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	Bishop Testifying in Abuse Case By Jane Sims London Free Press March 24, 2011 http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2011/03/24/17740106.html Retired Bishop John Sherlock. (QMI Agency file photo) It wasn't until a phone call in 1989 from a school principal in Pain Court, near Chatham, that retired Bishop John Sherlock says he first heard about disgraced priest Charles Sylvestre's sexual abuses. For the first time, the retired bishop of the Diocese of London was testifying in court in London to what he knew about Sylvestre's activities after knowing him from the time both were young priests working in Hamilton in the 1950s. Sherlock testified at a civil trial Thursday that's examining what the church knew about Sylvestre, who was convicted in 2006 of 47 counts of indecent assault involving girls who were members of his parishes in Windsor, Sarnia, London, Chatham and Pain Court. He died in prison in 2006, just months into his prison sentence. Kelly Murphy-Myers, 41, of Chatham is suing the diocese for $3.5 million. Her family were members of St. Ursula's parish in Chatham and she was one of Sylvestre's victims when she attended St. Ursula's school. She's one of many St. Ursula's girls who were abused by Sylvestre when he was the priest from 1968 to 1979. Her case is the first of 77 civil suits to reach the trial stage. Most have been settled out of court. Sherlock became auxiliary bishop in 1974 and lived in Chatham when Sylvestre was there. Once he became bishop in 1978, he said he didn't recall being briefed on any problems about Sylvestre by his predecessor, Archbishop Emmett Carter, despite evidence found later of police reports from Sarnia that were misfiled in the diocese's archives. "I think if he had any serious issues, if he had knowledge, he would have communicated them with me," he testified. Sherlock said he didn't recall a conversation with Rev. John Bitkowski, a priest at "The Pines" high school in Chatham, who has testified he told Sherlock about Sylvestre's inappropriate touching after receiving a call from Murphy-Myers' father in 1979. The phone call in 1989 came from Pain Court school principal Paul Belanger who told Sherlock the Gr. 8 girls were making fun of Sylvestre, calling him "Father Touchy Feely." Sherlock said he believed the allegations and had his sexual abuse committee investigate them. Sylvestre was sent to Guest House, an addiction recovery facility for priests, for alcohol treatment. Sherlock said he met with Sylvestre and the parish priest denied the abuse. He admitted Sylvestre was never tried under canon law for sexual abuse. E-mail jane.sims@sunmedia.ca or follow Janeatlfpress on Twitter.
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