Saskatoon Catholic Church apology 'misses the mark' for victim of priest abuse

Saskatoon -

A recent apology from Saskatoon’s Roman Catholic diocese is falling short for a victim of sexual abuse.

Patrick McMahon was sexually abused as a teen in the 1980s by William Hodgson Marshall.

Marshall was McMahon’s family priest in Windsor, Ont.

The priest was convicted in 2011 for abusing 17 people in Ontario.

A year later, two Saskatoon men came forward alleging abuse from Marshall while they were students. He was sentenced again.

Saskatoon’s Roman Catholic diocese recently apologized for Marshall, and other priest’s abuse, as part of its “safeguarding action plan.”

“I again express my profound sorrow and I apologize for what you have suffered, and for the betrayal, violation, and abandonment you have experienced,” Saskatoon Bishop Mark Hagemoen said in a YouTube video.

McMahon said the apology failed to address the church’s role in the abuse.

“It’s the church itself that is enabling and protecting these people, and moving them around, giving them a new batch of children to abuse basically at their own leisure,” he said.

“And they do not apologize for that. That's what I keep looking for.”

The diocese declined a request for an interview from CTV News.

“They consistently appear to miss the mark. I've said it before, I'm going to say it again, they need to talk to the victims,” McMahon told CTV News over Zoom.

A review committee, independent from the Roman Catholic diocese, found a total of nine historic concluded cases.

The cases involved seven priests committing serious misconduct or sexual abuse.

According to the diocese, there are ten known victims in these cases — including a boy under the age of 13.

The nine files range from a parish employee allegedly accessing pornography in church, to the Marshall case.

The investigation didn’t involve residential schools because there were no schools located within the diocese.

McMahon believes the apology is motivated by donations.

“I think the timing is always about media management. They’re responding to what’s in the news, and their concern is, what’s in the news affects what’s in the collection plate.”