A former Kamloops priest, Fr. Erlindo ‘Lindo’ Molon is facing trial in BC Supreme Court for alleged sexual abuse. This picture appeared in the Archdiocese of Kingston newsletter in 2010.(National Post)
Vancouver, B.C.
Founder of Vancouver-based ‘Gimilami’ accused of sexual assault
Analysis
By Ted Alcuitas
A popular Filipino priest who served in the Kamloops archdiocese in the 70s is accused of sexual abuse by a former parishioner.
Fr. Erlindo ‘Lindo’ Molon is facing trial in BC Supreme Court for alleged sexual abuse filed by Rosemary Anderson .
Rosemary Anderson claims Father Erlindo Molon sexually assaulted her over a period of months in 1976 and 1977 in Kamloops.
In a Dec. 22, 2016 notice of civil claim, Anderson alleges the sexual abuse at the hands of Father Molon, now 86, started when she was 26 when she sought solace after her father’s death. She names Molon and the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Kamloops, in the claim. The Archdiocese of Kamloops has admitted liability in the civil claim.
Molon denies all the allegations.
The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount in damages from Molon and the Roman Catholic bishop of the diocese of Kamloops for psychological injury and the resulting loss.
The lawsuit says Anderson’s numerous psychological injuries include an impaired ability to trust others, low self-esteem and loss of connection to the church.
The court has heard on October 8 that Anderson had sought help from Fr. Molon in 1976 dealing with her grief from her father’s death.
She instead found herself being groped by him in his office which eventually ended in her being sexually assaulted, BC Supreme Court heard.
Anderson testified earlier the sexual abuse happened “on an average, I’d say, two or three times a week.”
After Anderson reported the abuse to Exner, he confronted Molon and offered him treatment for his sexual issues as a priest. He suspended Molon in October 1977.
Exner said he had also written to Molon’s bishop in his native Philippines asking for him to be recalled. He said Molon ignored that.
“I believe it would have been good for him to leave Canada,” said Exner who has called Molon “promiscuous” and “a playboy.”
Then Kamloops Archbishop Adam Exner, OMI, testifies at Vancouver hearing into Sex Abuse allegations of former priest.(Photograph By JEREMY HAINSWORTH, Vancouver Courier)
Molon, who is now 88 and incapable of representing himself did not attend court hearings and neither did his lawyer. He now lives in a care home in Kingston, Ontario and is said to be suffering from dementia.
Exner described Molon as a “playboy” and “promiscuous” in court documents.
Exner told Justice David Crossin he did consider laicizing or removing Molon’s priestly powers.
Exner, an Oblate, was archbishop of Kamloops from 1974 to 1982 when he became archbishop of Winnipeg. After nine years, he was appointed archbishop of Vancouver in 1991 until he reached the mandatory retirement age in 2004. He now resides at the Oblate House in Vancouver’s Westend.
From Palo, Leyte
Ordained in Palo,Leyte in 1959, Molon arrived in Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Kamloops in 1975 after serving in Lakeview, Oregon, and Quesnel. In 1977 Exner suspended him over the sex allegations.
About six months after the suspension, Exner got a letter from Vancouver Archbishop James Carney asking about a suspended priest who had celebrated a mass at St. Joseph’s parish in Vancouver.
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.
Anderson’s lawyer, Sandra Kovacs, asked Exner if he had warned other church officials about Molon.
“What am I supposed to do? “ Exner asked. “Warn every church in Canada and beyond?
According to the sex abuse tracker site, Sylvia’s Site, Molon was involved in the 1984 founding of the Filipino-Canadian Christian Society in BC (GIMILAMI). Gimilami is a play on the Cebuano word,Gikan sa Misa, ngadto sa Lamisa, meaning the members celebrate mass first and later, have a feast. Molon officiated on those masses.
Gimilami was responsible for the education of seminarians from Bohol with funds raised from their annual Santacruzan. Active for a number of decades, the organization currently appears to be dormant.Efforts by Philippine Canadian News.com to reach former members of Gimilami has been unsuccessful at posting.
According to Sylvia’s Site, Molon spent a year or two in the States before moving back to Canada.
Molon surfaced in Winnipeg where he had a sister in the 80’s and is said to have worked with the Army Champlaincy there. He frequently celebrated mass in people’s houses and receiving donations, a practice that Archbishop Exner eventually prohibited.
When Philippine Cardinal Jaime Sin visited Winnipeg in June 1988, Exner discussed with him the idea of vetting Filipino priests who sought assignments abroad, to which Sin agreed.
None of the allegations against Molon or Exner has been proven in court.
Here is a chronology of Molon’s whereabouts from Sylvia’s Site.
2017: Retired and living in Providence Manor (Kingston Archdiocese website)
2017: MOLON,
Rev. Erlindo (Lindo)
Retired
c/o Providence Manor
Montreal 4
275 Sydenham Street
Kingston, ON K7K 1G7
15 July 2016: Listed as an officiant (marriages) for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kingston. Ontario
07 August 2015: Listed as an officiant (marriages) for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kingston. Ontario ( officiants_aug07-1)
Undated: Father Lindo Molon in residence at St. Marys (Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception)
(Rector at Cathedral, Father Shawn Hughes, Associate Pastor Father Stephane Pouliot, In Residence with Father Molon: Dathers Robert Flurey, Francesco Msofu, William Powell and Daniel Ryan)
July 2006: retires as Administrator of St. Bridget in Stanleyville and mission of St. Vincent de Paul, Bathurst ( Father Molon retires as Administrator -Stanleyville)
2012: address for St. Mary’s Cathedral, Kingston, Ontario (CCCD) (Rector listed as Father S. Alanen)
26 October 2010: Has been assisting St. Mark’s Roman Catholic Church in Prescott. Ontario (Payment from St Mark Parish Finance)
Payment was made to Father Erlindo Molon in the amount of $550.00 for clergy coverage and mileage expenses on October 2, October 3, October 9, October 10 and October 30.
2010: address for St. Mary’s Cathedral, Kingston, Ontario (CCCD) (Rector listed as Father S. Alanen with Father F. Opara smmm assistant )
2009: offering Kingston Archdiocesan Spanish Masses at St. James Chapel during the summer months ( Father Molon Spanish Masses )
July 2006: “Lindo Molon retires as Administrator of the parish of St. Bridget, Stanleyville, and the mission of St. Vincent de Paul. Bathurst” ( Father Molon retires – Journey)
2005: had a sister living in Winnipeg, Manitoba. His sister was born in Southern Leyte Philippines (external link)
2002: St. Bridget Roman Catholic Church, Stanleyville, Ontario with mission in Bathurst (CCCD)
2001: St. Bridget Roman Catholic Church, Stanleyville, Ontario, ( Father Molon 2001 )
2000: Administrator, St. Bridget Roman Catholic Church, Stanleyville, Ontario with mission in Bathurst (CCCD)
27 August 1998: “Certificate of Permanent Registration as a person authorized to solemnize marriage in Ontario have been issued to the following” ( excerpt from The Ontario Gazette 16 June 2001)
27 June 1998:, “Rev. Lindo Molon will be administrator of St. Bridget’s Parish, Stanleyville, and St. Vincent de Paul, Bathurst.” (Kingston Whig Standard)
1995: not listed in Canadian Catholic Church Directory index (CCCD)
31 October 1995: Property record for townhouse on Jacksonville, Florida (7650 Melissa Ct. N) ( Erlindo N Molon property record townhouse )
Undated: Erlindo N Molon shown with addresses in Gainsville, Jacksonville and East Rockway (External link)
1993: St. Augustine Diocese, Florida (as in The Official Catholic Directory: Anno Domini 1993)
assisting at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, Jacksonville, Florida (Monsignor Patrick M. Madden, Father Ronald Camarda – lists Father Molon as “Lindo Molon (Philippines)” Bishop of St. Augustine Diocese , John J. Snyder.
1991: not listed in Canadian Catholic Church Directory index (CCCD)
1985-86: CFB Winnipeg, Westwin Manitoba (CCCD)
c 1984?: “guided and encouraged” group forming the Filipino-Canadian Christian Society in BC (GIMILAMI) ( Father Molon GIMILAMI 1984
listed as founder of GIMILAMI (Father Molon GIMILAMI logo)
1980: not listed in Canadian Catholic Church Directory index (CCCD)
1977: according to media reports was transferred to Ontario (I have an unconfirmed report that he was joining the military chaplaincy corps around this time. He did surface at CFB Winnipeg in the mid 80s so it is highly possible)
September 1976: allegation of sexual abuse by Father Lindo Molon which started September 1976
1974: Assistant at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Roman Catholic Church. Kamloops. British Columbia ( Father Molon OLPH 1974)