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	N.S. Roman Catholic Bishop Says Church Open to Helping Sexual Abuse Victims Canadian Press June 25, 2008 http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5iWIHND74SgGRPxhQD3lqIw7U6Nrg ANTIGONISH, N.S. — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Antigonish in Nova Scotia, named in a class action lawsuit that alleges five of its priests sexually abused children, issued a statement Wednesday that says it remains committed to helping the victims. Bishop Raymond Lahey acknowledged past wrongs in the statement, released a day after the class action was filed with the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia. "The Diocese of Antigonish acknowledges that sexual abuse did occur with certain priests, some of whom have already been criminally convicted and punished for such horrific crimes," he said. "The victims deserve a fair hearing and fair treatment, and they must be treated with respect and with dignity." He said while lawyers sort through the complexities of the class action, the church remains committed to providing compassion, compensation and counselling to victims. "As well, in consultation with them, we hope to structure a service of reconciliation and healing where we can deliver a formal apology to the victims and their families." The diocese has already offered what it describes as a less adversarial settlement process as well as psychological counselling for claimants. Bruce T. MacIntosh, the lawyer acting on behalf of the bishop and the diocese, said the diocese will offer a full response, as it has with similar claims in the past. "Some of these claims have already been settled and others will be handled in the dialogue we have created," he said. MacIntosh said the diocese has offered a number of models for settlement, including mediation or binding arbitration. He said his instructions are to find a fair and balanced approach that treats victims with compassion. "We're endeavouring to do that in a way that finds the appropriate balance between respecting the rights of the victims and the financial resources of the diocese." The latest suit was launched by the brother of a man whose suicide note led to charges of sex crimes against a Nova Scotia priest. Ronald Martin of Sydney, N.S., claims the Diocese of Antigonish failed to protect children in its care when it became aware of the abuse. Martin's brother, David, committed suicide in April 2002, leaving behind a note that sparked a criminal investigation and charges of rape, buggery and indecent assault against former priest Hugh Vincent MacDonald. The charges involved 18 children between the ages of eight to 15. MacDonald, who served in various parishes in Pictou, Guysborough, Antigonish and Cape Breton, was facing 27 charges when he died 2004. Martin also claims in the suit that he was sexually assaulted by MacDonald. The class action, which contains claims yet to be proven in court, alleges MacDonald and four other priests were sexually abusing children in their care between 1960 and 2008. "While acting in their capacity as parish priests, the priests sexually assaulted and battered the plaintiff and the class members," the court document says. The class action, which also names Bishop Lahey, the diocese and the Roman Catholic Church as defendants, says the bishop and the diocese kept the assaults secret and failed to warn or protect the children. The class action alleges that in 1962, Pope John issued instructions to every bishop to ensure all allegations of sexual abuse by priests "were to be kept strictly secret under penalty of excommunication." In 2001, Cardinal Ratzinger - now Pope Benedict - confirmed from the Vatican that the 1962 order remained in force, the suit alleges. The claim further states that the sexual assaults "were caused by the systemic negligence, fraud, breach of trust and breach of fiduciary duty of the priests, diocese and bishop." Even though the bishop and the diocese received complaints about sexual misconduct, they failed to investigate or alert the authorities, the document states. Instead, the suit says, the diocese sent the priests in question for treatment of "sexual deviation" at the Southdown Institute in Ontario. The suit claims the defendants discouraged the victims from pursuing criminal charges and continued to allow the priests to harm the plaintiff and class members, behaviour the suit describes as "callous disregard." As a result, the suit claims the plaintiff has lost his Christian faith and suffers from anxiety, sexual dysfunction, depression and emotional trauma.
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