By Nancy King
The Cape Breton Post
October 2, 2009
http://www.capebretonpost.com/index.cfm?sid=291576&sc=145
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| Archbishop Anthony Mancini, left, and Fr. Paul Abbass of St. Mary’s parish in Frenchvale spoke to the media at Our Lady of Fatima church in Sydney River regarding charges against former bishop Raymond Lahey of distributing and importing child pornography. Photo by Steve Wadden - Cape Breton Post |
SYDNEY — The Diocese of Antigonish is in a place of “brokenness and vulnerability,” the Archbishop of Halifax says, and it will take everyone working together to begin to heal.
Archbishop Anthony Mancini held a press conference at Our Lady of Fatima church in Sydney River Thursday, a day after word broke that Bishop Raymond Lahey, 69, who recently resigned as bishop for the diocese, is charged with distributing and importing child pornography.
“Yes, it’s shaking us to the foundations, but it is precisely because of this that our faith is going to have to come to the fore,” said Mancini, who is serving as apostolic administrator of the diocese until a new bishop is appointed. “And I believe that there are people in this diocese and there are priests in this diocese who have that faith and upon which we will build again whatever the church has in mind for us all. It may not look like what it was 50 years ago, and I don’t know what it’s gonna look like 50 years from now, the only thing I know is right now some people are shocked, some people are hurt, some people don’t know what to, including some of us, but together we’re gonna figure it out and for those who do have the faith, that’s the only source that we have from which we can draw strength.”
He said the church is going to require radical change.
Canadian Border Services searched Lahey’s laptop computer Sept. 15 as he returned from a trip to the U.S. and found “images of concern.” He was charged Sept. 25, a day before he said he was resigning as bishop for personal reasons.
While Mancini was taking questions from the media, Lahey, who had been wanted on a Canada-wide warrant, turned himself in to police in Ottawa.
“I’m glad to hear it because now that puts an end to the speculation about whether or not he’s a fugitive — he’s not anymore, and never was.”
Lahey was considered a key figure in the recent settlement of a class-action lawsuit against the diocese by survivors of childhood sexual abuse by priests. Mancini said the allegations against Lahey will not undo that settlement.
Mancini said he had also viewed the settlement as an opportunity for healing, and said that remains true, and he is grateful for Lahey’s role in it.
“Now it’s difficult because everyone, including me, thinks that perhaps it was not as positively motivated, as authentically understood, as we all would have liked to believe, but the action itself remains valid,” he said.
Mancini said the church is trying to put into place the checks that will allow it to be as informed as possible about the backgrounds of priests, volunteers and others. He said during a recent meeting with other Atlantic bishops they talked about what needs to be put in place to create a safe environment, such as police checks and letters of recommendation when there are transfers.
He couldn’t say whether there may be priests in parishes in the province today that may have criminal records involving sexual offences. He said he assumes child abuse registry checks are among the steps either already in place or that they will be introduced.
As to whether Lahey will continue to exercise a ministry as bishop of a diocese, Mancini said, “it’s not going to happen.” He doesn’t know at this point whether the diocese may have to foot the bill for Lahey’s legal defence, noting that occurs when a bishop retires, which isn’t the case here.
Everyone has their vulnerabilities, Mancini said, and Lahey’s appear to have landed him in this situation. After fielding media calls Wednesday, Mancini had a brief conversation with Lahey on his cellphone, saying he wanted him to know that he was concerned for him.
“That doesn’t take anything away from anything he may or may not have done,” Mancini said, adding Lahey responded that he wasn’t feeling very well.
Mancini encouraged the diocese’s priests help one another to find the strength to continue in their ministries, and encouraged parishioners to draw on each other’s faith as they carry the painful burden.
Dolena MacKinnon of New Waterford went to the press conference to see what Mancini had to say. Her faith in the church had already been hurt by the aftermath of abuse that occurred at St. Agnes parish, her home church. And while most of her life she faithfully attended church every week with her children and grandchildren, it’s something she’s done only occasionally since the parish was closed, instead choosing to pray on her own.
“My own faith (is strong), but no, not with the church,” MacKinnon said, pulling a tissue from her pocket to dab at her tears. “When you’re brought up a good Catholic ... my parents would turn over in their grave, and a lot more.”
Now with the allegations against Lahey, MacKinnon expects support for the church to continue to wane.
Charles MacDonald spent four years in the seminary with Lahey in Ottawa. He said he has a strong personal commitment to the church, but sees that negative experiences are “piling up” on people who can feel overpowered by the events.
“I know there’s a lot of really good things in the church and lots of petty things and lots of really serious things, but church is about community, it should be about bringing people out of their isolation ... people need community and if this throws them into isolation, it’s a very, very bad thing. That’s a real big danger.”
He called it significant crisis for the church, an institution that depends on trust.
“When trust is broken, then it takes a lot to regain that trust,” he said. “Trust has to be earned and it can be frivolously thrown away.”
The allegations against Lahey have not yet been proven in court.
Contact: nking@cbpost.com
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