At least 7 Pennsylvania priests accused of sex abuse were sent to Toronto-area clergy rehab

In 1984, shortly after admitting to sexually molesting a 14-year-old child, Rev. John Connor of Pennsylvania was sent to a Toronto-area facility that helps clergy deal with addictions, mental-health issues and sexual disorders.

After eight months of treatment at the Southdown Institute, officials there warned the church that Connorshould not be put in a position where he would have responsibility for adolescents. Yetthe church seemed to ignore the institute's advice, and would later assign Connor to a parish in Conshohocken, Pa., with a grade school and encourage him to "educate youth."

These allegationsare found inthe more than 1,300 pages of an explosivegrand jury report released Tuesday that claimshundreds of Roman Catholic priests in Pennsylvaniaengaged in sexual abuse sincethe 1940s.

Of the victims, more than 1,000 werechildren, but that total could be thousands more, the grand jury concluded.

• More than 1,000 children abused by Pennsylvania priests, report says
• Vatican condemns sex abuse by Pennsylvania clergy

Within the report areseveral Canadian connections, including a fewcases where abuse is said to have occurred on Canadian soil.

The report says at least seven Pennsylvania priests were sent to Southdown for treatment. But the institute's assessment of some of those priests that they should never be near children didn't seem to deter the church from allowing them to continue to play a role in church activities.

Southdown is arehab centre for priestslocatedabout 65 kilometres north of Toronto in Holland Landing. Itmoved from its old location in nearby Aurora in 2013.

Ithas a team of psychologists and psychiatristswho mostly deal with clergy suffering from issues such as alcoholism and depression. But somepriests havealso been treated there formolestingchildren.

The grand jury report says in Connor's case, henever went to trial because church lawyers negotiated an agreement to have his record of arrest erased if he admitted to themolestation allegation and avoidedbeing arrested againfor a year.

Southdown's assessment was thatConnor"acts out sexually with some preference to late adolescent males" because of his problem with alcohol, the report says.

"They specifically warned against giving Connor responsibility for adolescents," it says, and "would not recommend any ministry that would directly put him in a positionof responsibility for adolescents such as a teaching situation."

'No warning to parishioners'

Yet the church would later give Connor assignments featuring an "unrestricted ministry," the report says, with "no warning to the parishioners of the church that he was an admitted child molester."

The grand jury says aman would later claim thatduring that time, from 1986 to 1988, when he was 12 to 14, hewas repeatedly molested by Connor.

In another case,Rev. Thomas C. Kelleywas accused of inappropriate sexual conduct with at least five victims who were 18- to 25-year-old males in high school or in the seminary, the report says.Kelley allegedly engaged in mutual masturbation, and oraland anal sex with his victims in Odessa, Pa.

In the fall of 1995, Kelley was sent to the Southdown Institute for a week-long assessment.

"It was determined that Kelley should have a restricted ministry that kept him away from young parishioners," the grand jury report says.

• More than 1,000 children abused by Pennsylvania priests, report says
• Vatican condemns sex abuse by Pennsylvania clergy

Kelley was latersent back to Southdown for "several months of treatment," the report says, during which time he "reflected on his conduct while in Odessa and decided that he was not ready to quit serving God."

Over the course of the next several years, Kelley spent most of his time as a priest in the Diocese of San Angelo, Texas.

Another reverend, JohnHoehl, wasadmitted to Southdownfollowinga reportof sexual abuse in 1986. He underwent therapy for approximately six months and was later discharged. During his treatment, the report says, the director of Southdown saidHoehlclaimedhehad been sexually involved with several high school studentswhen he was headmaster ofaCatholic high school in Baden, Pa.

Southdown provided the diocese in Pittsburgh withan assessment that said Hoehlwasa pedophile, according to the grand jury. Yet he would later be assignedas an educational consultant to the secretary of education for the diocese. He was also appointed chaplain at a hospital, the report says.

"The expiration of the statute of limitations preventedHoehlfrom being arrested and charged criminally for sexual abuse of minors."

The same is true for many cases documented in the grand jury report.

Abuse cases in Canada

The report also reveals details about cases where abuse is said to have occurred in Canada.

One priest is alleged to have sexually assaulted two boys in a hotel room in Toronto while on a retreat.

• More than 1,000 children abused by Pennsylvania priests, report says
• Vatican condemns sex abuse by Pennsylvania clergy

Another priest is alleged to have taken a trip with a boy to Canada, slept in the same bed with him and served him alcohol.

The grand jury report also mentionsthepolice investigation in 1988 of Rev. Robert G.Wolk, who was alleged to have sexually assaulted boys.

"During the investigation it was alleged that other unnamed priests conducted sado-masochistic rituals on several young boys in Washington and Somerset Counties, as well as in Florida and Canada,"thereport says.

It also refers to aPittsburgh Press newspaper article quoting a district attorney who said "investigators were looking intomore than 200 acts Wolkallegedly committed with one of the youths in Canada, Virginia, Florida and Ohio."

With files from Phillip Ling and The Associated Press