Catholic Church Reviewing Court Decision on Damage Liability in Mount Cashel Case

VOCM
July 30, 2020

https://vocm.com/2020/07/30/mount-cashel-ruling/


The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation is reviewing a Court of Appeal ruling that found it guilty of vicarious liability for the sexual and other abuse suffered by boys at Mount Cashel from the late 40s to the early 60s.

The Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador ruled in March, 2018 that the corporation was not liable. However, the Court of Appeal has unanimously overturned parts of that ruling including the question of liability.

The Archdiocese of St. John’s says it was never responsible for the operations of the orphanage or the school at Mount Cashel, but the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador (Appeal Division) wrote that the Archdiocese provided the Brothers who were staffing Mount Cashel with the power, environment and tools to carry out their wrongdoing virtually undetected.

Lawyer Geoff Budden says it is not a class action, but affects about 60 people. He says even if you weren’t an abuser or supervisor of an abuser, you can still be held liable given certain circumstances.

(Gemma Hickey, file photo.)

An advocate for survivors of abuse at the hands of clergy is pleased with a recent Court of Appeal ruling that the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of St. John’s is liable for abuse suffered at the Mount Cashel Orphanage.

Gemma Hickey is the founder of Pathways and the co-founder of ACTS Canada (Advocates for Clergy Trauma Survivors).

Hickey sat with some of the survivors in the courtroom and remarks at their bravery and resilience.

Hickey calls the men, many of whom are in their 70s and 80s, their “heroes.” Hickey hopes that the ruling will finally bring those men some comfort and peace.