Sexual Abuse Victims Urged to Tell Their Story

By Brian Medel
The Chronicle-Herald
June 6, 2014

http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1212975-sexual-abuse-victims-urged-to-tell-their-story

Del Boudreau has written a book about the sexual abuse he suffered as a young altar boy at the hands of a Roman Catholic priest. The Book, Deliver Us From Evil, is self published. (BRIAN MEDEL / Yarmouth Bureau)

The book’s pages chronicle Del Boudreau’s memories, allegations of sexual abuse at the hands of “the most evil” man he says he has ever known, now-dead Catholic priest Adolphe LeBlanc.

Boudreau first came forward five years ago to talk about what was done to him and now, at 70, he has penned Deliver Us From Evil, a memoir he published this week.

Fr. LeBlanc died in the 1970s, after allegedly assaulting dozens of boys.

And although the abuse has not been proven in court, Boudreau was one of six victims who received part of the $1.5-million settlement from the Diocese of Yarmouth in 2011.

Boudreau was about 10 when, as an altar boy, he says he began to suffer abuse at the hands of LeBlanc in Wedgeport, Yarmouth County. After the Tusket-area man recounted what he experienced, other local men came forward at an alarming rate, with nearly identical horror stories.

“You wouldn’t believe this. At least 40 to 45 men my age … have all been abused,” Boudreau said Friday. “They have come to me personally after I went public.”

Some have not told their wives yet, he said.

“It is unreal.”

Altar boys allege they were targeted by this priest in the 1950s and ’60s.

“That’s how he caught us. He’d come to school and pick (us) out. It was an honour to be an altar boy.”

In his self-published book, Boudreau discusses his early years, including the death of his mother when he was four.

Christmas in the village of Wedgeport is remembered fondly in the book, but the visit of the local priest to the school to oversee religious instruction and to handpick new altar boys then leads to chapters of alleged abuse.

That ended when he stopped being an altar boy in his early teens, Boudreau said.

Boudreau has now been married 50 years.

For 45 of those years, his wife Sally knew nothing about his inner torment, even as they stood before LeBlanc at the altar on their wedding day.

Again in 1976, when Boudreau sat in his kitchen one evening and wrote a brief note to Sally before placing the barrel of a loaded .22 calibre rifle in his mouth, she knew nothing of the alleged abuse.

Thankfully he could not go through with the suicide attempt, Boudreau said. The emotional pain, though, was intense.

“Three men that I know committed suicide,” Boudreau said. Men who could not live with their memories.

Booze — Boudreau began with rum in his early teens — made him feel good. Most other times he didn’t feel that way.

“I’m a recovering alcoholic,” Boudreau said. “I haven’t had a drink for 33 years.”

Sexual abuse victims should share their story with someone, Boudreau said, because doing so will give them the strength and comfort to live without guilt and pain.

“Never, ever forget that it was not your fault.”

The Boudreaus have a large and supportive family of three children, eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Throughout the painful ordeal, from his early years onward, Boudreau said his faith was badly shaken.

Does he still believe in God?

“I’m not too sure,” he said. “I don’t go to church.”

Boudreau picked up more copies of his book from his printer Friday and plans to sell them locally.

“Somebody said, ‘You should send one to the Pope.’”

Boudreau gave it some thought and said perhaps he will.

“If I knew his address. … I suppose we could find out.”