The father Joveneau he was hidden in Québec by the Oblates of Europe ?

Photo BANQ

Camille Garnier

Monday, 26 march, 2018 01:00

UPDATE
Monday, 26 march, 2018 01:00

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STRASBOURG, France | The community of Oblates in Europe she wanted to hide in Canada to a father that she knew the behavior of sexual aggressor ?

The question arises more than ever when we learn that, even if they believe they are partially guilty, a cleric who allegedly assaulted him several inuit children is currently hosted by the Oblates in France, to the shelter of justice in canada.

Father Joannes Rivoire, 87 years old, lives in a house of Oblates in Strasbourg. It is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the RCMP over 20 years ago for sexual assault on Inuit, in the years 60 and 70 in Nunavut.

This modus operandi, that a priest suspected of sexual assault moves before prosecution, has been used several times.

In spite of appearances, the Oblates deny hide Rivoire and would leave if the police came to stop it.

In the meantime, he is fed and housed by the Oblates, that support and ensure it can’t make new victims.

No obligation

Some Oblates, as the father Rivoire, seem to take advantage of the lack of willingness of governments to bring themselves to the shelter of justice, and abroad.

Photo Camille Garnier

The house of the Oblates of Strasbourg, where lives Joannes Rivoire, located in the front of a university city.

The Log travelled to Strasbourg, in north-eastern France, to try to talk to him. On-site, the religious manager of the place refused to allow him access to the father Rivoire, before grabbing it violently by the arm, the representative of the Newspaper.

Several cases

Since Friday, The Newspaper reports that father Alexis Joveneau, arrived in Belgium in 1952, has made innumerable victims of sexual assault, physical and psychological, until his death in Basse-Côte-Nord, in 1992.

The Oblates would they have returned in Belgium, the father Joveneau if they had known all the abuses revealed by the investigation of the Newspaper for three days, or would they be delivered to Justice ?

It is Impossible to know, but the Oblates du Québec admit that priests molesters are refugees in Europe in the past.

“We’ve had a few cases like that (as Rivoire), that we have slipped between the fingers, which were in a house of retirees,” said the father provincial, Luc Tardif, in an interview that he granted to us recently.

It happened something

The chief of the Oblates French, Vincent Gruber, met several times with Joannes Rivoire in the last three years.

“What it tells me is that it does not recognize touching on boys “, began by saying the chief oblate.

Questioned whether he had asked Mr Rivoire on the girls, Mr. Gruber argued that the father had been evasive.

“He has not answered clearly [about girls]… but it is my intimate conviction. I think it happened something. That is, if you want to know “, he said.

Leak

These attacks have been denounced for the first time in 1991 by one of his alleged victims, Marius Tungilik, at a hearing of the royal Commission on aboriginal peoples, without, however, naming the oblate father.

The man died in 2012 from alcohol poisoning, after having led a long fight to obtain justice.

In 1993, Joannes Rivoire was kept away from legal problems in coming back to France, claiming having to take care of his parents.

In 1998, when the arrest warrant, the RCMP was launched against him, Rivoire flowed quiet days in a house of Oblates of the south of the country, to Goult.

“I feel that he does not want to go there [to Canada], that’s for sure,” says Mr. Gruber.

-With the collaboration of Magalie Lapointe and the help of Mathieu Perish and Mathieu Martiniere

Photo Nunatsiaq News

Joannes Rivoire denies ever having assaulted the boys, but would have suggested having performed acts on underage girls.

WHO IS JOANNES RIVOIRE ?

1931 Birth to Rontalon, near Lyon, France

1958 Ordained a priest at 27 years of age

1960 Arrives as a missionary in the far North of canada to Chesterfield Inlet (Nunavut)

1960-1993 Multiplies the missions in contact of the inuit in the region, Igloolik, Repulse Bay and Arviat

1993 Returned to France after the first victim alleged, has denounced the assaults that she would have suffered. Rivoire is hosted in the house oblate of Goult, which is located in the south of the country

1998 Referred to by a warrant of arrest to the RCMP for sexual assaults against several minors

2015 The Oblates moved Rivoire of Goult in Strasbourg where he currently lives

TRANSFERRED AFTER AN ASSAULT ?

Father Alexis Joveneau arrived in Canada in 1952 in the cree community of Moosonee in Ontario. Six months later, he was transferred to Davis Inlet in Labrador.

According to four testimonies collected independently and under the cover of anonymity, it would have made at least one victim in Labrador before being transferred to Unamen Shipu and Pakuashipi on the Basse-Côte-Nord, in 1953.

Is it that the Oblates knew about this attack before the transfer to Quebec ?

The answer can perhaps be found in the personal archives of the missionary, which were put under seal for 50 years.

The Newspaper badly received among the Oblates in France

STRASBOURG, FRANCE | When The Journal wanted to ask Joannes Rivoire why he fled from justice in canada for the past 20 years, an oblate father was violent towards the reporter, to prevent it from talking to him.

“Mr. Rivoire is innocent […] we emmerdez “, did not hesitate to shout Albert Littner, the father superior of the establishment where hides the father Joannes Rivoire, 87 years of age.

Hardly informed of our arrival on site, the father Littner, who refused to give his name, directed to the representative of the
Log, pressing heavily his hand on the shoulder of it several times.

“You don’t know Mr. Rivoire, you will not speak,” he said.

The man then grabbed violently by the arm of the representative of the
Journal, when he pulled out his cell from his pocket, obviously for fear that the images of the place should be carried out.

APOLOGIES

Reached by phone a few hours later, the chief provincial of the Oblates, Vincent Gruber, apologized for the attitude of the father superior of the house of strasbourg, and has indicated that he may be reprimanded.

“I am sorry for what happened and I’m confused of this violence that you have been the object,” apologized Mr. Gruber, for the actions of the head of the institution.

The chief of the Oblates of france has also entrusted to the
Journal be convinced that Joannes Rivoire had already performed acts on a minor and was assured that the movements of the old man were strictly supervised.

VIOLENCE

Questioned on the fact that the father superior Littner, to monitor the comings and goings of Joannes Rivoire, has proclaimed to us the innocence of the former missionary, the head of the Oblates ‘ French added.

“He simply wanted to defend an old man, replied Mr. Gruber. He might say that in front of you, it is the first to be assured that no minor is able to be in contact with Mr. Rivoire. ”