Fournier: Father Armand Fournier

Share Button

Armand Fournier smm

Armand M. Fournier

Montfortian priest (also Montfortian Fathers, Montfortain Fathers).  Ordained 1954.  In 1964 founded a n 80 acre camp for boys age 7 to 15.  The camp,  Camp de l’Amitié. (Camp  Friendship), is situated on 80 acres of land in Val Des Bois, Quebec, a fairly short drive from Ottawa, Ontario.  July 2011 lawsuit launched by man alleging abuse at the camp between 1970 and 1974

The camp as it is now advertised on the internet

______________________

Archbishops of the Archdiocese of Ottawa during Father Fournier’s years in the archdiocese: Marie-Joseph Lemieux, O.P. (29 June 1953 – 24 September 1966) ; Joseph-Aurèle Plourde (02 January 1967 – September 1989) ; Marcel André J. Gervais (Coadjutor Archbishop: 13 May 1989 – Archbishop: 27 Sep 1989 – 14 May 2007)

Auxiliary Bishops: Paul-Émile Charbonneau (15 November 1960 – 21 May 1963); Joseph Raymond Windle  (15 November 1960 to 23 Jan 1969);  René Audet  (21 May 1963 – 03 January 1968); John Michael Beahen  (11 May 1977 to 14 March 1988); Gilles Bélisle (11 May 1977 – 19 August 1993); Frederick Joseph Colli (19 December 1994 – 02 February 1999); Paul Marchand, S.M.M. (31 May 1993 to 08 March 1999)

____________________________

The following information is drawn from Canadian Catholic Directories (CCCD) of that date, the 1980 Ontario Catholic Directory (OCD) and the lawsuit (L)

05 May 2000Died at age 71

2000, 1999, 1998, 1997: address and phone number for Notre Dames de Lourdes Roman Catholic Church (Pastor Father Maurice Leblanc smm) (CCCD)

1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992, 1991:  address and phone number for Notre Dames de Lourdes Roman Catholic Church (Pastor Father Gaetan Ouimet ssm) (CCCD)

1985-85: address and phone number for Notre Dames de Lourdes Roman Catholic Church (Pastor Father Maurice Leblanc smm) (CCCD)

1980:  “in residence at Notre Dames de Lourdes Roman Catholic Church, Ottawa, Ontario (Fathers G. Gendron smm, C. Leduc smm, L.M. Dion smm, – and “In residence” Fathers  A. M. Fournier, H.M. Guidon, J. Changon smm, L. Philibert smm, M. Burke smm) (OCD)

1971 – 1974:  2011 lawsuit alleges sex abuse of a young boy at the camp during these years.  The boy was age 9 or 10 when the abuse began.  According to the lawsuit the camp was run by Fournier with assistance of counsellors and young people from the church (L)

1973-74, 1971-72:   address and phone number  for Notre Dames de Lourdes Roman Catholic Church,  Ottawa,  Ontario (Pastor Father Lucien Nourry ssm) (CCCD)

1968-69:  address and phone number for  Notre Dames de Lourdes Roman Catholic Church,  Ottawa,  Ontario (Pastor Father Charles Lavoie ssm) (CCCD)

1964:  founded  Camp de l’Amitié in Val Des Bois, Quebec.  According to Statement of Claim the camp was founded to allow boys age 7 to 15 to experience outdoors activities.  in Quebec. (Camp Friendship) (L)

1955-63:   taught at a college in Papineauville, Que., run by the Montfortian Fathers (this is the college attended by Bishop Paul Marchand smm. I believe Fournier would have been on staff for at least the last two years of Marchand’s attendance. Marchand served as pastor at Notre Dames de Lourdes from around 1987 to 1990 (Fournier was at the church throughout those years).  Marchand served as Provincial Superior of the Montfort Fathers from 1900-1993 at which time he was consecrated bishop.

Marchand, now deceased, served first as an Auxiliary Bishop in  Ottawa  (1993-1999)  and Bishop of Timmins, Ontario until his death in 2000.

08 December 1954:  ORDAINED

15 August 1949:  professed

1928:  born in  Montreal, Quebec

________________________________

Court File No. 11-51958

ONTARIO
SUPERIOR COURT OF JUSTICE

BETWEEN:

 

XXXXX

XXXXX and XXXXX


Plaintiffs

– and –

LE CERCLE DE L’AMITIE N.D.L. (VANIER) INC. also known as
CAMP DE L’AMITIE, [XXX], [XXX],
THE ESTATE OF FATHER ARMAND FOURNIER,
LES PERES MONTFORTAINS also known as The Company of Mary,
and THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CORPORATION OF THE EPISCOPAL
ARCHDIOCESE OF OTTAWA

Defendants

STATEMENT OF CLAIM

[……]

7.   The perpetrator, Father Armand Fournier (“Fournier) is deceased and was at all material times a Priest at Notre Dame De Lourdes Church in Vanier, Ontario. At all material times to this action, Fournier was a priest of the Roman Catholic  Church and was employed by and under the control and direction of the Defendant, the Roman Catholic Corporation of the Episcopal Archdiocese of Ottawa. Fournier was also an owner and director of the Defendant, Le Cercle De L’Amitie N.D.L. (Vanier) Inc. (also known as Camp De L’Amitie).

8.  The Defendant, Les Peres Montfortains, is a Roman Catholic missionary community. “Fournier” was a priest within the community.

9.  The Defendant, Roman Catholic Corporation of the Episcopal Archdiocese of Ottawa (“Archdiocese”) is a body corporate having its head office in the City of Ottawa, in the Province of Ontario. The Archdiocese carries out the religious charitable and educational purposes and uses of the Roman Catholic Church within the Archdiocese, (including the appointment, control and direction of its parish priests, such as the Defendant Fournier.

10. The Archdiocese had a duty of care to its parishioners owing to the close proximity of its priests to the lives of the parishioners as well as the level of trust and faith which the parishioners and others extended to the Archdiocese, its priests and employees. Fournier also owed a duty of care the Plaintiff.

11.  The Plaintiff states that as a child he was a member of the Notre Dame De Lourdes Parish in  Vanier,Ontario, and attended church every Sunday with his mother. Fournier was the priest of the church at that time.

12.  The Plaintiff states that between 1970 and 1974 he attended a summer camp known as Camp De L’Amitie located in Val Des Bois,Quebec. The Camp was established as a youth camp for boys between the ages of 7 and 15, so they could experience outdoor activities. At all material times the Camp was run by Fourier who was assisted by counsellors and younger people from the church.

13.  The Plaintiff states that activities at the Camp included swimming, hiking, crafts, horse-back riding and movies in the evening. Fourinier oversaw the activities.

14.  The Plaintiff states that the Camp had two dormitories in which the boys slept. There was one large dormitory which accommodated approximately eighty boys in bunk beds, and a second small dormitory which accommodated approximately sixteen to twenty beds. The counsellors and Fournier would do rounds at night to check on the children.

15. The Plaintiff states that he attended Camp for four years in a row. During the first three years he was repeatedly assaulted sexually by Fournier who would go to the Plaintiff’s bedside after the lights were out and sexually fondle the Plaintiff inappropriately.

16. The Plaintiff states he first attended Camp in or about 1971. He was 9 or 10 years of age. During the first year he was assaulted by Fournier four or five times. Fournier would go to the Plaintiff’s bedside and initially stare at him. He then sat next to the Plaintiff on the bed. He uncovered the Plaintiff, pulled down his underwear and started fondling his genitals and penis. The Plaintiff states that Fournier never said a word. He would start to breathe heavier and squeeze the Plaintiff harder and harder, so much so that it would hurt the Plaintiff. Fournier would then pull up the Plaintiff’s underwear, cover him up and leave.

17. The Plaintiff states that he was similarly assaulted by Fournier the following year in or about 1972 when he attended Camp, but on a much more frequent basis. During the second year, the Plaintiff slept in an upper bunk bed. Fournier stood next to his bed when he assaulted the Plaintiff.

18. During his third year at Camp in or about 1973, the Plaintiff states that he was again similarly assaulted by Fournier. The assaults occurred almost nightly.

19.   In or about 1974, the Plaintiff attended Camp for his fourth and final year….Fournier did not assault the Plaintiff during his final year at Camp

[……]

Tierney Stauffer LLP

[filed by Frank C. Tierney]

_____________________________________

N o t r e   D a  m e   —   A n   H i s t o r i c a l   C e m e t e r  y

Catholic  Ottawa, Fall & Winter 2009

Ottawa Notre DameCemetery: An Historic Cemetery of National Importance Established in 1872 (Québec, Les Éditions GID, 2009), written by Jean Yves Pelletier, is now available in both English  and French. Created in 1872 by Most Reverend Joseph-Eugène-Bruno Guigues, first Bishop of Bytown, and designed according to plans made by Father Georges Bouillon, this cemetery is the most important Catholic cemetery in the National Capital Region. Almost 123,000 people are buried there.

The work contains an historical overview of the cemetery and paints a portrait of almost 200 men and women who, for the most part, played an important role. The graves of many well known personalities are found in this cemetery, for instance, the one of Lydia Branda (Mother Mary Thomas Aquinas), founder of Sœurs de l’Institut Jeanne d’Arc, and of Rose-deLima Dauth (Mother Julie), founder of Petites Filles de Saint-Joseph. Among priests, we find the graves of Msgr. JosephOnésime Routhier, long-time Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Ottawa, of Canon Fran-çois-Xavier Barrette, one of the founding fathers of l’Ordre de Jacques Cartier, and of Father Armand Fournier, founder of Camp de l’Amitié. Furthermore, the author highlights the section reserved for priests of the Archdiocese of Ottawa, and the sections, containing many lots, owned by sixteen Religious Congregations, among them, Sisters of Charity of Ottawa, Daughters of Wisdom and Sisters of the Sacred Heart.

The book is for sale inOttawabookstores and at the Administration Office of Notre Dame Cemetery (455 Montreal Road,Ottawa).

44 Responses to Fournier: Father Armand Fournier

  1. LYLA FOURNIER says:

    I have been lookin for my half brother. do you know his birthdate and year? i know he passed away. i never had the chance to meet him. please, i need to know if this was who he was. thx for your response.

  2. Denis says:

    I had known Pere Fournier all my life. NDL was our Parish. Since the age of 12 (1969) I had traveled to Val-des-Bois (VDB) on the odd weekend here and there to give the priest a hand with the property. Le camp de l’amitie did not open until 1971, so there was always work to do, which is why we were happy and even humbled when the good father gave you the nod to go up for the weekend, everyone wanted to go.
    On any given weekend there might have been 7 or 8 of us (as many as could squeeze into the priest’s VW mini bus). We used to stay in a small 2 room cottage with the kids on one side and Pere Fournier in his room on the other side.
    Vanier back then was the square mile with the highest population density in North America (Pop. 21,000) and was very much a blue collar town much as it is today. Kids form all over booked early to ensure their space for the following year. I was part of the Summer Camp the first year as well as the following year and I kept contact periodically with Pere Fournier.
    I can honestly say that I have never seen any actions on the part of Pere Fournier or heard any talk of this kind of incident from any of my contemporaries of the day. I find it unfortunate that such accusation are made once the individual can no longer address the complaint. I remain with fond memories of my old friend.

    • roch says:

      denis.
      First you have to understand and accept that your so called friend has fooled you and so many others, this is what sexual predators do best. myself and several others are victims, this is just not one incident Denis, it is obvious that you are part of the catholic church to make such bold remarks. i will state what one victim was told by a clergy” it’s to bad that the people do not see the good that he Father Fournier has done to the community”. Really Denis it would of been kinf of hard as a younger individual to say anything back then for several reasons which you would not understand at the moment but the main is people like you, yes people that do not believe that he was a sexual predator. you must come from a good home, good education, both parents and a good household income when you were young attending the camp. see you were not vulnerable to pray upon. Predators go after the kids from low income families. open you eyes because i think the light from above is making you blind to the truth. i am very pleased that one person stood up for this injustice and i know more will come now that he cat is out of hat. may your friend burns in hell for eternity for what he has caused. this is just the beginning of a chapter that the story will get uglier and the truth will be told. it is also funny Denis that you colleges never heard of this because on my side of town everyone has been talking about it on the streets for years.

    • Paul says:

      WOW, I’m dumbfounded at your remarks “unfortunate that such accusation are made once the individual can no longer address the complaint”

      With all do respect here are the reasons why. Please read and educate yourself before speaking. I went there as well. Nothing happened to me. So!!!!

      “Why abuse victims wait until their twilight years to come forward”
      http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/why-abuse-victims-wait-until-their-twilight-years-to-come-forwar/

      https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jul/18/victims-sexual-abuse-help-abused-nhs-support-survivors

      Here are a couple. Do your homework before speaking. SHEEEESH

  3. Sylvia says:

    Victims don’t tend to talk of their abuse until years later Denis. You may have fond memories of Father Fournier – others obviously and unfortunately do not.

  4. Perry says:

    Being in my early 30’s, I have attended camp for many years from 1987 to 1995, I also worked there after he died from 2001 to 2007. This is the first time I hear of this. I’m so very shocked. My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims. I only have very good memories of Camp de l’Amitié. Very sad to hear. 🙁

    • Sam says:

      Perry,
      I am the victim in this case. Thank you for your understanding and sharing your comments. I also have good memories at the camp, never the less what happen did happen.

      • Pierre says:

        Perry,
        Reading the details of this case the exact same thing happened to me. I’m sure he abused many many more. I’m glad someone was brave enough to come forward.

  5. Francis says:

    I was subjected to the same exact tactics and act as a young boy. I told my parents right away upon my return and they discussed this with a social worker at the time. This person believed there was not enough evidence to pursue this further. However, reading this document after so many years (it was 1980 + or – a year when this happened to me) and knowing that Père Fournier as I knew him is dead and that formal charges were brought against the church is giving me some peace after all these years. Thank you for publishing this.

    • Sylvia says:

      How sad that a social worker concluded there was insufficient evidence to proceed. Were police ever contacted, or was it the social worker who made the decision on his/her own?

      • Francis says:

        The social worker made the decision on her own and police were never contacted. I just learned about the social worker myself this weekend from my parents as I was too young to understand what really had transpired at the time. I was lucky compared to this other gentleman as this only happened on one occasion to me and I never returned to “Le camp de l’Amitié”. The camp was a truly wonderful place and it is a huge shame it had to have this priest as the figurehead behind it. I wish this had been pushed further at the time so other boys could of been spared from this predator.

    • Sam says:

      Francis than you for sharing your story, hopefully this enable others in coming forward as I did.

  6. Christiane Gingras says:

    Je suis triste car toute situation d’abus doit être dénoncée MAIS, je ne comprends pas car l’Église devrait réagir de façon à protéger ses membres: la famille des victimes, celle du Père Fournier dont je fais partie par alliance et aussi la grande et belle famille du Camp de l’amitié . Tout va être rejeté : le bon grain avec le mauvais et il est trop tard pour entendre l’accusé. Je sympathise avec la victime: à 9 ans, on ne comprends pas et on se sent coupable. Il faut aussi se rappeler qu’à l’époque,les victimes avaient peu de ressources et je le sais. En ce qui me conserne,je suis désolée car je n’ai que de bons souvenirs de VDB.ce qui me brise le coeur: les conséquences tragiques de ces actes qui rebondissent sur plus de victimes. On dénonce les prêtre mais j’espère que l’argent de ces dénonciations servira à aider les jeunes. En ce qui conserne le père Fournier qu’il repose en paix quant à l’Eglise,je déplore son manque de transparence .Cette situation porte atteinte à trop de gens et aura des conséquences sur l’oeuvre du prêtre à laquelle beaucoup ont crû. AMEN

    • Sylvia says:

      It’s not great, but for the benefit of the many who, like me, are not bilingual, here is a Google translation:

      I’m sad for all situations of abuse must be denounced BUT, I do not understand because the Church should respond to protect its members, the victim’s family, the Father Fournier including myself by marriage and also the great and beautiful family of friendship Camp. Everything will be rejected: the wheat with the bad and it was too late to hear the accused. I sympathize with the victim to 9 years, we do not understand and you feel guilty. It must also be remembered that at the time the victims had few resources and I know it. With conserne me, I’m sorry because I have good memories of VDB.ce that breaks my heart: the tragic consequences of these acts that bounce off more victims. It denounces the priest but I hope the money of these denunciations will be used to help young people. With conserne father Fournier he rest in peace about the Church, I deplore its lack of transparency .This condition affects too many people and will affect the work of the priest in which many grew. AMEN”

    • Sam says:

      I will comment in English Christiane
      If the heads of the Catholic church would of done the right thing by coming in public to begin with and acknowledge that they cared about the victims and invited the victims to come forward to assist them, only good things would of prevailed. As far as the monetary funds your mentioned, once the lawyers are done, well there is no money left to help others.

      • Mike Mc says:

        Yes, the real issue is that the church did not act or come forward with arrests. Instead, it protected the priest and still does with lawyers and secrecy even to this day. Rome church vaults are filled with terrible stories that will never be told unless somehow the public get a hold of these records. And in light of recent events, I truly believe you will be seeing Pope Francis resigning. It (secrecy) has now reached right to the top. Sad to say but the time has come for the Church to fully recognize its sinfulness and criminal activity. Any other CEO would have been let go long ago.

  7. Lawrence West says:

    It is sad to reflect upon the fact that accusations against deceased religious are plagued by two matters: (1) that undoubtedly many abusers were manipulative but (2) this fact has been the standard answer by liars when challenged. I understand why genuine victims may have let years go by without saying anything but dismayed by the pretenders who use that excuse. And how do we possibly work out who are the liars and who are the victims so long after the fact and what good does it do anyway?

    • Sam says:

      Lawrence,
      as the victim here, I can comment on the following. A victim has to go through a series steps so that the evidence is strong enough to stand up in court. This includes being interrogated by an expert which usually is a private investigator which as served many years within the police force, and having to answer a series of questionnaires from a professional expert in the field of sexual abuse. You need to be a great con artist similar as the people who commits these crimes. And that my friend Lawrence is an impossible task to achieve. Specially if there are more then one victim coming forward as in this case.

    • Paul says:

      Evidence, investigation and behavior since the act(s)

      withdrawn, alcoholism, drug abuse in there teens and beyond, Bipolar etc etc

      Research on the net………..get educated before making comments.

    • Sam says:

      JD
      this seems to be appalling to you by your comment. Which part bothers you, that the victims get some form of compensation or the fact the heads of the Catholic church set out the rules of engagement and that these are the consequences of their actions.

  8. Jacques says:

    I had great summers at ‘Le Camp de l’Amitié’ in Val-des-Bois, Québec from 1969 to 1979. In 1969, 1970, I was one of those 80 boys in bunk beds until I started working as a counselor in 1974 to 1979 and also as a Chief-Counselor. I was also part of smaller group of 6-8 boys that were driving down for the weekend in the Fournier’s VW van during fall-winter. During these escapes, he would ask the little boy one by one to take a shower in his room and he would stay there. I was never assaulted or fondled personally by Fournier but I have witnessed a few occasions that he did approach or fondle little boys. He knew my family too much to make a move and usually these predators-pedophiles will go for a little boy from a poor family or single-mother as a parent so they have less chances of being caught. I have seen the movie ’Spotlight’ and this is why I decided to confirm the accusations of the plaintiff. During one summer, I can confirm that one little boy came running to us at night to talk to the counsellors about the exact same situation. As a Chief-Counsellor and other counsellors we did not know what to do back then. We were only 18-19 in the 1970s! We decided to send the little boy back to his bed and a counsellor what staying nearby. It might be this Francis that wrote on this blog. Also, I can confirm that Fournier was doing the rounds every single night with his flashlight of every summer. I have witnessed his ‘fondness’ for a little boy. They are manipulative predators and abusers. It is very hard to catch them in the act as they know how to operate. Also, the assaults for the plaintiff stopped in 1974 only because this little boy had become a man with facial hair which pedophiles dislike. After the incident with the little boy in the late 70s, I have stopped talking to Fournier and I did not work there any longer.

  9. Sam says:

    Thank you very much Jacques for sharing your comment. I am the victim which filed the lawsuit.Other victims have started to come forward and sharing their story’s over the last 4 years. I just want to emphasize that your message will help others in building confidence and hopefully coming forward to seek help and compensation they deserve. What we should all start realize is that their is no doubt in our minds that Fournier is probably the most prolific evil sexual predator which ever existed in modern times within the Canadian borders. In the last 5 years i always wondered how many victims are actually out their! I did a few counts over the last few years but i do not know the total of years he was at the camp. My first assessment was around 20 as i originally thought these acts would of stop after my cousin Marc drown at the camp in the early 70’s. But they did not and that these horrible acts actually started in the 60’s. A very conservative number would be 800 individuals of boys and girls, were abused by him. But there could very well be over 1200 victims after reading your post. When you have reflected on this subject as long as I have the numbers are not small and you quickly come to one conclusion. Fournier started the V DB camp for one reason and one reason only, to sexually abuse as many kids as he possibly could. It is a hard act to comprehend for those individuals out there that have always believe that this Fournier character which they always looked up too as the greatest thing since sliced cheese was a actually a very evil person.
    The Catholic church has been under attack by the purest form of evil. The one which is attacking the children of the Catholic faith for decades. My message is that I am not writing to discriminate the Catholic faith, but rather sending a message to its followers. These victims are your sons and daughters, cousins, niece and nephew, uncles and aunts, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, and childhood friends which were made victims. With over 300 priest found guilty of committing these horrible acts to children in our communities and countless victims coming forward is it not the time to stand behind us showing your support rather then calling liars and frauds. After all we probably sat besides each other in church at one time or another believing in the goodness of the Catholic faith. The good and Catholic thing to do here is band together within our communities and assist victims instead if discriminating against them, as unfortunately most often is the outcome. Amen

  10. Simon says:

    Hi,

    I looked up the court file at the Ottawa Court House and learned that the case was dismissed in the Summer of 2016.

    When I learned that the Camp de l’Amitié was for sale, some of my family members told me it was because of payments due to victims of father Fournier.

    The publication of this unfounded information is tarnishing the name of father Fournier. Would it be possible to take down this content from online.

    Also, the camp was for boys and girls.

    Thank you.

    • Smont says:

      Unfortunately, the camp indeed had to shut down and go up for sale to pay for the lawsuit. As one of the counselors that was working during this time period, I find it extremely heartbreaking that so many years after the incident with Père Fournier and a mere 15 years after he passed away, someone had to come after Camp de l’amitié, which I can say was far from a place where sexual assault was still taking place. I am all for the victims standing up and speaking out about the sexual assault they endured, trust me I’m not against that. However, it saddens my fellow coworkers turned family and I and all of those kids who saw Camp de l’Amitié as a way to make amazing memories with new friends, that this lawsuit forced the church to shut the camp down in order to pay for the lawsuit. Bring down Père Fournier, not Camp de l’Amitié.

  11. Rsm says:

    Simon
    Would you like to meet with me in a public location of your choice to discuss the situation your asking. I am the Victim in this case.
    I will not discuss the legal details of the settlement that both parties agreed upon.
    If you truly believe in God then you will be more then welcome to sit down. And remember evil works in mysterious ways. I suffered and still suffer from the abuse from a pedophile dressed up as a man of God.

  12. BC says:

    The actual reasons for the closure were outlined here: https://www.ledroit.com/chroniques/denis-gratton/un-tresor-de-souvenirs-e13015b20ff531f6d62b1fe1bc68d943

    Father Gaétan Ouimet of Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes parish didn`t even mention Father Fournier`s victims. However you are most correct in reiterating that Father Fournier did victimize young persons. Furthermore, this case was a civil action. It was not dismissed as you suggest…. It was settled out of court; like most civil actions are in Canada.

    I thank you nevertheless for allowing Google to archive this post about Father Fournier in the hope that more of his victims may one day read it and also decide to seek justice for the prejudices that they had endured.

    • Simon says:

      The civil action referred to in the statement of claim excerpted above was dismissed in court. If there was an out of court settlement, it was not related to the claims against Armand Fournier outlined in the above statement of claim, since those claims were dismissed in court.

      Was the out of court settlement made in private, which granted damages, admit guilt on the part of Armand Forhnier?

  13. Rsm says:

    Well Simon you are the coward as i tought you were. You never answered my call on meeting in public.
    Why does it matter what the answer is.
    Basically you support a pedophile as you stated ” that i am as a victim tarnishing a sexual predators reputation” which seems to be a very good friend of yours. Are you one of those sexual predators also. Ever heard of the Canon law. Its a law which is seperate and above the law that we all have to respect as citizens living in Canada. The Canon law is above our law. From my pespective its a law to protect the largest known group of individuals who have committed sexual crimes againts children in Canadian History. If you did not like Sylvia enabling me to come forward with my story you will have a heart attack when the story hits the mainstream media in a very near future. I hope that i will give more victims enough courage to come forward as a few others have started to do so. I am the first of many. Brace yourself there are also young girls not just boy’s.
    Amen

    • Simon says:

      Hi,

      I am not interested in meeting. I am no party to this case, and do not support any side. Mr. Fournier has passed away a while ago, and I did not know him very well. I enjoyed summer camp at Camp l’amitié, and thankfully was not victim to any abuse.

      The court files are archived in Toronto, and I am not paying the $75 to have them shipped to Ottawa for consultation.

      Best of luck.

  14. Rsm says:

    Hi,
    Simon this is what you wrote last September
    ” The publication of this unfounded information is tarnishing the name of father Fournier. Would it be possible to take down this content from online.”

    Since you felt interested enough to comment and leave a message in regards to the civil action i have taken, I then felt compelled to reply and suggested that we could meet with each other so that i could explain in better details what we have to go through as victims of sexual abuse when pursuing a civil action lawsuit in this type of situation.
    I know 2 thing about you Simon,
    you did support father Fournier it’s written in black and white and not by me but rather by you and that your so devoted to the Catholic faith that you forgot about all the goodness of it’s teaching you know, honesty and integrity and “do not bring harm to any the children of god”. In your comment yesterday you mention you do not support any side! but at least you wish me good luck.
    I am writing back to you today so that you can realize how sensitive these comments are to the victims. Do you actually think that any individual would be stupid enough to start a law suit and pretend that he was abused…. really. Attitudes have to change in regards to followers of the faith about the crimes committed against children by priests and hopefully you will be the first.
    And for everyone else that as been asking the same question on this post. I payed out of pocket to remove the lawsuit against the camp d’amitie. So why is the camp for sale i do not know!
    To my cousin Marc may you rest in peace soon its been 45 years since you left us.

  15. Simon says:

    I am sorry if my opinion may have offended you. The claim was dismissed in court, and someone reading this page would not know that without going to the courthouse to find out. What I would like to know is why it was dismissed. The reasons why you withdrew from the lawsuit. You can feel free to share or keep to yourself.

    • Paul says:

      I went to this Camp de L’Amitié for 3-4 summers at 2 weeks per. S0 a total 6-8 weeks when fournier was there.
      I specifically remember 2 or 3 kids invited many nights to go and sleep in his cottage/quarters with no other adults there. Maybe it’s me, but how creepy is that. Micheal Jackson

      I remember being jealous because I figured that I’ve been there so long and never been invited………why so?? So young, naive and innocent, not surprising as this is pedophiles modus operandi.

      My Dad was friends with this creep. That’s what saved me!!

      Do you have the intelligence/understanding how difficult it is to come forward with something that haunts you day in day out for the rest of you life?
      Being judged by the piddly means of you and perhaps re-live this in a courtroom setting, where a Lawyer forces you to remember and describe it every part of this nightmare in detail!!!!

      Settling out of court is a no-brainer. HEY, that’s up you alley, NO-BRAINER

      It takes courage beyond your pico brain comprehension level. You sir, offend me tremendously.
      It’s actually people like you that make it difficult to come forward.

      Simon, you are a Fascist! If you were American I know you would vote for Trump. You neanderthal waste of space.

      • Simon says:

        I went to Camp de l’amitié in the mid-nineties. The last time I visited the camp, there is a plaque there for Armand Fournier. Unlike the claimants, I had very fond memories of the camp and Armand Fournier. I assisted the camp four years in a row, looking forward to it every year. Evidently, that is not the case for everyone. To look up the file at the court house and find out that it was dismissed led me to question why. Please keep the statement of claim up if that helps whoever had a terrible and traumatizing experience confirm their experience. Again, I am no party to this case. If I am defending anything, it is my experience at the camp and with the accused. That is all. I am sorry for any victim and I hope you can heal from any damage that was caused by actions such as the ones highlighted in the claim. If someone would accuse someone you are fond of with actions as terrible as claimed, would you not question these claims? Is it wrong to question? In any event, this page is for victims. I am sorry to have engaged you with my questions.

    • Mike Mc says:

      Simon,….when I read what you write,,,,you are so misguided. Yes, you had a good experience with Fr Fournier. I was a teacher in Newfoundland when a Fr Smith and a Bishop Lahey came into my classroom to conduct workshops and confirmation. When I heard both had been arrested of sexual misconducts and abuse, it was hard to believe and even fathom. These men of the church were really wolves in sheeps’ clothing. Their dark side caught up with them and their evil deeds were exposed. But it was hard to accept. Even when the Church was going through all this coverup, it was just a bad press story until you knew somebody who was guilty of these crimes. It was shock, disbelief and then anger, I’ll tell you. So please do not defend this Fr Fournier. His name should be struck down just as Bishop Lahey’s name has been erased here in Newfoundland on various corner stones etc. Simon, wake up please. The Church has had a serious sexual abuse problem for ages! The Church is in a very troubled state. Its future is now being questioned. You nor I may have never been abused, but to the victims of this abuse, it was a life altering effect that they think about probably every day.

      • Simon says:

        Hi Mike,

        I am no longer going to respond to name-calling or ad hominem arguments against me for what I wrote after finding out that the claim above was dismissed.

        Guilt by association is a logical fallacy. If Armand Fournier was a member of the catholic church, that does not make him a criminal; however, he was accused posthumously of serious misconduct as outlined in the claim above.

        There are serious issues with the assignment of penance by a church organization for confessed crimes as opposed to a duty to report and lay information to police and the criminal justice system. If this was part of the claim above and was found to be true, it is terrible.

        Please keep the claim up, as I mentioned before. It is, however, important to know that the claim was dismissed. Yes, it tarnishes Armand Fournier’s reputation, and maybe with good reason. I have nothing else to say about this.

  16. Peter says:

    Hello,
    Sylvia, thank you for this website. Sam and Francis thank you for coming forward. I am also a victim. I’ve been researching for years and wondered why no one came forward. Please keep this webpage available, its the only information available for others to come forward. I’m sure many more will come forward.

  17. Paul says:

    You might see part of this in a previous discussion, but I found it pertinent to repeat.

    I went to Camp de L’Amitié for 3-4 summers at 2 weeks per, s0 a total 6-8 weeks when Pere fournier (aka the Devil) was there.
    I specifically remember 2 or 3 kids were invited many nights to go and sleep in his cottage/quarters.
    I remember being jealous/envious because I figured “why have I not been chosen since I’ve been there so long and never been invited”………why so?? So young, naive and so innocent.
    My Dad was friends with this yellow belly coward, and THAT’S……….. what saved me!!

    That………. is my motivation, to try and help people that weren’t as lucky as I was.

    I suspect that after doing “the math” that fournier’s victim’s might be 4,5, 600 or maybe more!! Many decades of abuse!!

    This similar subject has been at the the forefront of the news recently in Hollywood. This is as good time as it has ever, to come forward, as the public/courts etc…. are fed up and willing to listen with sympathetic ears.

    I would encourage anybody who has suffered under this horrible monster’s grasp, to come forward to share your tragedy and begin the healing process.

    In my findings I discovered a law firm which is familial with this Demon.

    Frank Tierny of:
    Tierny Stauffer LLP
    (613) 728-8057

    It is with great hope that you may find peace within this tragic event.
    Take Care

Leave a Reply