Father Albert Laisnez (Obituary photo)
Priest, Archdiocese of Edmonton Alberta. Ordained 26 July 1962. Allegations of sexual misconduct involving adult female parishioners over span of 20 years. Trips to Southdown to deal with his ‘problem. At least one allegation from a 17-year-girl.
Over the years served as priest He worked at Pius X parish, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, St. Agnes, Hinton/Grande Cache and in Churchill.
11 December 2014: Committed to stand trial in Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench. September 2015 – charges stayed.
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Archbishops of Edmonton Archdiocese from time of Laisnez’ ordination: John Hugh MacDonald (05 March 1938 – 11 August 1964 ); Anthony Jordan, O.M.I. (11 August 1964 – – 02 July 1973); Joseph Neil MacNeil (02 July 1973 – – 07 Jun2 1999); Thomas Christopher Collins (07 June 1999 – – 16 December 2006 to Archbishop of Toronto, Ontario); Richard William Smith (22 March 2007 – – )
Anthony Jordan, O.M.I served as Coadjutor Archbishop from April 1955 until his installation as Archbishop in August 1964.
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Father Albert Laisnez Obituary
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Next courtdate: Charges stayed. 01-02 September 2015: TRIAL, Edmonton Court of Queen’s Bench ( 1A Sir Winston Churchill Square , Edmonton, AB); (20 April 2015: pre-trial conference (NOT open to the public); 06 February 2015: 09:30 am, in arraignment court, Edmonton Court of Queen’s Bench ( 1A Sir Winston Churchill Square , Edmonton, AB); 23 January 2015: for arraignment” in (Edmonton? ) Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench; following prelim Committed to stand trial in Court of Queen’s Bench; ;11 December 2014: 09:30 am, Preliminary Hearing, Sherwood Park courthouse, Alberta (190 Chippewa Rd.,)
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31 August 2015: BLOG Charges stayed?
17 May 2014: Archbishop issues statement re charges against priest
16 May 2014: Edmonton priest charged with sexual assaults from 1980s
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The following information is drawn from available Canadian Catholic Church Directories (CCCD)
also at some time served in Hinton/Grand Cache in Churchill, Manitoba – dates unknown
31 December 2017: Died in Stettler Hospital, Stettler, Alberta.
2017: Not listed in CCCD index
September 2015: Charges stayed.
11 December 2014: Committed to stand trial in Court of Queen’s Bench
May 2014: Charged (M)
2012: Moved to Stettler Alberta (obit)
2011: Diagnosed with cancer (obit)
2010: Not listed in directory (CCCD)
2002: 2055, ch. des Quatre Bourgeois, Ste. Foy, Quebec (CCCD)
2000, 1999, 1998, 1997: address for diocesan centre, Edmonton (CCCD)
1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992: Pastor, St. Agnes Roman Catholic Church, Edmonton, Alberta (CCCD)
1991: address listed as c/o Our Lady of the Foothills, Hinton Alberta (CCCD)
1985-86: Pastor, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Sherwood Park, Alberta (CCCD)
– was probably at St. Pius X until at least 1976 (SV)
1973-74, 1971-72: Pastor, St. Pius X Roman Catholic Church, Edmonton, Alberta (CCCD)
1968-69: Listed as Vocations Director with address at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Edmonton, Alberta (CCCD)
1967: teaching Latin and Philosophy at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Edmonton, Alberta (CCCD)
Vocations Director for the Archdiocese of Edmonton (CCCD)
26 July 1962: ORDAINED
1956: To Rome to study Philosophy and Theology (Obit)
1955: St. Joseph’s Seminary, St. Albert, Alberta (Obit)
02 October 1937: Born in Stettler Alberta (Obit)
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Teen suffered at the hands of trusted priest
Letter to the Editor
Edmonton Journal
11 November 1997
I commend Tom Barrett and The Journal for their balanced articles regarding the Catholic Church’s handling of sexual abuse by priests; however, I am disappointed that complete information regarding Albert Laisnez’s actions could not be printed.
I was only 17 years old when Laisnez began to make sexual advances toward me and the acts committed against me were far more grave than those described in the article.
I reported my experiences to public officials after having initially reported them to Catholic officials in the summer of 1996.
I find it appalling that it has taken an investigation and subsequent series of articles by a secular newspaper for the leadership of the Catholic Church to publicly acknowledge Laisnez’s problem.
To the dismay of all conscious Catholics, Laisnez has been passively supported by the leaders of our church in that they have known about his actions for years and have continued to allow him to be involved in parish ministry.
Had the leaders of the Catholic Church acted to remove Laisnez, I would have been spared suffering at the hands of this trusted adult in a position of power.
I have been a practising Catholic my entire life and have been involved in parish music ministry since I was 14 years old. As a young person, I looked to the Catholic Church for moral guidance, spiritual nurturing and a sense of community. Church was my safe place.
It was in this trusting and naive atmosphere that Laisnez was able to win my trust as an adolescent. I greatly admired Fr. Albert for his kindness, enthusiasm and personable manner. He helped to make the teachings of Christ come alive for me. Now, however, I can only see Laisnez as a calculating person disguised as a holy, trustworthy priest.
May these beginnings of openness and truth-telling on the part of the leaders of the local Catholic Church that have resulted from this public exposure of their handling of these cases help to bring about changes that will enable the innocent and trusting in Catholic churches to be genuinely protected.
Annette Mendiuk
Edmonton
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The priest who stepped over the line; A charismatic priest drew a series of complaints about his relationships with married women; Part 2 Of 2
Edmonton Journal
22 September 1997
Tom Barrett
In this final story of a two-part series, reporter Tom Barrett examines how the Catholic church has dealt with sexual misconduct by priests.
“Whenever sexual abuse is reported, appropriate steps must be taken to ensure that it will not reoccur, and to prevent other similar cases of sexual abuse.”
— Edmonton Archdiocese guidelines for sexual abuse cases, Feb. 1, 1993
Rev. Albert Laisnez seemed like a gift from God to the people of St. Agnes parish.
The charismatic priest came to the city Catholic church in 1992, shortly after the previous pastor, Rev. Bill White, pleaded guilty to one charge of indecent assault.
Father Bill was a popular, well-respected priest and people were still coming to terms with the fact he had repeatedly molested a teenage boy nearly 30 years before.
The parish needed a lift and they got it from Father Albert’s open, caring manner, from his wonderful sermons, his long, loving hugs and the way he listened and responded to people.
The 53-year-old priest was particularly encouraging to the men and women interested in organizing study groups into the sexual abuse of children. Eventually, seven groups were formed with more than 80 participants. He proved to be a tireless advocate for both victims and reformers.
That’s why it was so devastating to learn that Laisnez had his own problems with sexual misconduct. Not with boys, but with adult women. He was a priest who drew vulnerable, married women to him like a powerful magnet.
He left behind a trail of broken hearts that began long before his arrival at St. Agnes in 1992. After Laisnez left, Father Mike McCaffrey, chancellor of the archdiocese, told parishioners there had been complaints about Laisnez’s relationships with adult women in other parishes he had worked in for the past 20 years — Hinton,Sherwood Parkand Pius X inEdmonton.
Laisnez’s story is not unique. After more than a decade of scandals aroundNorth Americainvolving child sex abuse by priests, revelations about relationships between priests and adult women may now move to centre stage, some observers say.
Rev. John Heagle, aSeattlepriest who has worked with abuse victims and priest offenders, says such relationships will likely form “the next wave” of abuse cases involving priests.
Edmonton Archbishop Joseph MacNeil says he was aware Laisnez “had problems.”
“I knew that he had some difficulties, some problems,” says MacNeil. “It didn’t seem to me at the time to be all that serious. We asked him to go to Southdown (a treatment centre inOntariofor priests).
“Their assessment was very positive, and so we thought that whatever personal problems he had were resolved.”
No one at St. Agnes was warned about Laisnez’s history.
“We didn’t think it was that important or that relevant,” the archbishop explained. “Any more than if a teacher or a journalist had been involved in an impropriety that didn’t seem all that serious.”
But the problems resurfaced in June 1995. A woman told Rev. Mike McCaffrey, chancellor of the archdiocese, about a disturbing incident.
The woman said that in October 1994, Laisnez had hugged her in the confessional and then rubbed his body against hers until he ejaculated. The woman refused to talk to The Journal.
McCaffrey confirms that the woman made the complaint to him and that he talked to Laisnez about it. The only disagreement, McCaffrey says, was over who was the aggressor in the encounter.
Regardless of who was the aggressor, McCaffrey adds, Laisnez’s behaviour was unacceptable.
Despite Laisnez’s history, officials did not remove him from the parish for another 14 months, or stop him from hearing confessions.
During that time at least two other women came forward with complaints to McCaffrey. One told how Laisnez once got an erection during extended hugging. The other woman, fromSherwood Park, alleged past sexual misbehaviour by the priest.
Sheila Williams, an active member of the parish who was heavily involved in the sex abuse committee and worked closely with Father Albert running the study groups, says Archbishop MacNeil must shoulder part of the blame.
“I’ve always believed the bishop was pastor of the flock. How could he place such a man here without warning anybody?” she asks. “The church needs to be a safe place. If you’re not safe in the confessional, it’s intolerable.”
Another woman in Williams’ support group, whose son was molested by a priest years ago, said finding out about Laisnez’s misconduct killed any remaining faith she had in church leaders.
“I was just sick,” Therese Cor says. “I thought `How could this have happened?’ This has to stop. This was the final betrayal. I want you to understand we came to the media as an absolute last resort after trying every possible channel within the church,” she says.
McCaffrey says it’s now clear church officials should have acted more quickly, but suggests it’s easy to criticize after the fact.
“Those are judgment calls, tough calls,” he says. “I talked to him right away and he said he had it under control.”
But a woman who worked as a pastoral assistant with Laisnez before St. Agnes disagrees. The woman, who spoke on the condition that she not be named, says he led married women on romantically.
“Father Albert needs constant adulation and he gets it from the women,” she says in an interview. “These women would bare their souls to him and he would take advantage. His line was — `I can’t help it if the women chase me.’ ”
She says she never witnessed explicit sexual contact with any of the women. Laisnez engaged in extended, enthusiastic hugging, she says. In one case, she interrupted him as he hugged a married woman in his bedroom.
The former pastoral assistant says their differences exploded in a final confrontation.
“I told him he was not respecting the sacraments, because marriage is a sacrament. I said he couldn’t go on acting the way he was, leading women on.
“He was an excellent priest in many ways,” she admits. “Certainly the people flooded to the church to be with him. He made them want to be involved.”
His dynamic qualities may be one of the reasons church leaders were slow to remove him from St. Agnes, Williams suggests.
In 1996, she decided to take matters into her own hands because Laisnez was about to be transferred toRed Deerand hadn’t acknowledged his misconduct.
On July 3 of that year, she mailed 83 letters to members of the sex abuse study groups, reporting that he had admitted sexual improprieties with women in the parish.
The letter sparked a dramatic showdown.
That Sunday, Laisnez stood up at each mass and announced he was a sinner. He asked members of the parish council to stand beside him as he admitted engaging in excessive hugging and kissing with women.
Laisnez also said he was humiliated by the letter, although he acknowledged it was accurate.
Many churchgoers were enraged at Williams and the women they suspected had been hugging and kissing their beloved priest.
Keith Turton, director of public education at Edmonton’s Sexual Assault Centre, says people often fail to appreciate such relationships can be a form of abuse.
“It’s very definitely not a relationship between equals,” he says. “What you’re dealing with is someone with spiritual power, someone who has moral authority.”
Turton says the best analogy is the therapist who becomes sexually involved with a vulnerable patient, although he believes sexual involvement between a priest and a parish woman is “a far greater violation.
“There is much more trust placed in the individual because they represent God,” he says.
The St. Agnes parish council reacted by closing down the sexual abuse study-group program, saying no more work needed to be done. The council also told Williams’ group, Parents of Victims Sexually Abused by Clergy, that they couldn’t meet in the church any more.
“The manner in which the facilitator/contact person acted, by sending out a damaging letter, had led to a feeling of mistrust in the individual’s capacity to continue in the ministry,” the council wrote about her in a letter.
After Father Albert’s public admission, the archdiocese reconsidered plans to transfer him toRed Deer. As part of the review, Laisnez took a series of psychological tests.
While he was taking those tests, another woman from another parish stepped forward on July 23 of last year with serious allegations. A few days later the transfer was cancelled and Laisnez was sent back to the Southdown treatment centre.
He has completed the Southdown program. He is now inOttawa, attending university and receiving therapy, McCaffrey says.
The Journal contacted Laisnez, but he declined to comment, saying his lawyer advised against it.
Not all of the women who fell for the priest are bitter towards him. One says she loves Father Albert.
“I know that I wanted those hugs,” she says. “I felt like he was doing me a favour.” In fact, she says she was most upset when he told her their hugging would have to stop because of the first woman’s complaint.
“He said it was his weakness,” she recalls.
She thanks the church for paying for her counselling and Laisnez for helping her deal with her own marriage.
“Yes, he’s left behind a trail of devastation, including me,” she says. “I’ve been depressed, but I’ve swung from hating him back to loving and missing him.”
And what if he appeared at her door tonight, saying he wanted to get involved?
“That would be great,” she says.
*My poor Aunt fell for this crap bless her soul who passed away and was a member of St. Agnes Parish. My family comes from a very strong Catholic back ground. What a horrible person that acted as a Priest. Disgraceful is all I can say.
Tracey Weber
I find it so hard to return to the Church when I returned once thinking it was the answer to all my problems. It just created more.
Those who have not sinned let them cast the first stone.
Jesus came to teach the people love and those who condemn do not have pure love in their hearts.
I give thanks for the wonderful accomplishments of Father Albert and the many good and wonderful things that came from this man…..this human being
Yes he did wrong and committed a grave sin but as Christians we should understand, we are to help the sick not to give hatred and harm.
One must remember what it is truly meant to Love
Father Albert you have my forgiveness and true love for your well being on our earth
Always Rose
The allegations against Albert Laisnez are either unproven
or unprovable. Everything about this case is too vague
to meet any test of a solid indictment.
The accusation of “excessive kissing” may have to do with
the fact that Albert Laisnez is French-Canadian, and
kissing IS A PART OF FRENCH CULTURE, both in
France and in Quebec. Anglo culture is less tactile
and more Victorian – especially in this era of politically
correct lynch mobs. But that is probably what has
led to the trail of accusations against Albert Laisnez –
Anglo-American cultural perceptions of French
culture, which is DIFFERENT. Stop the hate.
The priest even admitted to non-existent “sins” in
order to placate the mob – so that he could continue
to serve the public.
If Albert Laisnez had not been a priest, none of these
accusations would have counted against him at all.
There are priests who have committed some very
foul crimes. Albert Laisnez is not one of them,
even in a worst-case scenario. And the vocabulary
being hurled against him by his accusers here is
boilerplate prosecutorial jargon or PC coaching.
If the Catholic Church runs a school system in this
town, they should say, “YOU WIN”, and close it,
and let all the taxpayers of this town absorb the
increased costs of public education, for having
enabled the legal system to try this travesty.
The Scriptures do say that if the people of a town
will not hear you, wipe the dust of that town from
off your feet, and leave it. The Catholic Church
is also Scripturally advised to close its church and
to sell off all of its property in the town – UNLESS
these frivolous and possibly false charges are dropped.
The degree of hysteria here seems eerily similar
to that of the Salem Witch Trials. It’s the same
type of engineered hysteria that killed Joe Paterno
in Pennsylvania, and which has ruined many other
good men – unjustly and unnecessarily.
We need to stop coddling the accusatorocracy which
is rising in our midst and threatening to destroy all
democratic social and legal characteristics of society
throughout North America.
Unless we stop the hysteria, we will have no society
left which is worth speaking of, in this part of the world.
I expect the lynch mob and the boo-hoo types to
personally attack me for speaking the truth – but
they cannot find fault with what I’ve said here.
When you can’t win a debate, always go for the
personal attack. Right? Works every time!
Sally, you blew it as soon as you mentioned Joe Paterno. It is obvious you care not whit about abuse at any level, Just another troll.
Troll. Spewing baseless facts just to be heard. Likely a pervert collar or pervert collar supporter..either way, laughable.
Rose,
Don’t forget that each of us can only forgive a person for what he did to US, not on behalf of those whose lives have been ruined by abuse, etc.
Also, the fact that one person forgives another in no way precludes making sure that they are brought to justice. In cases where molesters are preying on innocents, not ensuring that justice is done might amount to being complicit in those horrific crimes.
Sometimes, focusing only on the good a person has done is a way of turning a blind eye to that person’s evil deeds. There is a huge difference between what Jesus said to those who wanted to attack a grown woman who had chosen to commit adultery, to what he said about not allowing harm to come to little children.
I am surprised, by reading the accounts above, that Fr. Laisnaiz was never criminally charged. Annette Mendiuk’s story which she eloquently outlines, feels eerily similar to mine. Was he just savvy enough to from his congregation and then wait till they were “of age” to then abuse them. Was there a true outreach in the communities he worked before coming to Edmonton to identify victims? Rose’s comments above only show that so much more education needs to be done to keep children safe and to help victim’s heal. For anyone who is contemplating coming forward with their story and thus beginning their healing journey, such words can be very hurtful and damaging.
Rose: If someone you loved had been molested by this collar, would you still feel the same and write the crap you did? I think not. People like you who feel it is necessary to visit this site which supports victims and write what you, did piss me off. I’ll leave it at this.
A few weeks ago I was engaged in a conversation with a Canadian Federal employee who holds some prominence and authority in our society. I would suppose this person to be educated, intelligent, resourceful, informed, etc. Unfortunately, I was once again disappointed with “our Powers That Be”. He was more interested in trying to convince me otherwise.The person was also a very devoted Roman Catholic. This person’s words provoked some anger within. This person vigorously asserted there was never sexual abuse as being purported and alleged victim’s were looking for money. This person stated no Priest would ever hurt anyone and the Church would intervene. The person asserted there are policies in place to protect citizen’s, etc. from sexual abuse or other abuses of any kind. Instead, I came close to hammering the “puke”…in public. Yes, I was ready to “pay the consequences”. Do I have “anger issues”? Gee!! Wonder why? I have been directly or indirectly involved my whole life. I am not a victim of physical-sexual abuse, but I did work as a counselor to people who had been victimized by sexual abuse. I also had co-workers who were abused and working hard at becoming healthy survivors. I have heard promise after promise from lawyers, the Church and government….lots of paperwork, no real change. And periodically, the ignorant, blind followers like Rose, for one reason or another, must post on this site, which can only be seen as being provocative. However, “Freedom of Expression”. It’s the “Pearheads, the Powers That Be” who piss me off and I can name the one’s who could have intervened and chose not to. Perhaps it’s time for a different “reaction”. James P. Bateman
J P, surely you are not suggesting you or the rest of us should become abusers of those who disagree with us !
Folks who visit this site surely have all kinds of levels of love and hate relationships when it comes to victims/survivors of clergy abuse and betrayal.
When a post starts with a bible quote or even the phrase, ‘there’s not much forgiveness going on here’.
I know we’re in for a talk about the good priest who made mistakes or the priest in questioned is innocent whatever the crimes were even though he was found guilty in a court of law.
Don’t forget about poor Sylvia being told time and time again to take this priest or that priest’s name off the ACCUSED list.
What do these people expect from the victims of clergy abuse at this site?
Do they honestly expect these victims to re-write their history of their abuse to satisfy their warp kind of loyalty for their perverted criminal priest?
The survivors of abuse should not have to give in to these folks silly demands which is filled with lies and deception for sake of their favorite wolf in sheep clothing clergy.
Interpret my words as you see fit. So much energy is lost interpreting. I would not encourage anyone to abuse. Perhaps I should have said, I will “react” differently. Leaves for people to not become confused “interpreting”. And gee, wherever you get the idea I may be suggesting abusing others…well really. Maybe it was when I said I’d like to have hammered the puke…only me folks…not you….get it? Understand?
This is where I believe that church officials have a responsibility to publicly acknowledge the wrongdoings of the clergy and continue to keep the faithful informed that their priests have failed them and harmed children. They should be posting lists of credibly accused clergy on their web pages.
Since It’s not likely church leaders would take such actions voluntarily, Survivors who do file civil suits should in addition to money also press for disclosure of documents as well as non-monetary rewards such as public apologies, lists of clergy with credible aaccusations etc.
People like “Rose” who want to believe the “monster” doesn’t exist when they cover their head with a blanket or close their eyes, can’t make me angry anymore or make me feel anything but sorry for them. It is a primitive, childish way of dealing with their own inner survival; if they don’t question anything, their world, their illusion remains intact! A bit like what I would call the “Galileo syndrome” for the church and the “blanketed” faithful! If my sometimes failing memory is almost right, I seem to remember a 1982 “compromise” by JPII that “allowed” the belief that the earth is not flat or that it is not the center of the universe…400 years in the making! Anyway you get the idea!… I was wondering what “earth” Rose had in mind and I felt sorry that she has stopped questioning, as have “many others”! They call it Love and use the forgiveness blanket and try to show everyone they are better.
It is easy to quote the Bible and to find a situation that supports any argument and to throw it in someone’s face, in the name of Love! One can always find another quote from the Bible to support another “argument” to the contrary. Here’s one for Rose to ponder when it come to priests, clergy, leaders, parents…
“But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”
Rose, be a good christian and demand more of yourself, priests, etc.
Try not to include hatred and Love in the view you have of the world around if you are going to guess at what is happening outside of your “blanket”…
There is much room for improvements “on this earth”, for all these “human beings” and we need to question “everything” to find the Truth.
Starting with our own views and our own ways.
Rose, your above entry was subtle and hiding behind “good” words while you were casting a stone of your own….Was Love your motivation or condemnation?…Giving or being selfish?…If it made “you” feel good maybe you need to look with eyes wide open…
Take this as a deserved “soft blow” …You just don’t know.
jg
I’m sorry Rose, I’m not jumping on the band wagon because of your comments. I think that if you had a child that was abused by someone you loved, you’d feel a lot different. If you were abused by someone close you, you’d totally get what most of us are saying. If you didn’t feel something, I’d start to question what it is that makes you feel that way. Blind belief in anything is very dangerous. You need to be in the know. Forgiving has nothing to do with the wronged action. Forgiveness comes in time, or doesn’t. Unless you’ve walked in someone’s shoes you can only speculate. You’d better thank the Lord our God you’ll never be in any of our shoes. It sucks big time to be us. Prayers are always welcome. I’ll pray for you Rose.
About time.
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/edmonton/Edmonton+priest+charged+with+sexual+assaults+from+1980s/9848672/story.html
Thank you Tyre. I will post the article later.
I commend the complainant for coming forward and encourage others with allegations against Laissez to contact police.
How is that we haven’t heard a word about these charges until now? It sounds as though charges were laid early this year?
No matter I suppose – now we know. Please keep the complainant in your prayers.
I have experienced many hugs, having come from a French family and community. Rose, never did it include erections and ejaculations. Get a grip lady! I came know Laisnez by serving on the P.C. at OLPH. He always made me nervous and struck me as slimy. Make no mistake. He was a steel hand in a velvet glove. It was his way or the highway and if you dared disagree with him, you knew his “displeasure”. If you were not part of his adoring public, he had no time for you. Twenty years of sexual abuse history and the Church thought he was healed? Three of my pastors, one recently in Victoria, have been guilty of sexual improprieties. My faith in God is strong and I am still a practicing Catholic, however, I have no faith or trust in Church officials. I just watched a show on vocations on S&L where priests were telling us it was a ‘supernatural’ calling but as soon as they are in trouble, we are told “they are only human”. Our church will continue with or without ordained priests because Jesus said it would have no end and the gates of hell could not prevail against it. The Church is the people and God can form a new kind of shepherd to lead us. In fact, Jesus says that “I myself shall lead you because others have led you astray”. The person who said no one has the right to forgive abusers except the abused was right on. However, those who feel betrayed by these ‘priests’ can forgive that betrayal if that is what they feel called to do. For Williams, thank you. Whistle blowers are not popular and speaking the truth is not easy to do but the Catholic church says we are to correct sinners, as does scripture. A pastor of mine in Victoria, Phil Jacobs, was never criminally charged in the U.S. and Bishop deRoo hired him apparently knowing and placed him in the largest working class parish in Victoria, St. Joseph the Worker. That priest, ‘allegedly’ went onto molest six more adolescent boys. It took about 14 yrs to get him into court and then, represented by the Diocesan lawyer, he pled guilty to one molesting and received 3 mos. home arrest as a sentence. Those boys got a life sentence from his abuse. That is what happens when someone does not step up to stop these sickos masquerading as priests!
I thought this was all in my past and fully processed. But it never really goes away, does it? It stays forever, buried in the cells of your body. My thoughts and prayers are with all of those women whose vulnerabilities were exploited and used by Father Albert to feed his addiction. I wish Sheila Williams were still alive so I could call her and talk about this recent news. She was so filled with compassion and understanding for the “victims” and was a willing listener. I miss her.
Maureen I hear you very well, I know how you feel. What really gets me going and my blood churning is when someone says “move on, get over it, put it out of your mind, time will heal”. That’s pure ca-ca. Unless someone’s been through an ordeal like us, they can only guess what we go through. Some of us never get over it, some take a terrible turn and end it. Some drown it with drugs and alcohol (This worked for me years ago but I paid a heavy price) to forget. In some it does subside, but it doesn’t happen overnight. Some others work themselves almost to the point where they’re never at home. Some distant themselves from their loved one. Some never leave the house only to go out for food and doctor appointments.
We all try and find happiness anyway we can. I find that as I’m getting older I don’t care to go anywhere or want to. It’s still to fresh in my mind again. I don’t and won’t use drugs and alcohol to kill the pain this time. I can’t go back, though I’ve been tempted. Not even money will help. People seem to think that getting a lump sum for compensation will help. The church doesn’t have enough of it to get rid of the sick feeling inside. Money doesn’t work, it’s another kind of drug. It might help in other ways, but it won’t mend a troubled soul.
I hope you can regain and take control of your life again Maureen. I went to a therapist for the last 2 years and also attended a 12 week group session. What I learned from group was the tools to use, when nasty memories pop back into my mind. They do work and I don’t regret going. I didn’t even mind the 2hr. trip. I feel better than I did a year ago, but I can’t seem to shake this nasty feeling. Like a Cold that hangs on. I still feel sick inside though I’ve learned to hide it from others. I learned to hide it, like I hid the abuse. A person will do almost anything to find some way of taking control of their life again. If someone finds the off button, please let me know.
Peace be with you Maureen.
Father Albert Laiswnez has been committed to stand trial in Court of Queen’s Bench. I unfortunately didn;t realize until I got off the phone that the Court of Queen’s Bench doesn’t sit in Sherwood Park, Alberta – I think therefore the next courtdate will be at the courthouse in Edmonton, Alberta. I will check on that after Christmas. For now, here is the info:
23 January 2015: for arraignment” in (Edmonton? ) Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench
Pleas keep the complainant in your prayers
The next court-date for Father Albert Laisnez is:
06 February 2015: 09:30 am, in arraignment court, Edmonton Court of Queen’s Bench ( 1A Sir Winston Churchill Square , Edmonton, AB);
Because of all the nonsense and terrible things that have gone on over the years and continue until this day I: 1) will not shake any clergy’s hand, 2) will not enter a church, 3) will not support one with my money, 4) will not be buried on “holy” ground, 4) will not associate with officials from any church, and 5) will be better off for it. People who are generally the movers and shakers in a church are usually after authority and power which they can’t get any where else. For me the church is nothing but the biggest scam since the dawn of mankind. If and when I would want to talk to God I can do it sitting under a tree. I wish all the victims my very best and I hope that their world gets better every day for them. Thank you.
I loved Going to see Father Albert , He was a grate man in my eyes threw those years I stumbled to become Catholic and be Married by Father Albert MY WIFE HAD 2 BEAUTIFUL GIRLS AND WE ALL LOVED HIM.
When this happened we could not believe but as a man I understood that it was with adult people and YES its still wrong .I hope he has found his way in this world of goodness that is always pulling us to satins doom .If Father is still alive I would like communication .we were Good FRIENDS .
Glen Knutson: It seems that english is not your first language. (Same here, and that can be difficult.) I suggest you read and re-read (and maybe translate) the powerful letter from Annette Mendiuk you will find here. It may help you appreciate that there is an aspect to Father Albert which you did not see but caused great harm. All the best to you, sir.
Don’t dismiss this soul so fast, people. I only went to ONE mass and one guest baptism (w/ family at St. Agnes twenty+ years ago), and heard Fr. Albert speak. I left there with an amazing love of God, and truly knew “God IS LOVE!!” Father Albert’s heart was on fire…and left an impression on my heart I will never, ever forget to this day! His charism is one of a great orator and yes…a man filled with the Holy Spirit who happens to sin, just like us all. Pray for him and love him from afar. He and all priests need your desperate prayers! God’s grace STILL works through these trials falling upon us. Do you not see?May God’s Grace save us all, now and in eternity!! AMEN!
I just finished watching the movie ‘Spotlight’. A very broken system in a very broken world. Of course, I started researching as soon as it was over, looking for Fr. Albert’s name. I found your page! I just learned of his passing…and the charges laid against him, up to his death. I had no idea the charges were severe.
I was a teen when I knew him. He was in Sherwood Park at the time, with OLPH. I remember him to be very kind. Charismatic. Always smiling. One of my favourite memories of Fr. Albert were his visits to my high school. Kids surrounded him like a flock to their shepherd. I embraced his hugs. They felt ‘healing’.
Fr. Albert shared with the (OLPH) congregation that after many years, he was being assigned to another church. I remember feeling like he was ours and not wanting to share him. Many of us took it hard. He was sent to St. Agnus, in Edmonton. Shortly thereafter, the rumour mill started. He had ‘consensual, sexual relationships’ with some women of the congregation. The ‘word’ was they were ‘mutual’ and ‘sexual’ in nature. Now that I know what I know in this season of my life, it’s believable the women were, in fact, victims. It’s also incredibly reasonable to believe the women were ‘bullied’ by members of the church. The faithful of Fr. Albert! . He was definitely a man who loved to hug. It was his nature. Even men appreciated a hug. I never noticed ‘kissing’. I guess we see what we want to see. I recall my dad never liking or trusting him. He believed Fr. Albert was a ladies’ man. I was saddened by his perception. I thought back to my encounters with Fr. Albert and never felt threatened or violated. My dad happened to be a very good judge of character. I was so naive, at 18. Now I know…he called it as he saw it. Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring from which life flows. Proverbs 4:23
After St. Agnus, he disappeared. After some investigating, we were told he was in a treatment facility. May have been in Hinton. I remember thinking it must have been related to the accusations. My life went on and I never thought about it again, until I watched this movie. Fr. Albert came to mind.
To the victims hurt in body and spirit…and to Fr. Albert’s family, my prayers for healing by Jehovah Rapha. I pray you feel your burdens lifted…as the Lord says, my yoke is light.