PEI

Retired P.E.I. Catholic priest facing historical sex-related charges

A retired P.E.I. Catholic priest is facing sex-related charges that go back to the late 1980s, after an alleged victim came forward recently.

Complaint was made 2 years ago; events allegedly took place in the late 1980s

An elderly man with white hair smiles into the camera.
Brendon Earl Gallant, who turns 80 on June 3, is shown in an image from his Facebook page. (Facebook)

A retired Roman Catholic priest on Prince Edward Island is facing sex-related charges that go back to the late 1980s.

RCMP began an investigation that led to charges being laid against Rev. Brendon Earl Gallant, 79, after the alleged victim came forward two years ago.

He made his first appearance in provincial court in Georgetown on May 22. Proceedings were adjourned to give him time to get a lawyer. 

None of the allegations have been proven in court and Gallant has not yet entered any pleas. 

The charges filed in Kings County include sexual interference and invitation to sexual touching, and cite a single victim who was under the age of 14 at the time of the alleged offences. The location cited in the documents was St. Margaret's, one of the many communities Gallant served over his time in the priesthood.

Diocese posts statement

"The Diocese of Charlottetown has learned that a retired priest made an appearance in court recently where he faced charges related to sexual offences involving a minor," the diocese wrote in a statement posted to its website.

"We can confirm the priest is not in active ministry. We invite prayers for all affected by this news. We are committed to ensuring our churches are safe environments."

79-year-old retired priest charged in P.E.I. with sex-related offences from the late 1980s

3 days ago
Duration 1:57
Rev. Brendon Gallant served more than 15 Roman Catholic parishes on P.E.I. before he retired. Now he's facing charges that go back to the late 1980s, allegedly involving sexual misconduct against a minor. The CBC's Nicola MacLeod explains.

Gallant also served as a priest at Catholic churches in Cardigan, Little Pond, St. Georges, Georgetown, Souris, Charlottetown, Glenwood, Brae, Alberton, Bloomfield, Foxley River, St. Charles and Burton before retiring after his last posting in Tignish in 2018.

The list is long because some Catholic priests on P.E.I. are responsible for multiple smaller communities at the same time, driving among them for weekend Mass and other services. 

In an email correspondence with CBC News, the chancellor of the Diocese of Charlottetown, Fr. Chris Sherren, said they learned about the charges the day before Gallant's first appearance. However, he said the diocese had been aware Gallant might be under investigation.

A priest stands in front of a shelf holding old artifacts
'We immediately removed him from active ministry as a precaution while we waited to see what would happen with the investigation,' said Fr. Chris Sherren, chancellor of the Diocese of Charlottetown, shown in a 2024 photo. (Nancy Russell/CBC)

"We knew it involved potential sexual misconduct, so we immediately removed him from active ministry as a precaution while we waited to see what would happen with the investigation," Sherren wrote.

Sherren also confirmed Gallant was a priest in Kings County during the time frame covered by the allegations. The chancellor said the specific allegations were a surprise to him.

In the statement posted to the diocese website, officials said the organization has a safe environment policy and anyone who wishes to report misconduct by a member of the clergy, lay staff or volunteer should call the diocese office or report directly to police.

No other known victims

In response to a request from CBC News, the P.E.I. RCMP issued a news release late Friday afternoon.

"Any time there is a crime of this nature, there is always the concern that there are other victims. At this stage, we have no information showing other incidents," Cpl. Gavin Moore said in the release. 

"A sexual assault complaint can be made at any time, and there is no statute of limitations as to how far back the assault happened."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nicola MacLeod

Video Journalist

Nicola is a reporter and producer for CBC News in Prince Edward Island. She regularly covers the criminal justice system and also hosted the CBC podcast Good Question P.E.I. She grew up on the Island and is a graduate of St. Thomas University's journalism program. Got a story? Email nicola.macleod@cbc.ca