A Roman Catholic priest has come forward and said his attempts to
speak about sexual abuse in the church led to his firing from
Congregation of the Holy Cross in Montreal, Canada.
The priest, Rev. Andre Samson, first spoke about the church’s
unfortunate history two years ago after Congregation of the Holy Cross
issued an apology and paid $18 million to victims of sexual abuse.
Samson, a former military chaplain, was interrupted by his colleagues
at lunch one day when he began telling them the story of an 18-year-old
who had confessed to him that he was psychologically tormented after
being abused by a Catholic priest when he was younger.
“The community superior became enraged,” Samson said. “He said,
‘Don’t talk about this here. It can’t be. We don’t talk about this
here.’ ”
Later that day, Samson says the community superior forbid him from
eating lunch in the dining hall.
About one month ago, he went to a
different superior and asked for help in overturning his expulsion from
the dining hall.
The superior declined to help him.
Last week, Samson was fired.
He says the officially listed reasons for his firing were all minor –
like failing to wear his collar correctly.
Samson maintains that the
real reason for his firing is his shunned discussion about sexual abuse
in the church.
“I find this difficult because as priests we give our lives to the
church,” he said. “And it’s sad how we can be betrayed by this church.”
Samson took his story to the press in order to raise public awareness about the silencing he received in the church.
“I told myself that if I don’t talk, who will? No one can really talk because they are too vulnerable.”
Samson’s story is being publicized as the Catholic Church tries to
clean up its tarnished image regarding sexual abuse.
Pope Francis
recently instructed Vatican officials overseeing abuse cases to “act
decisively” to protect children.