By Laura MacInnis
Miramichi Leader
October 5, 2009
http://miramichileader.canadaeast.com/news/article/813722
There was hardly a person in Rogersville Sunday who hadn't heard that former Nova Scotia Bishop Raymond Lahey was staying at the Monastery of Our Lady of Calvary after being released on bail after being charged with having child pornography on his computer.
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Lahey, 69, was released on $9,000 bail after turning himself in to Ottawa police on Thursday afternoon to face charges of possessing and importing child pornography.
He had been returning to Canada on Sept. 15 when he was detained at Ottawa International Airport where Canada Border Services agents checked his laptop.
The bishop retired from the Antigonish diocese in N.S. just one week before charges were officially laid.
Most members of the Rogersville community weren't happy about his stay in the village, questioning why the man, surrounded by so much controversy would not stay in Nova Scotia or Ontario where he's being charged and turned himself in.
"I don't like it for sure," said Gerard Richard.
"We don't know if he did what they say, but these are serious charges," he continued and said in the end if "he never abused children directly, it still encourages this kind of crime" if the monastery appears to support a person accused of possessing child pornography.
For Geraldine Richard she's noticed a great deal of media attention on the area, saying this was not the first time she's been asked how she' feels about the man's presence.
"One reporter knocked on the door."
She said she's not sure he should have been released from jail in the first place.
"They should have kept him locked up."
But she said she can't be surprised the Trappist monks would give him a place to stay.
"This is not the first time they've taken people in. They are charitable. If someone needs a place to sleep that's what they do. But I don't know if they should if they know about [the charges]."
Paul Caissie, a devout man who attends mass everyday and frequents the monastery had a different perspective.
"We need to pray for the clergy," he offered and suggested the bishop could be helped by the monks.
"All need a place to pray. A place to return to god."
Lahey's next court date is set for Nov.4 in Ottawa. In the meantime he has been ordered to report to the local RCMP detachment twice a week and not possessing or access a long list of prohibited items.
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