On October 22, about one hundred participants gathered in the parish hall at St. John Fisher church in Pointe-Claire for the Focus on Victims of Abuse training seminar.

Attendees were welcomed by episcopal vicar Raymond Lafontaine and parochial administrator Fr. Sibichan Chacko. The participants were very interested and listened attentively to all the speakers’ presentations. An exchange period afterwards allowed those present to share their reflections among themselves and to engage with animator Martina McLean, Alain Duhamel, Fr. Chacko and Fr. Lafontaine.
At the end of the seminar, comments provided by the participants were very positive: 

• Incredible, absolutely not what I was expecting. Zero doubt in my mind now about the Church’s deep desire to attack this problem. Very comprehensive and emotional.
• Extraordinary, incredible, response based on the Lord Jesus and the search for the truth. I am grateful.
• So glad that the Catholic Church is finally acknowledging and acting.
• This program is essential for our Church, our faith to move forward united and strong.
• I had no idea the Church was doing all this work to prevent further abuse and support victims.

To view the Seminar program and to register, please visit: https://www.diocesemontreal.org/en/archdiocese/responsible-pastoral-ministry
and click on the ‘Training’ link at the bottom of the page.