The Edmonton Journal
07 April 1990
Laurie Sarkadi (Journal Norther Bureau)
From his prison cell in a snowbound Arctic police station, disgraced Father Eric Jose Dejaeger faces a steady stream of visitors.
Police say former parishioners, friends and acquaintances in Baker Lake have come to say goodbye to the Roman Catholic priest, destined to spend the next five years in a federal penitentiary for nine sexual assault convictions.
The Belgian-born Dejaeger, 42, pleaded guilty Thursday in Baker Lake Supreme Court to two counts each of sexual assault and indecent assault involving two young males, plus five less serious sexual assaults against young females.
All of the offences occurred between 1982-89 in the close-knit Inuit community of 1,000 people, located about 500 km north of the Manitoba border.
The thin, bearded priest served the town’s 100 Roman Catholic followers for seven years before he was arrested last August in Langley, B.C., following a lengthy police investigation.
The investigation continued after his arrest, leading to an additional four charges, of which one was stayed by the Crown.
David Hart, manager of the Hudson‘s Bay store and a close friend of Dejaeger’s for 10 years, said the people of Baker Lake have been expecting the guilty plea since court proceedings turned into private dealings between both sides several months ago.
“I guess the general feeling is he got what he deserved,” Hart said, adding, “. . . I never suspected a thing at all. I was in total shock for several months after I found out he was going to plead guilty.”
Amazing, no? A “steady stream of visitors,” all to bid farewell to their child molesting priest before he heads off to jail.
“I never suspected a thing at all.” … Extremely common scenario isn’t it? The collar dupes the parishioners just like that church dupes everybody. And the victims still get no support compared to what the pervert collar gets.
I just re-read this post and talk about making excuses:
“The Belgian-born Dejaeger, 42, pleaded guilty Thursday in Baker Lake Supreme Court to two counts each of sexual assault and indecent assault involving two young males, plus five less serious sexual assaults against young females.”
“…sexual assaults …two young males” and “five less serious sexual assaults”!!!??? Is it me or did I only imagine the meaning of “SEXUAL ASSAULT”, “YOUNG MALES”, “YOUNG FEMALES”…
Friends and acquaintances came to say good bye!? ….
What part of “sexual assault” didn’t they understand!
Did they spend half as much time trying to comfort the victims?…It is difficult to loose a “good priest”(!) and much more painful for a community to loose a child…
Then again, a snotty nosed kid is only marginally as attractive as a well spoken, well dressed, charming, well mannered representative of ROME!
All the glitter is very blinding….but I understand the assaults were not “serious”…
jg
JG, the comment from Murice O”Quinn, which comes just before yours, suggests there is one more collar emailing under an alias. He does not even know how to spell Maurice.
They will correct us on small details, but, remain silent on the big ones.
Ostriches, many of them.
You’re probably right Tim….what a bunch of cowards.
Something wrong with the reply box on that tread….
Anyway I think “Murice” just did as many of us often do…type too fast, post just as fast…There is a Rev. Maurice O’Quinn in Stephenville, Nfld. Give it a “Goog”…
I give him credit for using his own name and for attempting a “normal” contact… I will not shoot at someone with a white flag! At first glance he is just “clarifying” a point and Sylvia would always welcome a “peaceful” gesture.
Keep an open mind.
jg
HE CAN’T BE 42… MISPRINT HERE I BELIEVE
The article is an old one Josh – it was published 13 years ago in 1990. So, he was 42 then, – mid 60s now.