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.
Winnipeg Free Press - June 17, 2025 Winnipeg, MB - A Winnipeg man is suing the Catholic Archdiocese of Winnipeg, alleging he was repeatedly sexually abused by two priests from ages 5 to 13 in the 1960s and ’70s. The lawsuit claims over 100 assaults by Jesuit priests Harold J. Bedford and Robert L. MacDougall, both now deceased, and accuses the church of failing to protect him. He says he was silenced when he reported the abuse and witnessed other family members being assaulted. The Archdiocese has not yet responded, and the allegations have not been proven in court.
CTV News - June 16, 2025 Saskatoon, SK - A Saskatoon priest found guilty of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl will have to wait to know his fate after a judge reserved her sentencing decision for another date at Saskatoon Provincial Court Monday. The court heard sentencing arguments and victim impact statements after Ukrainian Catholic priest Janko Kolosnjaji was found guilty in February.