CANADA
Nova News Now
By Tina Comeau
THE VANGUARD
www.thevanguard.ca
When Del Boudreau picked up his mail, the last thing he expected to see was a letter from the Vatican.
“His Holiness Pope Francis has received the kind gift sent for his acceptance,” reads the letter. “He appreciates the respectful sentiments which prompted this presentation.”
Boudreau had sent Pope Francis a copy of the book he recently wrote entitled Deliver Us From Evil. The book outlines the sexual abuse Boudreau suffered as an alter boy at the hands of a catholic priest.
He was around 11 years old when the abuse began but he wasn’t able to share his experience with others until he was 65 years old. He broke his silence in 2009. Finally sharing his story lifted a huge weight from his shoulders, he said.
Boudreau says the abuse was committed by Father Adolphe LeBlanc. Several others have also accused this priest of having abused them as young boys. Father LeBlanc died in 1971.
When his book first came out it was suggested to Boudreau that he should send a copy of it to the Pope. After some consideration he did.
“I mailed it. The postmistress said, ‘It’s been 33 years, I never mailed something to the Vatican, but there’s always a first time,’” Boudreau says.
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