(ZENIT News / Ontario, 06.14.2025).- In what could become one of the most sobering financial scandals in Canadian religious life in recent memory, the Jesuits of Canada have filed a civil lawsuit against their former longtime finance director, Barry Leidl, and his wife, Nancy, alleging the misappropriation of more than 6.5 million Canadian dollars. The lawsuit, submitted to Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice in Toronto on June 2, 2025, opens a complex chapter in the history of a religious order that has been part of Canada’s spiritual and cultural fabric for over four centuries.
The Jesuits, known for their educational and missionary work across Canada and the Americas, claim the diverted funds were intended for essential pastoral and formation programs—support for elderly and infirm members, training of future Jesuits, spiritual retreats for students, and community outreach efforts. Instead, the money allegedly ended up serving personal benefit.
Although criminal charges have yet to be filed, sources close to the matter suggest that further legal action is under consideration. «Right now, the priority is recovery,” one source noted, citing the deliberate, stepwise approach of the new provincial superior, Father Jeffrey Burwell, SJ. “Once that phase is complete, nothing is off the table.”
The case touches a nerve not only because of its financial scope but also due to the trusted role Leidl held. He had worked with the Jesuits for over 30 years, retiring in 2024 after serving in a series of increasingly influential financial roles. He was deeply embedded in the institutional life of the order, managing internal reserves, investment income, and operational surpluses. The alleged malfeasance came to light during internal audits late last year, prompting a confrontation by Father Burwell and, eventually, the decision to bring the matter into the public arena.
Leidl and his wife reside in Guelph, Ontario, where they were active members of a Jesuit-run parish. The small city has been a cornerstone of Jesuit presence since the 19th century and is home to the Ignatius Jesuit Centre—making the allegations especially painful for local Jesuits and parishioners.
“The sense of betrayal runs deep,” said a Jesuit source familiar with the investigation. “This wasn’t just an operational loss. It was relational. Barry was part of the fabric here.”
In 2021, Leidl was featured in a piece celebrating lay collaboration with religious orders, expressing pride in how laypeople like him had come to be viewed as essential partners in the Jesuit mission. Ironically, it was that very trust and integration that gave him sweeping access to the organization’s finances. At the time, he reflected warmly on the transformation in ecclesial culture: “There’s good dialogue now. It’s less about who wears a collar and more about shared mission.”
But that mission has now been compromised—if not in spirit, then in finances. Monthly donors, including retirees and ordinary parishioners, are among the alleged indirect victims. Leidl once called them “unique and important partners,” acknowledging their contributions as vital to Jesuit work. Many of them likely assumed their support was helping form young novices or care for elderly priests at the René Goupil residence. Instead, some of that support may have vanished into private accounts.
For now, the Jesuits have remained measured in public comments, citing the ongoing legal proceedings. They have confirmed the lawsuit and stated that their internal controls have been strengthened. “The daily functioning of our missions has not been materially affected,” their statement reads, “but we are committed to recovering the funds and reaffirming the trust of our benefactors and collaborators.”
This isn’t the first time a religious organization has faced allegations of financial misconduct, but the case carries a particular weight given the Jesuits’ historical presence in Canada. Arriving in 1611, they were among the first European missionaries to live and work with Indigenous communities in what was then New France. Their letters and journals remain invaluable to Canadian historians. Today, the Canadian province includes more than 100 Jesuits and coordinates closely with over 60 Jesuit missionaries from Haiti.
Though the Jesuits globally have often drawn attention for progressive theological leanings, the Canadian province has been notably eclectic in its outreach. Jesuits here have ministered to traditionalist Catholic communities alongside Indigenous groups, urban youth, and academics—an embodiment of their motto: men for others.
That inclusive and deeply pastoral identity makes the alleged betrayal by a trusted lay collaborator all the more jarring. While the financial loss is substantial, the deeper wound lies in the fracture of a relationship built over decades.
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