Windsor Star
April 16, 2011
http://www.windsorstar.com/news/Women+file+suit+against+priest/4626471/story.html
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A former Windsor priest is being sued by six women who allege he sexually abused them in Wallaceburg nearly three decades ago when they were teenagers.
Gabriele Del Bianco, now 54, was transferred to Windsor in 1985 by the London diocese and served at several area parishes following three years as associate pastor at Wallaceburg's Our Lady Help of Christians.
London lawyer Rod Dale, who is representing the women, said he anticipates more victims will come forward now that the lawsuits, which also name the diocese, have been made public.
On Friday, the diocese said that Lambton County OPP have filed three charges of sexual assault against the former priest.
Dale praised the diocese for offering counselling for the women and trying to reach financial settlements out of court.
Another victim, who was not among the six, settled a week ago, Dale said. Details of that settlement are not being released.
"We are open to working out fair, reasonable settlements as quickly as possible," said Mark Adkinson, spokesman for the diocese.
The diocese released a statement Friday apologizing for "all of the hurt these and other victims have experienced.
"We are committed to living up to our responsibilities and obligations to victims of sexual misconduct in the search for justice and truth. The victims who have come forward are making a difference and we thank them for doing so."
Parishioners at the affected churches will receive a letter from Bishop Ronald Fabbro at the conclusion of mass this weekend apologizing for Del Bianco's alleged conduct.
Del Bianco served in Windsor as associate pastor at St. John Vianney church and part-time chaplain at Brennan high school from 1985 to 1987, according to the diocese.
He was administrator at St. Rose of Lima in 1987 and 1988, then became associate pastor at St. Gregory in St. Clair Beach and part-time chaplain at St. Anne's high school from 1988 to 1990.
He was pastor at the former Sacred Heart church in Windsor from 1990 until 1994. Del Bianco was removed from the parish after the diocese learned of his behaviour. He left the priesthood in 1996.
Del Bianco moved north and was a counsellor in Bruce County -eventually serving as president of Innerfit, a wellness company in Auburn, Ont. He left the job field once his legal troubles emerged in the past year, his Toronto lawyer John Banfill said Friday.
Banfill said he was only familiar with the claims of two of the women. His client admits there were "boundary transgressions" and the former priest regrets his actions.
"Mr. Del Bianco has taken the position some behaviour on his part was inappropriate," Banfill said. "That's probably all I can tell you at this point because of the pending action.
"I will say in my experience in these cases there is some element of exaggeration as a consequence of the passage of time."
The lawsuits allege Del Bianco groomed his victims after starting a youth group at Our Lady Help of Christians church involving students in grades seven and eight, said Dale. The allegations have not yet been proven in court.
Dale said that according to the lawsuits the priest identified pre-adolescent girls who were troubled or vulnerable and then befriended them by giving small gifts or toys to make them feel special.
He took them out for pizza, ice cream or fast food and even grew close to the families involved, often being invited to dinner where he won the trust of parents, Dale said.
Del Bianco, in his mid-20s at the time, then started to invite the girls to his room at the rectory. He was even trusted to taking the girls on overnight stays to cottages lent to him by the parishioners.
The former priest dressed stylishly, drove a sports car and told the youngsters tales -including that he once was a CIA operative, Dale said.
The lawsuit alleges his sexual advances started with innocent hugs and kisses, but eventually led to giving the girls alcohol and abuse that escalated to include fondling, oral sex and intercourse, the lawyer said.
The victims have suffered a lifetime of emotional and psychological problems, Dale said.
"A generalization is they were largely excellent students, but after the abuse their grades fell substantially, they dropped out of high school, became promiscuous with older men and had alcohol or drugrelated problems," he said.
"All of them have significant emotional problems in their relationships with friends, spouses and kids. None of them achieved their occupational potential and are resentful of authority figures. This had a terrible emotional, reallife impact on these women."
Contact: dbattagello@windsorstar.com
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