Houston Chronicle
June 21, 2010, 11:34PM
By ALLAN TURNER
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
A retired Catholic priest who taught math and coached basketball at Houston’s St. Thomas High School half a century ago has been charged with sexually abusing a schoolboy in Canada.
Charged with sexual assault, an offense that could bring a maximum 10-year prison sentence upon conviction, is Basilian priest William Hodgson Marshall, 87.
Canadian authorities said the alleged attack happened between 1981 and 1985 in Windsor, Ontario. Records for the case are sealed, and court officials would not comment on the location, date or nature of the incident. Marshall’s attorney did not return phone calls.
In Houston, the Rev. Richard Wahl, who processes claims of sexual impropriety lodged against Congregation of St. Basil priests, said Marshall taught math and coached basketball at St. Thomas High School in the 1956-57 school year.
The Rev. Thomas Rosica, a Canada-based spokesman for the international order, said no complaints against Marshall have been lodged in Houston.
The charge stemming from the Windsor case was filed in May. Marshall, who lives at a Toronto retirement home for priests, is set to appear in court July 14.
In Sudbury, Ontario, in 2002, Marshall was sued by a man who sought money for psychological counseling, contending that the priest had sexually assaulted him in the 1960s. The complainant was awarded $10,000 after Marshall and the school district for which he had worked presented no defense, according to the Sudbury Star newspaper.
Marshall held a variety of teaching and administrative school positions, primarily in Canada, during a career that spanned four decades. In 1993, he moved to the Caribbean nation of St. Lucia, where he worked as a missionary. He formally retired in 1997.
The legal action against Marshall moved forward as Pope Benedict XVI this month asked forgiveness from abuse victims and pledged to “do everything possible” to end pederasty among the Roman Catholic priesthood.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Comments
Tyr wrote: The Catholic church has been a criminal enterprise since the 5th century. I wonder what really happened to all those children the church used to claim to have been victims of jewish night rituals? 6/22/2010 1:21:47 PMRecommend: (0) (0) [Report abuse] |
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SarahTX2 wrote: And here we have Mr. Squirt, who doesn’t believe the boy was raped. What a surprise. Tell us more about stubbing your toe back in the 60’s, Mr. Squirt. 6/22/2010 10:52:19 AMRecommend: (4) (1) [Report abuse] |
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Mephitis wrote: What mystifies me is why people still give to this greedy empire. The Catholic Church has had such a negative influence on the history of the world. Still, the sheep give and give to this insatiable host. “God’s will?” I seriously doubt it. So, keep giving money to this criminal enterprise. Let the Church continue to bask in the wealth it has amassed from the trail of debauchery . It sickens me. And, now, the pope is a German who used to be a Nazi youth? Finally, they have elected someone with the face of love. 6/22/2010 10:32:24 AMRecommend: (4) (1) [Report abuse] |
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SarahTX2 wrote: The Rev. Richard Wahl has an interesting job – he processes claims of sexual impropriety lodged against Congregation of St. Basil priests. What a busy day he must have. He probably does think that raping a child is a mere “impropriety” and has a devil of a time convincing other people of that. 6/22/2010 10:24:57 AMRecommend: (2) (1) [Report abuse] |
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dbeck wrote: houtex77 wrote: 6/22/2010 9:54:24 AMRecommend: (2) (5) [Report abuse] |
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OutlawJoseyWales wrote: As we find out more and more about child sex abuse by priests, we are finding many similarities to child sex abuse committed by law enforcement officers. Law enforcement officers have a “dirty little secret”. Indeed, the fact is that there are more incidents of child sexual assault committed by Police Officers than could ever be attributed to members of all other professions combined. They use their positions of trust to violate our children. Be careful, very careful when teaching your children to trust those in law enforcement. Pay particular attention to the last link, he is being held without bail on suspicion of being a serial killer just like John Wayne Gacy. These cases are just from the last couple of months: 6/22/2010 9:54:21 AMRecommend: (18) (0) [Report abuse] |
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houtex77 wrote: These people just want money. They are cashing in on all of this publicity. 6/22/2010 9:17:20 AM |
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grenchy wrote: squirt 77084: Victims usually forget trauma as this for yrs until something triggers that memory. I was a victim of such and I did not remember until 25+ yrs later. Remember, the old Riverview Baptist Church off Telephone Rd off I-45. There was a bus driver named Robert. He is most likely dead now. If he had children I hope they read my post. I also wasn’t his only victim. My closest friend remembered about the same time. I didn’t sue though, becuase he is most likely dead. 6/22/2010 7:39:00 AM |
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prlary wrote: Here we go…turn him over to the boys…that piece of crap !!! 6/22/2010 6:17:02 AMRecommend: (1) (0) [Report abuse] |
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Dave10318 wrote: Imagine that another pedophile priest. When is the catholic church going to do a legitimate investigation? They need to quit worrying about protecting the church and start protecting the children. The church is corrupt from the bottom up. Any moron that defends the church is part of the problem. The catholic church has destroyed so many lives throughout the world. What’s with all these saints, that is idol worship. The only ones that can help is the Lord and Jesus Christ, not some person the church made a doll or a statue of. The pose is going to end pederasty, my a**, he protected them for years as did the pope before. 6/22/2010 5:31:36 AMRecommend: (5) (5) [Report abuse] |
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Squirt77084 wrote: 40 years later? 6/22/2010 4:40:27 AMRecommend: (3) (15) [Report abuse] |
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CHAYIL714 wrote: This is the SAME pope who excommunicated a 7 year old girl (after becoming pregnant after being continuously raped by her stepfather) had an abortion because her body could not continue with pregnancy. In the meantime, they gave the stepfather repentance “for his sins”, but others they do not. Pedophiles, especially the priests, deserve no repentance. The catholic church is so out of touch with reality, that when Jesus does come back, they are going to require him to take holy communion. 6/22/2010 3:28:38 AMRecommend: (19) (3) [Report abuse] |
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truthliberates wrote: Pedophiles are always pedophiles. They cannot be rehabilitated. My father was still molesting little girls when he was 70. Sadly none of his victims or parents of his victims would press charges, and when I was emotionally able to deal with the abuse I received from my father, I was beyond the statute of limitations and could do nothing but be vocal in hopes that he would not destroy the lives of other children. As for my siblings and mother, they all could care less whose lives my father destroyed, told me I was on a witch hunt and disowned me. Even worse, they continued to give my father access to their daughters and grand-daughters. What a legacy. I have to wonder how many of the males in my extended family grew up to be pedophiles too. 6/22/2010 2:10:55 AM |
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