Deacon Herman Cassista pleaded guilty nearly a full year ago. He has just been sentenced:
09 February 2013: Former Quebec City deacon gets 7 years for sex assault of boys, men
I have no idea why it took a year. The bulk of the media coverage on the case is in French, so I am lost. If anyone out there who is bilingual can find any explanation would you please pass it along?
Also, note the following:
The judge denounced the fact that a high-level Catholic clergy official, informed of Cassista’s crimes, tried to settle the case privately and get two victims to drop the charges. One of those victims then committed suicide.
Are there any articles which identify the “high-level Catholic clergy official” by name? – the one who “tried to settle the case privately and get two victims to drop the charges.” That may be tucked away in the French media coverage somewhere? If anyone knows, or can find it, please pass it along so whoever it is can be identified.
Finally, cause I suppose to rejoice? A seven year sentence for the sex abuse of nine boys and men between ages nine and 28. It’s rare indeed that a molester in Canada is sentenced to seven years. In truth I find it hard to get excited over such a sentence but then must remind myself that this is head and shoulders over a conditional sentence, or two years-less-a-day, or even the paltry two years which Hod Marshall got after being convicted for the sexual abuse of the 17 victims who came forward. Change I suppose must start somewhere?
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There is a judicial pre-trial booked for the Father Joe LeClair charges tomorrow (Tuesday, 12 February 2013. This is NOT open to the public.
Father LeClair has another court date booked 27 February 2013: 08:30 am, courtroom #5. Ottawa, Ontario courthouse. This will be open to the public, but whether or not he will appear is unknown and it will probably be over and done with in the twinkle of an eye with the setting of yet another date.
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A reminder that Pope Benedict XVI is resigning at the end of the month.
I watched as much media coverage as I could today – am no further ahead than when I started 🙁 Everyone is speculating.
From a purely spiritual perspective I find it hard to understand what promoted this resignation. We may never know, and, then again, in due course we may?
Strange times we live in indeed.
Enough for now,
Sylvia