SASKATOON (CANADA)
CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) [Toronto, Canada]
April 21, 2023
By Will McLernon
Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon says clergy member has been placed on administrative leave
The Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon has confirmed one of its priests has been charged in connection to an alleged sexual assault of a 13 year-old-girl.
The priest, Janko Kolosnjaji, has been placed on administrative leave, according to the church’s archivist Marusia Kobrynsky.
Kolosnjaji has been removed from active duty pending completion of the legal proceeding involving the assault allegation, which dates back to March 11, according to an Thursday post on the church’s website.
Saskatoon police say they arrested a 69-year-old man on Wednesday, after the police service’s interpersonal violence section completed an investigation into the allegation. He was charged with sexual assault.
The man, whom police did not identify as a priest, was later released on a recognizance order, the police service said in a news release Thursday.
Police say they first learned of the allegation on March 12, when a woman came to the Saskatoon Police Service headquarters with a report that her 13-year-old daughter had been sexually assaulted.
She told police the assault occurred the day before in the 200 block of Avenue M South — which is the block where the Ukrainian Catholic church is located.
Kobrynsky said the church took action as soon as it learned of the identity of the accused, and that the church had not known about the incident.
“We require two adults at any event that has children present, that have a minor,” Kobrynsky said on Friday. “We have criminal record screens for not just clergy, but for all volunteers and all employees.
“Even when drivers take children anywhere, we screen the drivers.”
Kobrynsky added that the church has a detailed safety protocol in place.
“We will once again alert all of our people to the fact that they should familiarize themselves with the policy and the requirements that are already in place,” Kobrynsky said.
“We publish the fact that those protocols are in place in every weekly church bulletin. Each parish has a covenant of care co-ordinator that is available to accept complaints. “
There haven’t been previous complaints against the accused priest, according to Kobrynsky.
Kolosnjaji is set to make his first court appearance May 24.