Man sues The Pas archdiocese, alleges sexual abuse

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This article was published 01/04/2025 (551 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A man who alleges he was sexually abused in The Pas by an unknown Catholic priest in the mid-1980s is suing the archdiocese.

British Columbia lawyer Tyler Dennis filed the lawsuit in the Manitoba Court of King’s Bench last month on behalf of the man, now about 50, who resides in Vancouver. The claim names the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Keewatin-Le Pas as defendant.

The unknown priest is referred to as John Doe in the court filings. He was at one time the priest at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Cathedral in The Pas, the lawsuit claims.

When the man was around nine years old, he alleges the priest “used his position of power granted by the (archdiocese) to prey upon the plaintiff, and sexually assault the plaintiff,” the claim said.

He claims the abuse began around 1984 and continued until around 1986.

The suit claims the priest had a responsibility to act in a parent-like role and provide mentorship, among other obligations.

“Throughout the period of time that the assaults occurred, the perpetrator engaged in a pattern of behaviour, abusing his position of authority and trust,” the court filing claims.

The lawsuit also alleges the priest made the man feel it would be unsafe to report the assaults.

The filing alleges the priest wilfully or negligently inflicted pain and suffering, humiliation and degradation upon the man, interfering with his childhood and future for his own gratification.

The man asserts the priest took advantage of his position, under the guise of his church activities, to foster a trusting relationship with him, leading to the abuse.

The archdiocese, the lawsuit argues, breached its duty to the man by not protecting him from the abuse.

Further, the lawsuit asserts, the archdiocese failed to supervise the priest, failed to investigate his background and failed to document, discipline or fire him.

The court filings alleges the archdiocese concealed the priest’s actions, when it knew or ought to have known he had a “propensity to engage in such deviant behaviours.”

The lawsuit accuses the archdiocese of failing to investigate the priest’s actions “once it was fully aware of his shortcomings,” and failed its duty to give the man help once it became aware of the alleged assaults.

The man claims to have long suffered psychologically and struggled maintaining relationships.

The lawsuit seeks damages to be determined by the court, the past and future cost of health-care services and court costs, arguing the archdiocese should be held vicariously liable for the priest’s alleged actions.

The archdiocese has not yet responded to the claim with a statement of defence and the matter hasn’t been heard in court.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca

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