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	Charges against Deacon Stun Residents' Families; Providence Manor Named As Site of Alleged Sexual Assaults By Rob Tripp Kingston Whig-Standard April 2, 2008 http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=968405 A Roman Catholic deacon charged with sexual assault has been barred by church leaders from performing pastoral duties. Patrick Ritchie was charged last week with sexual assault stemming from his job as spiritual care co-ordinator at Providence Manor in Kingston. It's alleged that the sexual assaults happened at the Sydenham Street facility, a 243-bed home for frail seniors. In addition to his full-time job at the seniors home, Ritchie helped with weekend services at the Church of the Good Thief in Kingston. He has been associated with the church for roughly three years. "He's on leave from all pastoral responsibilities pending the resolution of this matter," Ron Kelly, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Kingston, said yesterday. A deacon holds an ordained position in the church acquired after three or four years of part-time study. A deacon can help with masses and perform marriages and baptisms but he cannot lead a mass. The work of deacons in Kingston-area Catholic churches is a volunteer role. "He's not an employee of the archdiocese," Kelly said. "He's not an employee of the church and he doesn't get paid by the church for anything he may do." Ritchie had worked at Providence Manor for less than five years. He provided spiritual services to residents of all faiths. Administrators say he is no longer an employee. They will not say if he resigned or was fired. Kelly said there is no connection between Ritchie's work at Providence Manor and the Roman Catholic Church. "It's a part of his life that does not impact in any fashion on the Archdiocese of Kingston or, in fact, on the Church of the Good Thief," he said. Ritchie was at St. Patrick Church in Railton for two years before the Church of the Good Thief. He was ordained in 2003. Kelly said the church has never received complaints about his conduct. He said church officials did not help him get the job at Providence Manor. "It's not something that ... the archdiocese had any involvement with at the outset when he applied for that position and there's been no approvals granted, no references requested," he said. Providence Manor was founded roughly 150 years ago by a religious order. It is now run by a non-profit health care corporation. The home says it is the first time in its history that an employee has been charged with sexual assault. Residents of the home need 24-hour care. Some have mobility problems, dementia or Alzheimer's. Kingston Police will not comment on the case, saying the investigation is ongoing. The charges stunned family members of the seniors who live at Providence Manor. "It's an extraordinarily difficult situation," said Bev Baines, whose 96-year-old mother is at the home. "Most of us are in shock about the fact there have been charges [laid] of sexual assault. "It's fairly hard for us to believe it's happening ... we think that highly of Providence Manor." Baines said the home has been very good to the residents. "We were very upset and sorry to see that this has happened, but we all affirmed very clearly our support for the staff at Providence Manor," she said. "They are an excellent staff." Baines, who is the acting chair of a council that represents families in dealings with the institution, said they were called to an emergency meeting Saturday with administrator Shelagh Nowlan. Nowlan explained that a former employee had been charged and she outlined a plan to continue providing spiritual care. Nowlan did not provide any details about the alleged victims, Baines said, but they were told that two charges had been laid. "We are extremely concerned for the victims in this situation," Baines said. "We don't know who they are. We can only extend publicly our sympathy to them and our concern and our support for them." Baines, a law professor at Queen's University, said the steps taken by Providence Manor administrators seem appropriate. "The reason I think members of family council are confident about Providence Manor's administration of their staff is precisely because they are careful about who they hire and about how those people carry out their duties," Baines said. "My understanding is, the minute a complaint was made, Providence Manor took steps." Baines said she did not know that the Catholic Archdiocese was not asked for, and did not provide, any job reference for Ritchie when he was hired. Providence Manor has had a policy in place since May 2003 of requiring criminal record checks of all new staff. Citing privacy law, the home will not say if Ritchie was screened. Residents at the Saturday meeting also appeared shocked, Baines said. "Providence Manor is perceived as being a very caring place and a very safe place and that all kinds of prevention are taken from having harm happen to residents," she said. The home's administration has said that after it received complaints, it launched an internal investigation, suspended Ritchie and removed him from the workplace. Nowlan said that a police investigation began in early March. Contact: rtripp@thewhig.com
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