Quebec Catholic Diocese to Meet with Victims of Sexual Abuse

Life in Quebec
March 6, 2015

http://www.lifeinquebec.com/quebec-catholic-diocese-to-meet-with-victims-of-sexual-abuse-20251/

A group of religious leaders from the catholic diocese of Quebec has accepted an invitation from one of the church’s sexual abuse victims, Pierre Bolduc, to come and meet him and some other victims face to face to discuss the suffering and lifetime problems the abuse has caused them.

M. Bolduc has been trying to get an audience with the Archbishop, his excellency Mgr. Lacroix, for some time but instead he will only be meeting with a designated group of priests assigned by the church.

Mgr Lacroix understands the concern of M. Bolduc, but first he would like to hear what his delegation has to say concerning the demands of M. Bolduc.

M. Bolduc and three others were abused for years by Father Jean-Marie Begin in the 70s while taking part in church activities in the area of Thetford Mines. He and three of his co-victims would like to have some kind of compensation for the problems the abuse has caused them throughout their lives. All the church has to offer for the moment is some spiritual and psychological counselling which, according to M. Bolduc, is far from enough.

Mgr Lacroix may possibly meet with the victims eventually, but for now the church is simply offering its support and is claiming that they cannot be responsible for the actions of all their priests.