The horrifying story that is the Mount Cashel Orphanage Scandal began nearly half a century ago when the first allegations of physical and sexual abuse were levelled at the Christian Brothers who ran the facility. This past weekend, the Archdiocese of St. John's in Newfoundland and Labrador closed bids on the sale of Church properties in 34 diocese across the province in an effort to raise the estimated $50 million dollars to cover compensation for the survivors. It means the parishioners in those small communities lose their churches - churches they helped pay for and build - in order for the Archdiocese to atone for its criminal behaviour. The more astounding part of the story is the Vatican refuses to step in and pay some of the reparations. So keep that in mind when, (if), Pope Francis ever arrives in Canada to face the people of our First Nations and indigenous communities who suffered and died in the Residential Schools. The universal church has already refused to take any measure of responsibility for the atrocities at Mount Cashel. Beyond asking forgiveness, what makes you think there will be an appropriate penance to offset the years of institutionalized abuse, neglect and indignity suffered by hundreds of nameless kids disposed of in unmarked graves? What is the measure of accountability for the Church's ritual ignorance and legal obfuscation?
