Three men united by an almost-60-year search for justice and truth still question how the Catholic Church harboured a serial abuser for so many years.
Two M茅tis residential school survivors Richard Hardy and Mike Gladu, both originally from Tulita attended the Grollier Hall school in Inuvik from 1959 until 1963. The school was operated by the Catholic Church.
RELATED REPORTING: M茅tis man from Tulita writing book on Grollier Hall abuse
Now retired, the pair travelled to Goderich, Ont. from Aug. 15 to 17 to meet with Hugh Feagen, a retired sergeant who, in 1962, investigated a man named Martin Houston for his abusive actions at Grollier Hall. Feagen questioned the boys during the probe, as well.
Houston sexually abused several boys at Grollier Hall, including Gladu and Hardy and was convicted in the 1960s and jailed for nine years. Another conviction in 1975 was for incidents of gross indecency in Manitoba and he was put on probation for two years.
He was also ordained as a Catholic priest in 1990 in the Archdiocese of St. Boniface at Notre Dame du Laus Church in Powerview, Man. He served until 2002, when his past was made public and he was suspended from the ministry.
He was convicted again in 2004 for his actions at Grollier Hall. Three other former Grollier supervisors SA国际影视传媒� Paul Leroux, Joseph Jean Louis Comeau and George Maczynski SA国际影视传媒� were also convicted for sexual crimes.
Houston died in 2010.
While Gladu and Hardy have kept in touch over the years, they hadnSA国际影视传媒檛 seen Feagen since the early 1960s. The retired officer reached out to them after reading the story about Hardy that was published in News/North on July 19, 2021.
SA国际影视传媒淲e didnSA国际影视传媒檛 have a great deal of encounters with him but he was important for our lives,SA国际影视传媒� said Hardy, who spoke with News/North over Zoom alongside Gladu and Feagen. SA国际影视传媒淭here were three students from (Tulita) whom he took statements from. Mike and I were working at my fatherSA国际影视传媒檚 sawmill. We were 15 years old, bagging sawdust. Hugh came and said SA国际影视传媒業 need to talk to you guys.SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淲hat was unusual from the perspective of a boy is Hugh presented as a man of compassion which we seldom saw from policemen,SA国际影视传媒� Hardy said, adding that Feagen stood out as the only adult in the situation who showed any regard for the boys.
The church seemed to care little about them. Hardy remembers a priest telling them in the 1960s to pray for Houston during the investigation and trial.
Feagen said he felt disappointed at the time that there was nothing he could do for the boys.
SA国际影视传媒淭here was nothing available to treat the boys after Houston was convicted, like mental health supports. We expected the church to offer some support but they didnSA国际影视传媒檛,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
SA国际影视传媒�(But) ISA国际影视传媒檓 honoured that these men have come to see me here. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 fantastic really. A policeman usually doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 get that kind of treatment.SA国际影视传媒�
A happy reunion and a yearning for justice aside, sharing of stories in Goderich dredged up many disturbing realizations and lingering questions.
Feagen remembers Houston refused to answer his questions, along with the priest in charge at Grollier SA国际影视传媒� Father Max Ruyant SA国际影视传媒� who tried to control the investigation.
SA国际影视传媒淭here was no doubt that they knew what was going on. When I questioned Sister Hiebert they wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 let me question her alone. Father Ruyant had to be present. He couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 control what she said but he was there, which was a deterrent to anyone under him. That was common in those days. A nun didnSA国际影视传媒檛 have much power. A priest did.SA国际影视传媒�
In the preliminary hearing, Hardy said Hiebert explained that she lived above the boys dormitory and could hear what was going on, including an incident that involved a boy bathing Houston in his bathroom.
She reported it to Ruyant, but he did nothing. Hiebert later spoke with Houston and the priest. Houston denied what she said and Ruyant believed him.
HoustonSA国际影视传媒檚 term of imprisonment and the possible background machinations still leave the three men confused.
SA国际影视传媒淚t was very strange because when (Houston) was convicted at trial in 1962, he was declared a dangerous sexual offender,SA国际影视传媒� Feagen said. SA国际影视传媒淎t that time a dangerous offender went to jail indefinitely. Every third year they had to review his case. And after nine years they released him.SA国际影视传媒�
In 1968, while Houston was in prison, Gladu was approached by an Inuvik parish priest named Father Adam, who asked him to provide a statement attesting to the goodness of HoustonSA国际影视传媒檚 character.
SA国际影视传媒淚 just said no effing way. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 not going to happen,SA国际影视传媒� Gladu recalled.
SA国际影视传媒淲e didnSA国际影视传媒檛 figure it out until now but the church was active in trying to get him out every three years,SA国际影视传媒� Hardy added. SA国际影视传媒淭he other thing that shocked me about that process is that no one told the victims that these hearings were going on. There are a lot of things that are bizarre about this. ISA国际影视传媒檓 constantly asking why, why, why.SA国际影视传媒�
The three men see nothing but a giant question mark hanging over HoustonSA国际影视传媒檚 entry into the priesthood.
SA国际影视传媒淲e expected him to be put away forever,SA国际影视传媒� said Feagen. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 self-explanatory. He was a dangerous sexual offender. To become a priest shouldSA国际影视传媒檝e been impossible. I donSA国际影视传媒檛 see how someone like that could become a priest.SA国际影视传媒�
Gladu felt shock and disappointment when he learned about HoustonSA国际影视传媒檚 ordination.
SA国际影视传媒淚 wondered how that could happen. Being a Catholic I was very disappointed that he didnSA国际影视传媒檛 go to jail for more than nine years. I donSA国际影视传媒檛 feel good about it.SA国际影视传媒�
Hardy and Gladu havenSA国际影视传媒檛 received an apology from the church. The Archdiocese of St. Boniface, through spokesperson Daniel Bahuaud said the archdiocese doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 have information as to why Archbishop Antoine Hacault ordained Houston in 1990.
But the boys arenSA国际影视传媒檛 interested in an apology.
SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 really care about an apology,SA国际影视传媒� Gladu said. SA国际影视传媒淭hese things bring back shitty memories. I would like the church to say it was all a mistake and it was their fault. But I donSA国际影视传媒檛 think itSA国际影视传媒檚 going to happen.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淥ne of the things ISA国际影视传媒檝e learnt over the years (on) my own healing journey is that for Martin Houston, it wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 personal. We were just objects to him,SA国际影视传媒� Hardy said. SA国际影视传媒淢y battle isnSA国际影视传媒檛 with him. He was just a tool in the hands of the church. My battle is with the church. I want acknowledgment of all the wrongs the church was involved in and they can keep their apologies for all ISA国际影视传媒檓 concerned.
SA国际影视传媒淎fter all of that was over you would think the Houston experience would show the church it has to do better and hire different people who arenSA国际影视传媒檛 pedophiles. But they hired three more SA国际影视传媒� Leroux, Comeau and Maczynski SA国际影视传媒� who were pedophiles.SA国际影视传媒�
One reason why Hardy seeks acknowledgment over apology is to disprove people who doubt the experiences of survivors.
SA国际影视传媒淧eople saying SA国际影视传媒榯hese guys are just making up these stories to get more money.SA国际影视传媒� (Former) Bishop Paul Pich茅 (of Mackenzie-Fort Smith) said this himself in a book that was written about him called The Bishop Who Cared. ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 a long quote from him saying the boys are making up these stories to get more money. Many true believers in the Catholic church still take that point of view.SA国际影视传媒�
