An unnamed man who alleges sexual abuse by two Roman Catholic priests is suing the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver (RCAV), a Corporation Sole, the Catholic Independent Schools of Vancouver (CISVA) and the estates of two men.
The John Doe alleges in documents filed in B.C. Supreme Court Oct. 23 that North Vancouver Holy Trinity Parish pastor Father John Kilty, now dead, committed multiple acts of sexual assault and battery on him when he was six.
He further alleges Raymond Clavin, whose status is unknown, committed similar acts. The suit said Clavin was a former Christian Brothers pupil and coach, teacher or employee of CISVA.
“At all times material to the abuse, the RCAV and/or the CISVA were complicit in a culture of entrenched clericalism that enabled perpetrators of sexual abuse to continue to commit their grievous crimes, and wherein witnesses, complainants and whistleblowers were silenced,” the suit said.
The suit alleges Kilty psychologically groomed and manipulated the plaintiff, groped and touched him, drugged him, removed his clothes, fondled his genitals and anally penetrated him.
The suit alleges Clavin threatened to harm the boy, removed the plaintiff’s clothes, masturbated in front of him, forced the plaintiff to perform oral sex and anally penetrated him.
The suit alleges events took place in 1974 or 1975.
John Doe’s lawyer in the case is Sandra Kovacs. Kovacs acted for Rosemary Anderson, who, in August, was awarded $844,140 in damages in a sexual abuse case against the Kamloops Roman Catholic Diocese by a B.C. Supreme Court judge.
Rosemary Anderson alleged in a Dec. 22, 2016, notice of civil claim that sexual abuse at the hands of Erlindo Molon, now 88, started when she was 26.
The RCAV has not shied away from past abuses by priests against members of their flocks.
In November 2019, the archdiocese said in a report that a review of files of Catholic clergy sexual abuse in archdiocese had uncovered 36 cases, most involving minors.
And the names of Roman Catholic priests believed to have been involved in the sexual abuse of minors were being turned over to non-Catholic investigators, the archdiocese said.
