Spiritans Criticised over Abuse Response

By Patsy McGarry
Irish Times
September 5, 2012

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0905/breaking24.html?via=rel


[with pdf]

A review of child safeguarding practices in the Holy Ghost congregation has found that 142 abuse allegations had been made against 47 Spiritan or Holy Ghost priests since January 1st 1975.

Eight of the priests are still alive, with three out of ministry.

Three Spiritan priests have been convicted of abuse in the courts.

The review found that that Spiritan case files made for "very sad reading", with evidence that there were serial abusers who worked in school communities in Ireland who "went undetected and unchecked giving them unmonitored access to children during the 1960s, 70s and 80s."

It also found it "reasonable to believe" that there are other victims of Spiritans who have not yet come forward. "These victims may be located in Ireland, Canada, USA, Sierra Leone and any other country where the offending priests/brothers have worked."

The review, published this morning on the Spiritan website, was conducted by the Catholic Church child protection watchdog, its National Board for Safeguarding Children (NBSC), and is one of seven published this morning.

The Spiritans run some of the best-known schools in Ireland, including Blackrock College, St Mary's, Templeogue College and St Michael's in Dublin, as well as Rockwell College in Co Tipperary.

The report said it was clear there was no awareness of the impact of child sexual abuse on the part of the leadership of the congregation during the time under review. "There was a failure on the part of the congregation in these instances to create safe environments for children."

It found that there were, without doubt, victims whose abuse should have been preventable. "If the provincial at the time of receiving information about concerning behaviour, and in some cases direct allegations, had taken action to remove the offending priest/brother, then it is entirely reasonable to believe that some children could have been spared. This was unacceptable, and the current leadership has to carry the responsibility for the past failures of others."

It noted how one priest – Father A - abused 28 children between 1968 and 1993. He was not removed from ministry until 1996. The records suggest that there may have been other children abused in USA and in Ireland who have not yet come forward. Father A is now dead.

Another "prolific" abuser – Father B - had an abusive career which is known to have lasted 13 years. Concerns were raised, but he continued in ministry and abused children for a further 10 years. He was removed from ministry in April 1995.

The report said all 142 allegations made against Spiritan priests have been reported to the gardai and the HSE. But it found that some allegations received by the Spiritans were not reported to the civil authorities for up to four years after 1996 when Irish Catholic Church child protection guidelines were first published and which advised that all such allegations should be reported immediately to the civil authorities.

It also found that prior to 1994, previous provincials of the congregation maintained men in ministry after being informed of abuse. It said some of these men went on to abuse again.

"In some instances, priests/brothers were moved either out of the country or to other ministries, where they continued to abuse children. In some instances this abuse could have been prevented, if the congregation had responded to the information that was available at the time to them regarding risk to children. It is possible therefore that there are other victims, who have not yet come forward."

It recommended that the Spiritans "must extend an invitation to people to come forward who have not yet disclosed their abuse" and these victims should be offered counselling and support.

It said the Spiritans case records were "in excellent condition" and "set out very clearly the action and inaction of the congregation to allegations of abuse, notification and whether men were removed from ministry. There was no attempt by the congregation to hide any information."

However, there was an absence of detailed narrative accounts of recent contact with survivors This omission "undermines any recent positive engagement with survivors," it said.

The NBSC review was "broadly welcomed" by Mark Vincent Healy, who was abused by Spiritan priest Fr Henry Moloney while a pupil at St Mary's College Rathmines and whose efforts helped bring about this review of the Spiritan congregation.

In March 2009 Fr Maloney was convicted of abusing Mr Healy and another man, who died last June, when both were pupils at St Mary's College, Rathmines, between 1969 and 1973.Fr Maloney had already been convicted of child abuse in 2000. He taught at St Mary's between 1968 and 1973, before being transferred to Sierra Leone.

Mr Healy described the NBSC review findings as "an appalling litany of failures" to victims and their families".

"I particularly wish to remember one contributor to this audit who tragically died during the process, Paul Daly. We were in court together to see our tormentor and abuser convicted in 2009," he said.