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ARCHDIOCESE OF OTTAWA
1247 Kilborn Place, Ottawa ON K1H 6K9
Tel 613-738-5025 Fax 613-738-0130
www.CatholicOttawa.ca
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ottawa, May 18th, 2016
Archdiocese of Ottawa comments on articles in the Ottawa
Citizen
concerning cases of clergy abuse
In response to the articles on cases relating to the abuse of
minors by priests of the Archdiocese of
Ottawa that appeared in the print edition of the Ottawa Citizen
on May 18th , the Archdiocese
provided the following comment
One case of the abuse of a vulnerable person is one case too
many. When the abuse is
compounded by a betrayal of trust as is the case of the abuse of
a minor by a priest, the scandal is
even reater. !he articles which appeared in the Ottawa
Citizen edition of May 18th
put into star"
relief the multiple cases of abuse committed by several priests
of our diocese, in the decades
beinnin in the 1#$0%s. !he cost to victims, to their families,
as well as to our &atholic faith
community, cannot be calculated.
'or many years now, we have been enaed in a process of (ustice
and reconciliation with victims
of abuse by members of our clery. !he reality is that most
victims now choose the criminal and
civil courts to see" redress. )iven their e*perience of priests
and of the church, we can
understand their decision. +ecessarily, we enae with victims in
the forum which they choose
but we do so always in a spirit of reconciliation and
repentance.
ince beinnin his episcopal ministry in Ottawa in 200-, rchbishop
!errence /renderast has
made it his clear policy and practice that any priest, who is
found uilty in a criminal trial or foundliable in a civil action,
is prohibited from conductin any and all ministry and from
presentin
himself as a &atholic priest. 'urther, the rchdiocese
complies with the most recent atican
procedures that reuire that such cases be reported to atican
offices for review and decision as
to the clerical status of such priests.
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Our archdiocese 4 li"e many dioceses across +orth merica 4 bean
several years ao a process to
create safe environments in our faith communities, notably
parishes, for the protection of minors
and other vulnerable persons. !he most recent step in this onoin
effort of viilance was the
publication in eptember of 201$ of a Code of !astoral
Conduct 5copy available on line at
www.&atholicOttawa.ca. !he &ode applies to all persons,
ordained and lay, who are enaed in
ministries and services in the rchdiocese of Ottawa.
'ollowin the publication of the Citizen articles, rchbishop
/renderast provided the followin
comment7
s &atholics, we are scandali9ed and deeply saddened by these
cases of clery
abuse. s the pastoral leader of our rchdiocese, : continue my
reuest to our
community of faith to pray for the victims of clery abuse and
for their families,
that they may find (ustice, healin and peace. :n these difficult
times, : e*press mydeepest ratitude to our lay faithful who
e*perience the holiness of the &hurch,
despite these terrible betrayals of trust. : also than" our
priests who discreetly and
with incessant labour continue the pastoral care of individuals
and families across
the diocese. May )od bless and protect you all.;
"o further comment will be made at this time#
