ST. CATHARINES (CANADA)
Elliot Lake Today [Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada]
July 26, 2026
By Kris Dube
Niagara Region Right to Life says it is putting the name of its Fr. Ted Colleton Scholarship “in abeyance” and will continue the pro-life essay contest under a new name following allegations of sexual abuse against the late priest.
An anti-abortion organization called Niagara Region Right to Life is changing its nationwide scholarship due to allegations made against the Catholic priest it has been named after since 2001.
A religious order in Ireland, the Spiritan Provincial, issued a callout in June for potential victims of Fr. Ted Colleton, who preached in Canada from 1971 to 2007 before he died in 2011.
While it is unknown if any Canadian victims have come forward, an investigation in Ireland was prompted by one individual who reported abuse at the hands of Colleton.
Niagara Region Right to Life, a “registered charity and educational partner that believes all human life should be protected from conception to natural death,” for 25 years has offered the Fr. Ted Colleton Scholarship, a pro-life essay contest for high school students across the country with prizes of $2,000, $1500, and $1,000 to its winners.
Asked about the accusations made against Colleton, Niagara Region Right to Life said in a statement it has “decided to place the current name of its scholarship program in abeyance while further clarification is sought.”
The scholarship program will continue under a new name, with the same purpose of “encouraging and supporting young people who are committed to the protection of human life,” reads the statement, provided on behalf of the organization by Pete Blakinski, director of communications for Campaign Life Coalition, a separate group that often handles media inquiries for Niagara Region Right to Life, he told Village Media.
“This decision is made with sorrow and prudence, in recognition of the seriousness of the matter and in a spirit of care, transparency, and respect,” reads the statement.
Liam O’Connor, from Ireland, told Village Media that he first reported the historic abuse he suffered at Colleton’s hands in 2002. He said the incident happened in 1967 when he was 14 years old at Blackrock College, an institution that has already delivered a formal apology to him.
Village Media has not heard back from the Diocese of St. Catharines in response to a question about whether Colleton worked at any churches in Niagara.
According to a Spiritan memorial publication obtained by Village Media, Colleton, in the early 1980s, conducted fundraising for the Spiritan Province of TransCanada, headquartered in Scarborough.
In 1990, he was appointed assistant pastor at St. Rita’s Parish in Woodstock.
A strong advocate for the pro-life movement, Colleton was a regular on TV and radio programs discussing his opinions, says the memorial bio.
Information about the scholarship appears to have been removed from Niagara Region Right to Life’s website.
The Spiritans in Ireland believe there could be Canadian victims and have created a process for them to come forward.
“News of formal allegations of abuse comes as a shock to us and, we expect, to those who knew Fr. Ted and his work in defence of life,” said Jeff Gunnarson, National President of Campaign Life Coalition earlier this year when the allegations were covered by Village Media.
In 2023, the Spiritans issued a formal apology to O’Connor.
Colleton was 89 and living in Canada when O’Connor went public with his allegations. Irish police said they would have to apply for an extradition order which would not be granted so, “they wouldn’t take the case forward,” O’Connor told Village Media earlier this year.
The Spiritan Provincial in Ireland has asked anyone in either country “who suffered childhood or any abuse,” by Colleton to reach out to is safeguarding office in Dublin via safeguarding@spiritan.ie.
Campaign Life Coalition continued in its statement that they are “surprised” that the Spiritans have “a protocol of issuing an apology before any investigation or confirmation of fact” has been established.
“The result is that the accused automatically becomes guilty—unless he is proven innocent. This is quite different from Western justice systems of today where one is assumed innocent until proven guilty,” the statement reads.
William O’Sullivan is a vocal advocate for survivors of abuse from Catholic priests, something he experienced during his time at St. Kevin’s Church in Welland in the late 70s and early 80s.
His abuser, Fr. Don Grecco, was criminally convicted in 2010 and 2017.
O’Sullivan told Village Media that he is aware of Colleton as a “huge activist” for the anti-abortion stance, and that he hopes the Niagara Region Right to Life scholarship ends up being named after a Catholic priest who has not been convicted or accused of abuse.
O’Sullivan, now in his mid-50s, believes there could be more victims even though only one accuser of Colleton has come forward publicly to date.
“It’s not a part-time gig. There’s more survivors in Canada, for sure,” he said.
He is also pleased to hear Niagara Region Right to Life plans to rename its scholarship.
“They’re doing the right thing,” he said.
O’Sullivan also hopes the organization communicates with past recipients about why the scholarship they received is being renamed.
-with files from Troy Bridgeman