The Bishop knew

Yesterday I said I would post a little more information regarding Monsignor Robert Borne.

This is short, but important.  By 2000 “the diocese” certainly knew what Monsignor Robet Borne was up to.  Bishop Brendan O’Brien knew.  And Borne was left ministering to the unwitting and vulnerable flock.

What I want to pass on relates to the allegations of one of the complainants whose charges against Monsignor Robert Borne were dismissed before going to trial.  I don’t know where exactly this complainant fits into the sequential order of complaints, but, since I referred to those who testified at the Borne sex abuse trial as C1 and C2, I will refer to him as C3.

I have both talked to and met with C3.  This is not specifically about C3’s allegations against Borne, but rather about what I – and I am sure others – would view as cover-up.  After talking to C3 I was bothered by the fact that O’Brien knew and did nothing.  I contacted C3 and asked if he would allow me recount that portion of his ‘story.’  I truly feel that people need to know.  C3 readily agreed.

Some day, perhaps, with C3’s permission, I hope to tell more of his story, but, for now, these details.

These then are, in small part,  C3’s allegations:

(1)  C3 alleges he was 15 when Monsignor Robert Borne first made sexual overtures toward him.  When the boy questioned him about the propriety of such activity,  Borne told him that: “God wants us to love one another.”  He readily admits that he agreed.

(2)  C3 spent nights at the Bishop’s Palace in Pembroke.  During such visits he dined with Bishop Windle.  He often had breakfast and lunch with the nuns.  The nuns, he told me, loved him.

(3)   Sometime in the late 90s – around the Fall of 1998 – C8 was struggling with what had happened.  He confided in a friend.  The friend talked to Bishop Brendan O’Brien – he told the bishop that C3 was struggling because of the sex abuse.

(4)  Bishop O’Brien was going to be in  Ottawa  on business.  C3 was in  Ottawa  at the same time.  A meeting was arranged at the Cathedral.

(5)  O’Brien asked C3 if he wanted to talk there at the Cathedral or go elsewhere. C3 didn’t want to be around the church – he said he would prefer to go to a coffee shop which wasn’t too far away.  He doesn’t recall the name of the coffee shop now, but it was, he believes,  in the  Murray Street  area.

(6)  At the coffee shop C3 recounted at least some of his allegations against Borne.  Bishop O’Brien’s response?  ‘I need proof.  Where’s the proof?’

(7)  C3 had the proof.  I am not going to disclose the proof for fear it could be construed as tainting the evidence of others who may come forward with allegations at a future date, but, C3 had proof.

(8) According to C3, upon hearing his ‘proof’ O’Brien’s instant response was” “what do you want?”

No Episcopal sympathy.  No apology.  None of that.  No.  Just a cool;“What do you want?”

That was it for C3.  The meeting was over.

(9)  C3 continued to struggle.  He had been seeing a psychiatrist for several years.  He was in poor health.

Many months later C3 spoke to a lawyer.  About two to three years after the  Ottawa  meeting with O’Brien, a settlement was mediated.  According to C3, it would defray the costs of his long-term therapy.

(10)  C3 was contacted by Pembroke police.  It was out of the blue he said.  To this day C3 has no idea who gave his name to the police, or how they tracked him down

No matter, as a result of that contact charges were laid

(11)  The charges were dismissed.  Consensual.  A priest telling a 15-year-old boy that it’s all alright because God wants us to love one another.  Consensual.

(12) Once upon a time C3 wanted to be a priest.

 As you all know, my vocabulary on these matters is lacking….

Heart-breaking.  Disgusting .

I weep for the victims.  I cringe at the cover-ups .  I fear for the children.  I am ashamed of and totally disgusted with our bishops.

*****

Does anyone have any details on the financial mess which allegedly surrounded $100,000 and Father Paul Hamilton back in the late 90s to early 2000s?  I have heard bits and pieces from various people over the years, and a little more over the last couple of days.  There is talk that there was a diocesan investigation of some fashion, and many believe that Hamilton was removed from ministry because of some sort of financial indiscretion.  The talk in the diocese is that Hamilton squandered the funds gambling and travelling and that the diocese said they/it would replace the missing dollars.   I believe it relates to funds which were to be used to build the new Holy Rosary Church in Belleville.  If anyone has any information please contact me at cornwall@theinquiry.ca  There is enough talk from different sources that there must be something to it.

A final note here.  The word is that Bishop Brendan O’Brien, now the Archbishop of Kingston, has ordered priests of the archdiocese not to comment on the lawsuit – they are to direct inquiries to the diocese.

Enough for now,

Sylvia