Newfoundland RCMP investigating alleged abuse by P.E.I. priest

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theglobeandmail.com/news/national/atlantic/newfoundland-rcmp-investigating-alleged-abuse-by-pei-priest/article1588192/

Sgt. Morneau said he planned on Wednesday to meet with one person who alleges he was abused by Rev. Smith in the 1970s in the Stephenville area on Newfoundland’s west coast, where he served as an assistant pastor.

“I’m trying to determine what allegedly happened, where and how many potential victims (there are),” Sgt. Morneau said. “Because I think … we’re going to talk about several jurisdictions and we may get our major crime unit involved.

Rev. Smith was suspended last month from his duties at St. Malachy’s following an abuse allegation linked to his time in Newfoundland.
 
I’ve known Fr. George for many years as a wonderfully kind, funny, generous man, a faith-filled priest, and a great homilist. I don’t know what the truth of the matter is but I can’t reconcile those terrible allegations with the man I know. The first stories that came out said that the situation had been dealt with to the satisfaction of the alleged victim, so I don’t know why it would come up again.

Those of us who know Fr. George are praying for him.
 
***The first stories that came out said that the situation had been dealt with to the satisfaction of the alleged victim, so I don’t know why it would come up again.
Um.
Well, if he broke the law and violated a child, you’d think that the matter would have to be dealt with, yeah? Or at least investigated? What-as the above report implied-if there are more victims?

Personal story time…
When I was a teen, the foster family I lived with had a family friend I had to go and help with basic chores, etc…his wife was ill. Here, this SOB proceeds to molest me. More than once. I got lucky. He didn’t get far…but he warped my brain. In a big way.

This man was pretty much respected in his circle of friends, and no one would think he’d even attempt this…good provider, active in the church, you name it.

But he DID attempt to sexually exploit me. As I said, he didn’t get too far, but…still.

So. You never know.
 
I know what you mean.As a child every kid in our street knew the pedophiles.I,ve mentioned this story before on this site.Long story short ,three heterosexual ,married men exploiting neighbours kids .one still an usher in the church today. Nobody talked because they were such respectable men from such respectable families.and the ACCUSER WOULD HAVE BEEN BLAMED. As an adult I was living in a situation where I was very vulnerable and some one tried to take advantage of me also under the guise of being" A nice man"when I had my own children , believe me ,I watched like a hawk ,family ,friends , acquaintances , I trusted NO ONE around my kids. Some times perverts use “being nice” as a cover up
 
Your stories illustrate the problem I have with allegations against Fr. George. The reported incidents happened 20 years ago and there has been nothing since. A pedophile doesn’t just stop molesting kids. All the priests who have been convicted (in fact any convicted pedophile) has a long history and many victims. This doesn’t appear to be the case here.
 
seagal said:
Your stories illustrate the problem I have with allegations against Fr. George. The reported incidents happened 20 years ago and there has been nothing since. A pedophile doesn’t just stop molesting kids. All the priests who have been convicted (in fact any convicted pedophile) has a long history and many victims. This doesn’t appear to be the case here.
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I see where you are coming from…but, then again…wouldn’t this man WANT the investigation if that were the case, to clear his name?

I know if I were accused of doing something I didn’t do, something that would damage my reputation, I’d want my name cleared. I’d WANT the investigation. I’d WELCOME it.

Mind, I’m going on one report I’ve read on line. I don’t know anything else about this matter, it’s just…well, if something happened, it needs to be stopped and the accuser needs to face the consequence, is all…a lot of these people NEVER do, like the friend of the foster family I lived with.

Nothing happened to him. Not only did nothing happen to HIM, the foster family tried to twist the story and said that the teacher I confided in (who promptly alerted the proper authorities) was the abuser, not the family friend.
How’s that for a slap in the face?
 
Zatzat said:
Do you know the age of the alleged victims?

How do you know the suspect didn’t continue to commit crimes undetected?
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No details have been released, not the age or gender of the alleged victims, not the nature of the allegations, nothing at all.

I don’t know that, if he did what he was accused of, that there aren’t other incidents. But nothing has come up. I do know for the past 16 years he’s been here in Prince Edward Island and given our small population (less than 140,000) if something had been going on, someone would have known about it.
phoenixrrt62 said:
I see where you are coming from…but, then again…wouldn’t this man WANT the investigation if that were the case, to clear his name?

I know if I were accused of doing something I didn’t do, something that would damage my reputation, I’d want my name cleared. I’d WANT the investigation. I’d WELCOME it.
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I agree with you there. Unfortunately, the tendency is to assume guilt in cases of pedophilia, doubly so if the accused is a priest. Fr. George has already been tried and convicted in the court of public opinion. Even if he’s proven innocent, he may never live it down.
 
seagal said:
No details have been released, not the age or gender of the alleged victims, not the nature of the allegations, nothing at all.

I don’t know that, if he did what he was accused of, that there aren’t other incidents. But nothing has come up. I do know for the past 16 years he’s been here in Prince Edward Island and given our small population (less than 140,000) if something had been going on, someone would have known about it.

I agree with you there. Unfortunately, the tendency is to assume guilt in cases of pedophilia, doubly so if the accused is a priest. Fr. George has already been tried and convicted in the court of public opinion. Even if he’s proven innocent, he may never live it down.
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True. That is sad…but then it begs the question…what does he have to lose?
Of course, looks to me if he’s not going to have much choice in the matter. If he is in fact innocent, that is really tragic.

Now, well, if someone made slanderous accusations against this person that were untrue, would he not have recourse to do something to the person who made the untrue allegation? Just wondering…
 
To those who asked whether one would want an investigation to clear one’s name: sometimes these investigations have a double edged sword The benefit can very well be that the person’s name is legally cleared. In other words, there was no crime committed. However, the damage done to the person cannot be cleared by the courts. Unfortunately, many people take this information to heart and begin to believe in sinister plots to cover the priest or how the courts were partial, etc etc.

If we lived in a world where people would just listen to the facts and accept the final judgment of the person in authority, this would be fine. But we don’t live in this world. We live in a very angry world, a world where people often allow their passions to rule their judgment. People hear the term “sexual abuse” and they jump to believe it. Sometimes what someone may call a sexual abuse may not be so. Other times if there was on isolate even of sexual impropriety, it is a grave sin, but it stopped and everyone moved on with life and now everyone is living a moral life, it does no one any good to bring up the issue again.

I’m often reminded of the spouse who cheated on the other 25 years ago after an indiscretion and a moment of moral and intellectual weakness, as I lilke to call them. But they made up, asked for forgiveness agreed to forgive and have lived as happy and holy spouses ever since. Suddenly, the issue rears its ugly head again. I often wonder, what is accomplished?

When you have had an ongoing situation, there is a serious problem. When you have one isolated situation many years ago, the problem is over. When you never had a situation and you go through the court of public opinion, your problems may be just beginning, even if the judge clears you. People are not as forgiving and tend to see conspiracies and other things where there were none.

I’m not sure if a very public investigation is helpful. Cetainly one done very privately, where the police would not speak to the media until it had all of the facts, could be every appropriate. Unfortuantely, too many law enforcement people don’t know how to keep confidentiality until the person is found guilty or not guilty. They jump to pass the news to the media and it becomes a field day from that point forward.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
What ever happen to innocent until proven guilty? I work in the criminal courts, and there are some cases that turn out to be true… Others dont… . Each case is individually different. But I dont think we should judge based on our bad or good experiences. We should all pray that the Lord’s justice rains over this situation and either sentence or exonerates the accused. The Church needs to be purged of this evil! If he did nothing, like I have seen in some criminal child abuse cases by Priest, that truth will come out. If he did do, or tried to do, then he shall pay for his actions. No one should be exempt of their crimes, so if you dont want to do the time then dont commit the crime.
 
Zahir said:
What ever happen to innocent until proven guilty? I work in the criminal courts, and there are some cases that turn out to be true… Others dont… . Each case is individually different. But I dont think we should judge based on our bad or good experiences. We should all pray that the Lord’s justice rains over this situation and either sentence or exonerates the accused. The Church needs to be purged of this evil! If he did nothing, like I have seen in some criminal child abuse cases by Priest, that truth will come out. If he did do, or tried to do, then he shall pay for his actions. No one should be exempt of their crimes, so if you dont want to do the time then dont commit the crime.
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Absolutely, in fact that’s the best prayer in all situations of reported abuse.

It’s sad but true, “innocent until proven guilty” doesn’t apply in cases with such volatile emotions attached, such as child abuse, at least from the public’s viewpoint. And the media certainly doesn’t help matters any. All they seem to do is fan the flames of public outrage.
 
JReducation said:
I it is a grave sin, but it stopped and everyone moved on with life and now everyone is living a moral life, it does no one any good to bring up the issue again.
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It is more than a grave sin. It is horrible criminal offence and justice shall be done.
I often wonder, what is accomplished?
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Justice and closure.
When you have one isolated situation many years ago, the problem is over.
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Perhaps for the perpetrator, but not for the victim.
I’m not sure if a very public investigation is helpful. Cetainly one done very privately, where the police would not speak to the media until it had all of the facts, could be every appropriate. Unfortuantely, too many law enforcement people don’t know how to keep confidentiality until the person is found guilty or not guilty.
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The Police are public servants. I am a member of the public and have right to know who is being investigated and for what. The Police have not released any evidence related to the allegations, rather they have simply acknowledged that there’s been a complaint and that there is an investigation.
 
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