Sudbury Star
10 August 2010
Posted By RACHEL PUNCH, THE SUDBURY STAR
[This article also ran in the Sault Star under the titel "Former principal of St. Mary's High School faces another complaint from Sudbury man"]
A Sudbury man who says he was sexually assaulted by a priest at St. Charles College in 1969 on three occasions is planning to file another complaint to Greater Sudbury Police this week.
Ted Holland said he went to police to complain about Rev. William Hodgson “Hod” Marshall in 1998, but was told at Holland said. the time nothing could be done.
“(The officer) told me right off the bat that ‘there is not much we can do. It’s been a long time … Others have not come forward,’ ”
He then tried the Crown’s office.
“They said unless the police lay charges, there is very little they can do,” Holland said.
Marshall, now 88, appeared in court in late May to face a charge of sexual interference for incidents that occurred while he was working at a Windsor school sometime in the 1980s.
Three more alleged victims from the Windsor school have since come forward.
Holland is hoping these charges improve the outcome of his complaint to Greater Sudbury Police this time around.
Holland also said two other alleged victims who went to St. Charles College are planning on coming forward to Greater Sudbury Police.
Marshall’s lawyer could not be reached for comment.
Greater Sudbury Police Const. Albert Lapalme said Monday he could not say whether or not alleged victims of Marshall have come forward to police. “It’s not something we would put out until there are actually charges laid,” Lapalme said. “We would not put anything out until there would be enough grounds to lay charges.”
Holland said he was assaulted by Marshall three times in November and December of 1969. He told his father, a miner who was from Poland, about the abuse over the Christmas holiday.
In January of 1970, Holland said his father went to the school to complain to principal Rev. Anthony Lococo.
“He said ‘My son told me he was touched by a priest,’ ” Holland said. “Father Lococo said ‘Mr. Holland, your son has a vivid imagination and from the teachers I’ve spoken to, he tends to daydream in class.’ ”
Holland said his father also complained to the school board, but nothing was done.
“All my father said was ‘don’t end up working in a mine. Just go to school and be something,’ ” Holland said.
Holland did that, continuing his education and becoming a teacher. The abuse haunt him.
Following his father’s death, Holland told his psychologist about the abuse.
When the Basilian Fathers found out about the abuse in 1998, Holland received a call from Rev. Bill Irwin.
On Dec. 18, 1998, Irwin flew to Sudbury and paid a lunch-hour visit to Holland.
“He came to the door and out of his briefcase, he pulled out a folder,” Holland said. “The first thing I saw was a cheque for $21,000.”
“I said: ‘Father, I don’t ask for any money,’ ” Holland said. “He said: ‘It’s for counselling and it’s a nice Christmas present.’
“I said: ‘All I wanted was a written or a verbal apology.’ He said: ‘You will not get one.’ ”
Holland did not take the cheque for about a year. After seeking legal advice, Holland agreed to a settlement of $30,000.
He said he was forced to sign an agreement to not pursue them in court. Holland said he signed it under duress.
Holland said he thinks the money from the Basilians was to keep him quiet.
“In my opinion that $30,000 settlement was to buy my silence, not necessarily for counselling, but to buy my silence,” he said.
Rev. Thomas Rosica, spokesperson for the Basilians, said this was “absolutely not” the case.
“He was offered the money because he was needing some assistance for the psychological help he was receiving,” Rosica said. “We always reach out to people when they were in need.”
Suggesting the money was to keep Holland quiet is “completely incorrect,” Rosica said.
In 2002, Holland also tried to take the school board to small claims court for $10,000. Holland filed the claim against the Sudbury Catholic District School Board and Marshall, seeking compensation for psychotherapy sessions he said he needed to deal with the psychological effects of the sexual assaults. The Small Claims Court judge first said because neither defendant filed a defence and because Holland had provided proof of his costs, she had to rule in his favour.
The Catholic board later filed an appeal.
Holland said the decision to award him $10,000 was overturned because he had already received that $30,000 from the Basilians.
Holland gave up on seeking further compensation or criminal charges until Marshall was arrested this spring. Now he is planning to go back to Greater Sudbury Police and hopes others will follow suit.
“I hope others come forward. I know there are others,” Holland said.
Marshall taught at St. Charles College in Sudbury from 1967 to 1969, then served as principal in 1973-74 and returned in 1980.
He was also principal at St. Mary’s College in Sault Ste. Marie between 1980 and 1985. He then went to Windsor, where he taught at Holy Names High School. Marshall taught in Windsor until at least 1989. In 1993, he retired from the school system and moved to St. Lucia to carry out missionary work.
According to The Houston Chronicle, Marshall also taught math and coached basketball at a high school in Houston, Tex., in the 1956-57 school year.
Marshall formally retired in 1997. He now lives in Toronto in a residence for Basilian priests. His next court date in Windsor is Sept. 8.