Father Kevin Rolston
Priest, Diocese of Nelson, British Columbia. Ordained 1988. 1992 CONVICTED on one count of gross indecency and one of buggery involving three brothers (age 9 to 12 when the abuse began) which were committed both before Rolston’s ordination in 1988. According to media a third charge of gross indecency, along with charges of sexual touching and sexual invitation which related to offences after ordination were dismissed following his trial. A charge of anal intercourse was dropped by the Crown.
Rolston admitted to sexual contact with one of his accusers but claimed the boy was 15 at the time and initiated the contact. (The age of consent in 1992 was 14. It has since been raised to 16. In 1985 the age of consent for buggery was reduced from 21 to 18. Click here for further info re the evolution of the Criminal Code of Code)
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Bishops of Nelson Diocese from time of Father Rolston’s ordination: Wilfrid Emmett Doyle (09 November 1958 – 06 November 1989); Peter Joseph Mallon (06 November 1989 – 09 June 1995 when appointed, Archbishop of Regina, Saskatchewan)
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The following information is drawn from Canadian Catholic Church Directories (CCCD) of that date which I have on hand, and media (M)
October 2013: according to a blogger he is a Co-operative Education Instructor at Langara College, Vancouver, BC. Rolston is said to be on leave of absence until 31 December 2013. Whether he is still priest or has been defrocked or left the priesthood is unknown
2010, 2002, 1998, 1996: Not listed. (CCCD) (seems to be gone. He is either deceased, laicized or become incardinated somewhere out of the country)
1994, 1993: address and phone number for Nelson Diocese Diocesan Centre (CCCD)
1992: not listed (CCCD)
April 1992: CONVICTED (age 28)
1990, 1991: Pastor, Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church,Westbank,British Columbia (CCCD & M)
February 1991: CHARGED. Faced 7 charges related to sex abuse of three brothers – the charges related to allegations both pre- and post ordination (M)
25 September 1990: suspended because of criminal investigation (M)
31 May 1988: ORDAINED (CCCD & M)
Pre-ordination studied in Saskatoon,Saskatchewan and London,Ontario(St. Peter’s Seminary?) One report indicates that he was at a seminary in Saskatoon. To my knowledge there was no Catholic seminary in Saskatoon. Was he perhaps attaining an undergraduate degree at the Basilian run St. Thomas More College University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon for a spell and then moved on to St. Peter’s Seminary in London,Ontario?
1980-1989: Director of a Catholic summer camp in Summerland,British Columbia (M)
According to media reports he would have been molesting the brothers while he was director of the camp (M)
1987: court investigated a complaint against Rolston but at the time the boy denied Rolston assaulted him (M)
Originally from Summerland, British Columbia(M)
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Priest sentenced to 2 1/2 years for sex crimes
Vancouver Sun
28 April 1992
Canadian Press
KELOWNA- A Roman Catholic priest described as immature and morally underdeveloped was sentenced Monday to 2 1/2 years in prison for sexually abusing three young boys.
Kevin Rolston, 28, sat quietly in B.C. Supreme Court as Justice Warren Wilkinson handed down the sentence on a conviction of gross indecency and one count of buggery.
Rolston was given six months to be served concurrently on a second charge of gross indecency.
Wilkinson said Rolston has not matured psychologically and has an underdeveloped sense of morals and because of that was unable to comprehend the severity of his crimes.
Rolston faced seven counts involving the three boys between January 1981 and February 1990. The convictions involved two of the boys and the episodes occurred before Rolston was ordained in May 1988.
A third charge of gross indecency, along with charges of sexual touching and sexual invitiation were dismissed following his trial. A charge of anal intercourse was dropped by the Crown.
Rolston’s victims – all brothers – were aged nine to 12 when the offences began in 1982 in the Summerland area, about 255 kilometres east ofPenticton.
Rolston, who originally was from the Okanagan Valley community of Summerland, was director of a Catholic summer camp in Summerland from the early 1980s until 1989.
He was ordained May 31, 1988.
He served first at Immaculate Conception Parish inKelownaand then Our Lady of Lourdes parish in nearby Westbank until Sept, 25, 1990, when his duties were suspended because of the criminal investigation.
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Priest, 29, jailed for sex with boys
Vancouver Province
28 April 1992
Suzy Hamilton
PENTICTON- A 29-year-old priest was sentenced yesterday to 2 1/ 2 years in prison for sex offences.
Westbank Roman Catholic priest Kevin Rolston was found guilty Feb. 11 of two counts of gross indecency and one count of buggery involving two boys between 1982 and 1990.
“He is somehow undeveloped in his sense of moral responsibility,” said B.C. Supreme Court Judge Warren Wilkinson.
Rolston was a priest at the time of his trial, but the offences began while he was attending seminary, the judge noted.
“He acted in a thoroughly predatory manner,” said Wilkinson.
“From the time he was 13 or 14 years old his career in the priesthood was thrust upon him. It was easier to be around boys than girls because it was less questioned.”
In a pre-sentence report, Rolston denied having any homosexual fantasies about children. But Kelowna psychologist Gary Lea testified that denial is “almost universal” among pedophiles.
“The first order of business in prison is to break through the denial,” Lea said.
Crown counsel Vern Frolick argued that Rolston’s behavior is denial and his lack of remorse indicates he is a pedophile.
But Rolston’s lawyer, Jim Pennington, said there “is not a shred of evidence that Rolston is a pedophile.”
He also said Rolston was remorseful.
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Priest guilty of abusing boys
Montreal Gazette
29 April 1992
PENTICTON, B.C. – A Roman Catholic priest described as immature and morally underdeveloped was sentenced yesterday to 2 1/2 years in prison for sexually abusing three young boys.
Kevin Rolston, 28, sat quietly in B.C. Supreme Court as Justice Warren Wilkinson handed down the sentence on a conviction of gross indecency and one count of buggery.
Rolston was given six months to be served concurrently on a second charge of gross indecency.
Wilkinson said Rolston has not matured psychologically and has an underdeveloped sense of morals and because of that was unable to comprehend the severity of his crimes.
Rolston faced seven counts involving the three boys between January 1981 and February 1990. The convictions involved two of the boys and the episodes occurred before Rolston was ordained in May 1988.
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Bishop’s testimony breaks down wall of silence
Vancouver Sun
27 January 1992
Douglas Todd
The Catholic church broke new ground when Nelson Bishop Peter Mallon testified in a sex case against one of his priests, says a former critic of the church’s handling of sex abuse complaints.
The Catholic diocese of Nelson – which has seen six priests charged with sex abuse – had become notorious for sex scandals before Bishop Mallon took over last year.
But the new bishop “has been very helpful and open,” said David McCann, who heads a group of more than 300 Canadians who allege physical and sexual assault by Catholic officials.
During the trial of Kelowna priest Kevin Rolston, 28, on counts of gross indecency, buggery and anal intercourse, Mallon recently testified that Rolston admitted to him that he “fooled around” with the young complainants and that the incidents involved sexual gratification.
It is extremely rare, if not unheard of, for a bishop to testify in trials involving his priests, said McCann, whose complaints about sexual abuse at two Catholic-run reform schools in Ontario led to 21 church officials being charged.
McCann also helped the national Catholic church draw up policies for dealing with priests who sexually abuse.
Whereas recently retired Nelson Bishop Emmett Doyle was criticized for taking virtually no action after being told former Monsignor John Monaghan had molested dozens of young girls, McCann said Bishop Mallon seems “deeply committed” to the victims of abuse.
A spokesman for the Nelson diocese, Chancellor Wayne Pfliger, said Bishop Mallon was subpoenaed to testify in the Rolston case.
Whereas B.C. prosecutors once criticized Catholic church officials for obstructing investigations of sex complaints against Catholics priests, Crown counsel Vern Frolich says Mallon and Catholic church officials “have been very cooperative” in the Rolston case.
Since the Rolston trial is still going on before a Penticton judge, both the prosecutor and church officials were reluctant to talk about it in detail.
But McCann said Bishop Mallon appears to be following new church guidelines on how to deal with sex abuse complaints against priests.
Despite being subpoenaed, Bishop Mallon could have found many legal ways to avoid giving testimony, McCann said in an interview from Ontario.
Canadian Catholic bishops have repeatedly been accused of handling sexual-abuse compaints poorly. A public hearing found sex abuse by Christian Brothers running Mount Cashel orphanage in Newfoundland was routinely covered up by church and government officials. One bishop resigned after admitting he’d handled complaints poorly.
However, a committee of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops released a statement last summer urging Catholic leaders across the country “to develop an attitude of openness” to victims of sexual abuse.
The bishops’ committee, which included Vancouver Archbishop Adam Exner, acknowledged: “There can be no question of the church’s refusing the real responsibility that has been brought upon it through its ministers. The church has no right to claim any favored treatment when allegations are made about its ministers.”
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Priest claims boy seduced him: Denies celebrating conclusion to earlier police investigation
Vancouver Province
23 January 1992
Suzy Hamilton
PENTICTON- A Roman Catholic priest accused of abusing three boys says one of them seduced him.
Westbank priest Kevin Rolston, 28, has pleaded not guilty to seven sex offences, including buggery and gross indecency.
Most of the offences allegedly took place in Rolston’s bedroom in Summerland and at a church camp from 1982 to 1990.
Rolston yesterday denied fondling two of the boys and said the third seduced him on an overnight visit in 1987. The boy was 15.
“I didn’t know what to think,” Rolston said. “I was responding physically to being touched.”
Asked Rolston’s lawyer, Jim Pennington: “Did you make any attempt to stop it?”
“No,” Rolston replied. “It felt good. It was an act of mutual masturbation.”
Rolston said the same thing happened four more times, and he told the boy he didn’t like it.
Rolston testified he was having “a pretty tough time dealing with some of the aspects of a priest’s life – especially with death.”
With tears in his eyes, he said he handled 50 funerals in his first year.
“It’s difficult the way people expected me to be. It’s like being inside of a box.”
The boy testified earlier that Rolston began french-kissing him when he was nine and shortly after progressed to anal intercourse, which continued until he was 15.
Court was told police investigated a complaint against Rolston in 1987. But the boy at the time denied Rolston assaulted him.
Crown counsel Vern Frolick suggested the 1987 act was a celebration “that the investigation was over and that you hadn’t been caught.”
“No,” replied Rolston.
The trial resumes next week before Supreme Court Justice Warren Wilkinson.
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23 January 1992
Canadian Press
PENTICTON, B.C. (CP) — A Roman Catholic priest charged with seven sex-related offences admitted Wednesday he made sexual contact five times with one of the youths who complained to police.
But Kevin Rolston told his B.C. Supreme court trial the incidents did not begin until 1987, when the complainant was 15 years old, and that the youth, now 19, initiated the sexual contact.
He also defended writing letters to the youth, in which he says he will miss him. The letters were to console the youth because Rolston was going away, Rolston said.
Rolston is charged with anal intercourse, buggery, three counts of gross indecency, touching a young person for a sexual purpose, and inviting a young person to touch for a sexual purpose.
The charges stem from allegations by three Summerland youths that Rolston abused them between 1981 and 1990.
The 19-year-old testified that Rolston began sexually abusing him when he was nine or 10 years old.
But Rolston said the sexual contact began in November 1987, when the youth was 15, and they slept in the same bed while the youth was staying over at the Rolston family home.
Rolston said he woke up to find the youth fondling him, then he and the youth engaged in mutual masturbation.
The incident occurred shortly before Rolston became a deacon of the Catholic Church in November 1987.
Rolston was ordained as a priest in May 1988 and was assigned to be assistant pastor at a Kelowna parish.
Rolston said a second incident of mutual touching occurred between himself and the 19-year-old in the summer of 1988.
He said two other touching incidents involving the youth and himself sometime between the summer 1988 and February 1990.
The final incident of touching took place in February 1990, when he and the youth went to Vancouver for a religious function, he said.
Under cross-examination, Rolston said he did not know why he did not tell the youth that he wanted no sexual contact.
Crown counsel Vern Frolick noted the youth had saved letters he received from Rolston from 1982 to 1984, while Rolston was attending school in Saskatoon, and London, Ont., studying to become a priest.
In them, Rolston wrote phrases such as: “it will be a long, cold winter without you,” and “I miss you more and more each day.”
Rolston said the prhases were to console the youth, who was upset when he found out Rolston would be going away to school in September 1982.
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Abuse began with kissing, court told
Vancouver Province
22 January 1992
Suzy Hamilton
PENTICTON- A former altar boy testified yesterday that he told a priest he “still loved him” shortly after telling his parents the man had sexually abused him for eight years.
Westbank priest Kevin Rolston, 28, has pleaded not guilty to seven charges of sexual and indecent assault of three boys between 1982 and 1990.
Some of the offences took place at Camp Boyle, a Catholic summer camp near Summerland that Rolston operated when he was 18, the witness, now 19, told Justice Warren Wellington in B.C. Supreme Court.
Another assault allegedly took place in Vancouver when the two attended the installation of the bishop of the Nelson diocese, Peter Mallon, in February 1990.
The witness said the abuse began with french kissing when he was nine and advanced to anal intercourse when he was 17.
Rolston’s lawyer, Jim Penington, suggested the sex acts were initiated by the boy when he was 15.
“No one held a gun to your head,” he said.
In one of two dozen letters from Rolston to the boy, then nine,Rolston wrote: “You know, I love you in a very special way. After all, you’re my shadow, right?”
Rolston was ordained in 1988 and was appointed to the Westbank parish in 1990.
He was to testify today.
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21 January 1992
Canadian Press
PENTICTON, B.C. (CP)
A youth testifying against a Roman Catholic priest charged with sex offences said Tuesday he wasn’t sure about the timing of some of his sexual encounters with the priest.
The 19-year-old admitted in B.C. Supreme Court that he could have been mistaken in some of the dates he said the alleged incidents of abuse occurred.
Kevin Rolston, 28, is charged with seven sex-related offences involving three Summerland, B.C., youths, now aged 19, 20, and 21, between 1981 and 1990.
Rolston entered the Catholic Seminary in Saskatoon,Sask., in September 1981 and began his studies to be a priest.
He was ordained in May 1988 and was appointed to Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Westbank in 1990. He was suspended Sept. 25, 1990, because of the investigation into the sexual allegations.
Rolston is charged with three counts of gross indecency, and one count each of anal intercourse, touching a young person for sexual purposes and invitation to sexual touching.
The youth testified last December that Rolston began sexually abusing him when he was nine years old.
But under cross-examination Tuesday, he agreed it was possible that no abuse happened in 1982.
The youth maintained that abuse had occurred in 1983 before the summer, but was unable to give any details about frequency or time.
He said he believed abuse took place while Rolston was home from school for Christmas in 1984, but said he was positive.
Abuse also occurred in the summer of 1985, at Christmas 1986, and sometime in late 1987, the youth said, but could not say when or how often.
He conceded he could not say when the alleged abuse occured in 1988 and 1989, and agreed it is possible it did not occur during those years.
Rolston began to testify shortly before court adjourned for the day Tuesday.
He said he first met the 19-year-old’s family in May 1981 when he stopped at the family home before he and the boy’s father attended a religious weekend in Nelson, about 180 kilometres east of Penticton.
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Former priest charged
Vancouver Province
09 August 1991
Former Okanagan priest Kevin Rolston, 27, has been ordered to stand trial on seven sex-related charges. Rolston is charged with gross indecency, buggery and touching a young person for sexual purposes.
The offences are alleged to have taken place before 1990, when Rolston was suspended from his duties in Westbank, a suburb of Kelowna. A trial date has not yet been set.
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Priest in court on sex charges
Vancouver Sun
06 February 1991
PENTICTON- A Roman Catholic priest appeared in Penticton provincial court Tuesday facing seven sex-related charges stemming from alleged incidents between 1981 and 1990.
Kevin Rolston, 27, had his case set over until Feb. 19 in Penticton provincial court for election and plea.
Crown counsel Norman Yates said the charges, involving south Okanagan youths, include gross indecency, buggery and touching a young person for sexual purposes.
Rev. Wayne Pfliger, chairman of the sexual-abuse commission of the Nelson diocese of the Catholic Church, said Rolston was a director and a counsellor at Catholic summer camp in the Okanagan in the early 1980s.
Rolston was ordained May 31, 1988, and was first assigned to Immaculate Conception Parish in Kelowna.
I just googled Father Rolston’s name, and it linked to a book which indicated that Rolston was convicted. It referenced The Kelowna Spectator, December 2, 1992, p. 6. My library card is not in good standing right now, but I believe these would be archived online through Canadian Press.
Thanks proudsurvivor. I just posted the updated page. I don’t have the Kelowna Spectator article but I think enough others to get the picture.
Yes, he was convicted. He was molesting three brothers before he was ordained. He was Director of a Catholic summer camp in Summerland BC for a number of years before his ordination – while he was molesting those brothers!.
It looks as though he was probably molesting at least one the boys after his ordination but those charges were either dismissed or dropped.
The whole thing makes me cringe. What made him think he had the makings of a priest? Who, if anyone, directed him to the priesthood? He certainly did not have a ‘calling’ – at least, not from God.
I wonder how those brothers are now? And the parents of those boys?
And, I wonder where he is?
I knew the Rolston family growing up and attended Camp Boyle from ages 8-11, 1983-1986. I remember hearing about the charges when I was in highschool. I am now in my 30’s and think one of the victims is my age. I also grew up in the catholic church in Summerland and was an altar server. It makes me ill reading this wondering who the victims are and realizing I probably know them. I dont know if the victims were from summerland or not but Rolton’s continued lack of responsibility, even deferring blame onto the victims is evidence he is truly depraved.
It’s always a shock for those who find out that some of their childhood friends were probably sexually abused by a priest. Keep the victims in your prayers K. I don’t know how they are doing now, but I am sure a few prayers would not hurt at all.
I was in the seminary with Kevin. I remember thinking how immature he was. This is a common observation of many people I knew at that time in my life. I believe that one of the key issues with priests who abuse especially young post pubesents is the whole question of mandatory celebacy. I was fortunate because I met a good group of friends who callenged me to embrace my sexuality in a positive life giving way. Many seminarians even then were highly repressed and I believe even more are today in the current enviroment. I left the priesthood and continued to develop thank goodness. The problem with mandatory celebacy is that it makes it difficult for many of these people to self identify sexually at the same rate as the rest of our modern society. This is especially true in my experience of candidates under 40. It is my opinion that many of the individuals I knew had the sexual maturity of an average 12-15 year old in our society. This gives an insight into some of the choices made by many of the abusers. Some of the cases involving very young children while very disturbing, have allowed the church to duck the issue of mandatory celebacy as a contributing and even predominant cause in the large number of post pubescent young people abuse cases. The church needs to wake up to this issue if it ever hopes to speak in a healthy life giving way to our modern world! Just another perspective!
Another way of looking at it is that those who are identified in seminary as “immature” are just that, immature. They should be dismissed.
If mandatory celibacy is the issue, why do married people also commit crimes against children ? By the time they are of seminary age, most men would have formed a sexual identity. If they are immature when they go in, that means the pedophile tendency is already there. Sorry, D, I just don’t buy the idea that mandatory celebacy has anything to do with making pedophiles.
I’d agree that mandatory celebacy does not create pedophiles–the damage that they underwent during their development probably caused this. Also, pedophiles, whether married/in the priesthood, all tend to have limited self-awareness and remain sexually immature throughout their lives.
I have a friend who spent several years in a seminary during the mid 1980s, in Ontario. Part of the reason he decided against joining the priesthood was that he was creeped out and disgusted by many of the other seminarians. These, he felt, wanted to join the priesthood primarily because they hoped a mandatory vow of celibacy would prevent them from acting on urges they must have realized were socially and morally unacceptable.
Mandatory celebacy, in other words, offers an apparent refuge for people attempting to hide from their own pedophilic sexual identities in the hopes they will never act on them (as well as for pedophiles who hope to be placed near children under the cover of being sexually inactive).
Hide from their own paedophilic “sexual identities”? You’re calling this aberrant and deviant lust for children a ‘sexual identity’? you see it as something over which the predator has no control, but which he hopes to control by opting to live a celibate life as a priest?
Poor “Father.” Perhaps I misunderstand, but that’s what I read.
That makes not an ounce of sense to me B, but it does rationalize the sins and crimes of the molester.
Where, from a Catholic perspective, does sin fit into your theory? And, what about the millstone?
By “sexual identity,” what I meant is that pedophiles are aroused by sexual thoughts about children/teens (just as a rapist would be aroused by thoughts of terrified women in his power). Clearly, to act on such urges would in both cases be evil, since there can never be consent, there is a power imbalance, and the perpetrator is satisfying himself by destroying others.
Yes, my friend from the seminary did feel that many of the seminarians were would-be pedophiles. At that point they were young and sexually un- or inexperienced, and hoped to put themselves out of the way of temptation by remaining celibate. As I mentioned, he left the seminary partly because he could not bear the thought that these would be his “brothers.”
I only made this observation to illustrate to “M” that there can be a direct link between mandatory celibacy and pedophiles. I don’t see how this in any way “rationalize(s) the sins and crimes of the molester.” If these young men later acted on their pedophilic impulses, they sinned in the worst way imaginable.
I just googled Father Kevin Rolston, and it came up that he was a professor at Langara college. It would be difficult to find out if this is the same person, but if it is, he is now the chair of Co-operative education.
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John O’
You gave a job site, phone number and email address for a Ken Rolston. Before I allow any – not necessarily all – of that information to be posted, a question: do you know with certainity that this is the same Ken Rolson?
Crime is crime and all these people should be dealt with immediately. Motivation and distinctions are important to understand, though, so that society and institutions can be preventative. Most of the liturature supports distinguishing between different types of criminal sexual behavior and one of those distinctions is pre-pubescent and post-pubescent abuse. Both are abuse and horrible but they are subtly different and the Catholic church has a power problem rooted in it’s male only celebate culture. Believe me the abusive culture is fostered in what has become an historical anachonism. Jesus was a revolutionary character who would never condone a power structure which excluded woman and glorified male power. Changing this will not stop all abuse but it will bring about an honest openness that can only help. I am not a catholic basher but I would like to see a healthy discussion of these issues because I believe it would save suffering in the future. I really believe that the only change in the church so far is motivated by fear of punishment which is not a long term solution. I am really enjoying everyones comments and I have only recently found this site. This is certainly part of the solution!
In criminal court the crime rests not on pre or post pubescent but age of consent.
That aside I hope you’re not hoping to engage in a hearty discourse on women’s ordination here D. This is not the place.
“D”,
I am quite heartened that you find this site a part of the solution. I have only been on the scene here for about 2 years, but I have found incredible friendships from Sylvia’s site. She has been a remarkable source of information, counsel, and comfort to most, if not all of us. I agree that an open and honest dialogue will at least cause us all to think and ponder more.
I particularly like your comment “the only change in the church so far is motivated by fear of punishment”. That is a true, and very revealing statement. As you say (and I agree) that this is only a very short-term action, and appears not to be rooted in a real desire to “clean house” so to speak.
Doctrinally, I am beginning to think that the church actually might still have it right. Unfortunately, the church’s hierarchy is a badly screwed up bunch, and they are the ones running it. My analogy is as follows – The church is like an old machine that used to function well, but was never oiled and greased. Now all it does is clank and grind away, producing nothing more than loud irritating noises. mike.
Love the analogy! A further thought. Diversity is the heart of healthy institutions. Just like our dialogue brings out common ground here, Mike a greater diversity in church leadership will bring health to the Catholic church. I am not as doctrinally orthodox as some but I still believe that there is enormous beauty and potential in the church. It was the bastion of classical wisdom and protected some of the noblist human thoughts and actions during some of histories darkest moments. This makes the abusive side all the more tragic and disappointing! The creaky old machine absolutely needs a major overhall. I have decided to become involved again after many years of horrified self imposed exile. However I am most likely going to make some people very uncomfortable as I push for more dialogue and a listening ear! I am speaking to many people who feel the same way. Could be intresting!
D
Agreed however, the dialogue doesn’t work. All they’ll do is regurgitae the same old party line and then continue the 3 d’s…deny, defend, and denigrate. The collars that perpetrate such viciousness should be defrocked. As long as that church continues to use the hollow words of reconciliation, dialogue will be all that happens…no changes, just useless talk.
Hey D;
Bring it on!!!! I sympathize with your exile, as I lived 40 years of my life in a big black hole. I am also excited about your thoughts on what was, and still could be, a beautiful church, rooted in REAL Christianity.
There have been very heated exchanges on this site, but I believe that these exchanges caused all of us to think and ponder a bit deeper than we normally would. This is a good thing!!! As you say, we need diversity of opinion. That’s the ONLY way we learn.
Most on the site are victims of sexual abuse by a catholic priest, as I am. As a consequence of this, we use Sylvia’s site to vent our anger and frustrations, and to share our stories. It is quite eye-opening and very empowering.
If we or others agree to disagree, it’s not personal. You sound like a very intelligent and caring person, so please do not be afraid of sharing your story, or opinions. We’re all in it together for the same reason. Mike.
sylvia
I was not attempting to enter into a discussion on women’s ordination although I have no problem with that. I am simply making the point that a diversity in leadership which should and must include the feminine perspective can only help to ‘shine light in the darkness’ and root out the abusers who have obviously found a safe place to hide. I have noticed that there is much discussion about kicking out the abusers and defrocking them……great but I would like to suggest a structure which prevents them from getting in to begin with! I have been on the inside of the power structure and there is a systemic homogenous power structure which encourages secrecy and evil. I am still close to many healthy and good priests and we discuss this regularily. The current ‘orthodox’ movement among clergy has elements of this repressive attitude…..Father knows best……Even though discussions on the nature of sin, the sacraments, sexual and moral issues can and should have a diversity of views and positions there must be a true openness and diologue otherwise the autocratic approach will continue to dominate and new and old forms of abuse will grow again in the darkness of ignorance. The church has a right to speak with authority on these issues but it should not silence violently other opionions. Wow! You guys are really getting me thinking again….I can’t wait to try some of this out. Oh by the way PJ I agree with you but I think I will give it a shot anyway.
Just to really get out there, if you’re really wanting to figure out a way to weed out the perverts, questionnaires, tests, etc really don’t help much. But there is one thing that might guaranty an extremely high rate of celibacy without much risk to innocents…castration. Hey, if a man pledges his life to Christ in that church, then really, they have no use for “the boys” so why not get rid of them? It’ll get rid of many urges, and will also have an additional benefit of weeding out those that “think” they have the calling from those that know. Other religions remove certain male body pieces, it would show how serious one is to becoming a collar.
First, I am sure you are aware D that there are many with what you refer to as a “feminine perspective” who have failed to root out the abusers.
You may recall that in 1985 the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops published “Women in the Church,” more commonly known as “the Green Kit,” the culmination of several years of talks with Catholic feminists The stated objective of the kit was “To become aware that the women’s movement here and elsewhere is a sign of the times.” My recollection is that the majority of the bishops of the day embraced the feminist perspective and many went to great lengths to set up “Women in the Church” groups and run workshops promoting that feminist perspective in their respective dioceses. Many of the women involved ardently and very vocally advocated women’s ordination.
I raise this now only to point out that there has, I believe, been a healthy dose of the “feminine perspective” in the Church here in Canada.
Second, given your regular discussions with “good and healthy” priests I believe that you are also aware that there are dogmas of the Church which are “de fide” – meaning that they are truths of the faith which derive from divine revelation and hence can not and will not change. Why would your “good and healthy” priest friends want to debate such matters? What’s the point?
Third, if you want debate such matters please find another site. When such matters become the topic of discussion the site quickly gets taken over by arguments pro and con – the victims and the clerical abuse scandal get lost in the shuffle. Perhaps you and your “good and healthy” priest friends might consider starting a blog specifically to tackle all the teachings of the Church with which you disagree and which you would like to have changed?
No problem sylvia. Your perspective is important and for the record I never said anyone was arguing de fide teaching. That is a very small part of the issues facing the church even though the powers that be would love you to think it is all de fide. The green kit and the resulting ‘discussion’ amounted to no change. There has been no change and there will be none, without men and women of goodwill in discussion. I did not intend to offend you or your friends and I enjoyed the discussion…all the best!
Here is something “really” in Catholic doctrine Sylvia that you are wasting you’re breathe on and misleading others in calling for the kind of change you do here.
The whole priestly ministry draws it’s strength from the unique ability to routinely work the miracle of transubstantiation ( turning the substance of bread and wine into the substance of the body and blood of Christ in his humanity and in his divinity.) The only person on earth who can work this miracle is a priest and he can do with a congregation present or he can do this in private. This more than anything about his priesthood makes him a mediator ( higher and holier than all other men and women) between God and man. While you and others on you’re site here often refer to some priests as monsters ( less than human in essence), according to Catholic dogma , the Holy Spirit places these same men essentially higher than mere human beings I.e. ’ranked’ with the angels.
The power to effect transubstantiation is lodged in the priest by the sacrament of ordination and it cannot be taken from him except by death. Get bread and wine to a pedophile priest in a prison cell and he can still turn it into the body and blood of Christ. Church authorities can take away their faculties ( permission to act in certain diocese) but NOT their priesthood. At ordination a man is signed with the character of a priest by the Holy Spirit and no man can undo that. So ‘defrocking’ or ‘laicizing’ does not remove anything essentially from a pedophile or any other criminal sort of priest. This man has the power to effect transubstantiation even in the midst of a deplorable and criminal act and by whatever means he may choose to desecrate the ’Eucharist.’
As for Catholic doctrine though Sylvia , it isn’t the immutable rock you seem to think it is , as history reveals and by far the majority of Catholics are well aware that an unexamined faith is nothing more than superstition. Most Catholics are of the mindset that a change to the qualifications for priestly candidacy along with a more scrutinizing assessment of character is a more realizable goal to ensure a ‘safer’ institution than an un-achievable attempt to un-do what has been done.
“While you and others on you’re site here often refer to some priests as monsters ( less than human in essence), according to Catholic dogma , the Holy Spirit places these same men essentially higher than mere human beings I.e. ’ranked’ with the angels.” They are perverts and are the lowest form of scum we call human. I call bullshit (or dogshit) on your dogma. They are not elevated…who said that? Jesus? No. Defrocking does change things…it prevents them from preying on other innocents under the guise of holy men. It won’t reduce their pedophilic instincts, but it will reduce the population they can dupe in hopes of finding new victims. If the pervert collar wants to “transubstantiate”, he can…but who cares, as long as the pervert is no longer a collar, he can make sacrifices on a rock if he wants…and no one will give a damn.
You express a little differently than I would PJ 🙂 But, you are so right. Defrocking does change things. As you say “it prevents them from preying on other innocents under the guise of holy men.”
Larry, when a priest is defrocked/laicized, he is ‘reduced to the lay state.’ He can no longer function as a priest, in any way, shape or form. The sole exception is that in cases of necessity he can administer to Last Rights to a dying person. Yes, Larrym such a man retains ‘the power of orders,’ but, with the latter exception, he is forbidden to exercise that power. He can not ‘say’/offer Mass. When a priest is defrocked he is effectively out of the priesthood. Gone. He can not function as a priest. He can not present himself as a priest. He can not dupe parents into trusting him as a priest. He can present himself as a priest to groom and seduce a child. The diocese to which he once belonged is no longer responsible for him. If that diocese decides as an act of charity to provide him with a few dollars income monthly it does so out of ‘charity,’ not obligation.
As for your comments about doctrine, if you check you will see that I was talking dogmas. If you are interested in pursuing this further you might want to find a copy of Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma by Dr. Luydwig Ott. Another good book along the same line is The Sources of Catholic Dogma by Denzinger.
Sylvia, if you do a more thorough investigation into theological realities of Catholicism , you will find that a priest is a priest until death and what I have said above is the truth. The point I am trying to make as I think you well know is the absurdities that arise from the rigid notion that doctrine and dogman are Divine and immutable.
If you want to pursue further Larry, find copies of those two books. I’m not here to argue this out with you or anyone else.
It should be obvious to those who struggle for a ‘real’ change to the structure of the church is in the best interest for the future of the church ( the people are the church contrary to the popular notion that the hierarchy is) . A real change that involves critical assessment using lessons from history and knowledge about the present. And that in essence is how the ‘past’ should be used as a force to move positively forward, rather than as a stagnant reservoir of torment , grief and merciless hate that serve primarily to hold victims as prisoners of the same without providing any motivation to move forward in a world filled with injustice but also a world filled with love and an abundance of good. The liberation from hate, anger and pain should not depend on whether or not others will or won’t change.
And you have the last word on this Larry. That`s it.
I did some digging around on that post from April. There’s no Ken Rolston working in Langara Co-Operative Education – it was a typo. Its Kevin Rolston…and it’s him. It’s Father Kevin Rolston from Summerland, working at Langara College.
Ah JS, thank you, I appreciate your follow up to my post in April about where I do believe Kevin Rolston works.
Kevin Rolston Update: A Co-operative Education Instructor at Langara College in Vancouver, BC is on a leave of absence until December 31, 2013.
Thank you John O’. I just made not of that above.
Do you by chance know if Kevin Rolston has left the priesthood or been defrocked?
I just watched the wonderful, wrenching documentary, ‘Deliver Us From Evil’ about abuse in the Catholic Church and it brought me here. I recommend the film 100%.
I was a kid at the Summerland camp where Kevin was in charge. I was close to him – he was the witness/mentor (?) at my confirmation (I’ve long forgotten the church and a lot of the terms).
I remember our family being interviewed by the police and that something had happened, but the details were murky. I didn’t know until coming here that he was convicted and spent 2.5 yrs in prison. At the time of his conviction, the Internet wasn’t what it is now and if you missed it in the paper, you might never find out on your own. I haven’t thought about it much since.
I also attended Langara College and I bumped into him there around ’98. I don’t remember too much about our conversation, but I do know he left the priesthood.
This is such a complicated topic and far beyond my scope of knowledge. I don’t think I can understand or forgive him for what he did, but he did do his time. He seems to be contributing as a member of society and gets glowing reviews on a professor rating site from students.
What level of counselling has he received? Is he able to have an intimate relationship? Is he still abusing? Has he come to terms with his past? These are personal questions we don’t really know, but my wish is that he and his victims can somehow live fulfilling, happy lives.
I grew up in Summerland and went to the camp he ran when I was a kid. Didn’t ever have any issues myself, but then again I never talked to him. I ran into him at Langara when I was taking my nephew there, but apparently he doesn’t work there anymore. I’d be interested in reading some newspaper articles, but that was probably too far back to be on some website somewhere. I’ve heard rumors(and can check up on them if you want) that he runs a shop somewhere in Vancouver, but I don’t know what or where.
Yes, SC, it wold be appreciated by many if you could find out if Rolston is in fact running a shop somewhere in Vancouver.
If you come across any more articles than are posted above please pass them along.
I found myself back here after commenting a few years ago. Again, I grew up in summerland, knew the Rolston family, and attended camp boyle for 3 summers. I often wonder about his 3 victims from summerland. I would have seen them at church and school and it was a smaller town back then. I always wonder who they are and how they are doing 🙁 I’ll never forget the shock at this news in 92. I still have my group photo from camp with Kevin i it. I see his family around once in a while. So disturbing he served such little time and that he can just go on with his life as a teacher.
I had the opportunity to get to know Kevin last summer. I knew of his teaching position at Langara, he had not mentioned his time with the church and he certainly did not mention the 3 victims. I found him to be quite humorous and engaging, but he had a certain edge to him that’s hard to describe without any context. After reading some of the posts on this forum I think I understand his disposition better. He was guarded about his past, but I dismissed that as me not having established a close rapport with him. He seemed awkward when the conversation drifted towards any topic deemed *adult* in nature. It was a quirk that suggested a certain child-like naivety. He certainly spoke with passion regarding his teaching at Langara, and he seemed quite proud of the lives he’s helped as a teacher.
After reading the posts above, I’ve come to the conclusion that he’s trapped by his past misdeeds and that the only way he can cope is to hide away from society as, I’m sure, no one will offer him the benefit of the doubt. I think he is trying to be a contributing member of society. Maybe this is his way of dealing with his emotional demons. I do think that he will not be successful at nurturing close relationships, he will likely reject anyone who gets close enough as he may not want anyone knowing about what he did.
I wish him the best, and I hope he does overcome the demons that haunt him.
The above character description is typical of the underdeveloped personalities which are fostered in a male only, celibate culture which calls it’s members In Persona Christi….in the person of Christ! A ridiculous historical Anachronism which should end for the sake of the children. Not of these underdeveloped people are child molesters but a disproportional number are mal adjusted control freaks and it is not improving. The priesthood needs to grow into the modern world. That means that celibacy should be optional, woman should be in the power structure and lay people should continue to reclaim their church. Non of this is against the core teachings of the church but it would help revolutionize a sexually repressed and overly dogmatic structure. The new Pope I suspect knows this but change comes slowly in this old church!
Kevin Rolston found a convenient place to hide….so…. make it more difficult for people like him to do so. I was in the Seminary with him and the personality traits described above are dead on and are all to common in the Seminary then and now. Today it just hides in the guise of an extremely controlled and controlling conservatism…very scary but I am hoping for better!
Do you have a picture of him J? Is there perhaps a yearbook with a picture which could be scanned?
Note JD’s comments from September 20. JD writes: ” I seem to remember he was blond and had a scar on the back of one calf muscle and a bit of a limp.” Can you confirm any or all of JD’s recollection?
I think I do. It has been a long time and the picture would be from 1988. I will look to see if I can help. If i still have one it will be a group shot so I will crop it. BTW the description in that entry sounds right to me. In those days he was very Athletic looking with a slim build.
Fantastic! Hope you can find it.
I hope he is not molesting. I pray that his victims are overcoming the demons which have haunted them for years.
I went to that Catholic summer camp in the early ’80s. St. Mark’s I think it was called? I remember I got sick and had to leave a day or two early, before camp was done. There was another boy who got sick too, the same night. We waited with a family who lived nearby the next morning and I think the boy was their son. They had horses and he showed me he could ride one of the smaller ones bareback and we read comics until my parents came to pick me up.
I remember another boy at the camp, with blond hair who was much fussed over by Kevin and the older priest who was in charge. They commented on how beautiful he was. He reminded me of the boy who played Oliver Twist in the musical movie “Oliver!”. I wanted to be friends with him but he was very skittish. I remember, I think it was the second or third night, the other kids saying that he “had nightmares” and had been taken aside by the older priest and Kevin for some kind of counselling.
I seem to remember there were two, joined, barracks style rooms in the cabin with bunks beds. I picked the one side with the older boys but I was the youngest one there and they bullied me about my flashlight which had hippy flowers printed on it. Kevin stepped in and took me over to the other side which had the younger kids. He slept on the bottom bunk of one of the beds nearest to the door.
Some memories are very vivid of that time but others are oddly blurred. My parents said I didn’t seem like myself after, more subdued & anxious. Heard about his arrest and conviction when it happened and on and off, all these years since, I’ve wondered if something happened to me or if I witnessed something. I have had odd panic attacks and self-confidence issues all my life.
I just watched a documentary on YouTube about Hollywood child stars being molested and it brought up some of this stuff. Catholic summer camp, early ’80s, Okanagan area, priest in training named Kevin… Google search brought me here.
Is there a picture of him from then? I seem to remember he was blond and had a scar on the back of one calf muscle and a bit of a limp.
Does anyone have a picture of Kevin Rolston?
I believe Kevin is running a printing shop on Knight St, I was grabbing gas at the gas station on 57th and I saw him hanging around the print shop across the street. Walked by and he was behind the counter. At least he isn’t working at the school anymore, but he’s awfully close to a couple elementary/secondary schools.
I think we need to be careful not to be giving the impression or providing information which resembles stalking. An individual does have the right to try to make a living and be a contributing member of society. For all we know, he may well be in therapy and reporting to a probation officer?
In a city like Vancouver, define ‘proximity’ as it relates to schools? Thankfully, after much pain carried by victims, it’s not as if one is going to wander onto school property and not be immediately challenged?
Does that make sense?
I’m in no way stalking him, I’m not even completely sure it is him as I haven’t seen him for a number of years but I figured I’d just update people if I could. I don’t think he would wander onto school property or anything I just don’t know how long distance limitations stay in effect or anything like that. He seemed happy enough so I hope he has moved on from what happened if that was him after all.
I think somewhere in all of this there has to be a degree of prudence exercised, – for the sake of the children. If I had small children I would certainly want to know who the convicted molesters are in my neighborhood. Better to be safe than sorry.
I remember mark4 summer camp…and I remember the brothers and their names although I think they have anonymity for a reason….he did fawn over one boy inperticular and I believe there were more boys over the years who’s parents didn’t believe them. As for the scar on his calf and “blonde hair” that was one of his brothers i believe his name was Terry who’d been previously injured in a skiing accident and had mangled his leg.
There was also a motorhome behind the kitchen/gathering by the showers and washrooms area of camp boyle (mark4 summer camp)…that a few young counsellors like 13-15 and a younger boy about 9-10 hung out in there with rolston quite late when the other older ones were going to bed You could hear them laughing when you went to the washroom at night …the “young counsellors and boy ” and rolston also seemed to be missing when we were playing capture the flag…and no girl campers were ever allowed in the motor home. I also remember wondering why these young boys were even counsellors considering mark4 summer camp was a week for the girls and then a different week for the boys and most of the counsellors were 17-20 except for a few
This sounds chillingly familiar.
I remember everything..the only thing I may be off about is their specific ages as I was like 11 or 12 at the time i think the 9-10 year old brother might have been 12-14 I’m not sure I just know he was shorter than the other brothers and younger than them and they were like 14-16. I went to high school with them later on and their sister and obviously no one talked about it…
I deleted the name S. It may identify the brothers.
Thank you for the information. I hope that if there are others out there who were sexually abused and were not believed that they will find the courage to speak up
The guy with the scar on his calf was rolston brother…not one of the victims.
Okay. I put the name back.
So his brother was there too?
Two of rolstons brothers were counsellors and the one with the blonde hair and scar on his calf came to visit
Rolstons mom and sister also did the cooking for the camp in the camp house kitchen but they’d leave after dinner and come back the next day.
I have also wondered what Kevin Rolston is up to. My Mother was instrumental in his arrest. She was a volenteer cook at the summer camp for boys and had noticed one night that one of the boys she knew (victim) was in the above mentioned trailer late one evening. Kevin and this young boy who my Mom knew from our church where laughing and giggling . To quote my mom, she said ” I knew there was something wrong about it”. When she confronted the young victim as to what he was doing in the trailer with Kevin Rolston late at night, he at first denied being in the trailer. My mom could tell he was lying and persisted. He eventually over time, disclosed to her that he had been molested.
Understandably, the victim did not want to disclose the info to his parents or the police. My Mom went ballistic. She stormed over to Bishop Doyles and told him what she knew. The following day, a legal team of three lawyers came to our house and told her my mom to shut up because there was no testimony from the victim. The lawyers threatened that if she didn’t back off, they would sue on behalf of the church. Eventually, the victim child had developed the courage to tell and report the incident, thus starting the process of investigation and the ultimate charges that were to laid upon Kevin. Mom went to the priliminary court hearing and her presence helped solidify Kevin’s plea of guilty. Also, once the Catholic church had seen that there was no light at the end of the tunnel for Kevin, they apparently told him to plead guilty or they would retract legal council. As usual, the Catholic Church wanted to minimize their exposure, and a trial would not be good for their image. The details might be a little off but that is how I remember it going down.
Kevin used to come over to our house far too often, under the guise of doing bible study with my Mom. He also came over for dinners. His real reason for coming over, in my opinion, was to be around my younger brothers. I was too old for him but my younger brothers were in that age range that he found attractive.
I went to church and school with at least one of the victims and their sister and a hope and pray that they are all doing ok nowadays. The scars of child sexual abuse lasts forever but if addressed properly, it can make you stronger.
Kevin in his early to mid twenties was probably 6’2″ tall, brown hair and wore glasses. he had defined facial features. One could argue he was handsome. He was somewhat thin but had decent muscle tone. His demeanour as described above was childish, playful and un-adult like. I am not sure if that was a guise to lure children in or if he was always like that but it didn’t seem to fit the character of a young , soon to be be priest . I don’t believe he was ordained at that time but was on the verge of becoming so.
One of my brothers ran into him in the mid to late 90″s at at soccer field in Vancouver ( Kerrisdale). There was a children’s soccer tournament and my brother saw Kevin sitting with a young Mom and her two young boys. Kevin and my brother made eye contact. Not knowing what to do Kevin said ” Hey ____ is that you?” My brother approached them said &@#$ you Kevin, and told the woman ” Do you realize you are sitting with a convicted pedophile?”. She reacted angrily and said something like ” Who the f!@# are you!” My brother looked at her and said ” Consider yourself warned”.
Often I wonder what he is doing and if he is still in the priesthood. Doesn’t seem to be but who knows. One thing for sure, I know him well enough to know he will likely always be attracted to little boys. You could tell by his demeanour in the early days and I doubt it has changed. He seemed disproportionately interested in my youngest brother considering he was supposed to be there for bible study. The reason I share my testimony here is to perhaps in some way, keep the pressure on him so that he will think twice about reoffending. Pedophiles are attracted to children and that will never change. They have a very high rate of re offending.
I won’t go into my personal beliefs on what I believe society should do with people like him because it is too dark. I am happy Sylvia, that you take the time to keep this going. You are a warrior. It is a way of shaming and keeping pressure on CONVICTED offenders. They deserve worse. All pediphiles are bad, but priests uphold ” holier tha thou” positions and have the trust of parents and access to their children, should be looked upon as the worst of the bunch.
Anyone who says that ” they did their time” as someone said in an comment above, needs to understand that 2. 5 years or ( far to often, 2 years less a day so they can go to a nice jail with other pedophiles like themselves, to get help and keep from getting the !@#$ beat out of them in regular jail) isn’t anywhere near enough time to equate to the damage that victims endure throughout their entire lives. Very often our pathetic legal system allows plea bargains along with guilty pleas that dismiss other victims and accociated organizations altogether.
Far to often, victims live in shame, turning to drugs, suicide, alcoholism or become offenders themselves. If you can make it through it, which is a life long journey, you often become stronger and develop the ability to aid other victims in your lifes path.
For any victims of sexual abuse who might be reading this, be strong and love yourself. It wasn’t you fault.
For any pedophiles that are reading this, you better hope you don’t run into someone like me.
Thank you for this.
You are so right j. It’s a life sentence and if you don’t stop the bleeding it will seep into everything you do in your life. It steals the future you could have had and leads you to destroy everything good in your life, if you don’t get help and understand why you keep making the same mistakes. Eventually you have to face the damage and accept that you can make the changes to help yourself move forward. But often it’s too late the damage is done and the perpetrator? Who almost certainly has done this to many more victims ..gets a slap on the wrist, gets protected by the “like-minded” and gets to go on with his life.
Victims do not get to go on with their lives.
I first came to the site in 2011 and again in 2015. Back 3 years later. I am from Summerland and attended the Catholic church and went to Mark 4 camp at camp Boyle near Summerland from 83-86. My family knew the Rolston family quite well. It’s still shocking to know he was abusing / raping boys while running the camp and some of the abuse took place there. His family lived in a rural property outside of Summerland so it goes to show how much trust he was given that some abuse also took place in his bedroom at the family home. It disgusts me to read again how he was emotionally immature etc and this played into the crimes at all. He was mature enough to be given a position of leadership directing a camp for years plus mature enough to be an ordained minister leading a congregation. I wish I knew how the victims coped. I’m sure I knew them.
I also still have my group camp photo with him in it. I really hope if there are more victims (and I’m sure there are) that they one day are able to come forward.