TENBY (UNITED KINGDOM)
Premier Christian News [Crowborough, England]
December 10, 2024
By Heather Preston
The Abbot of Caldey Abbey, a remote Welsh island monastery, has issued an apology following an independent review into historical child sex abuse by a late monk.
Father Jan Rossey apologised for the “great suffering” endured by children who were sexually abused by Father Thaddeus Kotik, who died in 1992 and the “culture of secrecy and cover-up” that kept it hidden.
The review, led by Jan Pickles, a former assistant police and crime commissioner, investigated allegations of abuse from the late 1960s to 1992. Victims included both boys and girls, many pre-pubescent, who either lived on or visited the island as children.
The investigation found Kotik used tactics such as offering treats and babysitting to groom children and their parents, enabling years of abuse, some of which persisted as families returned to the island.
The report highlighted repeated failures by the abbey’s leadership to report allegations to authorities, despite victims speaking up. The abuse was concealed through a “culture of secrecy and cover-up,” allowing Kotik to act with impunity.
Abbot Fr Jan Rossey, who commissioned the review, expressed “deep sorrow and regret” for the suffering endured by the victims and acknowledged “clear” missed opportunities to prevent the abuse.
“It is particularly heartbreaking to hear children spoke up to adults and no action was taken. Children and their families were failed when they should have been supported and listened to,” Fr Rossey said in a statement.
He apologised on behalf of the monastic community, condemning the abuse and the failure to protect children, stating that significant safeguarding measures have been implemented at the abbey since his appointment.
These measures, as recommended in the report include strict limits on contact between the monastic community, a ban on providing pastoral advice to visitors and a “no touch” policy.
Caldey Abbey and Caldey Island have endorsed the National Catholic Safeguarding Commission’s statement, which emphasises that “safeguarding on the island is of paramount importance.”
The Abbey is dedicated to “promoting the safeguarding of all children and young/vulnerable adults at risk within its community.”
With support from the Religious Life Safeguarding Service, Caldey Abbey aims to “embed a culture of safeguarding to prevent abuse, provide support to those harmed, and take necessary actions to reduce further harm.”
This review comes amid broader scrutiny of institutional responses to abuse, including a separate investigation into the Church of England’s handling of allegations involving barrister John Smyth.