Desmond M. O’Neill (Father Desmond O’Neill)
priest Archdiocese of Toronto. Ordained 1959. Charged December 1990. ACQUITTED 1991.
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08 April 2003: Died
2002: Pastor St. Margaret Church, Toronto and St. Eugene’s Chapel (Father Ernest Tyler SJ Administrator)
2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995: Pastor St. Margaret Church, Toronto and St. Eugene’s Chapel (co-pastor with Father Gerald Gregoire csb)
1994: address for Saint Francis de Sales Church, Ajax, Ontario (Pastor Father John T. Bolger)
1993: 71 Indian Trail, Toronto (address for Provincial House: Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate – Assumption Province. Father Christopher Pulchny omi Provincial)
1991: address Saints Martha & Mary Church, Mississauga, Ontario (Archdiocese of Toronto) (Pastor Father George S Galea)
1985-1986: Pastor, St. Ignatius Loyola Church, Mississauga, Ontario
1980: St. Joseph Church, Toronto, Ontario (with Father B. Dwyer)
1973-1974: Pastor, St. Joseph Church, , Toronto, Ontario
1971-72: St. Anselm Church, Toronto (Pastor Father Cerrone)
1968-69: Director of Catholic Truth Society and Assistant St. Margaret’s Church, Toronto (Pastor Father M. Bolan)
1967: Director of Catholic Truth Society, Toronto, Ontario
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Canadian Press
December 7, 1991 15.33 EST
BRAMPTON, Ont. (CP)
A Roman Catholic priest has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old altar boy at a church rectory more than a year ago.
Desmond O’Neill, 63, a priest for 31 years, was acquitted by a seven-man, five-woman jury Friday in the general division of Ontario Court following a three-day trial.
The youth, whose name cannot be released, and his parents held each other and cried as the verdict was announced.
O’Neill was charged while he was a pastor of a church in nearby Mississauga, just west of Toronto. He was accused of putting his hand below the youth’s belt and touching his pubic hair after massaging his back and rubbing him around the waist and stomach.
The assault was alleged to have occurred when the youth, who was an altar boy and did odd jobs for the priest, went to the rectory for dinner.
O’Neill dismissed the incident as horseplay, testifying that if he touched the boy’s pubic hair “it was an accident.”
With the jury absent, Justice Ronald Thomas ruled inadmissible the testimony of a Toronto police officer who claimed O’Neill made sexual advances toward him in the same rectory 20 years ago.
O’Neill still face a church tribunal. He was relieved of his parish duties after the charge was laid last Dec. 17.
Both the boy and the police officer were telling the truth. I should have spoken out!
It’s never too late Jim. If you’re up to it, you can speak now.
Jim- my husband, Paul Morris, was taken to Des’ cottage shortly after the death of his father Frank Neil Morris with the permission of his mother- and his brothers- one of whom was a teacher with Metro Separate School Board. Des assisted my father-in-law as he prepared for death and instructed him as he converted on his death bed. My husband- who was then – not yet 15- dated Des’ niece- Marylee. Des was at St. Anselm’s.
When we were getting married, Paul’s mom pushed for Paul to have Des perform the ceremony. Paul never got around to contacting Des. This became the source of constant ribbing from his family.
On my insistence we went to Father Fred Colli- (now a Bishop). But we were told that unless we wanted to press charges… it was of no consequence. Fred was kind.
Jim – I feel your pain
Jo Anne also posted a comment here
Jo Anne,
Thank you for the email. I have also read your other comment. In my case like your husband’s he was a family friend. He was also the only priest my father ever really liked or had any association with. Much to my dismay, the further I tried to distance myself but he always managed to find ways to get closer to my family/me such as making house visits. My father at the time was also in poor health and O’Neill would stop by the house. It would not have been a good time to try to explain what was going on to my father nor would it have helped his recovery. Quite frankly it would have torn my family apart. As it was my Father passed a while later.
As I have learned this is the way that predators work.
Not sure of the timeline here but I am probably older (55) than your husband. I wonder if I had been stronger and spoken out would others have perhaps not had to deal with what I did. I understand now that I can’t change that and understanding how they would have simply moved him and warned no-one I guess I realize that I would have been fighting something that was far beyond my means and/or wisdom at that time in my life.
I was eventually able to tell my Mother what had happened (she was a very devout woman) years later after my had Father passed away and she did not believe me. When O’Neill was charged she was shocked and yet still thought he was being falsely accused. Prior to her passing we did speak of it again and I was pretty open with her regarding details. At the time the newspapers were full of accusations regarding other priests and I have to believe that at that time she accepted that it had happened.
I, like you did approach a priest that I trusted and although was met with understanding and concern it was the same end result.
O’Neill took a lot from me in my youth at a time when I should have been dealing with much simpler issues…. school, sports.. I won’t say I think of what he did every day but I still shake my head every time I drive by a church….. he took that too.
I am glad your husband has you by his side.
Take Care and Thank You
Jim
I should add one more comment that is probably not been spoken of or at least that I have not read on any other sites.
O’Neill did not always act alone. He brought another priest with him at times from another parish to help in certain situations. I had to assume at that time that they were not acting alone and privately . To speak against one you were going to have prove them all wrong.
Speak out against one and the other would defend.
Hope things change.
Jim
Jim,
I don’t mean to pry, but I’m trying to piece some timelines relevant to O’neill, and your mention of his partnering with another priest. I’m wondering based on your age if it was at St.J’s or St.A’s? BTW your coming forward and that knowledge, gives understanding and strength to many who are struggling. Thank you for that courage and press on if you can. Even that trial dismissal has changed the course of history.
I am always impressed at the amazing strength and courage of those survivors who post on this site. Thank you Jim for enlightening us on another case where justice was denied. I wonder where that courageous young boy in 1991 is today. I can’t imagine where I’d be if the charges against my offender had been dismissed.
Since the perpetrator is deceased, he couldn’t be brought to trial, but I would think there’d be the possibility if a civil suit. How else will the church begin to clean house if we don’t continue to hold them accountable for the enabling and continued cover up of these crimes.
I am always impressed at the amazing strength and courage of those survivors who post on this site. Thank you Jim for enlightening us on another case where justice was denied. I wonder where that courageous young boy in 1991 is today. I can’t imagine where I’d be if the charges against my offender had been dismissed.
Since the perpetrator is deceased, he couldn’t be brought to trial, but I would think there’d be the possibility if a civil suit. How else will the church begin to clean house if we don’t continue to hold them accountable for the enabling and continued cover up of these crimes?
I knew Fr. O’Neill at St. Monica’s church which would have been before he went to St. Asnelm’s. We didn’t know he was a sexual predator but we sure knew he was a predator. St. Monica’s might have been his first church and all the boys were afraid of him. When he held confessions everyone would line up at the other priests’ confessionals and his would be empty. He came into my classroom in grade 5 and hauled one of the boys out of his desk by his ear and threw him into the blackboard for “smirking”. I am so sorry that he was allowed to get away with this. It was a generation who abdicated their parental duty to the church.