The Sudbury Star
09 December 2011
By RITA POLIAKOV AND LAURA STRICKER, THE SUDBURY STAR
Teach me goodness, discipline and knowledge.
This is the motto of the Basilian Fathers, the Roman Catholic religious order to which Father William Hodgson Marshall belongs.
It’s also how lawyer Rob Talach began a statement explaining two, $3-million lawsuits launched by two southern Ontario men against those who allegedly did not stop Marshall from abusing his many victims while teaching in the Windsor and Toronto areas.
Marshall also abused students at St. Charles College in Sudbury in the 1960s and ’70s. Talach said other lawsuits, including ones on behalf of the Sudbury victims, will be filed in the new year.
The lawsuits launched in Windsor contain a number of allegations not proven in a court of law.
Marshall, now 88, is serving a two-year jail sentence in Kingston Penitentiary. He was sentenced in June after pleading guilty to 17 charges of indecent assault. Some of those charges were laid by Greater Sudbury Police.
“We’re ready to start the prosecution of the enablers, because Marshall has been dealt with (by the criminal courts),” said Talach, of Ledroit Beckett Litigation Lawyers, after a press conference in Windsor.
“The criminal justice process really addressed Marshall’s crimes. There’s no mechanism in our society other than a lawsuit to expose … the others: the people who knew or turned a blind eye. They’re not going to get charged under the Criminal Code.”
Ted Holland, one of Marshall’s Sudbury victims, said it’s time teachers and school boards were held responsible for not stopping Marshall.
“I’m so angry at the teachers who were (at St. Charles) that have retired by now. That’s what I’m upset about. That (teachers) allowed it to happen. They, the school board … we’re supposed to be in their care. Their fidicuiary duty is for them to protect the children, but they failed to do so.
“Monetarily, (school boards) should be held accountable, just for compensation purposes for the victims. However, that’s not going to (fix) their trauma and their memories.”
Jerome Edward Boyle and Patrick David Lawrence McMahon share Holland’s pain and spoke about what they experienced during the press conference in Windsor.
Boyle is suing Marshall, the Basilian Fathers of Toronto, The Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board, The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of the Diocese of London and Bishop Ronald Peter Fabbro for $3 million.
McMahon is suing Marshall, The Basilian Fathers of Toronto and Bishop Ronald Peter Fabbro, also for $3 million.
Marshall was a long-time friend of his dad’s, McMahon said. Marshall used that friendship to take advantage of him, McMahon said.
“I became the (man) you can’t see, though I am trying to reveal him today,” he said. “Terrified, hidden, behind a mask. I live every day ducking from the world, saying, ‘just don’t hurt me.’”
“Unless you have been a victim of sexual abuse, you can never imagine the long-term effects,” said Boyle. “I have been haunted for more than half a century by memories of the terror I experienced.
“I am here today for justice. I have had my life changed by a protected villain that should have been removed from society before I was ever exposed to his evil desires.”
Talach and the victims said they hope the lawsuits will send a strong message.
“The message to the general public and the Catholic public is this is a real issue in our society. This is not something that’s just disappeared. Sexual abuse of young people is devastating, has lasting effects and is ongoing,” Talach said. “Not a lot has changed since the days (that) Marshall affected this abuse.”
The $6 million amount may change, since lawsuits typically start with the maximum amount in each category, said Talach.
“The list is $3 million each. But that’s not what’s being sought. What’s being sought is the compensation appropriate for the individual. What’s being sought is some truth and some justice and accountability by those who facilitated Marshall,” he said.
For the victims, the lawsuit is about more than just money. It’s about the institutions that allowed abuse to take place.
” You can call them the Roman Catholic whatever majig, but at the end of the day, they’re a corporation … When they bleed money, they change their behaviour,” Talach said.
I was victim of happy hands marshall in the 70′s at st. charles. But I was fortunate that I was saved from a worst torment by fate. I was in grade 10 at the time and Father marshall called me into this office on the first floor in the hall way leading to the priests home. It wasn’t the principals office it was just an office. He wanted to talk to me about something , I can’ t remember what it was now. He sat me on his knee and in the conversation his hands roamed all over me , under my shirt then into my pants. I remember squirming like I was being tickled and he was laughing. Suddenly he let just me go I went back to class. After that Father Marshall was replaced for a bit by another priest as principal called ( I believe) Father Hodgeskin ,. It started with an H. Then when marshall returned my family was moving to sault ste. marie. I heard through my brothers that marshall was going to be principal of st, marys .That’s when the nightmares began. I knew I would be his victim. My friend Martin , I heard had got it worst than me, so at 120 lbs I had dreams of marshall all over me. I begged my mom to make sure I didn’t go. And I transferred.
34 years later I still sometimes think of it. But I never let it define who I was.
Father Higgens that’s what the principals name was. well he saved my life . If something hadn’t happened and marshall was still at the school during that time. I know for sure I would of been targeted. I think he was testing the waters to see if I had gone to my parents. Of course I didn’t. what a loser I was then
You weren’t a loser back then Michael, you were a child. You were just a child. A terrified child.
She is right Michael a young person who was taken advantage of by a person in a position of trust… pretty confusing and traumatic for you. Your nightmares reflect the fear you had and still retain. Bravo that Patrick and Jerome for leading the way and my respect to your legal team. I hope to see that those people in Sudbury who interfered and tried to hide these crimes get named publicly in a law suit. Bravo ! This will also alert other would be enablers that they will be held accountable Blessing and prayers to those affected by Father Hod in the holy order of happy hands.
Overdue!Soul-felt thanks for the support shown in June of this year by Sylvia MacEachern and John MacDonald for their great moral support by attending the Windsor trial of the pedophile Marshall in defense of the men and women involved,Wow!Great conviction and dedication to victims.How selfless can it get! Salute to you two,from all of us!!!!God Bless You.
Denis and All:
Just know that it was my honour and privilidge to stand in solidarity with all of you in Windsor. I truly wish that I could be at every trial of predatory clergy across the country to show my support to the victims, but work and cost allows me not. I just want every victim to know that my thoughts are with you. I have sat in those same seats, felt that same anxiety, the same doubts, the weakness, the tears, the guilt, the shame and all the other crap that comes with it, but I would not change a single second of any of it!!
It sounds like you guys have made it through, albeit not unscathed, but HOPEFULLY better for it.
I want you guys to know that I am still on the AG’s office concerning the part of the deal that would allow Marshall to walk away from any further charges. I have recieved an answer from the AG (Chris Bentley-John Ayre), but they are trying to claim privilidge between the Crown (Costa) and solicitor (Bradie). I wrote our esteemed Premier over the weekend stating that I wrote the new AG Gerretsen over one month ago and have still not recieved a reply.
The doors to the courtroom should NEVER be locked for anyone. I will stay on this until I hear that IF there are anymore victims of Marshall that want to persue charges against him, CAN.
On a final note…..IF you bump into Ted “Put em Up” Holland…..say HI for me!!!
John Mac Donald
Denis and all
It truly was my privilege to share that day and those moments with all of you. I will never ever forget sitting in that room looking at all of you – 17 victims and your family members and friends, and then looking at Hod, and realizing that that one man inflicted all the pain and suffering that filled that one room – and knowing too that what I saw in the room was only the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
My thoughts and prayers have been, are and will be with every one of you every day. Stay in touch with each other. Be strong together.