CANADA
The Telegram
Barb Sweet
Published on June 14, 2016
A parish priest at Mount Cashel in the 1950s would have been aware of an option to deal outside the secrecy of confession with a boy’s report of sexual abuse by a Christian Brother, an expert on canon law agreed in court this morning.
Fr. Francis Morrissey of Ottawa concluded his testimony at the civil trial in Newfoundland Supreme Court before the lunch break.
While being cross-examined by former orphanage residents’ lawyer Geoff Budden, Morrissey confirmed the seal of confession is so strong if someone confessed to poisoning the communion wine, a priest would have no choice but to serve the wine, short of dropping it.
However, when asked about an agreed statement of facts, in which a Mount Cashel boy reported in confession to the parish priest on the orphanage site he had been sexually touched by a Brother, Morrissey agreed there was an option.
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