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	Shining Light on Abuse By Erica Bajer Chatham Daily News January 26, 2010 http://www.chathamdailynews.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2276890 CANADA -- Local author Jim Gilbert discovered sexual abuse at the hands of Catholic clergy is a tragedy dating back centuries. Another tragedy he realized while researching his new book was the misconception many people, including himself, have about the depth of pain, shame and humiliation suffered by the victims. He hopes his book, Breach of Faith, Breach of Trust -- The Story of Lou Ann Soontiens, Father Charles Sylvestre and Sexual Abuse Within the Catholic Church, shines a light on the toll abuse takes on victims and on the church itself. "I'm a much better person for having done this and researching it," Gilbert, a lifelong Catholic, told The Chatham Daily News. "I'm not so naive, I've learned to be more understanding." He admitted that before meeting Lou Ann Soontiens, and hearing about the five years of sexual molestation she suffered, he wondered about what prompted women to come forward so many years after the abuse. "I'm embarrassed to say, but when I first heard about her (Soontiens) situation, I didn't put much faith in it," Gilbert said. He said while compiling the book, which explores the history of sexual abuse by clergy and delves into the case of pedophile priest Charles Sylvestre, he learned a lot about his own faith and the systemic mistakes of a church that preaches love and understanding. "There are things in the Catholic church that need to be changed," he said, noting the church has always handled abuse cases by sweeping them under the rug, casting suspicion on the claims of victims and moving offenders. Sylvestre pleaded guilty in 2006 to molesting 47 girls in parishes around southwestern Ontario, including Chatham and Pain Court. The 84-year-old man was sentenced to three years behind bars. He died less than six months later. The abuse spanned four decades and was reported to the church as far back as the 1950s. Gilbert said the first recorded instance of sexual abuse of children by clergy dates back to 400 AD. "Over hundreds and hundreds of years, they haven't progressed. They haven't learned a lesson," he said. He's hopeful that Soontiens' story and the Sylvestre case can help change that. He pointed out the Diocese of London awarded Soontiens the largest settlement, $1.75 million, ever given to an individual by the Catholic church in Canadian history. She is one of many women Sylvestre abused who have reached settlements with the local diocese. "These 47 girls are pivotal in the whole Canadian priest-abuse situation," Gilbert said. "They've opened up the doors for a lot of other victims." He said Soontiens' experiences are revealed in the book in vivid, heartfelt detail. "I don't think anyone can read her chapter without feeling upset," he said, praising her courage and inner strength. He said her case is an acknowledgment by the church of wrongdoing. "It's not the money, it's the symbolism of the Catholic church saying 'We were wrong, we made mistakes,'" he said. "To pay a pittance, as they have done in the past, denigrates the process." Gilbert said part of his book focuses on recommendations for change aimed at the church and parishioners. Soontiens approached Gilbert about writing a book because she wants the world to know what happened to her and the church's role in the abuse. "This book is going to tell my experience," she said. Soontiens suffered unspeakable abuse between the ages of 12 and 17, including rape and a forced abortion. Sylvestre went to his grave denying the rape, only ever admitting to touching the girls Soontiens said the book reveals aspects of her case that would have come out at trial if the diocese hadn't settled. "I wanted to go to trial," she said, adding she was shocked when the diocese agreed to the hefty settlement. "A dollar amount for what he did to me will never take it away," she said. Gilbert's book is expected to be published in the next few months by iUniverse. He said once it's ready, it will be available across North America in all major book stores and online. Contact: ebajer@chathamdailynews.ca
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