• Home »
  • Canada »
  • Peterborough priest facing sex charges
hand and heart

The recent post office troubles have impacted our regular fundraising efforts. Please consider supporting the Register and Catholic journalism by using one of the methods below:

  • Donate online
  • Donate by e-transfer to accounting@catholicregister.org
  • Donate by telephone: 416-934-3410 ext. 406 or toll-free 1-855-441-4077 ext. 406
Peterborough priest facing sex charges
Unsplash

Peterborough priest facing sex charges

By 
  • July 27, 2023

UPDATE 2024-03-13: Abuse charges withdrawn against Toronto priest

A 33-year-old Catholic priest is charged with sexual assault and sexual interference with a minor as a result of an investigation by Peterborough Police Service’s Sexual Offences Unit.

Fr. Neil Pereira was arrested July 26, but has been released from custody and is expected to appear in Peterborough court on Aug. 8.

According to a press release from the Peterborough Police Service, sexual interference is “when a person, for a sexual purpose, touches, directly or indirectly, with a part of the body or with an object, any part of the body of a person under the age of 16 years.”

Ordained a priest on June 27, 2020, by the Archdiocese of Toronto after his studies at St. Augustine’s Seminary, the accused had been serving in Peterborough on loan since June 2022. He was functioning as campus minister for Trent University and Fleming College. He had previously worked as an associate pastor at St. Isaac Jogues Parish in Pickering, Ont.

Peterborough Bishop Daniel Miehm said the diocese received an allegation in June of Pereira engaging in professional and sexual misconduct.

“The allegation was immediately reported to the Children’s Aid Society and the Peterborough Police Services,” stated Miehm. “Fr. Pereira was removed from pastoral ministry upon receipt of the allegation.

“All allegations of abuse and/or misconduct are addressed seriously and thoroughly in accordance with the diocesan policy. Please pray for all those who are impacted by this difficult situation.” 

The Toronto archdiocese also weighed in with a statement that nearly wholly echoed Miehm’s written remarks.

A video feature titled Road to Priesthood: Neil Pereira, which was published to YouTube by the archdiocese on the day of his ordination, is now listed as a private video, now unavailable for public consumption.

Peterborough Police Service opted to reveal Pereira’s identity because “the nature of the offences leads us to concerns there may be other victims.”

Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Detective Constable Jacob Donnelly at (705) 876-1122 ext. 335, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477

Last modified on March 13, 2024
Tagged under:

Related items

More in this category: « Extreme weather forces Lac Ste. Anne pilgrimage cancellation ‘Religious women’ have more kids, study shows »

Please support The Catholic Register

Unlike many media companies, The Catholic Register has never charged readers for access to the news and information on our website. We want to keep our award-winning journalism as widely available as possible. But we need your help.

For more than 125 years, The Register has been a trusted source of faith-based journalism. By making even a small donation you help ensure our future as an important voice in the Catholic Church. If you support the mission of Catholic journalism, please donate today. Thank you.

DONATE