17°c A few clouds
22°c Thundershowers
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
'Dirty Dozen' reference upsets church spokesman
Marc Cardinal Ouellet (CP)
QUEBEC -- A Roman Catholic Church spokesman is criticizing a list that calls Canada's Marc Cardinal Ouellet and 11 other papal candidates the "Dirty Dozen."
Jasmin Lemieux-Lefebvre, communications director for the church in Quebec City and a former press attaché to Ouellet, said Thursday none of the cardinals deserves such negative recognition.
The U.S.-based Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests put Ouellet on the list because it said he refused to meet with sex-abuse victims. Ouellet recently told the CBC he met with victims during a visit to Ireland.
The Dirty Dozen reference comes from a 1967 film of the same name that features 12 convicts assigned to a raid on a German-filled chateau during the Second World War.
Lemieux-Lefebvre was particularly upset because Ouellet and the 11 other papal candidates on the list are being associated with a crude word that is used in the movie's translated French title.
He told a news conference in Quebec City he has fielded many calls from people who were deeply hurt by the association.
"To hear the name of Marc Cardinal Ouellet associated with that word affected a lot of people," said Lemieux-Lefebvre. "None of the 12 cardinals on the blacklist deserves to be called that."
David Clohessy, director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, was quick to make an apology for the translation issue.
"We sincerely apologize for offending anyone by using the phrase 'Dirty Dozen,' " Clohessy said in a statement Thursday evening.
"We are a staff of three abuse victims working very hard to protect kids, help victims, expose wrongdoers and deter coverups in huge, powerful, global institutions. We simply are incapable of monitoring how a 40-year-old movie title translates into multiple languages and slang expression.
"We hope Catholics and citizens, in Canada and elsewhere, will focus on what we believe really matters."
Lemieux-Lefebvre urged the media to no longer discuss the case of Paul Ouellet, a younger brother of the cardinal who was sentenced to 15 months community service a few years ago for assaults against two minors.
-- The Canadian Press
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 8, 2013 A15
More Canada
- Back to Top
- Return to Canada
More Canada
(1 of 8 articles for today)
Potential fracking in Gros Morne raises concerns for UN's world heritage agency
4:40 AM 0ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - The UNESCO world heritage committee is recommending that a monitoring mission be sent to Gros Morne ...
Poll
Most Popular Canada
- Liberal MP, former leader Bob Rae stepping down to focus on First Nations
- Corruption in Quebec: A blow-by-blow account
- 'Shocking' half of First Nations kids living in poverty, new study finds
- Fast and curious driver caught going 221 km/h loses car, nets double the fine
- Commons breaks for summer with reeling Conservatives poised for major retooling
- Border agency warns of telephone scam, says it doesn't make calls
- 30,000 people homeless on a given night, first-ever national tally suggests
- Tory attacks on Trudeau boomerang, raise questions about PMO involvement
- Montreal will get its new, new mayor Tuesday
- Children taken from Mennonite community as more abuse charges are laid
- Sobeys gobbles up Safeway
- Manitoba restaurant stops selling giant hamburger "for obvious reasons"
- Montreal's interim mayor, a self-styled corruption fighter, faces fraud charges
- Corruption in Quebec: A blow-by-blow account
- Woman charged after drink tossed at embattled Toronto Mayor Rob Ford
- Fast and curious driver caught going 221 km/h loses car, nets double the fine
- Questions about Mayor Rob Ford overshadow news of huge police raids
- Trudeau to compensate charities that paid him to help raise money
- Liberal MP, former leader Bob Rae stepping down to focus on First Nations
- 'Shocking' half of First Nations kids living in poverty, new study finds
- Woman run over three times by her own car
- Sobeys gobbles up Safeway
- Controversy around Toronto mayor Rob Ford continues to grow
- Glover, Bezan fight suspension from Parliament
- Alleged Rob Ford drug video 'gone,' source tells Gawker
- Gawker hits $200K for 'crack cocaine' video as mayor's senior aides resign
- Two men now facing first-degree murder charges in Tim Bosma test drive death
- 'I am not stepping aside,' Mayor Rob Ford says, as 'crack video' scandal rages
- Mother cries, yells as driver appears in court charged with killing boy on patio
- Manitoba restaurant stops selling giant hamburger "for obvious reasons"
- 30,000 people homeless on a given night, first-ever national tally suggests
- Next! Montreal seeks yet another mayor after second one quits in scandal
- Hike in disclosure for public servants should apply to unions too: Liberals
- Corruption in Quebec: A blow-by-blow account
- The Great One firmly believes NHL will return to Quebec City someday
- 'Shocking' half of First Nations kids living in poverty, new study finds
- Brothers' testimony to be considered jointly
- Border agency warns of telephone scam, says it doesn't make calls
- Sobeys gobbles up Safeway
- Senate's hired motivational speakers scrubbed after planned pep talk goes public
- 'Shocking' half of First Nations kids living in poverty, new study finds
- Manitoba restaurant stops selling giant hamburger "for obvious reasons"
- Feds want to extend blanket of permanent secrecy over 11 new agencies
- 30,000 people homeless on a given night, first-ever national tally suggests
- Canadian and American missing for nearly two weeks in Mexico
- Squirrel takes whirl in toilet; woman rescues rodent with barbecue tongs
- Wendy's 9-patty burger extinct
- Training manuals for Parliament guides boost Senate, praise two-party system
- Sobeys gobbles up Safeway
- Glover, Bezan fight suspension from Parliament
- Woman run over three times by her own car
- Ottawa threatens 'retaliatory measures' over new U.S. meat labelling regulations
- Prominent Canadians back petition to rename Victoria Day to honour aboriginals
- Canadian and American missing for nearly two weeks in Mexico
- Banff officials hunt for cougar that man fought off with skateboard
- Harper government brings in new performance review system for public service
- Senate's hired motivational speakers scrubbed after planned pep talk goes public
- 'Shocking' half of First Nations kids living in poverty, new study finds
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
Have Your Say
Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscribers only. why?
Login SubscribeHave Your Say
Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press Subscribers only. why?
SubscribeThe Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.