Frederick Wallace Cahill
Father Fred Cahill
Basilian priest. Ordained 04 July 1951
Cahill was a priest and English teacher at Bishop Grandin from 1969 until his death in 1983. He also directed the Search program for youth in the Calgary diocese and was chaplain to the Columbus Boys’ Camp at Waterton Lakes National Park.
Lawsuit launched 2017 alleging abuse by Father Cahill while plaintiff was a student at Calgary Alberta high school in 1982
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09 August 2017: BSG – Statement of Claim against Basilian Fathers of Toronto – BSG alleges sexual abuse by Basilian priest Father Frederick Wallace Cahill
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Documents and Articles of Interest
Bio from Dictionary of Basilian Biography (Bio)
Father Cahill Obituary in Lethbridge Herald 07 January 1983 Obit)
The Reverend Father Fred Cahill C.S.B. Memorial Foundation (Diocese of Calgary website)
26 June 1987: Camp Columbus celebrates 30th birthday
29 March 1976: “More youths seek religious vocation”
14 September 1957: Basilian Fathers Assume Teaching Roles in Lethbridge Separat School System
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The following information is drawn from the Dictionary of Basilian Biography (Bio, the obituary (obit) and copies of the Canadian Catholic Church Directories which I have on hand (CCCD)
December 1983: A new Knights of Columbus council inaugurated in his memory: “The Father Fred Cahill Council 8471, City of Calgary.” (Bio)
04 January 1983: Died in Calgary Alberta. Was waked in St. Gerard’s Roman Catholic Church, Calgary, Alberta. Funeral Mass at the Cathedral – Bishop Paul O’Byrne officiant. Buried in the Basilian plot at St. Mary’s Cemetery (Bio)
Father Cahill Obituary in Lethbridge Herald 07 January 1983
for many years served as Chaplain for the Columbus Boys’ Camp in Watertown Park, Alberta (Bio and Obit)
26 June 1987: Camp Columbus celebrates 30th birthday
according to his bio, Father Cahill had “a talent for attracting and influencing youth.”
1969-1983: teaching at Bishop Grandin High School, Calgary Alberta (Bio)
1971-1983: member of the pastoral team at St. Gerard’s Roman Catholic Church, Calgary, Alberta (Bio)
– directed the Search program for youth in the Calgary diocese (Bio)
1979: Began to serve as chaplain for the Knights of Columbus – was also a Fourth Degree Knight (Bio and Obit)
29 March 1976: “More youths seek religious vocation”
1975: began to live in a house in North Calgary with a group of men “seeking to live a more Christian life in community” some of the men were”also discerning a vocation to the priesthood.”
1973-74,1971-72: address for Basilian Fathers of Calgary (1818 First St. S.E.) (Father P.J. Gallagher superior) (CCCD)
1968-1972: served on Basilian local council in Calgary, Alberta (Bio)
1969: M.A. in Theology from Fordham University (Bio) according to his obituary he attained a Masters in Religious ed. from Fordham U.
30 November 1969: Lecture at Assumption Hall, Lethbridge: “Christ in the Knights of Columbus” (Lethbridge Herald, 15 November 1969)
1967-1968: On leave from Calgary Calgary Board of Education – did studies in guidance (Bio)
1968-69: listed in index as “On leave” at Fordham University, NY (CCCD)
1967: listed as teacher at St. Mary’s Boys’ School, Calgary, Alberta (CCCD)
1962: appointed to teach at St. Mary’s Boy’s High School, Calgary, Alberta (Bio) (was he there at the same time as Father Robert Whyte csb? It looks as though he was. If nayone can confirm please do.)
1957-1962: taught at St. Francis High School, Lethbridge, Alberta (Bio)
1959: St. Francis High School, Lethbridge, Alberta (CCCD)
14 September 1957: Basilian Fathers Assume Teaching Roles in Lethbridge Separat School System
1959: attained M.Ed. at University of Lethbridge, Alberta
1953-1957: teaching at Assumption College School, Windsor. Ontario (Bio) (for at least three years he and Father William Hodgson Marshall csb were both teaching at the college)
1952-1953: attended Ontario College of Education (Bio)
attained M.Ed. in Guidance and Counselling from the University of Ottawa (Obit)
1949-1952: studied Theology at St. Basil’s Seminary, Toronto, Ontario (Bio)
04 July 1951: ORDAINED by Archbishop John Skinner on St. John the Baptist Cathedral, St. John’s. NFLD (Bio)
ordained same year as Father William Hodgson Marshall
1949: B.A. University of Toronto (while appointed to St. Michael’s College)
04 October 1946: First profession (Bio)
September 1945: entered Basilian novitiate in Toronto, Ontario (Bio)
1941-1945 four years as a pilot with the RCAF – attained rank of Flight Lieutenant (Bio)
1940: graduated from St. Bonaventure College (Bio)
Attended the parish school of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (Bio)
06 July 1920: Born St. John’s Newfoundland (Bio)
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Former student alleges repeated abuse by Calgary priest, high school teacher
The Calgary Herald
Published on: August 11, 2017 | Last Updated: August 12, 2017 10:11 AM MDT
On Wednesday, a lawsuit was filed in Calgary court against a religious order of the Catholic church, alleging decades-old sexual abuse at the hands of priest and teacher at Bishop Grandin High School Father Frederick Cahill that left a former Calgary resident permanently scarred.
When Brian was a teenager, he attended the funeral of a man he says sexually abused him for months.
He sat in St. Mary’s Cathedral in January of 1983, for the special funeral mass presided over by the bishop: a solemn occasion befitting the untimely death of a much-loved priest.
“It was huge. Everyone in full regalia, and I was just one little person in this whole church,” recalls Brian.
“They saw him as a saint.”
On Wednesday, a lawsuit was filed in Calgary court against a religious order of the Catholic church, alleging decades-old sexual abuse at the hands of a Calgary priest and teacher at Bishop Grandin High School that left a former Calgary resident permanently scarred.
None of the allegations have been proven in court. Postmedia has agreed not to publish the plaintiff’s full name.
The suit is one of the first of its kind to be filed in Alberta since the province eliminated the two-year time limitation for victims of sexual abuse to sue in civil court, bringing the province in line with most Canadian jurisdictions, including Ontario and B.C.
The 53-year-old plaintiff is a former head altar boy, Catholic youth group member and Bishop Grandin student who alleges he was repeatedly abused by Father Frederick Cahill for several months in 1981.
Cahill was a priest and English teacher at Bishop Grandin from 1969 until his death in 1983. He also directed the Search program for youth in the Calgary diocese and was chaplain to the Columbus Boys’ Camp at Waterton Lakes National Park.
For Brian, it all began with a postcard that arrived from Cahill in the summer after Grade 10: “He said how much he appreciated my friendship and was hoping to get to know me better.”
The teen shared that he had an interest in joining the priesthood and Cahill responded enthusiastically.
“That was like the cat’s meow, you know what I mean? Because it’s like, ‘Oh wow, a priest wants to spend time with me and pay attention to me.’”
They saw each other with increasing frequency at school, in weekly masses with which Brian assisted as part of his youth group. The teen was thrilled when Cahill offered to teach him to drive when his own dad was too busy with work.
They would meet on Saturdays and drive together outside of Calgary, usually returning to Brian’s house by 6 p.m. “I remember he would put his hand on my thigh while I was driving. I tried not to think of it as a big deal, I felt he was a little lonely.”
Brian says if anybody had any reservations about Cahill taking particular interest in him, they didn’t share them.
The night everything changed, Cahill had even come to Brian’s door in Midnapore to meet his parents before the pair departed to go camping near Waterton Lakes.
Brian alleges Cahill took him to an empty summer camp operated by the Knights of Columbus because “he wanted to show me something.”
He recalls being asked to lie down on a blue vinyl-covered mattress inside one of the buildings at the camp.
“He laid on top of me. He told me he had the same experience when he was younger from a priest with red hair who loved him and respected him and got him into the priesthood,” says Brian. “I froze. The next thing I knew he undid my pants.”
The statement of claim alleges a pattern of repeated abuse that increased in frequency and intensity after that — often while camping, sometimes in Cahill’s station wagon, Brian says. Once, Brian says, he awoke while at a Catholic retreat in central Alberta to find Cahill standing over his bed.
All the while, Cahill made him feel he was “special” to him and in the eyes of the Catholic church and God.
Brian says he eventually tried to distance himself from Cahill, and, not long after, the priest died suddenly of natural causes in 1983. Brian worked up the courage to tell his father a couple of years later, only to have their concerns allegedly dismissed by another Calgary diocese priest to whom they reported the abuse in 1985.
“He said, ‘There’s nothing we can do about it, it happens.’”
The claim filed Wednesday states Cahill used his position of authority and trust to ensure the plaintiff did not tell anyone about what happened between them.
The suit also alleges the religious order Cahill belonged to, the Basilian Fathers of Toronto — a religious order of the Catholic church dedicated to teaching — was negligent in its duty to the plaintiff and vicariously responsible for what happened.
Brian says it took years for him to realize that what had happened to him when he was a teenager had damaged him permanently, leading to a loss of faith, feelings of shame, humiliation and symptoms of post-traumatic stress.
He says hearing the stories of other survivors of clergy abuse, including in the film Spotlight, helped persuade him to come forward.
The lawsuit seeks $3 million in damages.
“I’m tired of still experiencing flashbacks from the abuse from Father Cahill,” says Brian, who has since moved to Connecticut.
“I don’t have to feel ashamed anymore for something that was done to me against my will.”
A statement of defence disputing the allegations has not yet been filed.
The Calgary Catholic School District declined to comment on the matter Wednesday, citing privacy concerns involving personnel.
The Diocese of Calgary also declined comment on allegations contained in the claim that it had been informed about the abuse back in 1985.
Father George Smith, superior general for the Congregation of St. Basil, told Postmedia Wednesday they have not yet had time to review the statement of claim.
Smith says a preliminary search of Basilian records has not returned any previous complaints or concerns about Cahill, but added this did not necessarily mean a complaint had not been made to the diocese.
“We take these enormously seriously,” Smith said.
“The Basilian Fathers are sadly not unfamiliar with the suffering that has been caused by this kind of abuse. It has been our purpose in these last years to do everything that we can to be transparent and open and to respect not only the suffering of victims but also to accept our responsibility for their suffering.”
Robert Talach, the plaintiff’s London, Ont.-based lawyer, has represented abuse victims across Canada for the last 15 years. He says his client “is just trying to make something good out of something bad, and perhaps embolden other victims to come forward.”
Talach expects the suit could just be the beginning, now that Alberta has dropped the time limit on civil suits to recover damages for sexual assault and misconduct.
While it was possible to proceed with suits before, there was a significant burden on the plaintiff in many cases to demonstrate there was a psychological impediment to proceeding sooner.
“There was the ability to bring historical claims, but it was tough, it was restricted,” Talach says.
“I can’t over-emphasize the significance of making that change to the law and lifting the limitation period. It’s no longer safe for abusers in Alberta.”
Sylvia, you’ve done a masterful job at piecing together this story. Making the links to Whyte and Marshall sends shivers up my spine. I’d done a bit of sleuthing myself yesterday and was haunted by the Basilian’s Bio. While this case is still an allegation, it sounds like the classic predators modus operandi. Based on what we know about predators, Brian is likely not the only survivor.
I am hopeful that the lifting of the statute of limitations in Alberta will begin to shed light on the issue of abuse and bring healing to those who have been unable to tell their stories up until now.
Thank you Brian for being a pioneer. You are courageous! Please know you are not alone.
I am deeply troubled by this news. I meet Fr. Fred Cahill when I was 17 and up to his death I felt myself a close friend. I lived in the same house with him for a year and we travelled and camped together, went skiing together and shared hotel rooms on many occasions and I never felt uncomfortable or experienced and sort inappropriate behaviour on the part of Fr. Cahill. My initial reaction was that this is impossible based on my experiences. It must beg the question; did it take Brian 36 years to grow some balls and come forth to take some serious action in this and possibly deter this from happening to others subsequent to his alleged experience or is he just broke.
Truly hateful and disrespectful statement. As a child I was horribly abused and to this day I have NEVER disclosed. For those of you who don’t know, or are too ignorant to conduct some independent research, children abused in this way never get over it, and the predatorial abusers select (much like animals in the wild), the most vulnerable.. the one they KNOW will be afraid to tell. Keep in mind sexual abuse is a life sentence, and for some, the greatest act of courage is coming forward, for many it is often the last step in healing, the culmination of years of therapy and they are terrified to reopen old wounds but they do it for the greater good. There are many reasons why someone comes forward years later, but I can assure you “being broke” isn’t one of them.
Hi Les,
I’m sure your belief that your old colleague and friend must trouble you to your core. I am a physician and also a former Catholic student who was an alter boy for many years in New York City. I have known Brian for several years now and know him to be honest and true – always looking out to help others. I have never posted any comments to any site like this. This story is true and yes it does take balls to come forward to speak your truth. I’m sorry for your loss but my friend also needs to bereave this tragedy he went through as an adolescent and teen not knowing what was right or wrong. He looked to your friend as a “mentor.” This is truly someone who took advantage of his stature and position. This church can not hide from this or other atrocities that these young parishoners went through. I’m proud to call Brian a friend and a colleague. I’m glad he is representing those less fortunate and speaking up about what happened to him because I’m sure there are many that will come forward now that Brian has. Thank you and peace be with you.
Les Csavosi – Now there are two of us who are “deeply troubled”. Personally, it took me almost 40 years “to grow some balls” and take my diocese t task for what was done to me.
Since that time 3 more men have “grown their balls” and come forward with allegations against my abuser. I was the first to come forward.
Do you know Brian?
It is quite obvious to me that you do not understand in any way, shape, or form the psychological damage caused by being sexually abused by a Roman Catholic priest.
I personally will tell you that the “money” is far from a victim’s mind when they finally make the decision to speak up. It is NOT for the faint of heart, this process.
I do not know the principals in this case (Brian and Fr. Cahill) – I have no doubt that the truth will come out during the process.
Why were you living with a Catholic priest yourself? Just curious.
When the truth comes out, and we find that Brian is quite legitimate, will you “have the balls” to apologize to him? Mike.
One other thing, Les Csavosi – judging by your rantings and railings ad-nauseum in the Calgary Sun, you obviously have a bucket load of opinions on people in general. What I fail to see in your rantings are suggestions for solutions.
May I suggest a solution? I would like to suggest that you seek out a medical specialist (psychology or psychiatry) and ask him or her to describe to you what the typical effects and symptoms of sexual abuse by an authority figure would be in a younger boy.
This knowledge will help you to “grow your own balls”. Mike.
I went Grandin back in the late 70’s & early 80’s, and I remember Cahill as a rather creepy fellow and I did not trust him (particularly around young male students). He obviously had you fooled along with all of the other “faith before sense Catholics”. If you took your blinders off back then, you would have seen what many students saw, a troller, but we were in no position to act or say anything. You, Les Csavosi, are still obviously the idiot that God meant you to be.
Brian -Rob- and others; I hope that you have the courage and fortitude to continue your quest for your own personal justice.
Do NOT be deterred from doing what is right! There is NO shame in the truth. If you need help and/or encouragement please call Sylvia.
She was my “shoulder to lean on” and she never let me down, nor will she for you!
Rob Talach is in the same league – he won’t let you down!
Do not be surprised if you hear from more of Les Csavosi’s ilk – they come out of the woodwork like termites in cases like this.
I will do anything I can to help you. Mike.
So G. Brown found Fr. Cahill to be a creepy fellow. OK. Perhaps you didn’t hit it off well in his classes. Did someone get a “D” for a poorly written essay in Cahill’s English class? I understand that he was a demanding teacher with high expectations. Maybe you should get some money too. But come on; it’s an awfully big leap to go from being perceived as creepy to being accused of sexual assault. Can anyone else from Bishop Grandin or Camp Columbus please step forward with anything objective.
I thought Sylvia’s Site was meant to be a venue for rational discussion. So far I have been labeled as a piece of sh–, an idiot with blinders all because I voiced an opinion and personal observation different than yours. Why not hold off with the pitch forks until the evidence is presented. I am in full agreement with Mike in that victims should pursue their quest for personal justice. Justice has a better chance of being served when you have a trial soon after the crime while the evidence is fresh and the defendant is alive. I too would love to hear some solutions.
As far as coming out of the woodwork; I would have voiced these opinions at any time. I’m not the one who’s been silently hiding under a rock for 35 years and when the climate is suitable, emerging and saying “I have been wronged in 1981 and BTW can I have $3M?”.
Currently there is a $4M claim against the Diocese of Calgary resulting from an assault/s by Fr. Robert Whyte committed in Cochrane. He too was a Basilian and teaching at Bishop Grandin. In the US the Catholic Church has already paid out in excess of $800M for hush money or compensation to victims. Now is a much better time to come forward that back at the time of Fr. Cahill’s funeral when the cathedral was packed with mourners who remembered him for his good work. Brian even stated that at that time he sat there and felt out numbered. So now is the opportune time to come forward with allegations because of course there is safety in numbers.
I just think it would be sad if a good man’s reputation was trashed after he was not around to face and answer his accuser.
Sylvia,
I applaud your efforts to make public the sins of the Roman Catholic church. Hopefully one of the driving forces bringing about reform will be the public opinion which you are igniting.
I was a Basillian associate from 1973 to 1976 and lived under the same roof as Robert Whyte and Fred Cahill for a year. I attended the trial of Whyte where he pleaded no contest and received a 5 year sentence. I attended high school at St. Mary Boy’s High where the Basilians held firm control. I have met some victims and many more near victims.. I have read anything that I could find relating to the subject. I am aware of the difficulty of coming forward.
My unkind and harsh language in using of the expression “growing balls” may have been softened by saying “growing a spine” or digging deep inside of oneself and grasping some courage. Courage is what it will take to resolve this struggle. Worthwhile things are never gotten easily. This war cannot be won with whispers and innuendos. Certainly there is nothing constructive in 35 year old reflections that Fred Cahill appeared “creepy”. I think I know what I am talking about.
Unfortunately the submissions to your site are filled with threats, name calling and emotional diatribes. It is not my aim to play down the suffering of victims. But thankfully we exist under a legal system where evidence is necessary to convict. As I said earlier; this system works best while the evidence is fresh and the defendant is alive.
I was an alter boy at St. Mary’s Cathedral and held people like James Foley in awe. I was saddened by the parade of Basilians who have fallen on disgrace and rightfully so. Yet I believe that the majority of men who are ordained into the priesthood do so with altruistic motives and choose the vocation to do some good. I find the history of shielding the abusers even more repugnant than the abuse itself. I am not your enemy in your cause. I have been ostracized from my parish and most of my Catholic friends for attending services and promoting the institution of female priests.
Unfortunately the submission or statement of claim against the Basilians will only implicitly address Fred Cahill’s guilt or innocence because the case speaks to wether the Basilians did enough to protect people like Brian. In my opinion asking for $3M questions the motives and weakens the resolve of the claimant.
I feel that I “have a dog in this race”, a stake in the outcome. It is not tied to any amount of cash but merely fond memories of a man who I trusted and believed in. If it is proven that that trust was betrayed then let Brian and his lawyer be paid off and I must admit that I was a fool with blinders.
I welcome any suggestion how I can further educate myself on the subject and in particular the difficulties of the abused coming forward.
Best regards,
Les Csavosi
Was it by chance Father Cahill who led you down the garden path of women’s ordination?
Thanks for the submission Les. You have made some further statements here that you possibly should have heeded before you made your original post.
“I thought Sylvia’s site was meant to be a venue for rational discussion”. Well yes, that is what it’s meant to be, but when you came on and immediately denigrated a purported victim of Fr. Cahill wit statements regarding “growing balls” and that the actual reason Brian had come forward was that he was possibly “broke”, YOU set the tone for the responses. YOU were the one who started throwing “pitchforks” before anyone else.
If you want a “rational discussion”, that isn’t the way to begin, at least in my world.
I have already made a suggestion for you in my previous post. Please consult a medical professional (Psychology/Psychiatry) and ask them what you should expect to see as typical behaviour/symptoms in a young man who has been sexually abused by an authority figure.
You seem fixated with the money thing here. This isn’t about the money, Les! It’s all about a young boy who may have lived a long, tormented life and has finally reached the lowest point in his life, and needs to excise his baggage. It isn’t quite as easy as you insinuate in your postings.
I’ve been there (and still am) along with hundreds of other boys who have lived the same life.
“Unfortunately the submissions to your site are filled with threats, name calling, and emotional diatribes”.
Who started it, Les? Mike.
Thanks for speaking up for the rest of us Mike …. I would not have been so kind! It is people like Les that have made me crawl back in my hole for the last few months.
Hey Joe – Thanks! We can’t let them get us down – hold your head high and rise above this kind of thing. There is no shame or guilt in the truth, buddy. Mike.
Evidently further explanation is required. In the spring of 1980, while at my locker getting my books for class, Cahill came up behind me and slapped and grabbed my ass. I was shocked and looked up to see who grabbed my ass and who do I see, Cahill with a big shit-eating grin on his face. This is the point which I concluded that he was a creepy sack of shit that should be avoided. I had not mentioned this in the past for a variety of resins, mostly the embarrassment of the event. But, given the significant a of the recent revelations, I thought it may be of value to mention that I thought Cahill was creepy.
Now that we have cleared that up. Les, you are still an idiot.
Of course I’m still an idiot. I’m sure anyone who may disagree with you is an idiot. But thanks for sharing the slapping incident. That’s certainly not the Fred Cahill I knew. In fact it it is peculiar that most people that knew him, remember that he distanced himself from most females and treated them at arms length. Almost as if he was a little shy or afraid of some women. But I’m not calling you a liar cause I wasn’t there. Did you pursue this at all and tell your principle or perhaps a female teacher that you trusted? Did anyone call him out on this? Even in 1980 that would have been considered very unprofessional. It’s strange that at his funeral the cathedral was packed. Standing room only. A foundation named after this man. So he had all these people fooled. But not you. Did you attend the funeral as Brian did? Beause I always attend funerals of people who have hurt me. But then I’m an idiot, right?
You have no idea what you’re talking about Les. You have not a single clue. Though they do exist, the clertical molester who sports horns is rare. Furthermore, just as a thief doesn’t rob every house on the block, clerical molesters do not molest every single child they encounter.
You are a cruel man. I will tell you that there are others out there who allege sexual abuse at the hands of Father Cahill. Do you suppose they will say a word here with the likes of naive, ignorant and sarcastic lurkers like yourself waiting to pounce on anyone who dares suggest that Father Cahill was not a saint?
Jimmy Savilles funeral was standing room only too… he was even knighted for chrissake and he was one if the most prolific child abusers known..What about Rolf Harris, John Peel, Stuart Hall, Jerry Sandusky all pillars of the community ..what about Ted Heath wasn’t he the Prime Minister of England? I’m sure they seemed like wonderful men…I’m sure many people trusted them and respected them…that doesn’t mean they didn’t do the horrible crimes they are accused of…
Good point Geenda… A wolf in sheep’s clothing won’t show it’s true colors unless it smells lunch. You don’t want to scare the rest of the sheep away, or tip off the shepherd!
Hey Mike. I’m an insensitive bastard. Even if I consulted all the psychologists and medical professionals who have studied the difficulties of the abused coming forward, I still would not fully understand what you and others went through because I didn’t share that experience and I can only imagine. I don’t doubt that it must have been very difficult. But let’s not allow my “insensitivity” to distract from the focus of this discussion.
In your years of suffering after your experience, did you ever reflect on wether your silence had enabled your abuser and made it possible for him to abuse others after you?
You asked me if “I even knew Brian?”. No I did not. I knew Fred Cahill. Did you know either of them? Do you think that if Brian had never met Fred Cahill, would he have amassed $3M in his bank account by the time he was in his 50’s? Even if it happened should a victim become a millionaire 37 years later and will that fix anything? Who should determine the compensation, the lawyers?
Regarding the money; its ALL about the money. Our world has evolved from a market economy to a market society where everything has a price tag. Even the suffering of the abused. If this case was merely about Brian wanting to go public with this alleged event in his life so that he could move on, but not ask for any compensation; do you think his lawyer would be willing to do some pro bono work and stand by his side? Would this even have hit the newspaper?
You said that you didn’t hear any solutions from me. OK, try this on for size. I prefer an utilitarian approach which would benefit the greater good and mitigate the abuse. Given that the longer the victims wait to report their abusers, gives way to subsequent abuse. Given that it is very difficult to come forward immediately and perhaps less difficult latter. Given that we typically reward persons who do difficult tasks over those who perform less difficult tasks. Given that it is far more difficult to gather evidence and prosecute cold cases. Let the financial compensation to any victims vary inversely with the time it takes them to report the abuse. So if you wait and procrastinate while your abuser has his way with new victims – you do not get as much cash as those who do the difficult task and come forward immediately. As well, let’s take the halo off of priests and stop thinking of them as being above reproach. I even disagree with calling a priest “father”, as he is not my earthly father and not my heavenly father, so why call him “father”? If these men were not put on a pedestal, it would be easier to point the finger at them when/ if they have wronged us. Those are my thoughts/ solutions. I would certainly welcome any solutions you may have to offer.
“In your years of suffering after your experience, did you ever reflect on wether your silence had enabled your abuser and made it possible for him to abuse others after you?” This is a question every one of us has asked ourselves …… Do you think you are the first to think of this? jeez man just stop.
I actually didn’t read your whole post before I replied, but now that I have, you seem to blame the victims for the abusers actions. Am I responsible for all the boys that were raped after me because I didn’t speak up? NO!!! These monsters groom their victims very well …… we don’t speak up for many reasons, and it is all due to the grooming process that they put us through …….. fear of violence, humiliation, “NO one will believe you”,….. And so on.
I don’t think for a second Les that you are capable of understanding this ….. but it needed to be said.
Mr. Csavosi are you Catholic? If you said no then you really wouldn’t understand. Even if you read the many pages on this site that Sylvia has painstakingly kept up to date you still wouldn’t get it. If you were you would know that if anyone had of reported these abuses back in the day, nothing would have been done. The victims, for the most part, wouldn’t have been believed and the priest moved. End of story. We were taught that they were like gods here on earth. They held more power than you can imagine. It was a very different time back then than it is today. The word is spreading and we’re trying to get rid of them from their ranks. It’s a slow process. For the record $$ had nothing to do with me coming forward. I knew it wasn’t for the others either as they are financially set and didn’t need it or even give a hoot.They did it to make the higher ups pay and take notice.
If every time you get caught for raping and didn’t have to pay a fine or go to jail would you stop?
The guilty pay with some jail time. For victims, it’s a life sentence of flashback, bad dreams, drugs, drinking and other terrible side effects.
I’m thinking you need to do more research. Start with the Cornwall Files, then come back here and read the site from front to back. The material here you won’t find in a book. You’ll find heartbreak from parents and their grown children. Some were saved many were not. God Bless.
For the record, I look great on the outside but inside I still struggle every day.
That is just one many reasons that keeps me ashamed, fearful and almost always alone. I could go on but that helps no one. Most important thing is that cahill is long past dead. Another reason not to speak up.
Please stop this les. I dont want to be ashamed anymore.
In every victims case there are many people who need to be ashamed …….. You are NOT one of them!
Hey JoeB/Student at Grandin – way to go to both of you!!! Perfectly spoken! Mike.
Les Csavosi;
About the truth, not delaying in coming forward when you have been wronged, be honest! You are venting about something , nothing to do with the subject at hand! I won’t insult you or get in a peeing contest. I have my own memories on this site and in life, still, because of abusive clergy but I have taken to reading more than writing. So, if honesty is the question, be honest . I want to hear what pain makes you scream so!?…
Thank you for your feedback Les and no, I did not attend his funeral. I would no more likely attend his funeral, than stand at the curb to watch the garbage truck come by.
Again, thank you for sharing your insights towards Cahill’s gynophilic tendencies, which I find not all that surprising . You obviously know Cahill better than I do. I was never in Cahill’s class, as I previously mentioned, I was trying to avoid him because HE GRABBED MY ASS. Plus, I avoided him outside of the classroom because HE GRABBED MY ASS, and I was afraid that if he got the chance he would GRAB MY BALLS. I regret is that I never said anything to a respected authority figure at the school like my Football Coach or even just if I had said something to one of the other guys on the team.
I know I can’t and I won’t convince you that Cahill was a monster; I see no point in trying. However, my objective to let the victims of this predator and the other predators like him that it is OK to “come out of the woodwork” and when trolls start to attack them, the trolls will be exposed as trolls.
Now Les, don’t play that feigning injury and self-righteous, holier –than-thou card, so you can imply some moral high ground. You have just conceded that you have had long term personal relationships with two known serial pedophiles, one incarcerated and the other dead. So either you were complicitous or oblivious to what was happening around you. Neither of these are appealing attributes.
It seems that you entered this dialog in an attempt to provide a character witness for Cahill and undermine the credibility of his accusers. Yet, by your own admission, you lived with Whyte and implied to have no idea about his true nature; a monster that destroyed the lives of children for years. It seems you barely have the credibility to provide witness to a sunset.
As you to have taken offence to being called an “idiot”, and rightfully so, my apologies. I should correct myself and use the phrase “alleged idiot”. However, there is an alternate theory. It would be no great stretch of the imagination that you could be suspected of being an “alleged knowing accomplice” to these horrific crimes. You lived with them, you socialized with them, and they were you companions. Could it be that…? How do those old sayings go? “You are the company you keep.” Or “birds of a feather,….”.
Here is another possibility. Perhaps over the decades and decades of pedophilia within the Catholic clergy, an association within the priesthood of likeminded individuals developed. And perhaps, in the event that when any of these members becomes exposed for their crimes, the association recruit gullible stooges as hapless pawns to provide references, misdirection, obfuscation, and begin attacking the victims and accusers publicly in order to help fight their battles. So Les, do you have a dog in this hunt, or are you just a yappy mutt? But hey, as I said, it is just a theory.
G. Brown,
In earlier posts I made the error in assuming you were a female. Now we know that at least you have balls. Would help if you would use your first name.
So you have this “theory” that I lived with this merry band of men and was aware of them being abusers and didn’t say anything about it because we were all pals. Then later when accusations are made, I come forward in their defence. So I am not only an idiot but also a liar Robert Whyte died in 2014 (I didn’t attend his funeral) and his trial was in 1989. If your theory had any basis or consistency, wouldn’t I have been a character witness for Robert Whyte at the time as well. Why would I speak out for Fred Cahill and not Robert Whyte. Do I have my favourite pedophiles? Maybe the theory needs a little tweaking.
Big difference in the two men and the cases. As far I know, you and Brian are the only two people who who had voiced any bad experiences with Cahill.
If you were not his classes, did he know you from some other venue? It’s seems so strange that he would just grab some stranger’s ass. Most of these clerical abusers target some vulnerable youth, gain their trust and isolate them before the abuse occurs. But Cahill just “grabs your ass” while you are in front of your locker possibly in plain view of other students and teachers? What a monster!!
Always wondered why he was living with a Catholic priest – can anyone tell me what an “associate” with the Basilian order is? Mike.
Mike,
Wonder no more. The Basilian Father’s had/ have a “come and see” formations program whereby young men who are considering joining that religious order are welcome to live in their community and witness their way of life. So I did not live with a priest but rather 5. I was 22 at the time and going to university while one priest was retired, 2 were teaching at Bishop Grandin and 2 were teaching at St. Mary’s. Free room and board and the only obligation was to attend mass every morning and have supper together with them on weekdays. All the while giving serious thought as to wether religious life was for me. After a year you are expected to make a further commitment. I only stayed one year and pursued a different career path.
Nothing nefarious or kinky. Were you perhaps thinking that I may be guilty by association?
I attended Robert Whyte’s trial and it was very clear even by his own admission that he was guilty and he was sentenced to 5 years in jail. This, because of course; someone came forward as difficult as it may have been. I knew Cahill much better than Whyte and in the 15 years he was someone I looked up to. Never a hint of anything unusual. I am only expressing what I had witnessed. If others, who did not know him, want to weigh in and declare that he was a monster . . . well maybe that’s what Sylvia Site is all about. In our legal system, the defendant is usually in a prisoner’s box, not in the grave. Dead priests are such easy targets.
The defendant in this matter is not at all Father Cahill. The defendants are the Basillans who can be held civilly liable in this matter. The Basilians exposure to litigation is insured by it`s civil liability insurer which had carefully considered the Basilians exposure before it insured them. So there`s really nothing unusual about this case. It`s a routine torts case. What is unusual is 1.your strong emotional response 2. your obsession with male genitalia and 3. your ignorant disregard for victims of clerical abuse on a blog which is about exposing it and supporting them.
Your uninformed opinions aren`t usual: apologists of clerical abuse usually don`t know and don`t care about what they are talking about. All they care about is the appearance of their proximity to alleged abusers and their involvement with those who are vicariously liable for clerical abusers.
If you had nothing to fear why would you react so strongly? Why impugn the courage of persons that you don`t even know if not to make yourself appear to be in a stronger position than you actually are??
It`s a civil action. It`s in the public domain. Sylvia posted it on her blog.
BC,
Sorry, I was a little distracted, there seems to be somebody’s dog yapping in the back ground.
You are absolutely correct that this is a civil action in relation to what the Basillans knew; when they knew it and what actions did they take.
Basillans, as the employer, are vicariously liable for the actions of their employees when the employee is acting within their employment. I believe the question become whether the Basillans were aware of the crimes and damages committed and whether they took reasonable actions to prevent further injury or damages. If they knew about the abuses and did not take any reasonable steps to stop it from reoccurring, they would considered guilty of gross negligence. In that case, the Basillans would not only be responsible for the damages caused by their employee but also significant punitive damages could be awarded.
What will be interesting to see what type of defence the Basillans put forward. There is a certain degree of reasonable expectation that they were aware of the conduct of their employees. They all lived together in close contact and unlike any other organization or institution; I believe I can safely assume, they conducted the regular sacrament of confession/reconciliation. It would be surprizing if this issue never came up. I would hazard to guess that you would think that this lack of awareness by the Basillans of the conduct of Cahill would be unreasonable.
I disagree with many of your statements but it`s moot; Sylvia`s blog isn`t about discussing torts, eh? We don`t have the Basilian`s brief and there`s a good probability that this litigation will be settled and that we`ll never know.
i was molested by cahill and would like to speak with the lawyer if he needs a witness. i dont want anything but someone to listen
I gave you initials RB – not sure if you wanted your name public.
Here is the Statement of Claim 09 August 2017: BSG – Statement of Claim against Basilian Fathers of Toronto – BSG alleges sexual abuse by Basilian priest Father Frederick Wallace Cahill
Click on the link. On the first page you will see the contact information for the lawyer handling the lawsuit.
I commend you for speaking up. Good luck. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
what do you mean “settled”, no one will listen to me, he did this and has a scholarship in his name. i tired of this. how many lives did he ruin? i dont know how brians doing. i can count on my right hand the number of personal relationships i developed over my life on one hand. tats if i cut off 4 of my fingers.
PS yes les i am a coward for not speaking out. and i am ashamed for it but he is dead. please stop your bullshit.
It`s only now come to my attention now that you were probably responding to my post rob brown.
By settled, I meant that the civil litigation opposing BSG and the Basilians will probably be settled out of court. We`ll never know… meant that this settlement would include a non-disclosure agreement preventing BSG from discussing his settlement with the Basilians.
Civil litigants in many Canadian common law jurisdictions must attempt alternative dispute resolution before their case goes to trial. In some specific jurisdictions; ADR is mandatory.
Just FYI rob brown, there is no statute of limitations on criminal offences in Canada and if you were assaulted in Ontario your civil statute of limitations starts to expire when you informed that you had been prejudiced. And so I encourage you to talk to your local law enforcement and perhaps to consult with a civil litigator.
Comment deleted at request of poster.
Hello Rob:
This is Brian, I just want to say I am sorry for what happened to you, please give Rob Talach (my Lawyer) a call, he is very supportive and can help you out
Please contact me through Rob Talach, you are going through a lot right now, I would love to talk
Take care
Brian
Thank you
Is there a fund in cahills name? Do they still accept money in his name? Does he have a pic in the high school? What happened to the money in his name ? I talked with the chairman of the foundation, with no result. Our family went to Bishop Grandin. I was the youngest of 4. Pat, Marnie, and Gary Brown went before me.
Cahill tried to molest my older brother Pat. This is what i thought because cahill said i was just like him. I have hated my brother Pat all of my life because i blamed him for cahill. I am still so ashamed.
This will never be over, untill i am. IM NOT GOING THAT WAY.
THATS HOW I FEEL BUT NO MORE. SOME ONE LET ME KNOW the ansewer to these questions. I need to know.
Hello Rob:
I was afraid I would never hear from you again
What you had gone through is a word is unforgivable,
and sadly for victims of Cahill it is an unforgettable
event in your life, please contact
Sylvia at this site to get ahold of me so we can talk,
Remember telling this secret in a public forum is only the
beginning of your healing process, be patient,
it will take time
Take care
Brian
I have have just went through 2hrs of sprawling shame triggered from the news. I’m tired of going through this alone. I have so much guilt but it’s not guilt. Why am I so alone. What did I do to deserve this. Why is there a huge rock in my through.
Robert,
What is the news that triggered the sprawling shame?
Apparently you are not alone.
If you have a rock in your throat, it may be a good idea to spit it out.
Les
Some of us are in hiding so as not to shame our family. That’s not right. F uck cahill.
I’ve been hurt.
Went to counseling first question was ,did I rape someone else. And no i havent. I am 57 and have had 4 relationships in my life. I would like mo6.
Robert, your pain and suffering are real and hiding to protect families might seem honourable but it is taking a serious toll on you. I feel your pain. Have you tried contacting Rob Talach as was mentioned earlier? He can help you deal with some of these issues. Don’t let les put you down either…he isn’t very helpful to anyone but himself.
Basilians settle with second Father Cahill victim:
https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/catholic-order-settles-second-historic-case-involving-calgary-priest
I was in the Search program from 1975 to 1983 and knew Fr. Cahill for years. There were rumors about him back then, but nothing was ever done about them. Years later, I asked male friends over a glass of wine if those rumors had any truth. It was a unanimous Yes!
Predators are a very sneaky bunch and choose their targets well.
I remember the young men who lived with Father Cahill, because he used to drive me home from search meetings and I would sometimes go to the house for some reason, or other. I do not remember a Les Csavosi, if that is your real name. It was well known that Cahill did not like women and girls. He only tolerated us, but we were also cover for him.
I attended Cahill’s wake at St. Gerard’s in 1983 and witnessed a young man walk up to the open coffin and plant a kiss on Father Cahill’s mouth. I found that rather creepy.
I applaud the men who have come forward and from what I know about Father Cahill, I totally believe that he was capable of these heinous acts. I pray for their continued healing. As for trolls like Les Csavosi, may they receive the karma that they deserve.