Jean-Guy letter to the Editor in response to Archbishop Vienneau comments

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Claimant responds

The Campbellton Tribune

Tribune Letter To The editor

Dear editor:

Re: Bishop responds to process critics in The Tribune dated Aug. 31.

My father was one of the clergy abuse victims I believe the Bishop refers to in this form letter which was provided to all the media in the province, in English and French. I will attempt to explain how my father and family were treated by the Bishop and the diocese’s advisor/mediator, Michel Bastarache. If I omit the titles and limit the use of their names it is not by mistake.

Some of the Tribune readers may recall a letter which I sent to the editor and dated Dec. 11, 2010, where I explained my experience with the so-called reconciliation process initiated by Vienneau and their obvious relief at my father’s passing on July 9, 2010. I thought that letter was to be the end of my involvement.

Without breaking down the timeline of the various messages to and from Michel Bastarache or his assistant Marc Sauvé during the month of December 2010, I can categorically affirm that they and the diocese were intent on “delaying” by any means possible. I was told by Bastarache on Dec. 9 2010 that a letter was sent to my attention by mail. I never did receive that letter! A copy of the letter was sent by e-mail after I gave Bastarache an “ultimatum”…on Dec. 22, 2010.

I was told the letter had been refused, that no one was at home. That is complete nonsense! The truth is that even though the Honourable Judge and the Most Rev. had all my personal contact information, they sent the letter to an incorrect address in the Tracadie area!

On Jan. 7, 2011, through a simple coincidence, I received a call from “that” Ontario lawyer, Rob Talach. He explained to me that I was not the only person whose “letter” had been sent to the incorrect address. The reason for this charade by the Diocese of Bathurst, through Bastarache, was to delay until after the six months from my father’s death. The reason?…simple! The family, my family only had six months to start a legal action!

Faced with this attempted slight, I authorized Mr. Talach to take that action against the Diocese of Bathurst. We had less than 36 hours left before the weekend, to appear before a judge in Moncton.

On Jan, 10 as if by enchantment, Mr. Bastarache’s assistant found my e-mail address to tell me they had not been able to find me…letter refused…etc.

The Church eventually paid a small amount which was split between the ‘‘Restigouche County Volunteer Association’’ and the lawyer’s fees, for the attempted deception, not for the abuse my father suffered through. Two years after this so-called reconciliation by Bishop Vienneau I am still here, at their choosing. If they were able and morally inclined to lie to my family as they did, what else have they done to cover their tracks, to protect their dear properties and “dollars”?

In the 13-minute film I took of my father on his death bed I asked my father if the Bishop’s apology would make things better. This is how we were treated. My father never got his apology, which would now be worthless! The only document on which I saw the Bishop’s signature was to ask for a receipt!

So Valery Vienneau, I find it very offensive after your charade you would call on “Dear friends” and ask for forgiveness for your predecessors! That you would dare associate yourself with God and call on Christ’s example. You represent the institution like a good corporate employee but I never saw or felt God’s presence in your process.

You do not represent me ever again. After more than two years, this is how you have left my family. You can write all the excuses and give yourselves a good pat on the back for the money you saved, for the names of predators you sealed along with the judges’ pay, but please don’t misuse again “Christ’s Love” to prop yourself up and to “benefit” the institution…and abandon the sheep!

You want to “justify” your process but the victims are for ever trying to understand and “justify” their lives.

You have understood and shared nothing! I hope the “Faithful” will see, hear and demand more transparency and honesty from its clergy.

One abused child should have been one too many to try and justify. Otherwise, everything else becomes irrelevant. Bishops and faith, judges and rule of law included! Jean-Guy Theriault

11 Responses to Jean-Guy letter to the Editor in response to Archbishop Vienneau comments

  1. Sylvia says:

    Good letter Jean-Guy.  Well done!

    Just to clarify:  Is “Bishop responds to process critics” (Tribune 31 August) the ad which the bishop ran in the papers?  I posted a Letter to the Ed. by Archbishop Vienneau which ran in the Tribune 03 September.  I think they are two different texts, are they?  Or was the ad the same as his Letter to the Editor?

    • 1 abandonedsheep says:

      *Jean-Guy, congratulations on your letter and your staying-power !This tragedy which has been imposed on the people of your area is, unfortunately, a good example of what these money-grubbing Catholic Prelates think they can get away with.  They are, in fact, mirror images of Judas Escariot, because they use clerical titles to betray Our Lord.
      God is not at fault here, but these batards are !

  2. Michel Bertrand says:

    *Tres bien dit Monsieur Theriault et avec coeur..Bon courage !

  3. PJ says:

    Bravo!!! Well put and very clear. The only language that church and it’s collars understand is the language of money and hiding their crimes. The more that step forward and start litigating, the closer we’ll get to forcing that church to finally accept their responsibilities to the victims and not to the convicted collars.

  4. JG says:

    *Sylvia,

    It is the same text which appeared the french paper as a half page ad, just translated. Baspuits had the text with a Google translation…and yes, it is the text which appeared the 31st of August, not the 03 september. The Tribune is once a week, on Friday!

    To many regulars on this site,this may be another repetition, as I have gone over this many times I believe , with pieces here and there…but I had never followed up my original letter in the newspaper. At that time I had received calls from several seniors who knew my Father and I had to repeat for them.

    Sheep, PJ, Michel and others, my hat’s off for you also, for your ”commitment” to the ”unknown children”, simply by keeping the conversation alive. 

    This is no longer about my Father, my Family and never about myself…Like I told Sylvia before, I was thrown on this ship, in the middle of a storm and I had to grab the paddle in front of me…and we cannot see the shore yet!

    This is not over by a long shot, so I just keep rowing!

    jg

  5. JG says:

    *Sylvia,

    Again…same text as the August 24 press release to the CBC.

  6. Sylvia says:

    Thanks JG.  I checked the Telegraph Journal website again and it looks as though the Archbishop’s letter, captioned “Bishop Responds,”  ran in one or more of the English papers of the chain – I think perhaps  the Fredericton Daily Gleaner, Moncton Times & Transcript and and Saint John Telegraph-Journal? It is attributed as a “Tribune Letter To The Editor” dated 03 September 2012.

    Anyway, we now have the official English version of the text of that ad and know that they are one and the same.

    Thanks again JG.  Hang onto that paddle and keep on rowing..  One day you’ll be calling out:  “Land ahoy” 🙂

  7. PJ says:

    Jg: I’ve got a lifejacket that is just your size too!!  = )

  8. b says:

    *Why in god,s name doesn,t some one in high place in catholic church come out & admit to all this evil wrongdoing & stand up now & be counted. It seems as if the whole flock are afraid. How are they able to preach day after day to us about honesty & the message of christ & the way to heaven when they are a bunch of sickos & the silent so called innocent afraid to upset the cart.

    • 1 abandondedsheep says:

      *Bob, they do not want to admit to a systemic problem in the Church which they have failed to deal with for so many years.  It would impact on the weekly collections, and they think they can not survive on less.  There will be no willing Martyrs, or pauper Clergy in this bunch- with a few exceptions.
      My solution-  each Sunday I put 2 cents in a church collection envelope, and write on the face of it—My 2 Cents Worth, and hand it in at the time of the collection.  I know that others, both in Canada and the USA are doing the same.

  9. PJ says:

    They aren’t worried about saving souls, just saving their own asses and assets.

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