Law360 Canada ( April 27, 2018, 8:33 AM EDT) -- Action by the four plaintiffs for damages against the defendant, the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corp. of St. John's (Archdiocese). The plaintiffs were victims of abuse at the hands of several Christian Brothers during their childhood. At the time, they were residents of the Mount Cashel Orphanage for varying periods of time from the late 1940's until the late 1950's. They claimed damages for the abuse against the Archdiocese and The Christian Brothers Institute Inc. (Christian Brothers). The Archdiocese was the only remaining Defendant. The Christian Brothers did not participate in the trial, as bankruptcy proceedings in the United States resulted in the liquidation of its assets to attempt to satisfy the claims of those abused. The Christian Brothers appeared to have acknowledged liability, although no trial had taken place. The Archdiocese did not dispute that abuse took place. The plaintiffs asserted liability against the Archdiocese on three grounds. First, they argued liability attached because the Archdiocese had sufficient control over the orphanage to make it vicariously liable for the actions of the Christian Brothers. Second, they submitted that the Archdiocese was vicariously liable for the failure of the parish priest, Msgr. Ryan, at Mount Cashel to intervene to prevent the abuses upon receipt of knowledge. Third, they submitted that the Archdiocese was directly liable in negligence arising from its inaction in the face the abuses of which it had knowledge. The Archdiocese submitted that the evidential record disclosed insufficient connection between the Archdiocese and the orphanage for any of the grounds for liability. It argued that it was the Christian Brothers which operated the orphanage and were responsible for all of the personnel, policies, educational curriculum, contact between the perpetrators of the abuse and the residents, and the overall management of the facility. It also denied that negligence attached to the work of Msgr. Ryan as parish priest. The Archdiocese maintained that it discharged its responsibility appropriately when it became aware of abuse....