Abuse Victims Want Immediate Ban on Children Being Alone with Priests, by Trevor Wilhelm, Canada.com, May 29, 2007

Abuse Victims Want Immediate Ban on Children Being Alone with Priests

By Trevor Wilhelm
Canada.com
May 29, 2007

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=43cf9a02-d583-46d4-ba4d-f1153c58a7d3&k=62591

Windsor, Ont. - Forty-seven victims of pedophile priest Charles Sylvestre have petitioned the bishop of the Diocese of London to immediately ban clergy from being alone with children.

But abuse survivor Kelly-Anne Appleton said Monday that their call for open confessionals and an end to children being alone with priests in other private places has been refused since petitioning the diocese in late April.

Notorious pedophile priest Charles Sylvestre died earlier this year, only months into his three-year prison sentence for abusing 47 girls.
Photo by the File

She said the diocese must immediately implement these measures because its new sexual abuse policy - setting rules for adults dealing with children and vulnerable people - still hasn't been released for public input months after the target date.

"The diocese still allows priests to be alone with children in closed rooms," said Appleton. "There is no other institution I'm aware of that still allows that - schools, BoyScouts, organized sports. Many of the girls abused by Father Sylvestre, it was done in a confessional. Why can't you implement these measures right now?"

Sylvestre, 84, died in prison in January after pleading guilty to sexually abusing 47 girls in parishes across southern Ontario.

Police have said at least 56 victims came forward.

In the wake of that case, the diocese began revising its sexual abuse policy. It was slated for release in February for public input.

Spokesman Ron Pickersgill said the diocese now hopes to release the policy around the end of June. He didn't say what delayed the release, other than "it was considered not ready."

Pickersgill also wouldn't say whether the issues of open confessionals and children being unsupervised with priests or other adults are covered in the new policy.

Appleton said two parish priests have already taken steps. One put a window in the confessional and the no longer has closed confessions with children, she said. Neither priest could be reached for comment Monday.

E-mail: otwilhelm@thestar.canwest.com