Cap-Pelé Residents Thank Bishop for Abuse Apology

CBC News
March 12, 2012

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/story/2012/03/12/nb-cap-pele-richard-apology-656.html

A plebiscite on renaming the Cap-Pelé arena will be held on May 14.

Archbishop André Richard apolgized over the weekend for the actions of a former Cap-Pelé priest.

People in the small southeastern New Brunswick village of Cap-Pelé say they're pleased with Archbishop André Richard's apology for the actions of a former priest.

Richard celebrated mass in the fishing village on the weekend and he addressed a controversy that has erupted in the community in recent days.

The community is going to hold a plebiscite on May 14 on whether to remove Father Camille Léger's name from the local arena.

Several people came forward last week to talk for the first time about the abuse they experienced by Léger, who died 22 years ago.

About 200 people came to hear Richard speak on Sunday about the abuse. Many people thanked Richard for coming to the community and talking about the issue.

Richard told parishioners he believes the stories of abuse that emerged in recent days and he apologized on behalf of the church.

Antoine Vautour said the archbishop did the right thing by asking for forgiveness.

"The archbishop's comments were perfect, we appreciate his comments," Vautour said.

Richard thanked the people for breaking their silence on the issue of abuse.

"We have no idea what damage, what harm he may have done to the lives of people," Richard said.

Richard said the church will do what it can to help Léger's victims.

He said Léger was well respected in Cap-Pelé where he served from 1957 to1980. Richard said Léger helped incorporate the town, set up a volunteer fire department and build the local arena.

He said that community involvement made it much more difficult for teenage boys who were sexually assaulted by the priest to speak out.

"That's part of the complexity of the whole situation, that he was well known and admired, on the other hand this very shady side obviously of his life," he said.

'It was long overdue'

Ulysse Boudreau, who lived in the coastal community when Léger was a priest, also said the region's archbishop took the appropriate action.

"It's only right for the people who got hurt. I was young back then and I remember what he was doing with the kids and it was not right," Boudreau said.

Patricia Niles said she also knows people who were abused by Léger and the archbishop's apology is just one part of the healing process.

"I think it was long overdue for those that have been really hurt, it will be a long process," Niles said.