Michael J. Meenan@MickeyMeenan, April 1, 2022:
For decades, church knew this guy fled and was hiding in plain sight in France. Had he stolen church money, he’d be in prison already.
Religion is not man’s relationship to God,
it is man’s relationship to man.
Elie Wiesel
Disgraced priest Rivoire won’t be dismissed from Oblates, Priest accused of sexual abuse in Nunavut will remain an Oblate after decision by officials in Rome by Madalyn Howitt, Feb 27, 2024, Nunatsiaq News
A priest accused of historical sexual abuse in Nunavut will remain a member of the Oblate order after Catholic leaders in Rome ruled against dismissing him from the religious order.
Rev. Johannes Rivoire has been accused of sexually abusing Inuit children going back decades to the time when he lived in what’s now Nunavut in the 1970s.
“We are deeply disappointed by this news,” Rev. Ken Thorson, who heads the Oblates of OMI Lacombe Canada, said Tuesday in a joint statement with Rev. Renaud Saliba of the French Oblates in France.
Thorson said they have strongly urged Rivoire, who is now in his 90s and lives in France, to return to Canada to face allegations against him but have been “repeatedly disappointed by his refusal to do so.”
France has so far refused to extradite Rivoire to Canada, where one criminal charge remains on the books.
Rivoire worked as a parish priest in Nunavut, mostly in Arviat and Naujaat, between 1960 and 1992. He moved to France in 1993, and in 1998 the RCMP filed sex-related charges against him.
Those charges were later stayed when the Public Prosecution Service of Canada determined there was no reasonable chance of conviction.
But in 2022, a new charge related to alleged sexual abuse was laid against Rivoire in Canada.
While dismissing Rivoire from the Oblates would have only been a symbolic gesture, Thorson and Saliba said they believe it would have “sent a strong signal to the Inuit people about our commitment to reconciliation.”
“We wish to apologize to any victim or survivor who has been abused by a member of our clergy and to assure them that we are committed to supporting their healing journey,” Thorson and Saliba wrote.
They said Rivoire has been removed from public ministry, but that all other options under church rules to compel him to face the justice system have been “exhausted.”
Rev. Vincent Gruber, who leads the Oblates of the Province of France, told Nunatsiaq News and delegates with Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. in 2022 that the congregation, OMI Lacombe Canada and the Oblates of Mary Immaculate had appealed to leaders in Rome to dismiss Rivoire from Oblate membership.
Through these proceedings, Rivoire’s counsel cited his declining health and medical advice that he not undertake more than one hour of air travel.
“In considering this development, Oblate administration has not proceeded with dismissal from the congregation,” Thorson and Saliba said in their statement.
The Oblates of Canada and France along with the Oblates of Mary Immaculate have enlisted retired Quebec Superior Court judge André Denis to lead the Oblate Safeguarding Commission, an independent review of historical allegations of sexual abuse against Rivoire in Nunavut. 
Is the judge catholic? Is he another rape-enabling authority? They are everywhere, busy serving raping priests and the patriarchy.
Thorson said the groups hopehope is useless when it comes to rape-enabling churches or any of the other many rape-enabling agencies that Denis’s report — expected to be released in April — will shine a light on abuse, identify improvements to Oblate policies to better safeguard minors, and hold Oblate clergy to a higher level of accountability.Easy, remove tax free status, and kick all catholic churches and their associated raping facilities out of Canada. No need to waste good money on a retired judge, padding his pensions and will for sure, not protect anyone from the raping religions that fester in our communities.
“While we cannot undo the harms that persist following sexual abuse, we hope that these efforts can help the Inuit Peoples find the healing they have long sought,” Thorson said.
Mouv’Enfants, a French advocacy group working to end sexual violence against children and formerly known as BeBrave France, also issued a statement Tuesday calling out the congregation of Oblates of OMI for organizing the flight of Rivoire from Quebec to France in 1993 even after complaints had been filed against him.
The group has demanded Rivoire be extradited and has staged protests outside Rivoire’s home in Lyon, France.
Comments:
Posted by Johanne Coutu-Autut on Feb 27, 2024 Another example of the church protecting their own and zero consequences for the abuser. simply disgusting!
Posted by Aputi on Feb 27, 2024 Protest by not going to Roman Catholic Churches across Nunavut and stop putting your ten percent to them
Posted by Johanne coutu-autut on Feb 27, 2024 I quit the Catholic Church long ago
Posted by Tanya Tungilik on Feb 27, 2024 “Rivoire’s counsel cited his declining health and medical advice that he not undertake more than one hour of air travel. In considering this development, Oblate administration has not proceeded with dismissal from the congregation” That’s such BS, is the church still living in the Dark Ages that they can’t do a Zoom videoconference? That’s the weakest excuse I’ve ever heard. They will always protect their own, and never admit that anyone in their precious church has ever harmed someone, and let them face actual justice. “Too old” wasn’t a viable excuse to not bring Nazi war criminals to justice, they still prosecute 90+ year old Nazis, how is he special? He violated CHILDREN.
Posted by Kivallingmiut on Feb 28, 2024 Case in point, last year a 98 year old Nazi criminal was prosecuted, and also a 101 year old! These two are much older than Rivoire is now. Old age is not an excuse, period. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66686146
Posted by Inuk on Feb 29, 2024 They open up to believing Inuit are to be played. Today it is trying to hide those wrong doings. Who they were brought by, churches to try prevent it from being tried.
Posted by Qavvigarjuk on Feb 29, 2024 First of all, victims have to come forewards, go to the RCMP for them to press charges. This is very difficult for victims, as often they are ashamed and embarrassed this happened to them. They are often brainwashed that it was their fault from the abusers. This is especially difficult when it involves family members as sometimes family will not believe nor support the victim. Rivoire getting away with his abuses do not encourage victims to come forwards. This is why it is so important that he faces the music.
Posted by Northerner on Mar 13, 2024 The priests and sisters and nuns have all moved to Europe. Some parts of kivalliq don’t have priest or sister or nun to help keep the church open. Let alone provide church service. It looks as if they’ve felt in danger and threatened and moved away as soon as they could.
Posted by Mass Formation on Mar 15, 2024 Wait. This round and round has been playing out for decades. Nothing more than what’s packed in the book, Mortal Sins. However, it has given criminals and sexual assault criminals a defence for a get out of jail card to play. Simply say “residential school”. Be it you or your great grandfather, grandmother, mother, father, uncle, aunt, 6th cousin attended one. No one screams with outraged…What about the victim! Other than comforting them, they can use the same jail card when they future abuse. Expected to do this.Look at the Nunavut court docket across Nunavut. There’s always one or two PB (Publication Ban) sexual assault court case every month. So strange the ‘residential’ word makes the accused to feel sorry for. Just as we are today to accept minor attracted person without question. If do scream no and say our thoughts. With the coming C-63 censorship bill, could easily be sent to jail for life for speaking up in against. How’s that for a twisted reality now happening in Canada?
Posted by hermann kliest on Feb 28, 2024 It’s not NTI that is the problem; it is it’s leadership and senior staff’s lack of vision…..the will. It appears the only will this org is their PR.
***
Amir Attaran@profamirattaran 2024:
In the Vatican with my children. But don’t worry: I’m not allowing the serial child rapists (“priests” in the lingo) near them.
This institution:
- abducted Indigenous children
- raped them
- killed some
- conspired to cover it up
So I have no respect for this place. I hope it is destroyed someday.
There’s no memorial here to the Indigenous children the Church abducted, raped, and killed. There would be, if Catholics gave a shit.
Priest facing sexual assault charge in Nunavut will not be dismissed from Oblates, Johannes Rivoire, accused of sexually abusing Inuit children, will be allowed to remain an Oblate by Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press, CBC News
A French priest accused of sexually abusing Inuit children in Nunavut will be allowed to remain a member of the Oblates congregation after leadership in Rome ruled against his dismissal.
Johannes Rivoire, who is in his mid-90s and lives in Lyon, France, has long faced allegations he sexually abused Inuit children during his time in Nunavut.
“I was deeply disappointed,” said Rev. Ken Thorson with the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) Lacombe Canada.
The Oblates of Mary Immaculate, OMI Lacombe Canada and the Oblates of the Province of France had appealed to leadership in Rome in 2022 to commence the dismissal proceedings against Rivoire after the Catholic priest refused to return to Canada to face charges.Sleazy fucking evil coward.
An arrest warrant was issued for Rivoire earlier that year for indecent assault involving a girl in Arviat and Whale Cove, Nunavut, between 1974 and 1979. French authorities later denied an extradition request from Canadian judicial authorities.
The priest previously avoided trial when he refused to return to Canada after a warrant was issued for his arrest in 1998. He faced at least three charges of sexual abuse in the Nunavut communities of Arviat, Rankin Inlet and Naujaat. More than two decades later, the charges were stayed.
The Public Prosecution Service of Canada said at the time it was partly due to France’s reluctance to extradite.
Justice Minister Arif Virani said Tuesday that Canada is now working with Interpol on the case. Canada is requesting a “red notice” through Interpol, which means if Rivoire were to ever leave French territory authorities elsewhere could arrest him.
“I would say to people that are concerned and angry that I share their concern, I share their anger,” Virani told reporters on Parliament Hill.
Virani said Rivoire stands accused of “reprehensible conduct, and we need to ensure that justice is pursued” against anyone accused of that many severe crimes.
Rivoire has denied all allegations against him and none have been proven in court.Canadian courts notoriously enable rapists, notably of kids. “Proven in court” means nothing, not in rape-enabling Canada’s legal-judicial industry.
Inuit leaders and politicians have continued to urge that the priest face trial. Natan Obed, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, said he asked Pope Francis to speak directly with Rivoire during an Indigenous delegation to the Vatican in 2022.
A 10-member delegation led by Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., a group representing Nunavut Inuit, travelled to France later that year and spoke with Rivoire himself, asking the priest to return to Canada. That group has claimed up to 60 children may have been abused.
Last year, nearly a dozen members of BeBrave France, the French chapter of a global advocacy movement that aims to end sexual violence against children, demonstrated outside the retirement home where Rivoire was living. He has since been relocated into the Oblates’ administration house in Lyon because of the attention he was getting at the previous facility, Thorson said.
The Oblates of Mary Immaculate said it has also repeatedly urged Rivoire to face the charges, but he has refused.
Dismissal would have symbolized church’s commitmentRape religions don’t give a shit, except their secrets coming out. The catholic church is the world’s richest raping corporation, pays no taxes, and is protected by Satanic politicians, lawyers and judges.
Thorson said the disciplinary proceedings included two warnings and a formal recommendation. May as well bathe the pedophile priest in pig shit, for all the benefit church processes provide.Rivoire’s counsel cited his declining health, such as medical advice against more than one hour of air travel, as a reason he couldn’twouldn’t return, Thorson said.
Considering Rivoire’s health, the Oblate administration in Rome did not proceed with dismissal from the congregation, Thorson said.Demented, evil and creepy corrupt.
The dismissal would not have forced Rivoire to return to Canada but Thorson said it would have been symbolic of the church’s commitment to accountability and reconciliation.
“I recognize we missed opportunities to take what could have been healing steps in this case,” Thorson said.
“That’s a regret that I carry.”Oh, I don’t believe you. Quit enabling the raping church. I expect you never think of it and only tried half-assed to get justice served.
Thorson said he hopes that an independent investigation into the allegations against Rivoire and the Oblates’ handling of the situation can still provide some justice.
- French demonstrators demand extradition of retired priest accused of abusing Inuit children
- France won’t extradite retired priest Johannes Rivoire, accused of sexually abusing Inuit children
The Oblates of Mary Immaculate, OMI Lacombe Canada and the Oblates of the Province of France appointed former Superior Court justice Andre Denis to lead the Oblate Safeguarding Commission.
The commission is to understand how allegations against Rivoire were addressed within the Catholic congregation and to identify improvements to Oblate policies and governance to better protectour raping priests, bishops, cardinals, popes et al, and most importantly, our secretsminors and ensure accountability.
It will also review the circumstances under which Rivoire left Canada.
A final written report is to be made public no later than April 1.Words will help how?
Tanya Talaga@TanyaTalaga:
Not only must Father Johannes Rivoire be extradited from France, @ITK_CanadaInuit
President Natan Obed told the Pope today all other Catholic Church priests, workers, still alive who sexually abused children, must be turned over to face charges, justice.
@ZarnaJoshi10:
Why must they be turned over? Why can’t the cops seize them and bring them into custody? Why this nonsense politeness?
It’s all pretense. None of these pedophiles will ever be brought to justice.
Nothing will bring justice but land and sovereignty back to the First Nations.
Kelsie Kilawna (Marchand) @kelsiemarchand:
Go knock on the door of Johannes Rivoire in Strasbourg, France. Knock on the doors of the leaders of Canada and France, and ask why they’re letting a living, known serial child rapist live free.
I’ll make the same plea to media I made when the 215 number was released.
Do not go knocking on the doors of the Survivors for their stories. Go knock on the doors of those responsible.
Honour the grief ceremony and give an abundance of space to our people.
He is a known residential school abuser. You wanna act horrified by news like this? DO something about it that doesn’t involve harassing survivors.
tanya tagaq@tagaq:
Bring horrific child abuser and fugitive Johannes Rivoire to justice. He destroyed the lives of many Inuit who have been trying to get @Pontifex to stop protecting him.
‘I never liked Sundays’: Priest’s accuser says she was 6 when abuse began by Kathleen Martens, Mar 29, 2022, ATPN NewsI grew up hating sundays, still do.
Woman says RCMP refused to accept her complaint more than 10 times due to lack of evidence
Joannes Rivoire was a French Catholic missionary in Nunavut for 30 years.
The Hope for Wellness Help Line offers immediate mental health counselling and crisis intervention to all Indigenous Peoples across Canada, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The toll-free number is 1-855-242-3310.
The accuser whose sexual abuse complaint has led to a new arrest warrant for Oblate priest Joannes Rivoire, says she has been trying to have him charged since the 1980s.
“I tried to charge him and I’d been told that there’s no evidence,” she told APTN News Tuesday. “I’ve been trying so hard to do something.
“I went to RCMP more than 10 times.”
The woman, whose identity is protected by the court, said RCMP in Nunavut finally accepted her allegation of historical sexual abuse in the fall of 2021.
She told APTN in a telephone interview her immediate family knows of the abuse she said she suffered.
“He would try to keep me in the church doing things so I would be the last one to get out,” she said before dissolving into tears.
“I remember every little thing he (allegedly) used to do.”
Rivoire worked as a church priest for 30 years in the communities of Igloolik, Arviat and Naujaat (Repulse Bay) with the Missionary Oblates of the Mary Immaculate. He arrived in Canada from France in 1963.
Not the church’s fault
The woman said she doesn’t blame the Catholic church.I absolutely blame the church; it harbours and hides known raping priests, moves them from community to community to keep them raping more and more kids; it lies and evades paying judgments against it by slithering behind fake bankruptcies, enabled by courts. If the church was blameless, it would send Rivoire packing off to Canadian courts, or at the very least, punt him out of the church and out on his ass to fend for himself.
“He’s not a priest, he’s a monster. I’m sorry to say that but I call him a monster because he treated me like I was an adult, and I didn’t know what he was doing to me.”
Now a mother and a grandmother, the woman alleged in her statement to police that Rivoire warned her not tell anyone what was happening.
“He covered his hand to my mouth and pulled my hair to be quiet,” she said.
Nunavut RCMP confirmed they laid the charge after the woman came forward last September.
“In September 2021, Nunavut RCMP received a complaint of sexual assaults that occurred approximately 47 years ago,” Cpl. Tammy Keller said in a statement emailed to APTN. “The investigation involved one female victim.
“As a result of the investigation, on February 23, 2022, Father [Joannes] Rivoire, 93, of Lyon, France was charged with sexual assault. A Canada-wide warrant has been issued for the arrest of Father Rivoire.”
Retired Oblate priest
The woman said she doesn’t know why RCMP acted on her most recent complaint against the priest, but is glad just the same.
“Between 1992 and 1987, I went to RCMP,” she said of the rotation of Mounties serving her community that changes every three years.
“I said to myself, ‘I’ll give it a try again.’”
News that Nunavut RCMP obtained a Canada-wide warrant in February for Rivoire’s arrest didn’t become public until Monday, after Natan Obed asked Pope Francis to personally intervene in the case.
Obed, who is president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, was at the Vatican in Rome as part of an Indigenous delegation trying to get the pope to come to Canada and apologize for the church’s role in the notorious residential school system.
“We asked that the pope speak with Fr. Rivoire directly and ask him to go to Canada to face the charges that he’s up on in Canada,” Obed told a news conference in Rome.
“And, if Fr. Rivoire is not agreeable to that, if the pope would do all that he could to work with the French government to ensure that either extradition can happen or that Fr. Rivoire can be tried in France.”
RCMP reach out to Interpol
Nunavut RCMP originally charged Rivoire in 1998 with five counts of sexual interference in connection with alleged crimes against four Inuit children in Naujaat and Arviat between 1968 and 1970, but he had already returned – some say fled – to France, where he is now in his early 90s and living in an Oblate retirement home in Lyon.
Those charges were stayed in 2017 by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada and the international arrest warrant cancelled because France won’t extradite its citizens to face trial elsewhere.Nah, I think it’s just more pedophile-enabling by Canadian authorities.
Nunavut RCMP told APTN this week they were again seeking an international warrant to have Rivoire arrested in France.
“I can confirm that a Red Notice application has been initiated (with international policing organization Interpol),” Keller added in a follow-up email Tuesday.
“There are some processes that need to be done before it is completed and I do not have a timeline for you on when it will be finalized.”
The woman’s indecent assault allegation involves a different time period and location from the earlier charges that were stayed.
She said she was “a little girl” of six when Rivoire allegedly began sexually abusing her “after church” on Sundays between 1974 and 1979. She said she was there because her father worked for the church.
“Even up until today, I never liked Sundays,” she said in a shaky voice.
Hearing an apology from Rivoire is a priority for her.
“I want him to say sorry to me…I want him to remember what he (allegedly) used to do.”
RCMP said prosecutors in Nunavut authorized the new criminal charge against Rivoire.
tanya tagaq@tagaq:
Disgusting child abuser Johannes Rivoire needs to be held accountable for the pain he has caused Inuit communities. Let Justice be served Inuit have been protesting for years.
Michael J. Meenan@MickeyMeenan:
His religious order says they’re “deeply saddened” France won’t extradite or prosecute priest Johannes Rivoire. They’ve hidden him since 1998 when he fled Canada after abusing kids. Oblates ‘deeply saddened’ to hear France won’t extradite, prosecute Johannes Rivoire
@CBCNews Feb 19, 2019:
The government of Canada has stayed the arrest warrant for Father Johannes Rivoire, an Oblate priest accused of abusing children in Nunavut. https://cbc.ca/1.5021869 @eskura
Dr. D. S. Tavcer@drduniapetunia:
Anger doesn’t even begin to describe this…
Jo@jojocal:
Horrible!!! The church then hides these monsters and does nothing for the victims!
Bob@RmceachernBob:
Like I said many many times,” criminals, come to Canada to do your dirty deeds, the government doesn’t give a shit” Also you’ll have MORE rights than your victims!!!
Refer also to:
Baltimore archdiocese, Maryland: Astonishing depravity by catholic church deviant priests and lying cover-up bosses: 600 kids tortured, terrorized. How many hundreds more? Condescending William E. Lori, archbishop of Baltimore, lays it on thick. Rape Religions lie like Frac’ers, a lot. And, lawyers, popesand judges help them get away with it.
Rape Religion might bankrupt San Diego catholic diocese with $550Million US in settle ‘n gags (that already paid $200Million in 2007 for other rapes) after lifting statute of limitation is followed by 400 lawsuits alleging priests raped kids. Parishioners will need to give more of their life savings into donation plates to keep pedophile priests raping their kids. Why not stop enabling evil and stop attending the catholic church? The pedophile-enabling church is like our politicians and “regulators” enabling rape of vital water supplies by frac’ers.