Lahey named in St. John's civil lawsuit

By Deborah Gyapong

Canadian Catholic News

OTTAWA (CCN) — In addition to child pornography charges, Bishop Raymond Lahey now faces a civil lawsuit filed in St. John’s, alleging he sexually assaulted a nine-year-old boy.

The lawsuit, filed against the former Bishop of Antigonish, N.S. and the Archdiocese of St. John’s, alleges Lahey fondled Todd Boland while driving around in a car with the boy on his lap. Other incidents occurred over a four-year period, according to the lawsuit’s statement of claim.

“Someone being fondled or groped of course it’s bad enough,” said Boland’s lawyer Greg Stack in an interview from St. John’s. “But when it’s your priest doing it, it puts it into another realm altogether.”

Stack said the alleged incidents in the claim all involve fondling or simulated sex acts over the clothes. But he does not rule out new allegations being appended to the statement of claim because of the initial sense of humiliation, disgust and shame. “What they discuss and disclose at the earlier times is often amplified as it goes on.”

Boland, 37, lived at Mount Cashel Orphanage while Lahey, then a monsignor, served as a priest in nearby Mount Pearl. Lahey used to visit the boys, take them for drives or for visits to his rectory. Mount Cashel was torn down in 1990 after revelations of physical and sexual abuse by Irish Christian Brothers who ran the facility.

Stack said others may also come forward. “There are several leads we are following up; that’s all I can say at this time.”

The lawyer said his client has “led a life of turmoil” since the alleged abuse, something he said is common when abuse involves authority figures. He said Lahey was a well-respected priest in St. John’s and a God-like figure to the boy.

Boland is now behind bars at the Dorchester Penitentiary, a medium-security prison in New Brunswick. Stack said he has a history of break and enters and property crimes.

Stack said Boland did not come forward earlier because he thought “nothing could or would be done about it.”

The recent news about the pornography charges made Boland believe someone might take his allegations seriously, said Stack.

The lawsuit asserts that the archdiocese knew or ought to have known about the alleged abuse and failed to take adequate steps to prevent it through proper screening.

St. John’s Archbishop Martin Currie said in an interview from St. John’s that he feels great sadness at the new revelations and deep concern and compassion for any victims of sexual abuse, especially those abused by priests.

“I think we need to try to be a church that’s known for transparency and for accountability,” he said. “And that we’re going to try to answer the questions as best we can when they arise.”

Currie also called attention to the great strides the church has made since the publication of From Pain to Hope in 1992. He said everyone on staff needs to go through police checks and obtain letters of reference and clergy have to go through extensive psychological testing and interviews.

“The whole question of sexual abuse is something hopefully the church can be part of trying to eradicate from society because of the efforts we have been making,” Currie said. “We know this is not a problem of the church,it’s a problem of society.”

“It’s in all walks of life and in a good portion of families,” he said.

The archdiocese has from 15 - 20 other sexual abuse lawsuits that have not yet been resolved. Currie and Stack both said the unresolved claims have to do with disputes over insurance coverage. The archbishop said the archdiocese has admitted liability.

“I feel bad that these men who are now adults are waiting for their financial settlement,” he said, noting the cases concern Rev. James Hickey.

Only a month before he was arrested, Lahey had concluded a more than $13 million settlement in Antigonish that was touted as fair and compassionate to sexual abuse victims. Authorities arrested him at the Ottawa airport Sept. 15, 2009 and seized his laptop and other electronic devices. Police laid charges Sept. 25 after police say they found pornographic images of children.

Lahey resigned his Antigonish see the next day and turned himself into police Oct. 1. He has been living at a retired priest’s residence in Ottawa as his case works its way through the courts. He will go on trial April 26, 2011 before a judge but no jury on charges of possession and importation of child pornography.