"Get the piano off your back"

Bernadette Howell, Spiritual Health Practitioner - November 6, 2024


Breaking silence. Confronting clergy abuse. 


This blog post reflects on the impact of the documentary Prey, which tells the story of clergy sexual abuse survivor Rod MacLeod and his legal battle against the Basilian Fathers of Toronto. The author expresses gratitude for the readers of the blog and introduces the key story of Chris McLean, a survivor who, after watching Prey at the Windsor International Film Festival, decided to come forward and pursue justice for his own abuse. The documentary, first released in 2019, had a profound effect on McLean, inspiring him to take legal action.


The blog highlights the long and arduous process of seeking justice in cases of clergy abuse, emphasizing how victims often face years of legal battles, emotional strain, and invasive scrutiny, including psychological assessments. It also delves into the complexities of the legal system, particularly the differences between compensatory and punitive damages, and how the Catholic Church, despite acknowledging the abuse, typically disputes the financial consequences. The post critiques the Church's handling of abuse cases, including its tendency to offer inadequate settlements to survivors and appeal verdicts, which delays justice further.

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He was abused by a priest. He’s still waiting for compensation

By Patricia Grell • April 21, 2026
CBC - April 16, 2026 Halifax, NS - Timothy Clark reported sexual abuse by a priest in 1984 but says the church ignored him.  Decades later, his claim was approved under a class-action settlement against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth, yet he and more than 60 other accepted claimants have still not been paid. Delays are blamed on claim reviews, interviews, and late submissions, leaving many victims frustrated by poor communication and the lengthy process.

Journalist plans to create new archive of residential school survivor stories — before it's too late

By Patricia Grell • April 15, 2026
CBC - April 14, 2026 A new project from award-winning journalist Connie Walker aims to create an archive of testimonies of abuse at residential schools before the accounts are destroyed in September 2027. The project at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), where she is the Velma Rogers Research Chair in the School of Journalism, aims to preserve residential school survivors' stories and raise awareness about the upcoming destruction of Independent Assessment Process (IAP) records. The files are being retained until 2027 to give survivors a chance to request a copy, opt-in to having the file preserved by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, or both.
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