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| Last updated at 2:12 AM on 07/01/09 |
Diocese pays out final compensation to abuse victims 
GARY KEAN
The Western Star
CORNER BROOK — The bishop representing the Diocese of Corner Brook and Labrador says it is time to concentrate more on the church’s mission now that the last compensation cheques for the victims of Father Kevin Bennett have been paid out.
The former Diocese of St. George’s in western Newfoundland was found liable to compensate around 40 victims of the Roman Catholic priest, who was convicted of sexually abusing them in 1990.
The final payments being distributed late last month represented another major milestone in the nearly two-decade battle for justice. In all, the diocese paid out almost $13 million to Bennett’s victims, an agreed-upon final amount by all sides even though the original settlement was supposed to be more than $14 million.
While much of the compensation money was generated by the selling of church assets, the last $2.5 million of the settlement came from insurers. That last amount was lower than both sides had hoped for, but the option of fighting for more was deemed not worth the effort.
“We had meetings with the trustee advisory committee, which included Mr. Stack (Greg Stack, the victims’ lawyer) and other lawyers,” said Bishop Douglas Crosby.
“They decided that amount would be worth taking, rather than going through more expense of pursuing the case further. It would have also taken a longer time and you never really know how those things will work out when you go to court.”
Bishop Crosby said the whole process has been a horrible ordeal for victims and the church, but he is glad the diocese was able to do what it could to try and make amends for the men who were abused at the hands of Father Bennett.
“I’m grateful we have done this,” he said. “I think we’ve done it well and I think now it is time for us to look forward and get on with things. We have done what we can and now we have to move forward.”
The process undertaken by the church has allowed it to retain most of its churches, rectories, parish halls and other properties required to continue delivering its ministry.
The assets it no longer owns include properties such as the old Regina soccer pitch, which the City of Corner Brook bought and turned into a world-class recreational facility, or the former Humber Community YMCA building, which is now being developed into an apartment complex.
“From the outset, we encouraged people to stay focused and to support our parishes as much as possible and that we would work it through carefully and steadily and I think we have done that,” said Bishop Crosby. “I think that one of the most significant things is that, through the entire process, the priests of the diocese have continued their mission and have been very attentive of the needs of parishioners against some very difficult situations.
Sometimes, some very tough things were being said about them and priests in general, but they stayed focused, generous and committed and I think that speaks very highly of them.”
Bishop Crosby said it’s impossible to give an ironclad guarantee there will never be anther case of abuse, but hopes that protocols and programs that have been implemented — many even before Bishop Crosby arrived in western Newfoundland — will help people understand what happened and the importance of it not happening again.
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07/01/09
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AnnoyedinCB from NL writes: I'm glad this entire ordeal is over. This must have been a heavy weight upon both the victims and the church. Thank God that everyone can move on from here and try to mend. I hope the vicitims get much help and counselling, and can move past this, and be happy in their lives.
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| Posted 07/01/2009 at 8:25 AM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
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speedy from pe writes: I fell so sorry for the victims, ashamed of {Father} Kevin Bennett and proud of what Bishop Crosby accomplished, I know he did everything he could out of love for God and for the victims.
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| Posted 07/01/2009 at 10:42 PM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
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