REGINA — A retired Catholic priest living Saskatchewan is facing extradition to Scotland on decades-old abuse charges.
The Archdiocese of Regina says Rev. Robert MacKenzie is accused of physical and sexual abuse going back to his time working at two schools in Scotland from the 1950s to the 1980s.
The archdiocese says Scottish authorities have obtained a surrender order from Canada's Ministry of Justice authorizing the extradition.
Deacon Eric Gurash of the archdiocese says Scotland is putting together a care plan to transport MacKenzie to Scotland to stand trial.
MacKenzie is in his mid-80s.
Scottish police began investigating MacKenzie in 2013 and criminal proceedings were underway by 2017.
Archbishop Donald Bolen of Regina recently sent a letter to pastors and parishes revealing that MacKenzie was being extradited.
"Two years ago ... MacKenzie was moved from the rectory where he had retired, to a retirement home where his movement and activities were further restricted," wrote Bolen.
"As more revelations regarding the outstanding criminal sexual allegations pending against (Father) MacKenzie in Scotland were brought to our attention, his faculties to minister as a priest were suspended."
A spokesman for Scotland's prosecution service would not release details of the charges Tuesday but did say no trial date has been set.
Gurash said MacKenzie joined the Regina archdiocese in 1988 and retired in the early 2000s. No allegations have surfaced from communities where MacKenzie served, he added.
