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Attacked in the 1950s by a religious man, an octogenarian bears witness for the first time to these abuses which led him to depression and homelessness, even though he led a very comfortable existence.
Bernard Lavoie was born in a poor neighborhood in Montreal. A very brilliant student, Mr. Lavoie was recruited by the Vocation Work of the diocese of Montreal, the Church offering gifted children from very poor families a higher education.
At the age of 12, in 1954, he entered the Sainte-Marie classical college where sexual assaults began on the part of the religious who recruited him.
“He undressed me and placed a $5 bill in plain sight. He was masturbating, touching every part of my body. […] I was going to vomit in the bathroom with the sad thought that I would come back to satisfy the fantasies of this pedophile,” he says.
After three months, he managed to refuse the advances of the priest who, fortunately, did not bother him again afterwards. But the damage was done. At 16, he dropped out of college.
“I had developed rage. I lived 50 years of rage,” he says.
Prosperity
The 1970s were prosperous for him. Researcher at Radio-Canada, freelancer in various newspapers, journalist at Montreal Journalhe will participate in the founding of the very popular magazine Monday with Claude J. Charron.
A success that he associates with his education in a traditional college.
“I got married, had two children and had a wonderful life in a 12-room house,” he recalls.
The fall
And then, around 1985, what he defines as the “boomerang” effect hit him hard.
“I had too many responsibilities at work. The memory of my attacks always came back to me. I ended up having only one backpack and finding myself homeless. The boomerang effect is that the further you throw the boomerang, the longer it takes to return and the harder it hits,” he explains.
Bernard Lavoie probably reached the bottom of the barrel when recognized by a priest he liked while he was begging in front of a restaurant. The man helped him get his act together.
The light
The one who admits that he was taking “a bit of a beating”, then moved to a room in Quebec where he underwent therapy at Villa Ignatia, the first step in his “redemption”.
In 1999, he took part in a competition to produce the text which would accompany Charles Daudelin’s fountain sculpture in front of the Palais station, a competition which he won and which allowed him to regain self-confidence.
Bernard Lavoie is the author of the text inscribed on the fountain-sculpture of Charles Daudelin in front of the Palais de Québec station (behind him). “Conceived! Imagine the human adventure in the heart of water, wild, tamed! We are the mighty waves of thought, the torrents of the future and the light that springs from the North. We change the world, free, on the immense canvas of our wildest dreams.” Photo Stevens LeBlanc
Subsequently, for around ten years, he taught literacy in Limoilou. He is currently working on his autobiography, which will be his seventh book.
Excuses
Three years ago, Bernard Lavoie joined the class action against the Diocese of Montreal. At the end of March this year, the 120 victims were able to share an envelope of $12 million. For Mr. Lavoie, the impact will be felt quickly.
“Above all, it was knowing that there was an investigation and that my attack was recognized that felt good. Just like the letter of apology from the Archbishop of Montreal, Christian Lépine,” explains Mr. Lavoie.
He says he feels better now that the rage that inhabited him for 50 years has “finally left him” and he has no resentment towards religion.
Wanted poster
Bernard Lavoie has not heard from his two children for 10 years, whom he would like to reunite with. Isabelle, remedial teacher in Montreal, born in August 1973, and Yannick, born in July 1976.
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