February 03, 2006

Investigation into retired Vatican official stretches across Ontario

CANADA
Canada.com

Cassandra Szklarski, Canadian Press
Published: Thursday, February 02, 2006 Article tools

TORONTO (CP) - The investigation of a retired Vatican official accused of molesting an eastern Ontario altar boy decades ago involves accusers in several other communities where the priest lived, police said Thursday.

An arrest warrant has been issued for Msgr. Bernard Prince, 71, a retired Vatican official accused of assaulting a 12-year-old altar boy in the town of Wilno, Ont., in the late 1960s before he eventually moved to Rome to work for the Vatican. Sgt. Kristine Rae-Chollette said the matter could move to extradition proceedings if Prince continues to ignore an arrest warrant issued after charges were laid last October.

In the meantime, she said investigators were looking into other claims in other parts of Ontario and even in the United States.

"We have (allegations) from different communities," said Rae-Chollette.

Posted by kshaw at February 3, 2006 09:08 AM