A
New Brunswick judge has granted a request from the Roman Catholic
diocese of Bathurst to seal any details surrounding financial awards
given out as the church settles sexual abuse complaints.
Court of Queen's Bench Justice Frederick Ferguson approved the request Monday in Bathurst.
"The
judge said it's unfair that those amounts come out because it would
mean that in the future any litigants or claimants that come forward may
seek the maximum amount of money that was paid out in the past," CBC
reporter Jennifer Choi said from Bathurst.
"So the judge said that is
not going to be the case. He is going to keep the files sealed and the
total amounts closed and confidential."
Choi said the diocese argued that making the settlements public would be like showing your hand before a poker game.
The court also agreed to keep private the amount the church is paying
retired Supreme Court justice Michel Bastarache to administer the
compensation process.
Bishop Valéry Vienneau said outside the court he was satisfied with
the judge's decision. He said it is "absolutely necessary" for the
church to be able to proceed in confidentiality in order to protect
those people involved.
Ferguson will rule next week on whether the diocese can pay sex-abuse
settlements using money from a trust fund intended to help educate
people entering the priesthood.
The diocese has $4.35 million in funds built from parishioners'
donations, but only six priests have been ordained in the last 20 years,
with three more going through the process now.
It costs about $60,000
to educate a priest, so the diocese has an excess of funds it would like
to tap into, especially because it is unknown how many other people
might apply for compensation or decide to sue the church.
35 to be compensated
Rev.
Wesley Wade released a statement on Nov. 2 indicating the Catholic
diocese would offer an apology and financial compensation to 35
individuals who came forward during the conciliation process led by
Bastarache.
Bastarache had handed in a report on Nov. 1 that identified
the 35 who deserve compensation for having been sexually assaulted by
church functionaries.
Bastarache was hired by the diocese after Levi Noel, an 84-year-old
former priest, was convicted of 22 sex-related offences, and Charles
Picot, a former priest who had worked in Dalhousie, was charged with
indecent assault.
Noel's offences took place between 1959 and 1981.
The church asked Bastarache to investigate all allegations of sexual assault.
The retired justice would not say in an interview in October how many
clergy had been named by victims during his meetings, but he said some
have died.
As
well, Bastarache said some of the victims named priests who are not in
the Bathurst diocese and it will be up to church leaders to contact the
dioceses affected by those allegations to see if they would pay the
compensation Bastarache is recommending.
Nine people who came forward to meet Bastarache refused to join the
conciliation process led by the retired justice, and are opting to take
the church to court instead.
SIC: CBC/INT'L