By Lois Legge
The Chronicle-Herald
April 2, 2010
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/1175277.html
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| Archbishop Anthony Mancini listens to a reading in Saint Mary’s Cathedral Basilica in 2007. Photo by Ingrid Bulmer |
It wasn’t a typical pre-Easter mass.
Halifax Archbishop Anthony Mancini talked about the "storm" engulfing the church, and about sins and lawsuits and church "failures" in the wake of an ever-widening sexual abuse scandal rocking the Catholic Church.
In a homily at St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica in Halifax on Wednesday night, Mancini acknowledged both local and international allegations of abuse and coverups, the most recent going all the way to the Vatican.
According to published reports, Pope Benedict has been accused of concealing abuse by priests in his earlier career as a cardinal and archbishop.
"In our day, we are facing our own church failures and the need to refocus our attention on the Person of Christ," Mancini said, according to the text of his address posted on the archdiocese website.
"There is no doubt that our church is in the middle of a huge storm. From the Pope down to our local parishes, we are being hit by a violent wind of protest and criticism and not without cause. We are being called every name imaginable and the consequences are not all yet clear but there are effects. And we will have to face them."
Mancini wasn’t available for an interview Thursday and spokeswoman Marilyn Sweet said he would not be speaking to the media during Holy Week. But the archbishop told parishioners Wednesday that the church is facing a major challenge.
"Whether we like it or not, there is a cost for the sins of our past — hopefully we will learn a few lessons from what we are presently experiencing."
Catholic parishes in Nova Scotia have been hit hard by a number of allegations.
Two Yarmouth county sisters — Jeanne Doucette and Margaret Deveau — are suing the Archdiocese of Halifax and the Diocese of Yarmouth, alleging they were abused as children by then-Digby area parish priest Rev. Edward Theriault. As reported previously in The Chronicle Herald, Theriault was convicted in 1993 of sexually assaulting Deveau in her home between 1962 and 1969.
The church has settled a $15-million class action abuse lawsuit against the Diocese of Antigonish and the Halifax archdiocese but received another blow last fall when authorities charged Antigonish Bishop Raymond Lahey, who helped negotiate the deal, with possession and importing of child pornography.
Other cases are also ongoing.
Joanne Muron-Sullivan is suing the Yarmouth diocese and Terrence Prendergast, the former archbishop of Halifax who presided over Yarmouth, alleging Rev. Raoul Deveau sexually assaulted her when he was a priest at St. Joseph’s Parish in Weymouth.
Linda Deschamp is also suing the Yarmouth diocese and Mancini, who oversees Yarmouth, alleging the now-deceased Deveau sexually assaulted her at St. Thomas parish in Shelburne.
And Philip Latimer is suing the Antigonish diocese and the Halifax archdiocese. Latimer alleges he was abused by Rev. Allan MacDonald in Havre Boucher.
In response to the scandal and insurance requirements, Mancini recently announced a new code of conduct for priests and other church workers. All employees are being asked to sign a document promising not to abuse, endanger and, in many cases, even be alone with people in their care. Everyone will be subject to criminal record and child abuse registry checks.
In a Feb. 15 letter to priests, deacons and parishioners about the new Responsible Ministry and Safe Environment Protocol, Mancini talked about the "emotional and spiritual suffering experienced by so many" in light of the Lahey allegations. And he promised to improve safety and accountability, a theme he reiterated Wednesday.
Contact: llegge@herald.ca
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