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François Sarrazin, chancellor of the archdiocese, said the measures are intended to send a message.

“People who work in churches, if they hope to hide to commit acts of pedophilia, these people have no place in the service of the church,” he said.

Simple human prudence dictates that you don’t remain alone with a child.

The archdiocese is drawing on similar projects in Ontario and New Brunswick, he said.

In Bathurst, N.B., for example, the 2015 diocesan policy for responsible pastoral ministries states: “Members of the clergy, pastoral agents, employees or volunteers must avoid being alone in a closed area with a minor, unless there is another screened adult or the minor’s parents/guardians close by.”

It is a far cry from the days when Sarrazin, 67, was a boy entering the confessional booth with his heart beating and the priest on other side of the screen. These days, he said, when priests meet children, it may be out of earshot but it is always in full view of another adult.

“Simple human prudence dictates that you don’t remain alone with a child,” Sarrazin said.

In an interview with the Journal de Montréal, the archbishop called sexual abuse that occurred within the church “an unspeakable tragedy,” but said the institution has evolved.

“At one time, it was thought that (pedophilia) did not exist,” he said. “At another, it was thought to be curable, and priests were given a therapy session before being sent back to their ministry. Today, we know it exists, and we have to act.”