Disgraced priest dies a prisoner

LONDON, Ont. -- The life of disgraced Roman Catholic priest CharlesSylvestre ended on a gurney in a stark Kingston prison hospital room.

Just three months after he was sentenced to three years forindecently assaulting 47 girls in Windsor, Sarnia, London, Chatham andPain Court over almost four decades, Sylvestre, 84, died of naturalcauses shortly before midnight Monday.

Only hours before his death, a group of lawyers and one ofSylvestre's victims had gathered at the prison, hoping to interview thepriest children called Father Feeler as part of preparations for themounting civil actions.

He was lying in almost a fetal position and a deep congestion had filled his chest.

"He was not coherent or conscious," said victim Carol AnnMieras, who was abused when she was a member of Chatham's St. Ursula'sparish and became the last victim to see Sylvestre alive.

"He was not able to answer any questions whatsoever. Hispallor was very grey. His breathing was very laboured and he coughed afew times."

Mieras stood near his bed while video equipment was set up in futile hopes of taping a statement.

"It did seem as if the Grim Reaper was standing on his chest in the room waiting for him to go," she said.

Rob Talach, a London lawyer with Ledroit Beckett, also attendedthe meeting that was set up following a court order his firm soughtbecause of concerns about Sylvestre's failing health. There werelawyers from several law firms, one for the diocese, one for Sylvestreand one for the Grey Nuns, who have been named in a civil action.

Talach said the room resembled a prison cell and Sylvestre's condition was "shocking."

"From the man I saw at the sentencing in October, I didn't evenrecognize him," Talach said. "He was unresponsive and physicallyatrophied."

Sylvestre's victims -- all of whom had suffered with thesecret shame of sexual abuse by a trusted priest -- reacted with bothshock and sadness.

Many said they felt sorrow for Sylvestre's family,particularly his sister in Belle River who had cared for him before hewent to prison.

Chatham-Kent Crown attorney Paul Bailey said victim witness workers were on standby for any women who needed support.

"There's no joy in this for anybody," Bailey said. "The factFather Sylvestre died in prison is just an additional layer of tragedy,which is spurring us on even more to work toward prevention."

At the time of Sylvestre's sentencing, many had viewed thethree years as a life sentence for the frail octogenarian who had avariety of medical problems. He had been in the Kingston RegionalHospital -- part of Kingston Penitentiary -- for three days.

Corrections Canada spokesperson Diane Russon said Sylvestrehad been in palliative care. He had been assessed to serve his sentenceat the Bath medium-security prison, but "he never got there.

"I do believe family had been in to see him within the last days of his life," she said.

The correctional service will be conducting an internalinvestigation and a coroner's inquest will be ordered -- a standardpractice.

Sylvestre's death marks the end of one chapter in a case thatshocked the church community and pushed both London Bishop RonaldFabbro and Sylvestre's victims to call for reforms within the church tostop the scourge of sexual abuse by priests.

But Sylvestre died as he lived -- a priest. His positionremains unchanged, despite calls from both Fabbro and the community tohave him de-frocked. The petition to have Sylvestre dismissed from theclerical state had been forwarded to Rome.

The diocese of London released a brief statement about his death yesterday and would not comment further.

"We continue to feel grief and shock at the revelations of hisactions and we say again that we deplore all instances of sexual abuseand sexual impropriety, especially by clergy or anyone in the Church'semploy, towards minors," the statement said.

Fabbro directed all parishes to pray for Sylvestre's victims,their families and supporters and for Sylvestre's family and "for therepose of his soul."

Funeral arrangements were not complete and it is expected Sylvestre's funeral will be private.