Retired Canadian priest who pleaded guilty to numerous sexual assaults dies

LONDON, Ontario: A retired Canadian priest who recently pleadedguilty to decades of sexual abuse has died at the age of 84, hisdiocese said Tuesday.

A statement posted by the southwestern Ontario Roman CatholicDiocese of London on its Web site said Father Charles Sylvestre died atmidnight Monday. He had been ill for several days.

Sylvestre pleaded guilty in August to assaulting 47 girls over threedecades while serving at parishes in Chatham, Paincourt, Sarnia, Londonand Windsor.

He was sentenced to three years in prison in October.

"The reality is that a three-year sentence was laughable," said oneof Sylvestre's victims, Irene Deschenes of London, Ontario. "It was fartoo short for the crimes he committed."

The Diocese of London is facing 41 lawsuits stemming from the sexualabuse, and Deschenes said similar abuse cannot be prevented if caseslike this one are ignored.

"My hope is that this issue doesn't die with him," she said.

In a statement on its Web site, the diocese said it continues "tofeel grief and shock at the revelations of his actions and we say againthat we deplore all instances of sexual abuse and sexual impropriety,especially by clergy or anyone in the Church's employ, toward minors."

The statement said London Bishop Ronald Peter Fabbro has directedall parishes to offer special prayers for the victims of abuse bySylvestre.

"And we ask for prayers for the family of Father Sylvestre and for the repose of his soul," the statement said.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been completed. The diocese says it expects it will be a private ceremony.

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On the Net:

Roman Catholic Diocese of London: http://www.rcec.london.on.ca