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	Archdiocese of Ottawa Won't Withdraw Complaint against Priest over Finances By Andrew Duffy and Meghan Hurley Vancouver Sun September 25, 2011 http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Archdiocese+Ottawa+withdraw+complaint+against+priest+over+finances/5456813/story.html OTTAWA — The Catholic Archdiocese of Ottawa will not withdraw its police complaint against former pastor Joseph LeClair, a senior official told angry parishioners Sunday. Vicar General Kevin Beach met with parishioners after the 11 a.m. mass Sunday to answer questions about the financial scandal that has rocked the Ottawa church. Speaker after speaker criticized the diocese for its decision to refer the matter to the Ottawa police for investigation. One parishioner accused the diocese of failing to show LeClair the kind of compassion offered Nova Scotia Bishop Raymond Lahey, who was allowed to stay at a Catholic residence in Ottawa while he awaited trial on charges of importing child pornography. Others said LeClair had been "thrown under the bus" by the diocese despite revitalizing Blessed Sacrament. Many wanted the matter resolved within the church family, rather than through the involvement of police. LeClair suffered from a gambling addiction, an illness, and deserved to be embraced rather than "crucified," one said. Still another parishioner received a standing ovation when he suggested those assembled should urge the diocese to withdraw its police complaint. But Beach said the investigation is now in the hands of the Ottawa police, "who will take the investigation to its logical conclusion ... We are not going to withdraw the complaint." The matter was referred to the police, Beach said, because the diocese did not have the expertise or investigative power to address questions raised by the church's review of Blessed Sacrament's finances. That review included a lengthy audit by Deloitte and Touche LLP. Last week, in a letter to parishioners, Beach announced that the police have been asked to investigate "questionable" financial transactions made by LeClair during the last five years of his tenure at Blessed Sacrament. The letter gave no indication as to how much money is at issue. Beach said LeClair had vowed to ensure that the church was in robust financial health by the time his tenure came to an end at Blessed Sacrament. LeClair wanted to leave the church with $100,000 in reserve. Beach said it has not been decided what will happen when LeClair returns to the diocese after completing addiction counselling in Aurora, Ont. The six-month review of Blessed Sacrament by diocesan officials also raised concerns about the handling of Sunday collections, the misuse of church accounts, the failure to set aside refugee sponsorship money and deficient accounting practises. The auditors reported that Blessed Sacrament incurred deficits in four of the past five years, and at the end of May was in a net deficit position of $40,718. LeClair admitted in April that he had a gambling problem after the Ottawa Citizen published a story that revealed the extent of his addiction and the ease with which he could access church funds. An immensely popular priest, LeClair, 53, has repeatedly denied taking church money or using it to gamble. Through his lawyer, LeClair has also insisted that diocesan officials and others at Blessed Sacrament bear some responsibility for the state of the church's finances.
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