Chatham author’s first novel delves into child sexual abuse by clergy
Windsor Star - October 30, 2024
Chatham, ON - It’s been nearly two decades since news came to light about young girls being sexually assaulted by a Catholic priest while serving at churches in Southwestern Ontario and the cover-up by the church, but Renée D. Bondy hasn’t forgotten about it.
The Chatham woman’s first novel [non]disclosure, published by Second Story Press, tells the story of a young girl who was abused by a Catholic priest. Like many victims, she kept a dark secret for years before finding her voice.
Bishop Accountability - May 30, 2025 Winnipeg, MB - In May 2025, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation published a list of over 100 Oblate priests and brothers who worked in Canadian residential schools. The list aims to support transparency, accountability, and healing for Indigenous communities. These schools, many run by the Oblates, were part of a system that forcibly assimilated Indigenous children and led to widespread abuse. The release helps centralize scattered records and acknowledges the Church’s role in this dark chapter of Canadian history.
The Eastern Graphic - May 28, 2025 Georgetown, ON - A retired Catholic priest appeared in Georgetown Provincial Court on Thursday facing three sex-related charges stemming from the late 1980s against a minor. The 79-year-old man is charged with sexual touching of a person under 14 and sexual assault. He was also charged under Section 159 of the Criminal Code, which prohibited anal intercourse except between a husband and wife or people over the age of 18. That section has since been repealed but was in effect at the time.