Ex-altar Boy Sues Catholic Church over Sex Abuse Allegations

By Tony Blais
Toronto Sun
January 19, 2012

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/01/19/ex-altar-boy-sues-catholic-church-over-sex-abuse-allegations

EDMONTON – A former altar boy who alleges he was sexual abused by a priest and a church organist has filed two $3.4-million lawsuits against the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton.

The alleged victim, a 51-year-old man now living in Vancouver, claims the sexual abuse happened in the early and mid-'70s, when he was a member of the congregation at St. Joseph's Basilica in Edmonton.

According to one of two statements of claim filed Jan. 6, the man said he was initially sexually assaulted by a person employed at St. Joseph's as an organist and music director.

He alleges that, between 1970 and 1973, the man gave him gifts and groomed him for eventual sexual abuse. He also claims the man, who is named as a defendant, was fired from his position as a result of the abuse.

He alleges both the man and the Catholic archdiocese are liable for the sexual abuse as they were responsible for his care and supervision.

He also claims the archdiocese was negligent for allowing the organist to carry out the alleged sexual abuse, allowing him access to children and failing to prevent it. As well, he says the archdiocese was negligent for failing to report the abuse allegations to the authorities.

As a result of the alleged abuse, the alleged victim claims he suffered pain and anguish, severe psychological trauma, life-long depression, severe anxiety, nightmares and post-traumatic stress disorder.

In the second statement of claim, the man alleges he was sexually abused by former priest Patrick O'Neill between 1973 and 1975 while in an exchange program for altar boys at other parishes including one in Grande Cache, Alta.

He alleges O'Neill, who is named as a defendant, was the priest at the Grande Cache Parish at the time.

He also claims the archdiocese is liable for the alleged sexual abuse by O'Neill.

Statements of claim contain unproven allegations. Statements of defence have not yet been filed.

Meanwhile, O'Neill was sentenced to two years in jail in 1998 after earlier being convicted of charges related to the sexual abuse of three boys between 1971 and 1984.

In 1999, he was given a two-year conditional sentence after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting two Irish boys he hosted on a visit to Edmonton.