CANADA
The Ottawa Citizen
Andrew Seymour, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Thursday, February 02, 2006
A prominent Pembroke area priest who finished his career in a senior post at the Vatican is now wanted by police following allegations he had sex with a 12-year-old boy more than 35 years ago.
An arrest warrant was issued for retired Monsignor Bernard Prince, 71, of the Pembroke diocese in mid-October after a 49-year-old man came forward to Killaloe OPP claiming he was sexually assaulted in 1969 while visiting a small cabin built by Msgr. Prince in Wilno, about 130 kilometres west of Ottawa.
Police charged Msgr. Prince with buggery and indecent assault male.
Both charges were laid under the 1969 Criminal Code. The buggery charge carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.
Msgr. Prince, who is no longer at the Vatican, but still lives in Italy, has not been arrested and police have yet to launch any extradition proceedings.
The Citizen has also learned police are investigating the possibility there may be more victims and have begun conducting interviews with many of his former parishioners and others who may have had contact with him over his lengthy career in Eastern Ontario.