Father Peter Groulx
Groulx
Father Peter Groulx
Father Peter J. Groulx
Priest, Diocese of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Ordained 1969. 20 October 2014 charges laid: Three counts of Sexual Assault and three counts of Sexual Interference with a person under 16 years of age contrary to the Criminal Code. Charges relate to incidents dating to 2003 to 2005 in Terrace Bay, Ontario.
Justice Terence Platana was a Deacon at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, Dryden during at least some of the years Father Groulx served as Pastor.
15 June 2015: all charges withdrawn
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Next court date: 15 June 2015 : 10 am, Preliminary Hearing, Thunder Bay, Ontario courthouse (125 Brodie Street North. Thunder Bay, Ontario); 07 April 2015: 10:00 am, pre-trial hearing (NOT open to the public), Thunder Bay, Ontario courthouse (125 Brodie Street North. Thunder Bay, Ontario) ; 24 February 2015: 09:30 am, “to set a date,” Thunder Bay, Ontario courthouse (125 Brodie Street North. Thunder Bay, Ontario) ; 10 February 2015: 09:30 am, “to set a date,” Thunder Bay, Ontario courthouse (125 Brodie Street North. Thunder Bay, Ontario) ; 16 December 2014: 09:30 am, courtroom # 105, “to be spoken to,” Thunder Bay, Ontario courthouse (125 Brodie Street North. Thunder Bay, Ontario) ; FAILED to appear on 25 November 2014: Thunder Bay, Ontario courthouse (125 Brodie Street North. Thunder Bay, Ontario)
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Bishops of Diocese of Thunder Bay, Ontario from of Father Groulx’ ordination: Edward Quentin Jennings (14 May 1952 – 18 September 1969 ) ; Norman Joseph Gallagher (16 April 1970 – 28 December 1975) ; John Aloysius O’Mara (24 May 1976 – 2 February 1994 Appointed, Bishop of Saint Catharines, Ontario) ; Frederick Bernard Henry (24 March 1995 Appointed – 19 January 1998 Appointed, Bishop of Calgary, Alberta); Frederick Joseph Colli (2 February 1999 Appointed – )
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14 June 2015: BLOG Mark calendars
14 May 2015: BLOG Prelim. set for Thunder Bay priest
27 February 2015: BLOG None of the above?
23 February 2015: BLOG Computer revived
08 February 2015: BLOG Things are slowly changing
19 December 2014: BLOG He’s a deacon!
15 December 2014: BLOG Confidential?
24 October 2014: BLOG Does anyone know…?
22 October 2014: Charges shocking, says bishop
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The following information is drawn from the Canadian Catholic Church Directories which I have on hand, the 1980 Ontario Catholic Directory (OCD80), media (M) and, where indicated, internet
15 December 2014: no warrant issued
25 November 2015: Father Groulx failed to appear in court 25 November 2014. The case was adjourned to 15 December 2014 and a discretionary bench warrant was issued. The discretionary warrant is a courtesy – if Father Groulx fails to appear on 15 December a warrant will issued for his arrest.
20 October 2014: charged (age 71 when charges laid)
16 January 2014: allegations of sex abuse reported to OPP
10 March 2013: listed as assisting at St. Anne Roman Catholic Church, Ruskin, Florida
December 2012: listed as assisting at St. Anne Roman Catholic Church, Ruskin, Florida (external link)
November 2012: listed as assisting at Resurrection Roman Catholic Church, Riverview, Florida ( online)
2014, 2013, 2012, 2011: P.O. Box 21122, Thunder Bay. Ontario (CCCD)
December 2011: Foreword to book by Father Allan M. Savage (online)
2011: filling in at St. Anthony’s Roman Catholic Church in Tamp Bay, Florida. Described by Ottawa’s Archbishop Terrence Prendergast as a “retired priest and ‘snowbird’ from Thunder Bay diocese” (Father Groulx snow bird saying mass in Tampa Floria 2011)
2010; P.O. Box 24024, Thunder Bay. Ontario (CCCD)
2009: Director, St. Andrew’s Soup Kitchen (at St Andrews Church 2004 to 2007 and soup kitchen 2009)
2004-2007: Pastor St. Andrew’s Roman Catholic Church, Thunder Bay Ontario (online)
2003-2005: Charges relate to incidents dating to 2003 to 2005 in Terrace Bay, Ontario. (M)
2002: Pastor, St. Martin de Tours Roman Catholic Church, Terrace Bay, Ontario (CCCD)
1999: Pastor, St. Martin de Tours Roman Catholic Church, Terrace Bay, Ontario (CCCD)
In charge of Ecumenism for diocese (CCCD)
1998: address for St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Thunder Bay, Ontario (Rector Father Allan Savage)
1997, 1996,1995, 1994: Pastor. St. Elizabeth Roman Catholic Church, Thunder Bay, Ontario (CCCD)
1993, 1992, 1991: Pastor, St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, Dryden, Ontario (CCCD)
“Rev. Peter Groulx, the priest at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, asked for a prayer for victims and survivors alike, to let the healing process begin.” (“Jet’s recorders destroyed in crash blaze Heavy snow, ice on wings suspected,” Andrew McIntosh, Toronto Globe and Mail, 12 March 19890)
1981: funeral Mass at St. Theresa’s Roman Catholic Church, Ear Falls, Ontario (online)
1980: Pastor, St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church, Atikokan, Ontario (CCCD)
In charge of Catechetics for the diocese (OCD80)
1973-74: Assistant, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Thunder Bay, Ontario (Pastor Father F. R. St. James) (CCCD)
Contact person for vocations in Diocese of Thunder Bay, ON (CCCD)
1971-72: name not listed in index of CCCD
1969: ORDAINED
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Peter GROULX – Sexual Assault
ListowellFreePress
Date: 2014-10-20 12:42:55
By: OPP
(NIPIGON, ON) -Members of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Schreiber Detachment, with the assistance of the North West Region Crime Unit have concluded a sexual assault investigation involving a victim under the age of 16. The incident was reported on January 16, 2014 and occurred between 2003 and 2005 in the Town of Terrace Bay.
On October 20, 2014 the OPP concluded the investigation and have charged a 71 year old male, Peter GROULX of Thunder Bay, Ontario with:
Three counts of Sexual Assault; and
Three counts of Sexual Interference with a person under 16 years of age contrary to the Criminal Code.
The accused is to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Thunder Bay on November 25, 2014.
Anyone with information about these or similar incidents involving the accused is asked to contact the Ontario Provincial Police at 807-887-2637 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
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Priest Charged With Sexual Assault
Magic CJUK Thunder Bay, Ontario
Posted on Monday, October 20, 2014
OPP are charging a 71 year old Catholic priest in the Diocese of Thunder Bay with three counts of sexual assault and another three counts of sexual interference with a person under 16. It stems from an incident that was reported on January 16th and occurred between 2003 and 2005 in Terrace Bay. Peter Groulx will appear in Thunder Bay court on November 25th. Bishop Frederick Colli has not returned our call for a comment.
Catholic Priest Charged
CCFOB Fort Francis
Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2014
OPP are charging a 71 year old Catholic priest in the Diocese of Thunder Bay with three counts of sexual assault and another three counts of sexual interference with a person under 16.
It stems from an incident that was reported in January and occurred between 2003 and 2005 in Terrace Bay.
Peter Groulx will appear in Thunder Bay court in November.
He was a no show for court yesterday (Nov. 25th).
Court was pushed to December 16th. If he doesn’t show up then, there will be a bench warrant out for his arrest.
Thank you SJ. I checked and confirmed – he was a no show and what is called a discretionary warrant was issued. The discretionary warrant is basically a courtesy – if he fails to show 16 December a warrant will be issued for his arrest.
These are the details for the next courtdate:
16 December 2014: 09:30 am, courtroom # 105, “to be spoken to,” Thunder Bay, Ontario courthouse (125 Brodie Street North. Thunder Bay, Ontario)
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Father Peter Groulx’ next courtdate is:
1o February 2015 : 09:30 am, “to set a date,” Thunder Bay, Ontario courthouse (125 Brodie Street North. Thunder Bay, Ontario)
He must have made an appearance on 16 December and averted the warrant? I checked media the next day and was unable to find anything.
Please keep the complainant in your prayers.
Yes, he showed up on the 16th of December and therefore the warrant was not implemented.
As stated, it was remanded to the 10th of February.
A picture of Father Peter Groulx has been added to the page
The next courtdate for Father Peter Groulx is:
24 February 2015 : 09:30 am, “to set a date,” Thunder Bay, Ontario courthouse (125 Brodie Street North. Thunder Bay, Ontario)
Father Groulx’ next courtdate is:
207 April 2015 : 10:00 am, pre-trial hearing (NOT open to the public), Thunder Bay, Ontario courthouse (125 Brodie Street North. Thunder Bay, Ontario)
Note that this hearing is NOT open to the public.
Please keep the complainant in your prayers
Any update on the court proceedings?
I’ll have it tomorrow Tom. Check back here on this thread.
The next courtdate for Father Peter Groulx is:
15 June 2015 : 10 am, Preliminary Hearing, Thunder Bay, Ontario courthouse (125 Brodie Street North. Thunder Bay, Ontario)
This IS open to the public. There were will as in all prelims in Ontario – and I think all of Canada – be a publication ban on testimony and evidence, but the public can attend.
Please keep the complainant in your prayers
ALL charges against Father Peter Groulx have been withdrawn. At this point that is all I know. Again, ALL charges have been withdrawn.
The charges were withdrawn due to the complainant deciding not to testify. She realized that she was ready to move on from what had happened but that this whole process was simply allowing her to stay angry and seek revenge instead of forgiving Peter and she felt that it was just time to walk away.
Thank you SJ.
If what you tell us is fact, then it is unfortunate. I admire the complainant’s desire to rid herself of the anger and to forgive, but forgiveness does not exclude seeing justice done. A priest who molests is not fit to be a priest, – the only way we ever know that a priest is a molester – and hence that children are at risk in his presence and that he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing – is when a victim holds his/her molester accountable.
The pursuit of justice is not revenge.
My thoughts and prayers are with the complainant.
I can understand how the complaint feels and I am glad to hear that she has gotten on with her life, but what she had done to her will never go away. I hope the priest was dismissed from the Catholic Church and never be a priest again. I am disguised to hear that another Catholic priest took someone’s innocence away
While I am pleased that the young lady in question is getting on with her ‘healing’, part of me wishes this had gone to trial. Father Peter does not have the luxury of picking up his life and continuing as if this had never happened. He has had his world turned upside down because of shoddy police work and unclear memories. Had this case gone to trial, Father Peter would have easily been vindicated and the Crown knew that there was little chance of a conviction and it was the CROWN who decided to withdraw the charges and why…not the alleged victim. There seems to be a bias against ANY priest who is accused of child molestation… and the residual effect of this case is that some people will continue to believe that Father Peter is guilty…that he ‘got away with it’…that he is a bad priest. The Defence evidence would have blown the alleged victim’s story out of the water…but now it will never be heard. The Crown asked for others who had had similar abuse incidents with Father Peter to come forward…none did. A man does not suddenly become a pedophile in his mid-sixties. The young woman herself admitted to unclear memories. She may be a victim…but naming a dedicated and compassionate priest as her abuser has now made him a victim of abuse as well.
I agree. This priest has been denied the opportunity to defend himself and clear his reputation. Making a potentially innocent priest pay for the crime, through destruction of his reputation, does not serve justice in any way.
Any one aware of a priest molesting boys in the late 60s or “70s? Ian Thunder Bay?