BishopAccountability.org
	Nova Scotia Catholics Shocked by Child-Pornography Charges against Bishop Calgary Herald October 1, 2009 http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Nova+Scotia+Catholics+shocked+child+pornography +charges+against+bishop/2056067/story.html Roman Catholics in northern Nova Scotia watched with shock and sadness on Thursday the television images of their once respected bishop surrendering to police in Ottawa. Across the Diocese of Antigonish — a largely rural area of small towns with deep Catholic Acadian and Scottish roots — people struggled to make sense of the news that former bishop Raymond Lahey faces criminal charges of possessing and importing child pornography. "People around here cared deeply about their bishop, and now they're devastated," said Colleen O'Connell, a member of the choir at St. Ninian's Cathedral in Antigonish, N.S., where Lahey was an ardent fan of the cathedral's music program. "Everyone here is in a state of confusion," she said. "This will not pass quickly." "It's personally very upsetting," said Ken Sims, publisher of The Casket and the Atlantic Catholic, two Antigonish-based newspapers partly owned by the diocese. Sims worked with Lahey for years, and describes him as "a gentle and gracious man, a very nice guy — a little quieter than some. "It's like dealing with the death of a loved one," said Sims. "Your stomach turns a little and your heart deepens, and you just feel very bad for it all. There's no other way to feel." Others expressed more anger than sadness. Antigonish resident Peggy O'Connell, who grew up close to the church but is no longer a Catholic, said it's the elderly parishioners who spent their lives serving the church who are the most confused and dismayed by the accusations against Lahey. "How could any intelligent person . . . even if your proclivities lay that way, for goodness sake — surely he would have been aware of the consequences?" The charges against Lahey have not been proven in court. Lahey was known as a brave advocate for survivors of childhood sexual abuse after he orchestrated a historic, $15-million out-of-court settlement with victims of known and alleged abuse by a former diocesan priest who is now dead. His decision to apologize to and compensate the victims, rather than contest their class-action lawsuit in court, was praised throughout Nova Scotia. Less popular was his call on parishioners in the Diocese of Antigonish to contribute money to the settlement funds. Peggy O'Connell agreed with the settlement process, but, like many in her community, said she can't understand how Lahey, if he is found guilty, could show such solidarity with abuse survivors, while at the same time facing a charge of having child pornography on his computer. Children in pornographic images are as damaged for their whole lives as children who are molested by priests, she said. "Bishop Lahey was the face of the church's apology to its victims in Nova Scotia. How can people who believed that apology, and tried to make a reconciliation with their church, how can they do that now? The damage to them will be just irreparable." Sims, who cautioned that Lahey must be considered innocent until proven guilty, disagreed with suggestions that Lahey may have agreed to the $15-million settlement as a form of personal penance for his own alleged behaviour. The decision to settle out of court wasn't one man's decision, Sims said, but a collective choice by a group of church administrators. In Sydney, N.S., the home of Ronald Martin — the abuse survivor who brought forward the class-action lawsuit — Nova Scotia's most senior Catholic leader held an emergency news conference Thursday. Anthony Mancini, the Archbishop of Halifax, made it clear the settlement would proceed, even without Lahey behind it. But Mancini acknowledged this week's news may "rekindle the pain" of victims like Martin, who had placed their trust in Lahey. Mancini said he had no easy answers for the victims, or for the distraught members of the church. "I am well aware that everyone is in shock," he said. "I do not have the solution to this problem, or the capacity to take away this pain, or the means to erase this tragedy."
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.