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A second class action lawsuit was recently authorized against the Frères du Sacré-Coeur in Quebec, Canada, claiming that sexual abuse occurred at 26 institutions.
The Frères du Sacré-Coeur, which translates to Brothers of the Sacred Heart, is a Roman Catholic missionary order that operates numerous institutions across Quebec.
Unfortunately, several brothers and institutions have been accused of sexually abusing students and other church members.
The first Frères du Sacré-Coeur class action lawsuit was filed in October 2016 by an anonymous 56-year-old. He claims that he was sexually abused more than 300 times while attending Mont-Sacré-Coeur College, a boarding school in Quebec. The high school was an all-boys boarding school until 1990. In 2008, the Frères du Sacré-Coeur reportedly stopped running the school.
In the plaintiff’s class action, Brother Claude Lebeau was named as the sexual assault perpetrator. Lebeau is the priest who reportedly ran the Mont-Sacré-Coeur College at the time of the plaintiff’s abuse between 1973 and 1975.
As a result of the plaintiff’s alleged abuse, he struggled with anxiety, depression, and self esteem issues. He reportedly dropped out of school due to his emotional trauma and later became an alcoholic. Although he went to rehab in 1991, the plaintiff reportedly still struggles and is seeking therapy to better his mental health.
In the weeks following the filing of the Frères du Sacré-Coeur class action lawsuit, around 30 other people came forward with similar claims. These individuals were reportedly abused at the Mont-Sacré-Coeur College between 1940 and 1980.
Lawyers reportedly learned that many people were ineligible for the class action because they were abused by priests other than Brother Claude Lebeau. As a result, lawyers decided to modify the Frères du Sacré-Coeur class action lawsuit to include claims of sexual abuse by teachers and dormitory supervisors. This Frères du Sacré-Coeur class action was reportedly authorized in 2017.
A spokesperson for the Quebec Association of Victims of Priests, Carlo Tarini, was reportedly not surprised that more victims were speaking out about their abuse following the Frères du Sacré-Coeur class action lawsuit.
“When one victim comes forward, it tells other victims that they can do so [as well],” Tarini told CBC. “The victims are allowed to maintain their anonymity.”
In February 2019, the same lawyers launched a second Frères du Sacré-Coeur class action lawsuit with more victims bringing claims. Since the first class action was filed, the Kugler Kandestin law firm has reportedly had more than 100 people come forward with allegations. Even years later, the firm claims to receive calls on a weekly basis regarding alleged abuse.
According to the Frères du Sacré-Coeur class action, sexual abuse was perpetrated by 25 clergy members over the course of several decades. The abuse allegedly occurred at 26 schools, orphanages, summer camps, and other institutions. This includes Frères du Sacré-Coeur locations in Montreal, Quebec City, and other places around Quebec.
The second Frères du Sacré-Coeur class action lawsuit seeks compensatory damages of $950,000 per plaintiff as well as $15 million in collective punitive damages. The class action was authorized by Justice Christian Immer in early December.
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