Cornwall Classical College and

the Viatorian priests

[Scroll down for names and pictures of Viatorian priests charged with or accused of sexual abuse]

In 1949 at the invitation of Roman Catholic Bishop Rosario Brodeur (Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall) the Clercs de St. Viateur (Clerics of St. Viator/Viatorians) opened the doors of the Cornwall Classical College.  The French college provided high school classes (grades 9 to 12) for boys and served as an off-campus college for the University of Ottawa leading to a baccaloreate degree.

The Viatorians operated a similar college in nearby Rigaud, Quebec and numerous Roman Catholic colleges, schools and churches in dioceses throughout Quebec, in addition to a college in the Diocese of St. Bonifice, Manitoba, Canada and missions in Japan, Taiwan and Peru.  The Viatorians also had/have schools and headquarters in the USA and missions in Africa.

According to one history of the diocese “the College became the centre of French Canadian life of the community” and provided invaluable service assisting at hospitals, covering during diocesan priests’ vacations and assisting with confessions, “There was not a parish in the diocese which did not use their services.” 

The Viatorian priests assisted in local parishes in the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall, some seemingly on a temporary and others on a permanent basis.  Viatorian priests were a common presence at Nativity of the Blesses Virgin church in Cornwall. 

In 1957 the Viatorians took over administration of St.Felix de Valois. Members of the Viatorian community routinely served at St. Felix as pastors and/or assistants within the parish and the Viatorian priests teaching at the college often assisted at the church (the college was situated just South of St. Felix). 

In 1972 Bishop Brodeur also appealed to and received assistance from the Viatorians to operate Canadian Martyr’s Roman Catholic Church in Cornwall. 

The College closed its doors in 1968.  Eleven Viatorian priests elected to stay in the diocese following the closure. 

Legal Action against Viatorians 

09 January 2001:  Lawsuit filed by Richard (Dick) Nadeau et al against Les Clercs St. Viateur (Viatorian priests) who operated the Cornwall Classical College and the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation for the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall in Ontario, Canada.  (pdf file)

The Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall somehow managed to extricate itself from the action. 

The suit was settled out of court in 2004.  The victims were gagged regarding the terms of settlement. 

The Statement of a Claim contains allegations of sexual abuse against Fathers Hector Côté csv, Jean Primeau csv and Henri Legault csv and allegations of physical abuse against Fathers Edouard Bérubé csv and Fernand Brazeau csv. 

Viatorian Priests from the Cornwall Classical College accused of or charged with sexual abuse of young boys 

[The Viatorian order settled out of court with a number of sexual abuse victims from Cornwall (see link above) . The victims are gagged regarding the settlement. The Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall was originally named in the lawsuit but somehow managed to extricate itself from the legal action. 

The information on each of the following Viatorian prietsts is sketchy but suffice to give an idea of when these clerical paedophiles were affiliated with the Classical College, or, as in the case of Father Berube, the fact that he returned to assist in parishes within the diocese after the College closed in 1969 .  

Please note: In most dioceses rotations transpire in the Spring and/or Fall.  Information for annual directories (indicating which parish a priest is serving in) is submitted the preceding Fall after the final round of rotations and parish assignments have been accomplished.  A change of parish in the intervening months pre-publication is not the norm but does happen  - such changes are therefore not conveyed in directories. 

Father Edouard Berube csv   

Ordained:   1940 

• 1959-1966:   Student Director at Cornwall Classical College. 

• 1966:  Seemed to be gone from the College 

• 1967-1968:  listed at Saint Joseph College, Otterburne, Manitoba (Diocese of St. Bonifice, Manitoba) 

• 1973-1974: Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Cornwall (with Father Aime Leduc as pastor)          Member of the diocesan council of priests  

• 1980: Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Cornwall (with Fathers Aimee Leduc, M. Lalonde and Denis Vaillancourt) 

• 1991:  address is St. Felix where Father Evariste was pastor 

• Died:  1994 

Father Jean Primeau csv    

Ordained:  24 June 1953    

(According to Directory listings there are lengthy gaps in Primeau’s presence at the College.  This could be due to errors in reporting or entering information, or it could have been that Primeau was removed for several years at a time after allegations of sexual abuse were reported against him.)   

• 1959:  on staff at Cornwall Classical College 

was at the Classical College in the 50s, and also at Rigaud College.  Began his PhD in the 60s)

• 1964:  on staff at Cornwall Classical College 
• 1964-67: Outremont

• 1967:  St. Viateur College, Montreal, Quebec 

• 1967-1968: Dean of Studies and Principal at Cornwall Classical College 
• 1968-70: teaching in Monteal at a public college

• 1973-1973:  250 Grenade Alle O, Quebec 

• 1985-1986: Outrement, Quebec 

according to obit-bio was a parish priest in Montreal

• Died:  according to obit-bio, died 08 November 1999, allegedly after learning he was about to be charged.  There were numerous allegations against Primeau.   

Father Hector Cote csv  

• Ordained:   29 June 1940 

• 1964-1966:   on staff at Cornwall Classical College
• 1968: listed in index as at Classical College but not listed among staff in that year in other listings 

• 1973-1974: CGEP Joliette, Quebec
• Died:  1994 

Father Paul Desilets csv  

Page on Father Desilets  

Father Henri Legault csv