'Accountability is coming': Petition demanding inquiry into Catholic priest abuse tops 1,000 signatures
Petition organizers want to learn about abusers, as well as those who enabled it
More than 1,000 people have signed a petition demanding a federal inquiry into the Catholic Church's handling of abusive priests.
Organizers and abuse survivors say it's the only way to get at the truth.
That includes Gary Mulligan. As a student in Saskatoon, he was was one of many boys sexually abused by Catholic Priest Hodgson Marshall across Canada starting in the 1960s.
At Saskatoon's St. Paul's High School, Marshall would watch his victims through a one way mirror from his office to the boys' change room. Marshall was eventually convicted, and died several years ago.
Mulligan said abusers should be exposed, and so should the officials who enabled it.
"I mean, everybody that's responsible for hiding these priests that committed these acts are just as responsible. They should do jail time, too," he said.
That's why Mulligan supports the petition calling for a federal inquiry. It recently topped 1,000 names.
Sponsored by Niagara Centre MP Vince Badawey, the petition calls on the House of Commons to launch a "comprehensive investigation with the aim of not only identifying pedophile priests, but also the logistics operation established by leadership that helped facilitate the continued sexual predation of children."
The petition states exposing the system would correct the historic record, help victims "suffering in silence" to see they aren't alone and prevent further abuse.
Mulligan said he came forward decades later after seeing Ontario reports of Marshall's criminal charges, and it's helped him to heal. He hopes an inquiry, and the resulting exposure, will help others do the same.
"The problem with the whole thing is they all knew what was happening," Mulligan said.
Mulligan and Ontario petition organizer Daniela Siggia said they're grateful for all those who've signed, and for the growing number of voices speaking out.
This week, for example, a Saskatoon priest joined the call for release of internal church files on abusers. Rev. André Poilièvre said the church also needs to make other sweeping changes, such as ordaining married men and women.
"The whole cultural clerical system in the church is demonic. It's evil. It's anti-woman. You know that whole clerical culture needs to be destroyed," said Polièvre.
Siggia said the secrets will come out eventually.
"I feel like there's enough of a movement happening. Whether they do it on their own or are forced to do it, accountability is coming," Siggia said.
Ontario lawyer Rob Talach, who estimates he's taken Catholic organizations or officials to court more than 400 times, also supports the petition. He says any abusers, or those who enabled them, should face the full weight of the justice system. He said it's essential to send a message to victims "suffering in silence" that they aren't alone.
Talach said full disclosure is the first step in healing.
"How can you solve a problem if you don't know what caused it or how bad it is?" Talach said.
Many dioceses in the U.S. have volunteered or been forced to release lists of abusive priests. The Archdiocese of Vancouver became the first in Canada to release a list this year, although most of the 36 cases identified did not include the name of the priest. The Canadian branch of the Jesuit order of priests has promised a list within a year.
No other diocese in Canada has released its internal information on abusive priests.