CANADA
Ottawa Citizen
Editorial
On the weekend, Ottawa Archbishop Terrence Prendergast addressed the Citizen’s multi-part exposé on local Catholic priests connected to the abuse of young people starting in the 1960s. His words were vague, bromidic and, frankly, unsatisfying.
The scope of the scandal – 41 known victims (there likely are more), 11 priests connected to sexual abuse through criminal or civil actions – had not been clear until the Citizen’s Andrew Duffy, poring over court documents, began tallying the human damage. In the process, he also uncovered three previously unreported cases.
After reviewing these records, Duffy contacted the Archdiocese of Ottawa for comment, and also sent it 11 specific questions in writing. That was on May 13.
Four days later, the archdiocese issued a general press release decrying the fact that people were abused, and pointing to its 2015 Code of Pastoral Conduct, which priests are supposed to sign. Nine days after receiving the Citizen’s questions, Archbishop Prendergast finally wrote about the matter in the Ottawa Sun.
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