BishopAccountability.org
	Bishop Apologizes to Victim's Mother Lawyer Reads Message at Sex Abuse Inquiry Ottawa Citizen [Canada] October 6, 2006 http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=74dfe770-2995-49e0-8156-45b245b1bad8&k=23419 Cornwall - Nearly 30 years after her son was sexually abused by a priest, a mother was reduced to tears yesterday when a bishop offered a formal apology at the Project Truth inquiry for her family's suffering. The inquiry is probing the institutional response to, and police investigations of, historical child sexual abuse. Lyse Brisson had just finished testifying about the abuse her son, Benoit, suffered at the hands of Rev. Gilles Deslauriers over three years in the 1970s when a lawyer for the Alexandria-Cornwall Roman Catholic Diocese came to the microphone and began to speak. Bishop Paul-Andre Durocher "apologizes for the pain you have suffered at the hands of a priest in whom you put so much trust," said David Sherriff-Scott. "The bishop wants to assure you personally that he and the members of the diocese want to learn from these events." Tears streamed down the 73-year-old woman's face as Mr. Sherriff-Scott told her the bishop would like to work with families such as hers to further address abuse issues in the community and establish ways to better handle similar situations in the future. "He wants you to know that he's watching your testimony today," said Mr. Sherriff-Scott, "and that he hopes and prays that the pain that you have experienced will not be in vain." On the witness stand, Mrs. Brisson talked about the time her son told her he had been abused by a priest the family had held in high regard. It was in early January 1986 when her son called to tell her he was separating from his wife. He said it was "on account of a person who had caused him problems," said Mrs. Brisson, "but he couldn't tell me who it was at that time." Mrs. Brisson said Father Deslauriers had been a close friend of the family. She said initially the family thought they could deal with the matter within the church, but she said no action was taken. Eventually, the priest pleaded guilty to four counts of gross indecency involving four boys, one of whom was Benoit Brisson. The inquiry will resume Tuesday when it's expected Mr. Brisson will take the stand.
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