CANADA/RELIGION - In Ottawa victims of clergy sex abuse protested outside Saint Paul University yesterday, angry that a priest convicted of molesting an eight-year-old would get $60,000 to study canon law.The demonstrators with the Association of Victims of Priests hoisted their signs as they huddled into the icy wind on Main Street. One carried a crucifix with "Sex Abuse" on it; another called for all convicted pedophiles to be booted out of the Catholic church.
Sex offender Rev. Philippe de Maupeou left Ottawa in September, quitting his courses after just a few weeks. He now lives in a supervised ecclesiastical residence under the jurisdiction of the Montreal archdiocese.
Father de Maupeou pleaded guilty in 2006 to touching an eight-year-old on the breast and genitalia during a camping trip. The 48-year-old priest served in Montreal's Plateau Mont Royal district with Communauté du Pain de Vie, a religious commune including priests and devout Catholic families.
After the child came forward, years after the incident, Father De Maupeou was not allowed to be near children unsupervised, nor could he live with his commune. The church has otherwise not meted out any punishment to Father de Maupeou.However, Carlo Tarini, spokesman for the victims, said the church still doesn't understand how serious the offences are and France Bédard, who founded the victims' association and organized yesterday's demonstration, said "Are Canada's bishops so hard up for recruiting priests that they can't readily fire convicted pedophiles and other sex abusers?"
Ms. Bédard has previously launched a civil action against the church, saying a priest raped and impregnated her when she was 17. The priest died one month before he was to face criminal charges.
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