Jesuits of Canada release list of priests accused of sexual assault dating to 1950s

The Jesuits of Canada, a religious order of the Catholic Church, has released a list of 27 priests and brothers who they say were “credibly accused” of sexually abusing minors since the 1950s.

“I’m happy the report came out. Am I surprised to see that the numbers are being kept conservative? No,” said Shaun Dougherty, president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. “I don’t think they are capable of being transparent.

“In my opinion, it’s more of a marketing scheme than it is to be transparent. True transparency, they would be out front and forward on this and would have been decades ago.”

The list was released this week following an audit that began in 2020 that examined documents going back seven decades. In a statement, Father Erik Oland from Jesuits of Canada said the church has been slow to respond, “As we have met with survivors, listened to their stories, and read the reports of their experiences, we have felt shame and become convinced that the only path forward is one of truth-telling, healing, and reconciliation.”

The order says releasing the names is an effort to promote transparency, accountability, and healing for the survivors.

Out of the 27 men named, only three are still alive. In most cases, the abuse came to light after the alleged abuser had died, with some cases never reaching criminal or civil litigation.

Dougherty is questioning the number of priests involved. He believes the number is much higher.

“This only appears to be roughly 2.5-3 per cent of the Jesuit priest population. But by global standards, we see these numbers are closer to 10 per cent.”

Dougherty is an abuse survivor himself. He is one of the hundreds of victims who were sexually abused over a period of four decades by priests and religious leaders in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown in Pennsylvania.

“Beginning at the age of 10-years-old, I was sexually assaulted by my religion teacher who is a diocesan priest. He was also my peewee basketball coach. He abused me and several other kids at our school. Myself for a little over three years, maybe a bit longer.”

Dougherty says the report released by the Jesuits of Canada will be traumatic for victims.

“In our opinion, it’s re-victimization. It is now using the victim’s own abuse against them to try and prop up the organization, in an attempt to make themselves look like they are doing something.”

Several of the priests on the list worked in residential schools and in Indigenous communities.

Eight of the named priests, at one time, worked in Manitoba – two of the accused worked at Winnipeg’s St. Paul’s High School – one, a former principal. A statement was provided to CityNews by the President of the school, “…we are and have been dedicated to doing everything we can to prevent abuse.”

“Know that you’re not alone. Know that it wasn’t your fault. Know that you are better than your abuser. You are stronger than your abuser. We get better.”

None of those accusations brought forward by the Jesuits of Canada have been proven in court.