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	Bishop Would Have Had Committee Look at Priest By Michael Peeling Standard-Freeholder September 4, 2008 http://www.standard-freeholder.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1184421 Durocher said he would have included CAS, police, civilians before sending priest back to work Up until his apology to victims of sexual abuse by priests, lawyers cross-examined Bishop Paul-Andre Durocher on his last day of testimony at the Cornwall Public Inquiry about why he knew so little about historical allegations of abuse by past priests of the diocese. Durocher told Victims' Group lawyer Dallas Lee he would only tend to review the histories and personnel files of priests if lawsuits were launched against them. Lee cited a letter from victim advocate Paul Scott to the bishop containing a list of allegations, to which Durocher responded by explaining when and why he would review the histories of priests in his charge is "not a black and white issue as you seem to suggest. "It's a grey issue." "I never felt the need to examine the past of every priest when I got here," Durocher said. Lee pointed to the case of Father Romeo Major as a possible case of poor judgment on Durocher's part. CHARGED WITH ASSAULTING GIRL Major was charged with indecently assaulting a teenage girl by the Ontario Provincial Police's Project Truth unit, after which he resigned from his position in April 2000. The charge was dropped in October 2001 when the main witness in the case couldn't testify due to health problems. He then returned to work as pastor at Sts. Martyrs-Canadiens until it closed in 2003. "There was no suggestion Major shouldn't be ministering after the case was dismissed," Durocher said. "I'm not going to judge Bishop LaRocque's decision." Durocher's predecessor, Bishop Eugene LaRocque, had made the call to allow Major to continue to minister before retiring in 2002. Durocher did, however, say he would have had the same case reviewed by a committee made of civilians, police and Children's Aid Society staff to address issues of sexual abuse in the diocese if he had been bishop at the time. Durocher told Citizens for Community Renewal lawyer Helen Daly he was aware of the charges against four priests in the diocese when he took over in August 2002 as bishop for Alexandria-Cornwall and the complaints of alleged victim David Silmser, but was unaware of any restrictions on the priest's duties. He did acknowledge Father Charles McDonald was suspended at the time. He added that historical complaints against priests didn't reflect on his perception of the diocese at the time. Durocher said he spent little time leading up to taking over the diocese talking to LaRocque about the history of Alexandria-Cornwall, and dismissed the idea he was brought in to "take care of (sexual abuse) problems." Although, he added, addressing the problem was one of his top priorities when he took over the diocese. Durocher said he expected at least some of the alleged victims from Project Truth to contact him for counselling, but was disappointed none did. Daly suggested it might have been a good course of action to initiate contact himself. Durocher agreed, saying "in hindsight, it would have been appropriate to send them notes to offer a meeting." Contact: mpeeling@standard-freeholder.com
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