There was a sadness about Pope Francis when he arrived in Canada on his tour of “penance” last week. He’s a decent fellow and genuinely has offered apologies and sought forgiveness for the sins of the Roman Catholic Church against Indigenous children in church-run schools. 

Sins of the fathers

As the years roll on, I have learned more about “the sins of the fathers.” Somewhere between my teens and here I wish I were less forgiving. I wish there had been a Christian Brother or a priest who might have offered some form of explanation as to what went on. There were some exceptionally good men among the Brothers and the priests, but something went horribly off the rails and not enough people spoke up. I was not sexually abused, but I was certainly physically abused and emotionally abused. What’s startling is that even into adulthood we spoke of the wonderful education we received. 

It’s not that we did not know what was going on. Everyone knew. The activities of Father Jim Hickey were well known to us. There were others we knew about. You knew where you had to keep your distance. I was never a “teachers’ pet.”

 I lived in the west end, so after school I mostly went home and did not have time to hang around, but I knew somehow school was an odd place and there was something dark about it. Looking back, I scratch my head. There were friends at school and there were teachers that I liked, but I was afraid in a way. Afraid to go to school. That’s how the place worked. Fear was all over the place. 

‘Merry Monks of Cashel’

Here’s a strange one. My favourite Christian Brother did some time in jail for “interfering” with young boys. None of it had anything to do with me. I liked that teacher. He was truly kind to me. He was sent away from St. Bon’s and went into therapy at a place called Mono Mills in Ontario. 

When he was sent back to Newfoundland he was assigned to Mount Cashel Orphanage to be with, as Ray Guy called them, “The Merry Monks of Cashel.” 

Brother Smith (not his real name) must have thought he hit the jackpot in the lottery. Why wouldn’t I use his real name? I do not know. There were no girls at St. Bon’s, so in the Spring Concert the female leads were played by boys in dresses. The school even had its own wardrobe of dresses. I wore one at a concert. In retrospect it was all weird. There was one Brother on staff who taught us boys baton twirling. What a notion! 

How does all this link to Pope Francis? I do not know. I wish someone would explain it to me. 

NTV’s Jim Furlong can be reached by emailing: jfurlong@ntv.ca

That’s because, despite being an old St. Bon’s boy and a member of the Catholic Church in more or less good standing,  whatever was visited upon the Church these days was somehow a case of the chickens coming home to roost. 

It was a form of belated delayed justice. Now the actual perpetrators of hideous crimes against children at Mount Cashel have mostly gone to judgment and some of them are shoveling coal in Hell, but it is right and fitting that compensation to their victims has been ordered and there’s a piper that’s to be finally paid. 

Now I did watch with interest as some people in other parishes complained their properties were in danger of being sold when they, the parishioners, had done so much fundraising to keep their parishes going and now might have their churches sold out from under them to pay for crimes in which they had absolutely no part or knowledge.

Now I tell you any attempts by people associated with a liquidation of assets, while decent and honourable, have their pleas fall on my deaf ears when they see themselves as somehow “victims.”

I know a victim when I see one and there’s the haunting image of little boys crying in a dorm at places like Mount Cashel that haunt my thoughts; not church buildings going on sale.  

All of that’s prelude now to the news that a Catholic consortium has successfully purchased the Basilica, St. Bonaventure’s private school and the St. Bon’s Forum. The purchasing group raised millions of dollars, although it’s yet to be approved by a judge. I was approached for a donation by the fundraising appeal. 

A suggested donation was ten thousand dollars or a smaller amount. I did not donate ten thousand dollars because I do not have it and I can tell you here I did not give a smaller amount because I did not want to. 

 Now here’s what’s interesting is that despite my intellectual disinterest in saving the Basilica from turning into a condominium and the other properties falling into secular hands, when the decision was announced I felt an emotional sigh of relief. That’s the hold the Church has on me. On some level I want St. Bon’s to be there. I want the Basilica to be there glowering out over the harbour of St. John’s. I find solace in the fact that at least I did not give them any money.      

NTV’s Jim Furlong can be reached by emailing: jfurlong@ntv.ca

As some prepare to celebrate Easter with family and friends this year, others won’t be gathered about tables piled high with food and sweets. 

Facing a variety of mental health challenges, addictions and life’s circumstances, many of our fellow Newfoundlanders and Labradorians will spend the holy season quietly at home, or in safe havens like The Gathering Place in St. John’s. 

While there’s a whole host of reasons for being or feeling isolated, for too many the cause stems from abuse. 

The former Mount Cashel Orphanage, operated by the Irish Christian Brothers, is sadly well known for the abuse some of its staff and clergy inflicted upon young boys in their care during the 1940s, ‘50s and 60s. 

Described as Tragic

On Feb. 15th, 1989 the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary re-opened its 1975 investigation into child abuse on those premises. Soon after, the provincial government of the day established a Royal Commission, headed by retired Ontario Supreme Court Judge, Samuel Hughes, to investigate what occurred. 

What was uncovered could only be described as tragic, and bottom line, despite multiple and repeated complaints to authorities, everyone – from multiple government officials to the police to local newspapers – ignored what was being reported. Now, a generation later, following court battles galore, the local Catholic Church prepares to sell off many of their assets to pay restitution to those who suffered. 

As a result, many churches throughout the province will not be holding mass inside their stained-glass buildings this Easter season. The list of buildings and churches being sold to pay for the sins of those few in charge back in the day is long and few communities are spared.  

Basilica Complex will be sold. So too will St. Patrick’s and St. Teresa’s Parish churches. Corpus Christi, St. Pius X, the church that held so many heartfelt tribute services to those lost on the Ocean Ranger, Mary Queen of Peace Parish will all be sold. St. Edwards in Kelligrews too. Holy Family? Gone. St. Peter’s, St. Francis of Assisi, Holy Trinity. The list goes on. And the emotional impact is real. 

Generations were married in these churches. Children were baptized and received their first Holy Communion. Loved ones were laid to rest. Thousands upon thousands of school children over the years twisted and turned and squirmed in their wooden pews near friends doing the same as they were taught the rosary and learned to recite the well known prayer that begins, “Our Father…” as part of their schooling. Memories were made. 

Laughter was shared. Tears were shed. 

Feel the pain

Now? It’s all gone. What makes this tale of abuse and restitution even more sad is that none of this will go far enough. 

Lawyer Geoff Budden, who represents survivors, has said he’s pleased the Catholic Church is moving ahead selling assets to pay the awarded claim, which includes the Archbishop’s residence in Outer Cove, but the properties sold won’t go near far enough. 

The total judgement was for $2.7 million, to be split between four men, but the claims are not complete and there’s well over 60 more men from Budden’s law firm alone that require compensation for abuse suffered at the hands of those in a position of power within the Catholic church. Tragic. Sad. Terrible. 

It’s all those things, but while my heart breaks for all those who suffered abuse, I can’t help but feel the pain of the many parishioners who, though no fault of their own, following decades of faithful attendance and church dues, must now walk away from their church, never to return again. 

While restitution usually means dollar signs, it’s so clear that the costs runs so much higher than monetary.

Pam Pardy, The Herald’s Managing Editor, can be reached by emailing pghent@nfldherald.com