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	Victims Display Mixed Feelings at Priest's Death By Jane Sims London Free Press [Canada] January 24, 2007 http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Local/2007/01/24/3437920-sun.html Their sadness was not because of Rev. Charles Sylvestre's death, but for what he did during his life. Some of his victims said yesterday they had mixed emotions upon hearing Sylvestre, 84, had died in prison. The Roman Catholic priest was led out of a Chatham courtroom in handcuffs less than four months ago to begin his three-year sentence for 47 counts of indecent assault. "I'm not in mourning," said Londoner Carolyn Jewell, who was abused when she was a student at Mount St. Joseph Academy in the 1950s. "I feel sorry for his family, though. They've had to endure a lot." Jewell said Sylvestre will never be out of her life, "but he won't be able to hurt anybody any more." Another Mount St. Joseph victim whose identity is protected by court order said she felt "very, very sad." "Not sad for him but sad for us," she said. "And sad for the tragedy that everybody has, the little girls, the families, everyone torn apart by this man." She said she decided a long time ago she didn't care about Sylvestre. "I think the sad part is the damage he did and was allowed to do . . . It's tragedy, the whole thing." Irene Deschenes of London, who was abused as a child in Chatham and helped spearhead the criminal prosecution, said she felt "indifferent." "He's one of so many. Let's focus on the bigger picture here. There are still countless other victims out there of him and other priests." She said she hoped Bishop Ronald Fabbro "does the right thing." Deschenes said she preferred Sylvestre died in prison than be released early from his "abominable" three-year sentence, as was likely in the parole process. "It would have been more devastating to me had he been released early," she said. Lou-Ann Soontiens of Chatham, who described a horrible series of abuse at Sylvestre's hands, including a rape he never admitted to, said she wanted Sylvestre to serve all his time. "My intention wasn't for him to die in jail," she said, adding she had "deep sympathy for his family." "I didn't want to see it go like this, but it's done now and maybe we can close that little chapter." Gladys Charbonneau, a victim's parent, said she felt "deeply sad for everyone -- for him,for his family, for all of the victims, all of their families." The last victim to see Sylvestre alive, Carol Ann Mieras of Kingston, said she is mourning the information lost with his death and the unanswered questions. Mieras, who was abused in Chatham as a child, saw Sylvestre in the prison hospital Monday with her lawyers who wanted to interview him for upcoming civil actions. "The hope was that we could get more information from him to add to what we already know about the bishop's involvement, about other priests' involvement," she said. There is no way of knowing how Sylvestre was directed by the diocese or gaining insight into "how this horrible individual was allowed to abuse children over 40 years," she said. Mieras said it was "a shame" Sylvestre did not serve longer time, but applauded the decision of Chatham-Kent Crown attorney Paul Bailey to strike a deal for three years in exchange for 47 guilty pleas. "Had we waited and done a full-out trial, likely he would have passed beforehand and there would have been no justice," she said.
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