The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. John’s will ask the highest court in the land to overturn a ruling that found the Church liable for sexual abuse at the infamous Mount Cashel Orphanage in the 1950s.
In a brief statement, the Church said while they realize their appeal could drag out the legal wrangling even further, the financial implications and precedent for other dioceses, charities, and related organizations elsewhere had to be considered.
Church lawyers want to appeal the July ruling of the Newfoundland and Labrador Court of Appeal which ordered the St. John’s Archdiocese to pay about $2-million to four of the key victims in the Mount Cashel case.
Related Story:
7/29/2020 – Court Holds Roman Catholic Archdiocese Liable for Damages Owed to Mount Cashel Victims
Their victims’ lawyer, Geoff Budden, said while the decision to appeal was expected, his clients would obviously rather be getting their settlement money instead of facing further delays.
The Church insists the move to appeal was not made lightly, adding it has immense sympathy for those who continue to suffer from sexual abuse.
The appeal is not a fait accompli, however, since the Supreme Court of Canada must first assess the merits of the case before deciding whether or not to hear it.
