Struggling to Keep Faith, Laura Fraser, The Chronicle-Herald, October 2, 2009

Struggling to Keep Faith

By Laura Fraser
The Chronicle-Herald
October 2, 2009

http://thechronicleherald.ca/News/1145492.html

Ronald Martin told reporters Thursday that he again felt victimized after learning of the child pornography charges against Bishop Raymond Lahey
Photo by LAURA FRASER / Cape Breton Bureau

Abuse survivor who negotiated lawsuit with bishop may leave church

SYDNEY RIVER — Ronald Martin says he’s been a believer all his life, but recent child pornography charges against Bishop Raymond Lahey have made him question his allegiance to the Catholic Church.

"I’m struggling today, I’m struggling," he told reporters. "I have been committed to this faith my whole life and through this whole thing. . . . I’m not sure anymore what I can do with the Catholic Church."

Mr. Martin launched a class-action lawsuit against the Diocese of Antigonish after his brother David left a suicide note in 2002 that led to sex-related charges against priest Hugh Vincent MacDonald.

Mr. MacDonald also allegedly abused Ronald Martin. When the priest died in 2004, he faced 27 charges, including rape and indecent assault connected to children ages eight to 15.

Mr. Martin said he met with Bishop Lahey about a dozen times to discuss details leading to a $15-million settlement announced last month as compensation for those who had been abused by priests in the Antigonish diocese dating back to Jan. 1, 1950.

"If you’re a victim of abuse, trust is a really, really big issue," Mr. Martin said. "And for me to allow (Bishop Lahey) into my life . . . to trust him with a lot of personal stuff, and then to find out that trust was violated. . . . I’m sickened by that."

Bishop Lahey resigned Saturday citing reasons of personal renewal. He turned himself in to police in Ottawa on Thursday afternoon after they issued a warrant for his arrest last week.

Mr. Martin showed up at a news conference held by Archbishop Anthony Mancini on Thursday afternoon to speak with the man and to tell him how betrayed he felt by the former leader of the diocese. The allegations against Bishop Lahey have victimized him again and all of the other victims who put their faith in the bishop as he brokered the sexual abuse settlement, Mr. Martin said.

"When Bishop Lahey, in good faith, shook my hand at that signing of that agreement, I felt like justice was served for my brother. Now, I look at this and say, ‘He shook my hand and while he was shaking my hand, he had this dark secret himself at the very core of what we were doing there.’ "

Mr. Martin said he plans to attend his regular Sunday service to see how the church leaders handle the allegations.

"Are they going to talk about this or are they going to bury this like they did the last thing?" he asked reporters. "I’m not sure. What will happen to the diocese depends on what the leadership does Sunday morning. I can promise you that."

Contact: lfraser@herald.ca