I have a mini-medical family crisis. I pray it’s not too serious. I will be off at the crack of dawn to babysit while my son seeks medical attention for a severe infection. I will probably be away for the day and all being well back home in the evening. These things are always a worry. Say a prayer for my son (no, this is not the one with Crohn’s)
I won’t be able to put all my thoughts together on Fathers Ed MacNeil omi and Robert Whyte csb as I had hoped. I must say that the pair of them niggled at my mind for the whole weekend. I am disgusted.
A few thoughts:
(1) Basilian priest Robert Whyte
Note that Whyte was shipped off for five months treatment in 1977 and then recycled right back to teaching! “They” decided he was cured! And, can you believe it? “They” sent him right back into the schools as a teacher!
“They” decided he was cured and hoisted him upon those poor young lads.
There certainly is not the slightest indication that parents were ever alerted to watch out for their boys. Nor any indication that the boys were alerted to watch out for Whyte. Nor any indication that Whyte was ever presented to one and all as anything less than a holy man of God – a role model for the boys.
And this is what really bothered me…
Way back in 1990 the Basilian Superior had this to say:
“I believe that it is unfair to blame authorities in the past because they did not act with the kind of awareness that we have today,”
It gets tiring.
(2) Father Ed MacNeil omi
Note that MacNeil was barely back from Southdown and there he was directing a session at the Summer Institute Human Sexuality in Galilee, Arnprior, Ontario!
Isn’t that just too much? A clerical molester directing unwitting Catholics on the topic of human sexuality!
And his fellow Oblates knowing full well that the man was a molester!!
Note the promo 1991 “Summer Institute Human Sexuality”
Those Enneagram workshops were a favourite of our disgraced Canadian Bishop Raymond Lahey. In fact, in 1992 Lahey dispatched his clergy from the Diocese of St. George’s Newfoundland, and himself, off to Galilee to study Enneagrams. Father Chris Rushton, the Enneagram guru for the Oblates , is quoted in the 11 July 1993 Arnrprior news as saying that the Enneagram”will really show how we can become fully human.” According to Rushton: “everyone I have had take it, at the end, has said its the greatest thing since sliced bread.”
(There are allegations that Lahey was known to be dabbling in pornography in 1989, three years before he headed off to Galilee to learn how to become fully human.” There are also allegations that he sexually abused a young boy at Mount Cashel in the early to mid 80s – allegations which Lahey denies)
Note too MacNeil conducted retreats for the Sisters of St. Joseph.
Read the timelines on MacNeil. How many times do you suppose he was reported to the Oblates before he was finally charged in 1994?
(3) Monsignor Robert Borne.
I finally got a page of sorts together for Monsignor Borne. I will add dates as I can.
Thanks to Maureen we now know that Borne has a court appearance scheduled for 14 July 2010 – it seems that the judge will render a decision as to whether or not he deems there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial. I see too that five of the 19 charges have already been dismissed or withdrawn by the Crown.
(4) 27 June 2010: Pope: Belgian sex abuse raids deplorable
I can not believe the Holy Father stepped into this one. A foolish move I’d say. It tells me that Pope Benedict is in denial as to the magnitude of the problem.
The truth of the matter is that if the bishops have been covering up for, protecting and recycling clerical molesters then they brought this upon themselves and have no one to blame but themselves. I don’t know what information the police had to prompt the raid, but my gut is the move was not made without ample cause.
As for boring holes in two caskets, there seems to conflicting accounts as to whether or not that was actually done. But, if police received credible reports that information or files or whatever was being secreted in such places I don’t see that there was much choice?
How terribly sad that it has had to come to this. Those who should warrant our trust and respect have lost it because of those who lie and deceive. The sooner all clerical sexual predators and those who obstructed justice on their behalf are gone the better for all. If it takes raids such as this to weed them out, so be it.
All of that aside, I’d say it was an unscheduled day of fasting and prayer for the bishops.
It will be interesting to see what comes of it.
(5) The Fall of the Belgian Church
I have an article waiting to be posted but am having trouble with the graphics. In light of the raid I think people should read it. For now I will give the external link to the article.
Brace yourself. This is guaranteed to shock you. It truly is sickening and both repulsive.
This pro-paedophile filth is what some if not all Belgian bishops tolerated in Roeach, a Catholic children’s’ catechism. Here is the link: http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/4471
Those who think the raid went overboard, read the article, look at the diagram, and think again.
Enough for now,
Sylvia
Your “under construction” page about Robert Whyte has him at St Mary’s School in Calgary in 1967, yet he is in the 1962, 1963 and 1964 yearbooks I have for the School. I recall comments like “Don’t visit Fr. Whyte alone”. Teenage boys can, of course, be cruel. There were similar comments made (I believe incorrectly and maliciously) about other teachers, in particular concerning a possibly gay lay teacher, whose conduct toward students was, to my knowledge, at all times totally proper.
Thanks for that info JC. I don’t have ready access to information from the 60s.
What was he teaching?
Was he coaching any teams?
Would there be a possibility of scanning and sending a picture of him? (cornwall@theinquiry.ca)
So, he was at St. Mary’s from 1962-64 (in the school yearbooks). And the 1967 and 1968-1969 Canadian Catholic Church directory has him at St. Mary’s. Can anyone fill in the rest of the 60s?
The linked article at The Brussels Journal was shocking, all right. Perhaps the most shocking evidence I have seen in all this sex scandal. I am extremely concerned about the promotion of Cardinal Marc Ouellet of Quebec to the Vatican to head the Congregations for Bishops. I met him personally a couple of times in 2009, and he is undoubtedly both suave and avuncular. However, he led the Quebec Archdiocese in ostrich-like avoidance of the whole unfolding world trauma. He also has been totally compliant with the Vatican II support of the completely unsatisfactory current Catechism. Furthermore, his own brother, not a priest, is a convicted pedophile, which no one seems to be mentioning today in connection with his promotion to high office in Rome.
My husband was abused by Father Whyte and I believe this was the cause of his death. I would like to know if this man is still alive.
To my knowledge he is still alive Rose. He was listed in the 2013 directory still living at the Cardinal Flahiff Basilian Centre in Toronto.
I don’t know if you have seen the page, if not, here is a link
My husband was also abused by father Whyte in Calgary in the 1960’s and I also believe this is was a large part of Husband dying way too early in his live.