From December 14 to 21, 2011, the President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Richard Smith of Edmonton, and the CCCB Vice President, Archbishop Paul-André Durocher of Gatineau, were part of a Solidarity Mission to Haiti.  Following this recent visit, the CCCB President sent a letter to the Bishops of Canada together with a complete report titled CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THE RECONSTRUCTION OF HAITI: SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONS. Among the observations are a number of positive reflections on the work in Haiti by the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace. For example, under Section 5, the report states:: "No Haitian Bishop or representative of a Haitian Church agency during the December 2011 solidarity visit raised any question or doubt about the partners and programs in which Development and Peace is involved."

On May 4, 2011, then Bishop Raymond Lahey entered a plea of guilty in civil court to the possession of child pornography. He was sentenced in accordance with civil law on January 4, 2012. It remained for the Holy See to follow the canonical procedures in effect for such cases to determine what appropriate disciplinary or penal measures would be imposed. The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops has now been informed by the Holy See that Raymond Lahey has been dismissed from the clerical state. According to Canon 292 of the Code of Canon Law, the penalty of dismissal from the clerical state has the following effects: loss of the rights and duties attached to the clerical state, except for the obligation of celibacy; prohibition of the exercise of any ministry, except as provided for by Canon 976 of the Code of Canon Law in those cases involving danger of death; loss of all offices and functions and of all delegated power, as well as prohibition of the use of clerical attire. Raymond Lahey has accepted the Decree of Dismissal, which also requires him to pray the Liturgy of the Hours in reparation for the harm and the scandal he has caused, and for the sanctification of clergy.

May 16, 2012