these arethe second set of Baker Lake charges against Dejaeger. Elsewhere the ages are given as 14 and 16.
Dejaeger was found or pled guilty on these charges. His sentence was to run concurrent with the original sentence.
(10) 10 January 1991: Northern community grapples with reports of child sexual abuse
More on this in the following article
(11) 23 February 1991: Struggling for answers; Baker Lake taking steps to combat a shocking rate of sexual abuse; Sexual abuse cases leave quiet northern community searching its soul
That poor dear simple soul!
I will add here that I have been told that Dejaeger attended St. Joseph Seminary in Edmonton, Alberta. How many years he attended there is, as yet, unknown. I have also been told he spent several months at the Oblate administered St. Paul`s University in Ottawa, Ontario. How long he was at St. Paul`s and when is unknown, but I think it was prior to his ordination in 1978 .
*****
I have nearly finished a page for Father Leonard Buckley. I will wrap it up later today and get it posted.
Enough for now,
Sylvia