By Adam Huras
Telegraph-Journal
October 3, 2009
http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/front/article/812076
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| Former Roman Catholic bishop Raymond Lahey will be required to live at the Monastery of Our Lady of Calvary in Rogersville and must report twice a week to the local RCMP detachment. |
ROGERSVILLE - For more than 100 years, Cistercian-Trappist monks at the Monastery of Our Lady of Calvary have spent their lives in service to God, welcoming all those who wish to join them.
Friday was no different as a former Roman Catholic bishop facing child pornography charges moved into the fortress-like cloister on the outskirts of Rogersville.
Raymond Lahey, appointed bishop of Antigonish by the late Pope John Paul, has been charged with possession and importation of child pornography following a forensic examination of his computer.
The decision to grant bail to Lahey included the condition that he stay at the Rogersville monastery.
"Just because he is charged with something doesn't mean he is guilty of it," Abbot Bede Stockill told the Telegraph-Journal.
Stockill said Lahey also sought sanctuary in the peaceful monastery earlier this week before a nationwide warrant was issued for his arrest by Ottawa police.
He attended Tuesday's mass, Stockill said, adding that he believes the monastery was recommended to Lahey by church leaders.
The former bishop's next court date is Nov. 4.
"As with anything else, we have to wait and see how the case develops," Stockill said. "For some people it will be a tremendous sort of scandal, but "¦ it totally depends on the personality.
"If you are a type of person who takes life as it comes, you realize that we are all human."
He added: "They haven't actually convicted him of anything yet."
In nearby Rogersville, some residents were not so understanding.
"I'm in complete disagreement and I wish he would go somewhere else," Rogersville Mayor Bertrand LeBlanc told reporters.
"This is a small community, we take care of our children and we want security. There must be somewhere else he can go."
LeBlanc recalled that in August, Lahey was publicly credited for helping broker a $15-million out-of-court settlement for sex abuse victims in his diocese.
"I would say that he is kind of a Judas," LeBlanc said. "He is a bad influence and he is bad for the community."
A Catholic himself, LeBlanc said the brewing scandal hurts the church.
"The church needs to take a good look at itself and do some reflection," LeBlanc said. "I'm hoping the monastery will see what is happening in the village and send him away."
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| Raymond Lahey |
At a home just down the road from the monastery, Gerald Richard, a bus driver, prepares to pick up the area's children from school.
"Anybody that has family has got to be concerned because if you don't have kids, you have grandkids," he said.
"They (the monks) accept everyone who comes in because that is who they are - they give charity. But I can't believe they would keep him there knowing this."
Raising money for a local charity at a grocery store, Yolande Wedge said the news is difficult to accept in a town that prides itself in its faith.
"I think this is more bad news for the Catholic church," she said. "We don't have many people coming to the church now, especially the young people, and this is going to hurt."
Rogersville is the only place in North America with both a male and female monastery.
Our Lady of Calvary is a community of eight monks. It was founded in 1902, initially as an annex house for the Our Lady of Bonnecombe monastery in France.
The monks were invited to the Rogersville region by church leaders in hopes of boosting local agriculture. The order is noted for agricultural enterprise.
Rogersville RCMP visited the monastery Friday to speak to Stockill about Lahey's presence. Police say the public's safety is not at risk.
"Not at all," said Cpl. John Letourneau. "People are released on conditions, it's a daily occurrence."
Under his conditions, Lahey may not possess pornographic material or have use of a computer or any device that can access the Internet.
He cannot visit Internet cafes, is prohibited from using or possessing a webcam or external hard drive and may not use any online chat lines, including MSN and Twitter, or file transferring services and email.
Lahey cannot possess any software that would allow data to be hidden or erased, or any items that can store digital media, such as thumb drives.
He is also prohibited from attending any public park, library or place that may be frequented by people under age 18 and he cannot be alone with anyone younger than that age.
He also must report twice a week to the local RCMP detachment.
"We are always prepared to respond should the need arise," Letourneau said.
As a throng of news reporters began to assemble on the monastery's property Friday, one man emerged to close the gate.
Inside, the monastery continued its duty to offer sanctuary.
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