Former bishop testifies at sex assault trial
Court hears he took action against priest in 1977 after alleged victim came forward
The former bishop of Kamloops says a shortage of clergy and a lack of evidence to substantiate “vague” rumours about sexual misconduct prevented him from removing a priest from his diocese in the 1970s.
Adam Exner, who also served as archbishop of Vancouver from 1991 until 2004, testified in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver that it wasn’t until Rosemary Anderson approached him with sexual assault allegations against Father Erlindo Molon in early 1977 that he could take action.
“Then I had hard facts that I could put much more pressure on him to accept help,” said Exner, who was dressed in a black clerical outfit with a white collar, and wore a pectoral cross on a gold chain around his neck. The 90-year-old walked into the courtroom on Thursday using a cane.
Anderson, 70, has filed a lawsuit against the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Kamloops, alleging that Molon raped her 70 to 100 times in 1976 and 1977, when she was teaching at Our Lady of Perpetual Help school in that city.
The diocese has admitted vicarious liability for Molon’s conduct, but the scope of the liability is at issue. Anderson has alleged that Exner, who was bishop at the time, was aware of a pattern of sexual misconduct involving Molon, but negligent in how he handled it.
Exner is not a named a defendant in the case. Molon, 88, who suffers from dementia and lives in Ontario, has filed court documents denying the allegations. Exner was the one who invited Molon to join the Kamloops diocese sometime in 1974.
“I was very short of clergy, and I engaged him and he did quite well. People loved him. He was very personable — he would attract people and people were attracted to him,” Exner said.
The rumours of misconduct began shortly after Molon arrived and became active in the parish. Exner described the rumours as vague insinuations that circulated among parishioners and the clergy. When asked if he could have known about them as early as 1975, Exner said he did not remember.
“He was misbehaving, he was a playboy,” Exner said, conceding under cross examination that Molon was also likely a predator.
Exner said he investigated the allegations as best he could and discussed his concerns with other clergy, but admitted under cross examination that he did not keep any notes or involve a lawyer. He claimed he didn’t interview any complainants because he never knew who they were.
When Exner brought the rumours to Molon, he said he didn’t deny them.
“He would just shrug them off and laugh,” Exner said.
Exner said he urged Molon to seek professional help multiple times, but nothing beyond that.
“I needed him too badly. And secondly, if I removed him, I would have had all the parish on my back. They loved him,” Exner said.
Anderson met with Exner in early 1977. “She was upset because her relationship with Father Molon was going in directions that she didn’t want, and there was a sexual component there, sexual activity, and that was about the size of it,” Exner said.
Anderson testified last week that the alleged assaults began in late 1976, and took place at the rectory and her apartment.
She said Molon took advantage of her and breached the boundaries of the priest-parishioner relationship.
“Obviously, I confronted him and I got the same answer as he always gave: ‘I’m human.’ That was what he’d always say when confronted with rumours,” Exner said.
“I told him that if he wanted to continue to work in the diocese he would have to get some professional help.”
Exner said Molon refused to get help, however he was allowed to continue preaching until he was suspended around February 1977.
On March 16 that year, Exner gave a homily during mass to let the parish know what had happened.
“People were very much upset with the way I was dealing with Father Molon,” said Exner. “They thought I was being unfair with him, so I had to explain what the truth was.”
After his suspension, Exner said he had no idea where Molon ended up. He believed that he was still living in Kamloops and that a family there was “harbouring” him.
“Who they were, I never found out,” Exner said.
Later in the year, he had a letter delivered to Molon via someone who knew where he was staying, reinforcing that his ability to do priestly duties had been removed.
“Most priests would know that, but he obviously didn’t, or he chose to ignore what he knew,” Exner said. “Whatever went on between us earlier, it obviously didn’t sink in, so I had to make it clear to him.”
Exner said that at the time, he did the best he could to deal with Molon.
“I had to balance my judgment: What is more harmful, what is less dangerous? I did what I thought was less dangerous,” he said.
Exner conceded, under questioning from Anderson’s lawyer Sandra Kovacs, that if he had removed Molon from his post earlier, Anderson would not have been put in the situation that she was.
“It wouldn’t have happened. But hindsight is always so much easier than foresight, believe me,” he said.