What is the Order of Canada (OC)? Why is the priest returning his OC? Who is the recipient who is deemed to be an unworthy recipient of an OC?
What is the priest’s history that makes him more ethical/worthy as a recipient of the OC?
The Order of Canada [OC] was first struck as an honour conferred to recipients in respect of those who exemplify, in some way, the OC’s Latin motto, taken from Hebrews 11:16, desiderantes meliorem patriam, meaning “they desire a better country”; or put more simply, in order to:
“… recognize the lifetime contributions made by Canadians who made a major difference to Canada, as well as the efforts made by non-Canadians who have made the world better by their actions” Source, Wikipedia, via peter.reardon
A recent recipient of the OC, Dr. Henry Morgentaler, a medical doctor fought for many years for the rights of all women to be able to access medical treatment for abortion without the intervention of state laws, or archaic and undemocratic interventions, or the tyranny of male dominated organizations. He:
“… struggled for decades to have abortion legalized in Canada …[and] argued that access to abortion was a basic human right and women should not have to risk death at the hands of an untrained professional in order to end their pregnancies.” Source: CBC, via peter.reardon
The history of religious and Catholic, pagan, ‘God-given’ right to control women and men deeply entrenched in France was exported globally with those who set sail to exploration foreign ‘lands”. There was no thought of change in how settlers and indigenous people were dominated by the clergy under the patronage of foreign monarchs who financed the armadas of explorers to Canada.
In the arctic region the Hudson Bay explorers with Anglican missionaries from England who together exploited and helped to forever damage the family traditions of Inuit and Indian lives, and the Catholic clergy and the Anglican religions controlled southern communities together with representatives of different monarchs.
More recently, a priest, Rev. Lucien Larré was honoured for his work with the Order of Canada for his work as spiritual leader and educator.
However, Larré decided that the presentation of the award of the Order of Canada to Dr. Morgantaler’s in recognition of his work as a medical practitioner for women’s health and reproductive care was not worthy of national recognition and that he, Father Larré:
“… must return the Order of Canada because Morgentaler’s appointment degrades the award for those who believe in the sanctity of life”. Source CBC, via peter.reardon
The question to be answered is: In what area of social work, or education did Father Larré work? And where?
It seems that Larré opened “Bosco Homes” in Regina [in Saskatchewan] for the benefit of:
“… teenagers with emotional troubles and addictions in 1970, drawing praise for his dedication to helping those in need.
His work earned him the Order of Canada in 1983, when he was cited for succeeding “beyond measure in restoring the lost to their rightful place in society.”
But in 1992, a Saskatchewan jury convicted him of two counts of physically abusing children in his care at Bosco.
He was sentenced to one day in jail and paid a $2,500 fine, but in 1997, the National Parole Board of Canada pardoned him and erased the convictions against him… “ Source: CBC, via peter.reardon
It is common to find in Canada that in the event of a priest being accused of ‘misconduct’ , a euphemism for paedophilia,
are rarely sentenced to the full extent of the pain and suffering they have inflicted on their victims.
The ‘John Bosco Home’ type of organizations are commonly found to be “guilty” of offences towards children in their care, not only across Canada but also in many other countries of the world.
But who was John Bosco? Source: Wikipedia, via peter.reardon
“… (August 16 1815 – January 31, 1888), was an Italian Catholic priest, and recognized educator, who put into practice the dogma of his religion, employing teaching methods based on love rather than punishment.
He placed his works under the protection of Francis de Sales; thus his followers styled themselves the Salesian Society.”
The Bosco Homes continue to operate. Priests are still at liberty to work with children unsupervised, while we wait for the next report of a young life wrecked by the predators embedded in the clergy.
At a news conference Larré said that he now offered “spiritual and educational” counselling.
“I don’t work as a psychologist. I just work as an educational consultant. I can help people with things exactly like I did before I had my doctorate [in psychology],” he said.
But outside Larré’s Coquitlam office [in British Columbia] Thursday, Jemma McKenzie told CBC News she was there for “psychology counselling for my children.” Source CBC via peter.reardon
The duplicity seemingly continues… Meanwhile, congratulations to Dr.Morgantaler who demonstrated that professional loving kindness can prevail in the pursuit of service to others.
Tags: abortion, Bosco Homes, Canada, Dr. Henry Morgentaler, Francis de Sales, human rights, John Bosco, Order of Canada, Rev Lucien Larré, Salesian Society
