Latest news with #PortugalCoveSouth
CBC
a day ago
- CBC
St. Stephen's teen charged with impaired driving causing death in 2024 crash
Police have charged a 19-year-old man with impaired driving causing death after a 2024 single-vehicle crash on Route 10 in Portugal Cove South, N.L. The RCMP said 19-year-old Riley White of St. Stephen's was served a summons for court on Friday to face the charge, along with charges of impaired operation, impaired operation with a blood alcohol concentration above the legal limit and impaired operation with a blood alcohol and blood drug concentration above the prescribed limit. Police say the crash happened on the morning of Aug. 18. Ferryland RCMP responded to the crash where a vehicle departed the roadway and caught fire. The deceased woman, 18, was a passenger of the vehicle and ejected. She later died at the hospital, the RCMP said. White was treated for his injuries and a blood sample was tested as part of the investigation. White also faces charges under the Highway Traffic Act of driving without due care causing death and crossing a solid line. The police investigation is continuing, Monday's news release said. White is scheduled to appear in court on July 18.
CBC
23-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Court rules archdiocese rightful owner of embattled Portugal Cove South church
A Supreme Court judge has ruled the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of St. John's is the rightful owner of a Portugal Cove South church, and granted an injunction that prohibits residents from interfering in its sale. The corporation of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese, a group under supervised creditor protection, has worked to sell Holy Rosary Church as part of an attempt to raise more than $100 million to compensate victims of clergy abuse and pay other creditors. Residents of the region and the Portugal Cove South Historical Corporation had argued the episcopal corporation had not established proper title over the property — and that they had an equitable interest in the church after it raised more roughly $134,000 for renovations in 2020. In his ruling on Thursday, Justice Garrett Handrigan wrote that while the corporation's argument of the archdiocese was true through a lack of title documentation, he noted that there have been other scenarios historically in rural Newfoundland and Labrador where land that is donated for a purpose and used for that purpose can translate to the occupiers becoming 'owners' of that land over time. In the end, Handrigan wrote he was satisfied in ruling that the corporation is the rightful owner of the land the church stands on. Alongside the ruling of land ownership, Handrigan also gave the episcopal corporation a permanent injunction to prohibit the Portugal Cove South Historical Corporation, and anyone acting with knowledge of the injunction, from interfering with the sale of the church in any way. Residents of Portugal Cove South made headlines in 2024, when local catholics changed the building's locks and issued warnings to anyone who was considering buying the property. Court documents cited two people walking away from buying the church because of the community's distaste for them. Handrigan wrote in his ruling that he felt the episcopal corporation was entitled to a permanent injunction because of the vigor of opposition. The ruling cited a letter written by residents to Archbishop Peter Hundt in August 2024, which read "We strongly oppose your actions concerning our church and as a united community we will do all in our power to stop anyone from purchasing this property." If those comments were to be taken literally, Handrigan wrote, he believed there was reason to fear people may disturb the peace or put others at risk. The church was originally listed for $75,000, but according to real estate agency Century 21 Canada it was on the market for $48,000 as of May.
CBC
06-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Fight over ownership of remote Newfoundland church now in judge's hands
A St. John's court room has heard from both sides, and now a judge will decide whether a church at the centre of an ownership battle in a tiny Newfoundland outport can be sold as part of an effort to compensate victims of sexual abuse at the hands of Catholic clergy and members of religious orders such as the Christian Brothers. It's a case involving the once powerful Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. John's and its landholding arm, known as an episcopal corporation, and staunchly Catholic residents of a remote town on the southern Avalon Peninsula who believe they are the rightful owners of Holy Rosary church in Portugal Cove South. The situation escalated eight months ago when members of the Portugal Cove South Historical Corporation, who spearheaded a major church renovation project five years ago, defiantly changed the locks on the building and erected signs on the property to warn away potential buyers. The standoff generated national headlines, and prompted at least one person to back out of a purchase and sale agreement. The listing price for the property has also dropped significantly to less than $40,000. The archdiocese is selling off all its assets on the Avalon and Burin peninsulas as part of an historic court-supervised liquidation process in an attempt to satisfy more than $100 million in claims by hundreds of abuse victims. The process began more than three years ago, and dozens of properties, including churches, have so far been sold. In March, the episcopal corporation applied to the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador for an injunction to prevent anyone from obstructing its access to Holy Rosary church, and on Tuesday, Justice Garrett A. Handrigan heard arguments from both sides. "We take no joy in making this application," said lawyer Geoff Spencer, who represents the episcopal corporation. "This is truly an unfortunate situation for all concerned. There's no winners here." Spencer accused members of the historical corporation of trespassing and unlawfully interfering with the episcopal corporation's right to sell the church. He said a special statute was created that allows the episcopal corporation to hold legal title over all property used by the archdiocese, and that Holy Rosary is one of three churches connected to Holy Redeemer parish. Spencer referenced an affidavit signed by Archbishop Peter Hundt that establishes legal title over Holy Rosary dating back to 1956. "We're not treating this parish any differently than all of the other parishes that have had to sell their churches," said Spencer. He also equated the actions of the community to taking money away from the victims. Hiring a lawyer to fight injunction The historical corporation has argued that a local priest told them years ago that the church belonged to the community, and that it was only after this assurance that they decided to form a historical corporation and raise money to renovate the badly deteriorated building. But Spencer said a parish priest does not have the authority to transfer ownership of a church, and at no time did the historical corporation seek to clarify the ownership question. Faced with court action, meanwhile, the historical corporation organized an online crowdfunding campaign, and raised money to hire lawyer Kyle Rees. Rees told the court that residents felt they were "given charge" of the church, based on "representations that were made to them" by the priest. Rees said it appears the community "fell victim to the very thing that has caused this whole process to unfold in the first place. Which is trust and belief in a parish priest." He also said the historical corporation oversaw the renovation process, and led fundraising efforts that generated more than $130,000. The episcopal corporation only attempted to reaffirm its ownership of the property after the archdiocese was found liable for the abuse, said Rees, and was forced to liquidate assets in order to satisfy the claims. The episcopal corporation has argued that allowing the people of Portugal Cove South to interfere with the sale of the church would inspire other communities to do the same, and stunt efforts to raise money for the victims. But Rees said the Holy Rosary situation is unique because the church is being operated and maintained by an arms-length historical corporation, and not a parish council. As for fundraising to renovate the church, Spencer said most of the money was raised through grants to the archdiocese from Catholic Missions Canada which totalled roughly $93,000. "It's clear the [episcopal corporation] played an essential role in fundraising for these repairs," said Spencer. In addition to an injunction, the episcopal corporation is also asking for its legal costs related to the Holy Rosary matter be covered by the historical corporation. The hearing concluded without a decision from Handrigan, and he did not provide a timeline for his decision.
