Mark L. Sullivan
Priest, Diocese of Hamilton, Ontario. Ordained 1995.
18 May 2012 charges laid in relation to assault of a young girl. 13 August 2012: entered into a peace bond. Charges were withdrawn. Details of the peace bond are unknown at this time.
13 August 2012: R v. Mark Sullivan – Ontario Court of Justice
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Bishops of Hamilton Diocese from time of Father Mark Sullivan’s ordination: Anthony Frederick Tonnos (02 May 1984 – 24 September 2010) ; David Douglas Crosby, O.M.I. (24 Sep 2010 – – )
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23 August 2012: Charge withdrawn against Brantford priest
16 August 2012: BLOG The Peace Bond
13 August 2012: entered into a peace bond. CHARGES WERE WITHDRAWN
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Next court date: (There are two pending courtdates): 13 August 2012: 10:00 am, courtroom #2, Brantford, Ontario, to enter a guilty plea; 20 July 2012: 9 am, courtroom #3, “to be spoken to,” Brantford, Ontario courthouse (44 Queen St.); 26 July 2012: 9 am, courtroom #1, “to be spoken to,” Brantford, Ontario courthouse (44 Queen St.); 29 June 2012: 9 am, courtroom #1, for a motion, Brantford, Ontario courthouse (44 Queen St.)
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Unless otherwise indicated, the following information is drawn from Canadian Catholic Church Directories which I happen to have on hand (CCCD) and media (M) and information attained through the courts (C)
2016, 2015, 2014: Pastor, Saint Eugene Roman Catholic Church, Hamilton, Ontario (CCCD)
23 August 2012: according to media reports Father Sullivan will not be returning to St. Basil’s, his suspension from public ministry has however been lifted. For the time being he is living at the Mother House of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Hamilton, Ontario (M)
13 August 2012: entered into a peace bond. Charges were withdrawn (C)
18 May 2012: charges laid in relation to assault of a young girl.
2012: Pastor, St. Basil’s Roman Catholic Church, Brantford, Ontario (St. Basil’s RC Church Brantford, Ontario May 2012)
Brant Haldiman Norfolk Catholic District School Board: Christ the King School Newsletter – re preparation for Sacraments of Holy Communion and Confirmation (Preparation for Holy Communion and Confirmation – February 2012 school bulletin)
2011, 2010: Pastor, St. Anne Roman Catholic Church, Kitchener, Ontario (CCCD)
2009: Pastor, St. Anne Roman Catholic Church, Kitchener, Ontario (Father Mark Sullivan in Kitchener 2009)
2002, 2000: St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church, Hamilton, Ontario (Pastor Father Robert Sims) (CCCD)
1999: Our Lady of the Assumption, Brantford, Ontario (Pastor Father James Mihm)
1995-1998: assisting at Blessed Sacrament Roman Catholic Church, Kitchener, Ontario (Blessed Sacrament Kitchener Ontario)
1998, 1997, 1996: Blessed Sacrament Roman Catholic Church, Kitchener, Ontario (Pastor Father Martin Vallely) (CCCD)
1995: ORDAINED
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[Brantford Police Service Press Release]
Pastor Charged with Assaulting Young Girl
May 18, 2012
(12-13899)
A Brantford Pastor has been charged following an assault investigation
On April 13th, 2012, the Brantford Police received a complaint of an assault against a young girl. It is alleged that the assault took place sometime between September 2011, and October 2011, at St. Basils Church, Brantford. The young victim alleged that the accused grabbed hold of her arm, pinned her down in a chair and prevented her from leaving. The victim was not injured.
Mark .L. SULLIVAN, 49, yrs, of Palace Street has been charged with Assault. SULLIVAN was released and will appear in court on June 29, 2012 in Brantford.
Anyone with new information regarding this incident is asked to contact Detective Laureen Bird of the Brantford Police Service Vice Section at 519-756-0113 ext. 3001.
Tipsters who wish to remain anonymous are asked to contact Brant-Brantford Crime Stoppers at 519-750-8477 or 1-800-222-8477. Alternatively, a webtip may be submitted at: https://www.tipsubmit.com/WebTips.aspx?AgencyID=251
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Brantford priest charged with assault
The Brantford Expositor
18 May 2012
By Michael-Allan Marion, Brantford Expositor
A Brantford priest has been charged after city police received a complaint of an assault against a young girl.
Police say in a release that the girl reported she was assaulted sometime between September 2011 and October 2011 at St. Basil’s Church on Palace Street. She alleged that the accused grabbed hold of her arm, pinned her down in a chair and prevented her from leaving.
The victim was not injured, police say.
After an investigation, Rev. Mark L. Sullivan, 49, of Palace Street has been charged with assault.
He was released and will appear in court in Brantford on June 29.
Anyone with new information regarding this incident is asked to contact Det. Laureen Bird at 519-756-0013, ext. 3001.
Tipsters who wish to remain anonymous are asked to contact Brant-Brantford Crime Stoppers at 519-750-8477 or 1-800-222-8477.
There are two courtdates pending for Father Mark Sullivan, both at the Brantford courthouse, (Ontario Court of justice – 44 Queen St.):
I have no idea why the two separate dates have been set.
I checked and the next court-date of 26 July 2012 for Father Mark Sullivan still stands for 9 am, courtroom #1 “to be spoken to.”
Another surprise: Father Mark Sullivan entered into a peace bond and charges against him were withdrawn. I don’t know the specifics of the peace bond.
Even without knowing the specific details of the “peace bond”, just the fact that this priest had to enter into a peace bond would indicate that the court feels they need to protect the complainant from any further contact with this “priest”. It would also appear to me that the court felt that this priest may very well have attempted to contact the complainant, or her family.
Wonder what Glen and Jon Smith have to say about this. Mike.
There was supposed to be a Publication Ban on the outcome of the court hearing, but I guess it’s been lifted. Below is what was recently in the newspaper.
Brantford Expositor, Thursday August 23
A charge of assault laid against a Brantford Roman Catholic
priest has been withdrawn but church officials say that Rev. Mark
Sullivan will not return to St. Basil’s Church.
“It doesn’t appear he will be returning to St. Basil’s,” said Monsignor Murray Kroetsch, of the Diocese of Hamilton.
Sullivan, 49, was charged with assault in May after a young girl
alleged she had been grabbed by the arm and pinned in a chair during the
previous autumn. She was not injured.
That charge was withdrawn in Ontario Court on Aug. 13 and Sullivan was placed on a 12-month bond to keep the peace.
Sullivan had been suspended from his duties as a pastor at St.
Basil’s after being charged but following the withdrawal of the charge,
his suspension from public ministry has been lifted, Kroetsch said.
For the time being, Sullivan will be living at the mother house of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Hamilton.
St. Basil’s Church is being served by a visiting priest until the appointment of another pastor, Kroetsch said.
*words out he was also registered as a offender so you tell me how can he practise gods good work when he cannot even live by them himself , how can he be allowed to stand up at the altar and preach gods word knowing that deep down he does not practise them himself.
If that would of been my child this happened to I would have seen him behind bars and the rest of the superiors that circled the wagons around him too.
Cannot believe the Hamilton diocese would throw a little girl under the bus to save its almighty reputation ! And further more Crosby did not even try to contact the victims to express his concerns and to pray for all involved shame on you !!!! I am said to say that today I am embarrassed to be a Roman Catholic . Sullivan you need to move on try preaching at a prison where you belong.
Here is the account of what happened in the courtroom 13 August 2012 and an idea of what prompted the charges:
I will comment later today – just wanted to get this posted.
Well this validates those of us who felt the action was justified. Those who criticized us in comments minimizing the situation as being “merely grabbing her by the arm” now can read the facts. Should cause them to reflect upon their irresponsible comments blaming the girl for causing a tempest in a teapot…it’s more than that isn’t it? Thanks for posting this Sylvia, once again you’ve demonstrated the absolute value of this site!!
*Upon a quick read of the transcript, it appears she was being targeted! Not a meaningless incident. The parents(mother’s) good relationship with her daughter and her vigilance may turn out to be the “gift” of a lifetime: her daughter not becoming another victim!
Parents need to keep their guards up! Job well done “Mom”…
jg
Knowing Fr Mark personally, and being a parishioner at St Basil’s I can attest that the whole thing amounted to a tempest in a teapot, and that the peace bond was the fairest result for all parties involved.
Where is he?. Would he be at the Basilica in Hamilton
He has been Pastor at Pastor, Saint Eugene Roman Catholic Church, Hamilton, Ontario since around 2014