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	N.S. Man Sues Embattled Diocese Toronto Star October 8, 2009 http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/707228--n-s-man-sues-embattled-diocese Hard times for Antigonish, which recently settled sex abuse lawsuit, then lost bishop in porn scandal HALIFAX–A Nova Scotia man has filed a lawsuit against two Roman Catholic districts, alleging years of sexual abuse at the hands of a pastor linked to a diocese at the centre of a historic abuse settlement. In a statement of claim filed with the Nova Scotia Supreme Court, Philip Latimer, 47, is seeking $2 million in damages and alleges he was sexually molested by pastor Allan MacDonald for four years in the community of Havre Boucher. The lawsuit names as defendants the archdiocese of Halifax and the diocese of Antigonish, which is at the centre of the landmark sexual abuse settlement. That deal was negotiated by Bishop Raymond Lahey, who recently stepped down over child pornography charges. The alleged abuse started when Latimer was 11 years old and serving as an altar boy. The 22-page claim details Latimer's alleged abuse at the hands of MacDonald, who has since died, and who is described in the document as "well-known and highly trusted" in the area. "The plaintiff was deprived of a normal childhood and adolescence as a result of the actions or inactions of the defendants," asserts the document filed by the London, Ont., firm handling the case. "His ability to carry in a normal life has been extinguished or impaired." The allegations in the lawsuit have not been proven in court. The diocese would not comment on the case. Aaron Lealess, a lawyer representing Latimer, said his client is opting out of the $15 million class-action settlement announced in August because he wants more information on what the church knew at the time of the alleged abuse and whether it failed to act on that knowledge. "There's information we could find out about their knowledge of the priest, whether he was reported in a previous diocese, whether they were aware of his problems and, if so, what did they do to protect the children," Lealess said Wednesday."The settlement allows compensation for the victims, but there's nothing in there which provides answers to the questions which my client has." The statement of claim alleges the diocese failed to investigate MacDonald's "background, character and psychological state," or warn supervisors and parishioners of his "difficulties as a priest." The suit also alleges the diocese fostered rules and ideologies in which "deviant sexual practices were bound to develop among a percentage of the priests." It alleges the church knew MacDonald had a propensity to "engage in such deviant behaviours."
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