Rev. John Gannon was found guilty Monday in the Ontario Court of Justice for offences committed in Cornwall, Ont., in 2007 and 2008 at the Legionaries of Christ novitiate and apostolic school.
He’d been pastor at Ascension Parish in Calgary since the summer of 2022 until he was placed on administrative leave and prohibited from exercising his priestly duties after being charged in early 2024.
Before that, he’d been posted to the downtown Sacred Heart Parish for six years.
Gannon has been a member of the Catholic missionary congregation known as the Legionaries of Christ, which issued a statement following his conviction, noting that the priest maintains his innocence and plans to appeal the convictions.
“The Legionaries of Christ respect the decision of the court and the legal process,” the statement said.
“We recognize the courage it takes for someone to come forward with a report of abuse and participate in a legal process. Our prayers for healing are with the individual who brought this case forward, and we apologize profoundly and sincerely to them for what they suffered and for the pain it has caused.”
The Legionaries said they’re committed to helping victims and encouraged anyone who’s suffered abuse to come forward.
“We reaffirm our commitment to truth, accountability, transparency and justice, asking our Lord to strengthen and guide us as we examine our work for ways that we can continue to improve our protection of minors and vulnerable adults,” the statement said.
No date has been set for Gannon’s sentencing.
In a September 2022 introductory letter to parishioners at Ascension Parish, Gannon urged them to resume practising their faith following the COVID-19 pandemic that had kept them physically apart.
“While the last couple of years have had their challenges, I am excited to see how the Lord will lead us going forward,” he wrote.