There are several new articles posted regarding Ottawa’s Father Joe LeClair and Blessed Sacrament Church. There are oodles of articles spread from one end of the country to the other, and also down into the States. All the articles are verbatim of one or the other of the following articles:
17 April 2011: Gambling priest depressed
17 April 2011: Father LeClair issues apology to Blessed Sacrament
16 April 2011: LeClair admits gambling, denies taking from church
It truly is the talk of Ottawa, and the subject of talk at Masses today, both in and out of the pulpit.
As it stands, Father LeClair has admitted he has a gambling problem. He has assured parishioners at Blessed Sacrament that the monies he used to gamble were his own. He received standing ovations. He has not been sent off for treatment. He will definitely continue at Blessed Sacrament until Easter; what happens after that is unknown. His pre-taped Sunday morning radio broadcast (The Sunday Show with Father Joe) was broadcast this morning and will be used next Sunday to issue an explanation. An internal diocesan review is underway.
There are many many unanswered questions, not the least of which is how did a priest with a salary of $24,400 secure a line of credit far in excess of that usually awarded someone on a restricted income?
We shall see…
*****
Father William Allen has a court date tomorrow morning (19 April 2011) “to plea”: 09:30 am, Room #3. Ottawa courthouse.
Keep the complainants in your prayers.
As always, please post a comment or link or send me an email on the outcome (cornwall@theinquiry.ca)
Enough for now,
Sylvia
I am all for the investigation of issues regarding sexual abuse. What I cannot comprehend is that this appears to be a private matter. IF there is no mis-appropriation of parish funds, why does it merit public attention and even speculation on this blog?
If a priest has a person dysfunction, does it mean that it will end up on this blog? The law of the country, and even the law of the Church states that all individuals have a right to a good reputation.
Charity must prevail.
Francis Xavier, we have been told that Father LeClair met with the Archbishop on Saturday afternoon to apologize for embarrassment to the archdiocese and the Church.
Obviously he himself knows the damage done by a priest with a “significant” gambling problem.
I could be wrong, but it seems it took a media investigation for Father LeClair to admit to his “significant” problem? It seems this has acted as a sort of intervention. Do you think that’s good or bad?