The page for Father Jean-Paul Sylvestre has been added, as has the Statement of Claim:
03 June 1994: Statement of Claim (lawsuit) Father Jean-Paul Sylvestre
The information on Father Sylvestre is scant, but it is clear that, although he was incardinated in the Diocese of Grourad (Archdiocese of Grourard-McLellan) in Alberta he was on loan for many years to the Military Vicariate where he served on various military bases as chaplain, first with the rank of Flight Lieutenant, then Captain and then Major. (Military Vicariate is now the Military Ordinariate, but most people are more familiar with term Military Vicariate)
The allegation in the Statement of Claim allege sexual abuse of a young boy in the mid 60s while Sylvestre was serving at CFB/RCAF base in Uplands, Ontario (in Ottawa)
There are gaps in information which I have on hand, and so, for example, I can only sort out that sometime between 1973/74 and the early 90s Father Sylvestre arrived in the Archdiocese of Montreal with his address and phone number that of Saint Thomas A Becket Roman Catholic Church in Pierrefonds, Quebec. Whether he was assisting at the parish or just residing there is unknown, but he was there for a few years.
The lawsuit was launched in 1994. I can find no record of him in the Canadian Catholic Directory from 1996 on. Did he leave? was he defrocked? did he die? or, did he leave the country?
Anyone with any further information please contact me or post a comment.
*****
I meant to let you know yesterday that I finished posting the entire complaint which I filed with the Canadian Judicial Council regarding the conduct of Justices Colin McKinnon and James Chadwick at the first sex abuse trial of Cornwall lawyer and Church canon lawyer Jacques Leduc.
09 April 2001: Complaint to Canadian Judicial Council re judges at Leduc trial (Cover letter)
Appendix A: Justice Colin McKinnon (Appendix A to CJC complaint)
Appendix B: Justice James Chadwick (Appendix B to CJC complaint)
Backgrounder: Backgrounder (Appendix C to CJC complaint)
17 July 2001: CJC Responds: Canadian Judicial Council Response (to allegations of judicial misconduct at Leduc trial)
I know it’s a heavy read, but good to look back on knowing as we now know that when Leduc was sent back to trial by the Ontario Court of Appeal the bench at that trial was taken by Justice Terence Platana who, unbeknownst to anyone at the time, had strong connections to Cornwall AND is a deacon in the Roman Catholic Church.
Justice Platana granted Leduc a stay. Perry Dunlop was hung out to dry. An accused child molester “walked.”
All a grim reminder of a terrible terrible travesty of justice.
*****
I’m still working at find out out the status of sentencing of Deacon William Kokesch. This morning I learned that the Crown handling the case has been sick for some time. I am now waiting for a call from the office of the new Crown.
Enough for now,
Sylvia