Priests in Antigonish diocese get counselling

Priests in the diocese of Antigonish had the opportunity to express their feelings about the child pornography charges against Bishop Raymond Lahey during a two-day counselling session in North Sydney, N.S.

Rev. Paul Abbass, the spokesman for the diocese, said nearly 50 priests attended the sessions to speak about their feelings with peers and discuss ways to intervene with parishioners.

"It just gives them an opportunity to be able to talk very openly and very frankly with one another about what they felt and I think that will bring a nice degree of early healing to this process for them because they want to continue to serve well," he said.

Lahey was lauded as the man who helped broker a $15-million sex abuse settlement earlier this year with victims of sexual abuse by priests of the diocese of Antigonish. The parishes in the diocese were told they would have to shoulder that cost.

The community was shocked when Lahey was charged with possessing and importing child pornography on Sept. 25, 10 days after he was detained at the Ottawa International Airport and his laptop was seized. He resigned as bishop after the charges were laid, but before they became public.

Lahey is staying in Ottawa until his next court appearance on Dec. 16.

Abbass said a psychologist from Ontario's Southdown Institute acted as a facilitator at the sessions and spoke about the challenges of the vocation as well as the issues of child pornography and pedophilia.

The cost of the psychological services has not been disclosed but CBC News has learned that parishioners will not pay the bill.

Abbass said the Sisters of Saint Martha in Antigonish had offered money from a trust fund.

"It did not cost the people or the diocese any money whatsoever," he said. "The Sisters of Saint Martha has agreed — has offered, I should say — to pay or to assist so the priests could come together in this way."

Abbass said each priest paid for his own hotel room.