Diocese reaches settlement, bishop to address sex abuse with mass statement
London Free Press – September 7, 2018 (photo credit London Free Press)
On the heels of a settlement with an insurance company seeking compensation for sex abuse payouts – the culmination of a 10-year legal battle – the Roman Catholic bishop for Southwestern Ontario is issuing a sweeping statement responding to sexual abuse of minors by clergy, to be read at every parish....AXA Insurance had been seeking repayment of $10 million in settlements given to sex abuse victims – including those of Charles Sylvestre and John Harper – in relation to unproven allegations the diocese had exposed the insurer to higher risk by shuffling problem priests among parishes.
Oakville News - March 24, 2026 Oakville, ON - Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) have laid a sexual assault charge against an Oakville clergyman after receiving a complaint last month. Police released a statement earlier today saying that authorities have charged a Catholic Priest employed in Oakville with sexual assault following a month-long investigation. In early February 2026, HRPS say they began an investigation into "an allegation of sexual assault committed against an adult female while the victim was volunteering at an Oakville church." As a result of the investigation, Reverend Ranjan D’Sa (53) of Oakville has been charged with one count of Sexual Assault.
Zenit - March 18, 2026 Montreal, QC - In Montreal this March, Cardinal Marc Ouellet appeared in Quebec Superior Court to defend himself against allegations of sexual misconduct, as part of a broader defamation lawsuit he filed against his accuser. The case has reopened attention to a series of claims first publicized in a 2022 class-action lawsuit involving 101 individuals alleging abuse by clergy or staff within the Archdiocese of Quebec. The case is unfolding at a moment of heightened attention to accountability within the Catholic Church in Canada, highlighting the complexities of balancing legal rights, canonical procedures, and the reputational and moral stakes for high-ranking clerics. Observers note that the trial’s outcome could have ramifications for how allegations of misconduct are addressed both in civil courts and within Church structures, particularly in cases involving defamation claims intertwined with historical abuse allegations.