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	Suit Forces Victims to Relive Sexual Assaults, Woman Says Catholic Priest Pleaded Guilty to Abusing 47 Girls By Trevor Wilhelm Ottawa Citizen August 8, 2007 http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=319b1b1a-c925-4fd4-a9dd-b09a43236495 Windsor, Ont. - A victim of pedophile priest Charles Sylvestre says the London, Ont., diocese, which is trying to settle several lawsuits, is forcing victims to relive abuse and justify their complaints under intense questioning -- something they already endured during an earlier criminal trial. Carol Ann Mieras said she believes the Catholic Church's insurer is requiring the examinations for discovery in order to wear down already weary victims, and that the church, by letting it happen, is falling short on its promises of compassion. "A lot of women are now saying, 'I can't keep going through this over and over. I can't do this anymore,'" said Ms. Mieras, who as a child suffered two years of Mr. Sylvestre's abuse. Mr. Sylvestre, 84, died in prison on Jan. 22, just months after beginning a three-year sentence. He pleaded guilty to sexually abusing 47 young girls over nearly four decades across southern Ontario. The diocese is facing dozens of lawsuits from victims. Ms. Mieras said that two days before her July 7 settlement hearing, which had been scheduled for three months, the church's lawyers cancelled and called for an examination for discovery. She said she endured about five hours of questioning, and is also scheduled for extensive evaluation on Aug. 23 and 24 in Toronto. Ms. Mieras said she already underwent comprehensive testing and interviews over the past two years. "They're forcing us to go through all of that all over again," she said. Diocese spokesman Ron Pickersgill said the examination for discovery is a standard part of the process. "It's a reasonable request on the part of the insurers," he said in a voice-mail exchange. "It's standard and the exams are undertaken by an independent and qualified person. And they're done with great respect in a gentle and sensitive manner." Ms. Mieras's lawyer, Paul Ledroit, said none of the victims in eight other lawsuits that his firm has already settled had to go through the examination for discovery process.
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