CANADA
Catholic Register
BY DEBORAH GYAPONG, CANADIAN CATHOLIC NEWS
May 25, 2016
OTTAWA – In response to news stories that chronicled several past cases of sexual abuse in the Ottawa archdiocese, archbishop Terrence Prendergast has acknowledged “the enormity of the evil” and pledged greater vigilance in the future.
“This shocking moment can become a moment of purification for us in the Catholic community and serve to remind us to keep vigilant in protecting the vulnerable, especially children,” Prendergast said in a statement. “We will continue to commit to making sure that our protocols for safety and security are being followed and are effective.”
Prendergast was responding to a series of front-page articles published in Ottawa’s two daily newspapers that recounted historical cases of abuse dating back to the 1950s. Using court records and online research, the Postmedia newspapers documented cases involving 11 abuser priests and 41 victims. With one exception, the cases pre-dated Prendergast’s arrival as Ottawa archbishop in 2007.
The articles said the archdiocese has paid nearly $600,000 in settlements to abuse victims in seven lawsuits since 2011. Five more lawsuits remain, with claimants seeking a total of $7.4 million.
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