Proulx: Bishop Adolphe Proulx

Adolphe Proulx

Adolphe Proulx 

Adolphe Proulx was bishop of the Roman CatholicDiocese of Alexandria (Ontario) from 1967 to 1974. (The Diocese of Alexandria became the Diocese ofAlexandria-Cornwall under Bishop EugeneLarocque’s watch.)

The following information is far from complete. It is drawn from some of the information which Ihave on hand and the ODE to Proulx entered intoevidence at the Cornwall Public Inquiry. 

The ODE (Overview of Documentary Evidence) was entered into evidence at the inquiry 24 July 2008.  Information presented in the ODE is in quotation marks.  The ODE included info re Proulx documents related to real or “alleged” sexual predators Fathers Lucien Lussier, Don Scott, Gilles Desluarier and Charles MacDonald.  There was nothing in the ODE related to real or “alleged” sexual predators Fathers Paul Lapierre and Kenneth Martin, both of whom relocated to Montreal during Proulx’ tenure. But there was no mention of the Cornwall Classical College.  I have made brief note of the latter three. 

24 July 2008Bishop Adolphe Proulx ODE presented at the Cornwall Public Inquiry (scroll to p 176)

30 July 2008:  ‘I was under his control’ (Larocque re Deslaurier)

28 July 2008:  BLOG  I cringe (re Scott and Deslaurier under Proulx’ tenture)

____________________________

 

12 December 1927:  Born in Hammer (Sudbury region in Northern Ontario)

17 April 1954:  ordained at the Pro-Cathedral of the Assumption in North Bay (Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie – R.H. Dignan was then Bishop of the diocese )

1958:  In 1958 the newly-installed Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie, Alexander Carter, had Proulx follow in his own footsteps and sent him to Rome to study Canon Law for two years (Carter was brother of Emmett Carter, then Bishop of London and later Cardinal Archbishop of Toronto.  Both Carter brothers were memebrs of the influential Gang of Five).

1960: upon Proulx’ return from Rome Bishop Alexander Carter named him Chancellor of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie

24 February 1965:  consecrated bishop by Bishop Alexander Carter at the Pro-Cathedral of the Assumption in North Bay and named Auxiliary Bishop to Alexander Carter.  At age 39 Proulx was the youngest bishop in Canada

1965-1967 (approx.): Served as Pastor at St. Anne’s Parish in Sudbury while he served as auxiliary bishop in the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie

[theinquiry.ca note:  Justice Normand Glaude is from Sudbury,  He was born 05 November 1954. His parents were married at St. Anne’s in 1948.  (Glaude’s father, Aurèle Telesphere Glaude was born and raised in St. Raphael’s West, in the Diocese of Alexandria. ]

16 June 1967:  installed as Bishop of Alexandria (due to Bishop Brodeur’s ill health Ottawa’s Archbishop Joseph Aurele Plourde, former auxiliary Bishop of Alexandria, served as Administrator of the Diocese until Proulx was installed. Plourde, like Carter,was one of the Gang of Five.)

1968:  secretary was listed as Gilles Deslaurier, a layman who allegedly relocated from Sudbury to Alexandria with Proulx when Proulx became Bishop of the Diocese of Alexandria. (Deslaurier was ordained by Proulx for the Diocese of Alexandria in 1970. Archbishop Proulx’s sister lived with Jeannine Seguin, the Principal at La Citadelle who hired Deslaurier as Chaplain and arranged with Father Rejean Lebrun to live in the rectory at St. John Bosco)

1968:  Listed as living in residence at the Alexandria bishop’s palace in 1968 were Proulx, retired Bishop Brodeur, Mgr. Donald Kerr and Father Rejean Lebrun (Vice-chancellor).

February 1974:  Appointed as the Bishop of the Diocese of Hull, Quebec – remained Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Alexandria until June of 1974  when Bishop Eugene Philippe Larocque was installed as the Bishop of Alexandria.”

22 July 1987:  Died – age 59.

“Coroner I. Deepan M.D. investigated the death and concluded that it was an accidental drowning caused by asphyxiation during a hypoglycaemic attack. Regional Coroner R.H. Huxter M.D. also signed the Coroner’s Investigation Statement.”

[theinquiry.ca note: There has long been talk in dioceses of Ottawa, Hull and Alexandria-Cornwall that Proulx was castrated, certain body parts were in his mouth, and he was found dead, face down in a few inches of water at his sister’s cottage.]

15 September 1967:  “wrote his first pastoral letter to the priests of the Diocese of Alexandria. He explained that he deemed it necessary to form a Senate of Priests. These priests, chosen fully by their peers for a definite term of office, would be, along with the Bishop, the authoritative voice of the Complete Presbyterian.” The Bishop would be the President of the Senate.

[theinquiry.ca note: This would be fall out from the Second Vatican Council]

 

 

  Father Lucien Lussier 

Ordained 1955. Charged with the sexual abuse of at least one young male – trial pending. (Click here for further info on Father Lussier)

(1) 29 April 1967: “The Diocese of Alexandria received a letter dated April 29th, 1967 from Michel Lalonde, a schoolteacher,addressed ‘To whom it may concern’. In the letter, Michel  Lalonde alleged that he had observed Father Lucien Lussier, hereinafter referred to as Father Lussier, looking at and taking photographs of boys in the schoolyard of the village school of Glen Robertson

“ Michel Lalonde also described how he believed that Father Lussier was often in the company of one boy in particular, who had been hired as a church verger, to the point that it had disturbed the congregation.”

(2)  21 May 1968:  “On May 21st, 1968, Bishop Proulx wrote to Father Lussier, advising that he was being appointed to the Saint Guillaume parish in Martintown. Bishop Proulx thanked Father Lussier for his good service since his arrival to the Diocese of Alexandria as the pastor of Glen Robertson parish.

“Bishop Proulx noted that a certain group of faithful, for reasons that Bishop Proulx did not want to judge, did not always accept Father Lussier or make his life easy. Bishop Proulx wrote that he thought that it was preferable under the circumstances to appoint Father Lussier elsewhere where he could perform apostolic work in peace and with agreement.”

(3)  January 1972:  “In January of 1972, Bishop Proulx met with Father Lussier to discuss the difficulties that he was having in getting along with nuns and certain parishioners in Martintown. In a memorandum about the meeting, Bishop Proulx noted that he would await Father Lussier’s resignation by the following June, failing which he would proceed to remove Father Lussier from his position.

“He noted that he had made no promises to Father Lussier about another assignment.”

(4) 28 June 1972: “On June 28th, 1972, Bishop Proulx announced the appointment of Father Lussier to the parish of Dalkeith and Lochiel in Glengarry County.”

Father Don Scott 

Ordained May 1966.  Died of AIDS.   Sexually abused Claude Marleau. (Click here for further info on Father Don Scott)

(1) 29 July 1967: “On July 29th, 1967, Bishop Proulx wrote to Monsignor Lefebvre at Saint-François de Sales parish, noting that he appointed Father Scott to English-sector schools in Cornwall on a full-time basis.”

(2)  15 September 1967:  “On September 15th, 1967, Bishop Proulx announced in his first pastoral letter that Father Scott, co-director, S. MacMillan, E. Martin, G. Villeneuve and R. Bisaillon would be responsible for religious education in the Diocese, and that a few sisters and Reverend Gilles Deslauriers, hereinafter referred to as Reverend Deslauriers, would complete the Diocesan team.”

(3) 27 August 1968:  “On August 27th, 1968, Bishop Musio of the Diocese of Steubenville, Ohio, wrote to Bishop Proulx requesting his approval to have Father Scott serve in a priestly capacity in the Diocese of Steubenville. Bishop Musio indicated in the letter that Father Scott had informed him that Bishop Proulx had granted him an indefinite leave of absence and was willing to allow Father Scott to serve in the Diocese of Steubenville.

(4) 06 September 1968:  “On September 6th, 1968, Bishop Proulx made a note on this letter indicating that the leave of absence had been granted for two years only, and after that period he would make a decision on incardination.”

(5) 10 September 1968:  “On September 10th, 1968, Bishop Musio wrote to Bishop Proulx thanking him for his letter dated September 6th, 1968 and indicating that he would follow Bishop Proulx’s suggestion and limit Father Scott’s service in the Diocese of Steubenville to a period of two years.”

(6)  17 February 1969:  “On February 17th, 1969, Bishop Proulx wrote to Father Scott, noting that he was quite happy to see that Father Scott was performing the task of a parish priest in Ohio. He also noted there was great discussion about the possibility of appointing a pastor for the young people in the Diocese of Alexandria.

“He noted that this idea had not really been tried but he thought it would solve some of the problems in the Diocese. He suggested that perhaps Father Scott could give some thought to the type of work he could perform with young working parishioners.”

(7) 15 February 1971: “Bishop Proulx received a letter dated February 15th, 1971 from Mr. Allan Sherlock, Director of Personnel for the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto, regarding Father Scott’s application to work there. Mr. Sherlock noted that Father Scott had advised him he was taking a step to seek work with Bishop Proulx’s knowledge and acquiescence; that he had discussed his request for an indefinite leave of absence from active priesthood with Bishop Proulx and that his request would be granted.

“ Mr. Sherlock noted that their policy in hiring men in Father Scott’s position was to try to ascertain the factors motivating such a painful decision, and that it was important for them to determine if a person had attained a reasonable degree of inner peace and comfort with such a decision. Mr. Sherlock indicated they would therefore be most appreciative of any information Bishop Proulx could provide in that regard.”

(8)  18 February 1971:  “On February 18th, 1971, Bishop Proulx wrote to Mr. Allan Sherlock regarding Father Scott’s application for employment as a social worker in Toronto. Bishop Proulx indicated that he was aware of Father Scott’s decision; that he had agreed to grant him a leave of absence; and that there had been no discussion of his withdrawing completely from any priestly ministry.

” He noted that Father Scott’s intention was to further his studies in Sociology at the University of Toronto and he was seeking employment to earn adequate income to pay for his room and board and most of his tuition. Bishop Proulx wrote that he believed that Father Scott was emotionally stable and that he had been a tremendous help during his years of ministry in Cornwall, in helping some of the most difficult cases involving emotionally disturbed teenagers.

“ He added that Father Scott would have a strong and healthy motivation to help people and had a secure, outgoing personality, sensitivity, sympathy and warmth towards others. Bishop Proulx indicated that although Father Scott had a tendency to go overboard in helping people in difficult situations, he had good judgement.”

(9) 16 December 1971:   “On December 16th, 1971, Bishop Proulx wrote Father Scott, advising him that he had spoken with Bishop Coderre of St. Jean near Montreal and that Bishop Coderre was interested in meeting with Father Scott at the earliest opportunity. Bishop Coderre had Father Scott for the position of Episcopal Vicar for the English-speaking population of his Diocese.

“Bishop Proulx noted that the purpose of allowing Father Scott to work in St. Jean was that Father Scott would obtain experience in a well-organized diocese and also contribute to its organization and that Father Scott could be of tremendous help to them upon his return to the Diocese of Alexandria.”

(10) 02 May 1973: “On May 2nd, 1973 Bishop Proulx wrote to Father Scott advising him that the Diocese would help Father Scott pay for expenses related to his studies in France during the summer.”

(11) 14 December 1973: “On December 14th, 1973 Bishop Proulx wrote to Father Scott in France asking if it would be a major break of confidence in L’Arche if Father Scott were to return sooner, suggesting the end of January 1974. Bishop Proulx explained confidentially that Maxville would be open after January 20th.”

 Father Gilles Deslaurier 

Ordained 1970.  Entered guilty plea to charges of sexual abuse of young boys.  (Click here for further info on Father Deslaurier)

(1) 15 September 1967:  “On September 15th, 1967 Bishop Proulx announced in his first pastoral letter that Reverend Deslauriers would be the Bishop’s secretary and Master of Ceremonies, that he would assist Monsignor Contant, whom would remain the Chancellor of the Diocese, and that he would be on the diocesan team responsible for religious education.”

(2) 08 April 1968:  “Bishop Proulx received a letter from Reverend Deslauriers dated April 8th, 1968 in which he requested to receive the minor orders. In the letter, Reverend Deslauriers noted that since December many attitudes, various sentiments and many events had presented themselves along his path. He explained that it was because of this that from day-to-day he became aware of his person, of the purpose of his life, of his ideal and of the commitment this required. He noted that his spiritual advisor was satisfied with his internal growth.”

(3)  06 June 1968:  “Bishop Proulx received a letter from Father M.D. Mailhiot of the Dominican Faculty of Theology in Ottawa dated June 6th, 1968 indicating that he would receive Reverend Deslauriers in order that the latter may pursue his studies towards the priesthood.”

(4) 06 March 1969:  “Bishop Proulx received a letter from Reverend Deslauriers dated March 6th, 1969 in which Reverend Deslauriers advised that it was in sufferance and anguish that he was seeking to know God’s will upon him. He wrote that since the academic year had begun he had learned a lot and had matured on certain points. Some of his anguish towards his study and his future in the priesthood had gone. He noted that he was under no illusions and that he would always remain the nervous person he was. He noted that he found that life had changed since he could foresee the upcoming realization of a desire anchored in him since the age of 12.

(5) 24 May 1969:  Deslaurier: “requested early Diaconate on May 24th,1969 to become a priest before his ill parents passed away.

“On May 24th, 1969 Bishop Proulx conferred the Sub-Diaconate upon Reverend Deslauriers”

(6) 07 June 1969: “Bishop Proulx conferred the Order of the Diaconate upon Reverend Deslauriers.”

(7) 16 March 1970:  “Bishop Proulx received a letter from Reverend Deslauriers dated March 16th, 1970 in which Reverend Deslauriers requested to be ordained to the priesthood. In the letter he noted that his long years of formation were full of change and unforeseen events.

[theinquiry.ca note:  this seems to be an exceptionally rapid process to ordination to the priesthood.  Did Deslaurier have an undergrad degree?  Even with an undergrad degree Deslaurier’s two years of priestly formation seems exceptionally rapid.  Were strings pulled?  ]

(8) 1970:  “Bishop Proulx ordained Reverend Deslauriers, now hereinafter referred to as Father Deslauriers, to the priesthood in 1970.”

(9) 10 June 1971:  “On June 10th, 1971 Bishop Proulx appointed Father Deslauriers to be the pastor responsible for French speaking youth in the Alexandria area and for the teaching of religion in the French sector of the Glengarry District High School.

(10) 31 July 1973: “On July 31st, 1973 Bishop Proulx appointed Father Deslauriers to be the pastor responsible for Rouleau School in Alexandria and the French École Secondaire at Glengarry District High School.”

(11)  10 January 1974: “In a letter to Father Deslauriers dated January 10th, 1974 Bishop Proulx congratulated Father Deslauriers and expressed his complete satisfaction with the manner in which he had assumed his temporal and spiritual responsibilities.”

(12)  03 April 1986: “In a letter to Lise and Hubert Brisson dated April 3rd, 1986 Bishop Larocque noted that following a meeting he had with Bishop Proulx and Father Deslauriers, Father Deslauriers was withdrawing from parochial ministry in the Diocese of Gatineau-Hull.”

(13) 20 June 1986:  “In a letter dated June 20th, 1986 to Bishop Larocque and copied to Father Deslauriers, Bishop Proulx advised that Father Deslauriers was living at Acceuil Notre-Dame-du-Lac with the Sisters of Sainte-Croix at Nomininque Lake. Bishop Proulx advised that he was ready to incardinate Father Deslauriers as soon as the civil matter was resolved. He indicated that he thought that the complainant family would be satisfied with assurances that Father Deslauriers would not exercise his ministry in the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall and that he would not be assigned to regular ministry for a certain time. He added that he would be willing to ensure that Father Deslauriers continue his therapy and that all supplemental help would be provided to him according to competent indication.”

(14) 06 November 1986:  “According to a report dated November 6th,1986 Bishop Proulx referred Father Deslauriers to psychotherapist Father Jacques Jobin, hereinafter referred to as Father Jobin.”

(15)  10 November 1986:  “On November 10th, 1986 Father Deslauriers was convicted of four counts of gross indecency contrary to  Section 157 of the Criminal Code and received a suspended sentence and probation for two years with a condition that he conform to the directives of Bishop Proulx in order to ensure that Bishop Proulx could effectively supervise him.”

[theinquiry.ca note: The referral to Jobin was, according to David Sheriff-Scott, initiated 19 February 1986]

————————————

(16)  08 February 1987:   “…Bishop Proulx was copied on the letter of excardination dated February 8th, 1987 from Bishop Larocque to Father Deslauriers. The letter indicated that considering the recently encountered difficulties that rendered Father Deslauriers’ ministry in their area very difficult, considering the greater glory of God, the service of his people and Father Deslauriers own growth as a priest, Bishop Larocque was granting Father Deslauriers permanent and unconditional excardination from the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall under Canons 267, 269 and 270 so that he may be incardinated in the Diocese of Gatineau- Hull.”

(17)  02 May 1990:  “On May 2nd, 1990 Bishop Larocque received a letter from Monsignor Raymond Roy, the Bishop of St-Paul in Alberta, requesting information about priests having been arrested or convicted of sexual abuse.

(13) 25 June 1990: “ Bishop Larocque responded [to Roy’s letter] in a letter dated 25 June 6th, 1990 in which he indicated that he had such an experience more than three years prior and that the priest in question, Father Deslauriers, had taken refuge with the Bishop that had ordained him and for whom he had served as secretary.”

  Father Charles MacDonald 

Charged with sexual abuse of a number of young boys. Charges stayed based on his claim that his Charter rights to a speedy trial had been violated and that in essence it was all Perry Dunlop’s fault.  Admitted to Bishop Laroque that he engaged in homosexual activity with parishioners and ‘consenting adults.’ (Click here for more info on Father Charles MacDonald)

(1)  29 November 1967:  “Rector of Saint Paul University Seminary in Ottawa, Father Rosaire Bellemare, wrote a letter dated November 29th, 1967 to Bishop Proulx in respect of Charles MacDonald. In the letter, Father Bellemare noted there his and Bishop Proulx’s dissatisfaction with MacDonald the previous year. Father Bellemare wrote that it seemed that Bishop Proulx’s personal interventions with MacDonald during the summer as well as his own interventions before the summer holidays had been fruitful. He noted that MacDonald’s attitude had changed greatly since the previous spring, his aggressiveness having diminished. In the letter, Father Bellemare advised that MacDonald had requested to receive the last minor orders; that the members of the Board of Directors were all favourable to MacDonald’s promotion and that he, Father Bellemare, voluntarily supported the Board’s decision.”

(2)  14 June 1969:  “Bishop Adolphe Proulx ordained MacDonald, now hereinafter referred to as Father MacDonald, to the priesthood on June 14th, 1969 at St. Margaret’s Church in Glen Nevis, Ontario.”

“Bishop Proulx appointed Father MacDonald Assistant Priest at St. Columban’s Parish and Catechist at CCVS, Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School, on June 14th, 1969. Bishop Proulx noted that he was to work in cooperation with Father McDougald, the parish priest, and Father Kevin Maloney, Director of Religious Education.”

(3)  13 February 1998:   “C-3 commenced an action in the Ontario Court General Division against Father MacDonald, Bishop Proulx and the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation for the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall. On February 13th, 1998, C-3 signed a release discharging from the defendants — from any and all causes of action, claims and demands for damages, loss or injury arising from alleged sexual assaults in consideration for the payment of $20,000 by Father Charles MacDonald.”

(4)  c. 1995: “David Silmser and John MacDonald commenced actions against Father Charles MacDonald, Bishop Proulx and the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation for the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall in the Ontario Court General Division in or about 1995, alleging sexual abuse by Father MacDonald and negligence on the part of Bishop Proulx as Father MacDonald’s supervisor, employer and/or principal. The action commenced by David Silmser was dismissed as abandoned on August 12th, 1999.”

Father Kenneth Martin 

Ordained 1958. Relocated to Montreal around 1972.  Has never been excardinated from the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall.  Charged and tried for homosexually abusing two young males, one being Claude Marleau.  Acquitted by Justice Cusson. (Click here for more info on Father Kenneth Martin)

1971: (approx):  asked Bishop Proulx if he could take further studies in Sociology to deal with the “drug problems” which he believed were coming and “I wanted to prepare myself better for counselling and for listening on this whole problem of…drugs that were in our society at the time.  Proulx asked him to wait and help out at St. Theresa’s for one year.   

1972:  Concordia University (Montreal, Quebec) for one-year post graduate studies in Sociology.    Testified that while at Concordia was approached by someone telling him “the South Shore of Montreal” was looking for someone bilingual to “open an office” for over 40,000 English Catholics.  Martin worked part-time at the job while he pursued his studies.  After wards he was retained as “pastoral animator” for the English Catholic population of Montreal.   

1973-1974:  same Surrey Gardens address in Montreal as Father Paul Lapierre (Catholic directories)

Father Paul Lapierre

Ordained 1958.  Relocated to Montreal in 1968.  Has never been excardinated from the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall. Charged with sexual abuse of  Claude Marleau, both in Cornwall and in Quebec.  Acquitted in Quebec.  Guilty in Quebec. (Click for more info re Lapierre)

1967:  At his sex abuse trail testified that he had a “burnout” in 1967.  For the month of July he rented a cottage on Hamilton Island from Fr. Patrick Breton.  During his burnout was seeing Dr. Gratton, a Montreal psychologist, every two weeks.  He was referred to Gratton by Dr. Yves Corbeil.

Summer 1968:  Jesuit priest Father Riccardo Lombardi, head of the Better World Movement headquartered in Rome, arrived in Alexandria to ask Bishop Proulx if Lapierre could become part of his Montreal-based bilingual team.

Lapierre moved to Montreal and started to work with the Better World Movement run by SJ, initially residing at the movement’s St. Denis Street address.  After a few months, with the assistance of a Father Martucci he secured accommodations at Surrey Gardens, a facility located behind and until recently owned by St. Joseph’s Oratory. He remained at Surrey Gardens for 30 years.

Fall 1969 – Spring 1971: chosen by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and hired by CBC to host  “Le jour du Seigneur,” a CBC Radio Canada (French) program which aired on Sundays at 10 am to, according to Lapierre “show the variety and diversity of good liturgical celebrations.”  The show required Lapierre and Rheal Gagne, the shows director and producer, to travel extensively throughout Canada. The show was also televised.

Classical College

1968: The Classical Cornwall operated by the Viatorian priests closed its doors in 1968.  There is much talk about sexual abuse at the college, even on the witness stand from Father Paul Lapierre at his sex abuse trial.

The Viatorians settled out of court with several former students who were sexually abused by Viatorian priests.