Supreme Court to hear St. Joseph’s Oratory appeal in class action case

OTTAWA – The Supreme Court of Canada will hear an appeal from Montreal’s iconic Saint Joseph’s Oratory which seeks to exclude the institution from a sexual assault class action suit.

The Quebec Court of Appeal had allowed the suit against the oratory and the Congregation of Holy Cross for alleged sexual abuse.

The oratory was included in the suit amid allegations that some of the abuse occurred there.

The Congregation of Holy Cross apologized and paid up to $18 million in 2013 in a mediated, out-of-court settlement to compensate victims for abuse that occurred at three Quebec institutions, not including the oratory, over a five-decade span.

A spokesman for a victims’ rights group says the landmark settlement prompted about 40 new alleged victims to come forward, resulting in the class action suit.

As usual in leaves to appeal, the Supreme Court gave no reasons for deciding to hear the appeal.