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KILKENNY CHILD ABUSE /RAPE – THE.SISTER STAN CONNECTION.

KILKENNY CHILD ABUSE /RAPE – THE.SISTER STAN CONNECTION.


Attack by Mary Raftery on Sister Stanislaus Kennedy and Sister Conception

Added on July 17, 2006
Ladies, Gentlemen and Scholars

The current issue of Village Magazine (13 July) contains a long and thuggish attack by Mary Raftery on Sister Stanislaus Kennedy and Sister Conception. I hope that the following articles concerning Sister Stanislaus will help to show the other side of the story and that in particular they will indicate how much credibility should be accorded to Mary Raftery. 

The articles were attached to my letter to the editor of the Irish Times dated 17 April 2005. They have also appeared in whole or in part on http://www.alliancesupport.org and http://www.voicesemerge.org (formerly http://www.voicesemerge.com).

My correspondence with the Irish Times can be summed up in the sentence with which I ended: “Every word [Mary Raftery] writes is a lie including ‘and’ and ‘the’ “.

Regards

Rory Connor
11 Lohunda Grove
Dublin 15
16 July 2006

MARY RAFTERY AND SISTER STANISLAUS KENNEDY (1)

Irish Times 22 December 1999 – SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN

Sir – In relation to the recent controversy regarding whether or not Sister Stan knew about sexual abuse in Kilkenny in the late 1970s I would like to put the record straight.

I was the childcare worker referred to in the States of Fear programme and in the book Suffer the Little Children, who resigned from St. Joseph’s Kilkenny in 1977.

I did not tell Sr Stan at any stage that children were being sexually abused in St. Joseph’s because I myself was unaware that sexual abuse was occurring.

It was in 1995/1996 that I got my first inkling that children had been sexually abused in 1977, almost 20 years after it is alleged that I told Sr Stan.

It is my belief today, as it was then, that Sister Stan did everything she could in 1977 regarding the children in St. Joseph’s.

Yours etc

EDWARD MURPHY
Westfield
Kilkenny

COMMENT:
On several occasions Mary Raftery has claimed that Sister Stanislaus failed to take action on a complaint of sexual abuse made to her concerning St. Joseph’s, Kilkenny in the 1970s. When faced with the evidence of Edward Murphy, Mary Raftery said that her claim is based on a statement made by Sister Stanislaus to the Garda in 1995. Sister Stan has repeatedly explained that, in her statement she was she was speaking about sexual abuse with the wisdom of hindsight, but that she had so such suspicions at the time. Mary Raftery appears to believe that Sister Stan told the truth in her statement to the Gardai but subsequently told lies about it. Does she believe that social worker Edward Murphy is also lying? Or maybe she think that he did not know about sexual abuse in 1977 but Sister Stan did?

In the case of Raymond Noctor -v.-The Attorney General and Others, the President of the High Court accepted that the nuns did not know about sexual abuse in the 1970s. Raymond Noctor claimed that he told Sister Conception about sexual abuse at a meeting which was also attended by Bishop Birch and by two Garda Sergeants who were working in a voluntary capacity in St. Josephs. The judge did not accept that such a meeting took place. Among other things, he pointed out that in 1995 one of these Sergeants took the initial statement from Raymond Proctor in relation to sexual abuse and this statement makes no reference to the alleged meeting 20 years before.

The judgement of Justice Finnegan is dated 1st March 2005. Two days later Mary Raftery repeated her allegations against Sister Stanislaus and Sister Conception. She did not take issue with the judgement of Justice Finnegan. She simply ignored it! 

Does Mary Raftery believe that Sergeant Tuohy and Sergeant Geraghty were also lying when they denied that the meeting had taken place? She does not say this in her article. Is she afraid of a libel suit or could it be that her hatred is directly SOLELY against the Catholic Church?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

MARY RAFTERY AND SISTER STANISLAUS (2)
Extract from SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN by Mary Raftery and Eoin O’Sullivan

“.While the publication of the Kennedy Report was greeted with considerable publicity and wide approval, it was clear that neither the State nor the Catholic Church shared that enthusiasm for change……. A year after the report had been published, one of the civil servants on the Kennedy Committee was to receive the full brunt of criticism from the Catholic Church. At the Church’s major seminar on child care in Killarney in 1971, he was called into a room and held to account by the Bishop of Kerry, Eamon Casey, and by Sister Stanislaus Kennedy, even at that stage a major force in the history of child care. They wanted to know how it was that the Department of Education could have presided over a report which gave the religious orders so little credit for their great work on behalf of children for so many decades”

Mary Raftery gives the source of the above account as an article by Fintan O’Toole “Not Asking Questions Cold Again Fail Children” Irish Times 21/5/99. When journalist Breda O’Brien questioned this story she came under attack by Fintan O’Toole. The following is an extract from Breda O’Brien’s response in the Irish Times on 10 January 2000. Her article is entitled “A Search for the Truth Does Not Question Reality of Child Abuse”.

“On December 10th, 1999, Fintan O’Toole declares that “Breda O’Brien, a sincere and committed journalist, has made extravagant claims about her own alleged ability to uncover flawed research in SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN..” (One shudders to think what an insincere and uncommitted journalist might be capable of)……………………..

O’Toole claims that in the 1970s, Sister Stan, along with Bishop Casey, in a private room berated the two civil servants from the Department of Justice and Education who sat on the Kennedy Committee. O’Toole claims sources who say that this incident happened.

My sources who say it did not happen are; Sister Stan: Risteard MacConcradha, the representative of the Department of Justice; Antoin O’Gormain, the representative of the Department of Education; and Richard O’Donovan, of the Department of Education, secretary to the Kennedy Committee. Who are O’Toole’s “sources”? Bishop Casey perhaps?”

MY COMMENT:
This is not the worst of the thuggish attacks directed at Sister Stanislaus Kennedy. However it has its own significance. Suppose someone claims that 30 YEARS AGO a child told you that he was being sexually abused and that you did nothing about it. How do you refute that accusation? You cannot prove a negative. However suppose that your accusers make ANOTHER allegation against you which is blatantly false and you have witnesses to prove it! Obviously this says a great deal about your accusers’ credibility. 

Sister Stanislaus was subjected to prolonged and thuggish abuse because of the allegations made against her in STATES OF FEAR and in SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN. Mary Raftery and Fintan O’Toole owe her a very big apology. Instead Mary Raftery repeats the falsehood.

Rory Connor
11 Lohunda Grove
Dublin 15

PAT SAYS

Sister Stan certainly has a lot of devotees.

But she does not come out we out of this scandal. Even the “Best” the RCC has to offer are tainted by their blind obedience to Babylon.

67 replies on “KILKENNY CHILD ABUSE /RAPE – THE.SISTER STAN CONNECTION.”

Heartbreaking – and yet we continue to eulogize those such as Sister Stan who are up to their necks in collusion. If she didn’t know, she should have. But, of course, she knew, and she did nothing. All those old bitches have selective memories: they went through the Enneagram back in the seventies, cast off their habits, and thought they could reinvent themselves – such sweet old things now. Don’t fall for it! I am reminded of Nazis who were only called to account fifty or sixty years after the atrocities they either committed or witnessed – and they all claimed they didn’t know.

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10.35: A totally dishonest and ignorant comment. Try as you may, along with Mr. Perfect Buckboy, you’ll never smash the integrity of Sister Stan. It suits “Catholic Church Haters”….

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I thought we’d dealt with this traddy idiot yesterday ?! As + Pat said, a young seminarian sniffing around Burke, fantasising about the EF Mass, and obsessing about lace, is not somebody who really should be a candidate for serious, sacrificial, ministry. that’s not the kind of priest we need for the future.

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The Church has become the house of Satan . To stay in it is to support
the evil it does . People should just stay in the homes now , and live the
spiritual journey / life there. To receive the sacraments of such an evil
institution will not bring a blessing , but a curse .

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8.52: Such gross crap reaction. The satan spirit is very much alive in many non church people….ooen your eyes.

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Anon@9:35: Do you believe that those who do not agree with your perspective of the RC church are, as you say infused with the “Satan spirit?”
I ask as I’m intrigued as to why individuals become incensed when others don’t agree with them on religious matters. I’ve heard it said that it’s because their fragile self confidence feels threatened and angrily views disagreement as a personal attack, so retaliates blindly.
I’m sure that doesn’t apply to you, so would value your insight that I might learn something useful.
MMM

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There are several ‘cans of worms’ in the former South Eastern Health Board region.

Remember the Kilkenny Incest Investigation and Report from 1993?

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The lay people should rise up and refuse to accept the ministry of Bishops and Priests of the Catholic Church . Baptize their own children ,bury their own dead , and celebrate Mass for themselves. Why can they not do this ? Guess what ? It is the theology and canons of this perverted , corrupted , and broken institution tells them they can not ! There should be a revolution of the laity that by passes the Clergy .

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10:03 am

You’re right. A cultural revolt on all levels needs to happen.

Hit them where it hurts….in their collection baskets.

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Excellent post. I am praying about the idea of Priesthood not under the present hierarchical RC regime but as an independent. I firmly believe God is calling me to this Vocation. I am a married man and have a family. I just need to discern more.

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There is a future for independent priests. It will become much more common.

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By Post Author

Pat would you please consider doing a blog on an independent Priesthood in some capacity on the blog. Many thanks. It would educate me and I am sure others.

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What happened to the Abbot of Ampleforth ???Seem to remember allegations , being found innocent .A refusal to reinstate him , and him threatening legal action . Vatican intervened , and since then not a word .

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I think there is a big stand off between the Ampleforth Abbot and the Abbot President, who won’t allow him to return and take up his position. I think the Ampleforth Abbot has taken out some civil case against the Abbot President, as well as things going on in Rome. Like all these things, there will be circles within circles. There doesn’t seem to have been enough in it for the police to proceed, but that doesn’t mean that the church won’t have a view, and its test for proof is much lower than in criminal proceedings. My own view is that the Abbot of Ampleforth is toast. He may well have been hard done by, but he needs to think of the greater good and let Ampleforth move on without him. Prolonging the issue, and digging oneself in to the trenches for a war of attrition, will just damage everybody. So, rightly or wrongly, at this stage he should make himself dispensable, and go off and live his life elsewhere. I’m sure the OSBs could find a nice, convivial, quiet spot for him to spend out the rest of his days in prayer. And perhaps in penance.

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But surely if the man has been done an injustice it should be righted?
What is the whole Ampleforth story?

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That’s the whole point, + Pat; there are circles within circles, and this issue will not just be about what this one man may have done, or may not have done. They will be thinking about how it looks to outsiders, and whether you can have a man leading the monastery who has a cloud and a whiff of scandal in his background. Remember, the monastery is also an economic unit, and at least until recently will have survived in part on profits from the school. Are parents going to send their kids there when they know that the Abbot has some kind of history, even by accusation. I’m sure there are internal political machinations going on too, and I bet you will find that + Nichols will be all over it, even though technically he has no authority. It’s an unfortunate situation. But, in these cases it often takes someone to fall on their sword to move things forward. In my view, that is what Abbot Cuthbert should do, rather than insisting on his rights and justice for him alone, for the greater common good. If he doesn’t this will drag on and do damage all around. Even if he does prevail and returns, there will still be damage with people taking sides, leaving, carrying on the argument etc. Sometimes, the best thing is just to call it quits.

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Mr. Murphy, in his letter to The Irish Times, dated 22/12/1999, stated;

‘..It is my belief today, as it was then, that Sister Stan did everything
she could in 1977 regarding the children in St. Joseph’s’.

What did Sr. Stan do?

According to Dr. Robbie Gilligan, an influential one year full time child care training
course began at the School of Social Education in Kilkenny in the 1970s.

Was Sr. Stan involved in setting up the course? Did she teach on the course?
Who interviewed the two individuals who subsequently sexually abused in St. Josephs?
Who was their employer?

https://magill.ie/archive/child-abuse-st-josephs-we-were-not-responsible

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” A senior figure at one of England’s top Roman Catholic public schools has “stepped aside” as police investigate allegations of historic abuse.

Ampleforth Abbey said Abbot Cuthbert Madden, 61, had denied any wrongdoing.

North Yorkshire Police confirmed a man in his 60s had been voluntarily interviewed under caution.

The allegations date from the 1990s and involve four pupils at the abbey’s school, Ampleforth College.

In a statement, the abbey said: “Fr Abbot denies any wrongdoing and will be cooperating fully whilst the allegations are investigated by the appropriate authorities.

“In the interests of transparency, we want to ensure the Ampleforth community and friends are aware of the current situation.”

A spokeswoman for North Yorkshire Police said the allegations were reported to the force in August and the investigation was “ongoing”.

“The police investigation has also triggered safeguarding measures which have been put in place while the investigation continues,” she added.

Abbot Madden has been at the Benedictine monastery for more than 30 years and was elected as abbot in 2005 and re-elected in 2013.

Previously he had taught at the college which is attached to the abbey

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Ampleforth College

The Abbot of Ampleforth, who voluntarily stepped aside after allegations were made that he had indecently assaulted four boys, has begun a civil action to be reinstated after not being allowed to resume his duties.

Fr Cuthbert Madden has issued legal proceedings against Fr Christopher Jamison, Abbot President of the English Benedictine Congregation, and three others. He is seeking a declaration that Fr Jamison improperly interfered with the investigation process and acted unlawfully in his treatment of him.

According to Fr Madden’s spokesman, he should be allowed to return to his job and home because, the spokesman said, a church inquiry had cleared him of sex abuse allegations. The spokesman said that the church investigation had concluded in a recommendation that Cuthbert Madden be reinstated as Abbot of Ampleforth.

Allegations were made against Fr Madden to North Yorkshire Police on 8 August 2016. Fr Madden was accused of having been overly tactile towards three pupils on several occasions when he was a junior master at Ampleforth in the early 1990s. Two investigations looked into these allegations: an investigation by North Yorkshire Police, which concluded on 2 November 2016, and an investigation by the Salford Catholic Safeguarding Commission, which concluded on 17 October 2017.

A further review panel evaluated the decision of the Salford investigation and delivered its decision on 16 April 2018. It recommended that Fr Madden be reinstated as Abbot of Ampleforth “subject to conditions”.

A spokesman for the English Benedictines said: “Safeguarding is an absolute priority of The English Benedictine Congregation. The Abbot President (Fr Christopher Jamison) has always had safeguarding as a key consideration in addressing this issue, co-operating with all the relevant authorities and taking advice from the Interim Manager nominated by the Charity Commission with responsibility for safeguarding at Ampleforth. As this matter is subject to legal proceedings, he will not be commenting at this stage.”

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“Fr Madden’s spokesman said in a statement: “When the matter comes to trial, this case will see the safeguarding processes of the Catholic Church – which are intended to both protect accusers and be fair to the accused – undergo close judicial scrutiny, with a number of very senior clerics giving evidence. Fr Madden’s case in the English High Court is being led by one of the world’s pre-eminent ecclesiastical lawyers, Mark Hill QC.”

He added that the case is also being looked into by the Holy See in Rome, “raising the possibility of a real conflict between the defective safeguarding procedures put in place by the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales and the natural justice expressed in Canon Law”.

The spokesman continued: “Father Cuthbert brings this claim extremely reluctantly. He has been investigated by the police and the church and neither found any evidence to support the allegations made against him. It is regrettable that he has to go to Court in order to be reinstated but an innocent man should not be treated as if he were guilty.”

A spokesman for Ampleforth Abbey said: “Fr Cuthbert Madden has always denied any wrongdoing. He stepped aside from his duties as Abbot when allegations were made against him. North Yorkshire Police investigated these allegations and brought no charges in November 2016. Since then has not returned to the Abbey whilst church authorities have carried out their own investigation.”

Richard Scorer, specialist abuse lawyer at Slater & Gordon who acts for victims of abuse at Ampleforth, said: “I find it absolutely staggering that this man should be seeking to return as Abbot. Irrespective of the allegations against him personally, his role as one of the senior leaders at Ampleforth at a time when it has been beset by abuse scandals and forced to the brink of closure should disqualify him from any future leadership role. His references to human rights beggar belief – the rights of children to be free from abuse are far more important.””

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But The Tablet can report that the Holy See department which oversees monasteries and religious houses has asked two senior Benedictine monks to conduct a “visitation” into whether the abbot can resume his position.

The investigation, due to start in the coming days, will be conducted by the Abbot General of the Sylvestrine Congregation, Michael Kelly, an Australian based in Rome, and the Abbot of Glenstal Abbey, Brendan Coffey, from Ireland.

“The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life has decided to conduct an Apostolic Visitation in light of the question as to whether or not Abbot Cuthbert Madden should resume his powers as Abbot of Ampleforth Abbey,” a statement from Ampleforth confirmed.

“They wish to hear from all parties involved .”

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“Richard Scorer, specialist abuse lawyer at Slater & Gordon who acts for victims of abuse at Ampleforth, said: “I find it absolutely staggering that this man should be seeking to return as Abbot. Irrespective of the allegations against him personally, his role as one of the senior leaders at Ampleforth at a time when it has been beset by abuse scandals and forced to the brink of closure should disqualify him from any future leadership role.”

In July it emerged that the now former headmaster of Ampleforth had been suspended from the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC) while the Department of Education had issued the school with a warning to improve its safeguarding procedures. “

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Time is ticking on for Eamon Martin to eradicate the underground online network among his clergy and one seminarian who attends Maynooth. The Dark Web Chatrooms empowers the network to gain trust from males of any age group
(Adults and Minors).

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Armagh DLP Officer. Aidan Gordon on 078 4110 1687 if dialling from Northern Ireland, or +44 78 4110 1687 if dialling from the Republic of Ireland. Aidan is happy to take a witness statement and refer the complaint to the PSNI.

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I dont know what he did. His office is in the same building as Amy’s private apartment.

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By Post Author

The Vatican has launched an investigation into whether a senior figure at Britain’s most prominent Catholic monastery and school can return to his role after allegations he indecently assaulted former pupils.

The Abbot of Ampleforth, Cuthbert Madden, strenuously denies any wrongdoing and has launched a legal challenge in the UK’s High Court to be reinstated. His spokesman says he has been “cleared” by civil and church authorities.

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“The true scale of sexual abuse at two of the UK’s leading Catholic independent schools over a period of 40 years is likely to have been far greater than has been proved in the courts, a report by the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse has concluded.

Ten people have been convicted or cautioned in relation to sexual offences at Ampleforth in North Yorkshire and Downside in Somerset. The schools “prioritised the monks and their own reputations over the protection of children … in order to avoid scandal”, says the 211-page report published by IICSA on Thursday after hearings last year.

The monks avoided giving information to or cooperating with statutory authorities investigating abuse, it says. Their approach could be summarised as “a ‘tell them nothing’ attitude”.
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The report says: “Appalling sexual abuse [was] inflicted over decades on children as young as seven at Ampleforth school and 11 at Downside school.”

The inquiry heard that boys were made to strip naked and were beaten. Some were allegedly forced to give and receive oral sex, both privately and in front of other pupils. Alleged abuse included digital penetration of the anus and children being compelled to perform sex acts on each other.

Physical abuse had sadistic and sexual overtones, the report says. One survivor described his abuser at Ampleforth as “an out-and-out sadist”.

A victim of Fr Piers Grant-Ferris, who was convicted in 2006 of assaulting 15 boys, described being forced to straddle a bath naked as the monk beat him while masturbating. It was “absolutely terrifying”, he told the inquiry.
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“Many perpetrators did not hide their sexual interests from the children. The blatant openness of these activities demonstrates there was a culture of acceptance of abusive behaviour,” the report says.

Ten people, mostly monks, connected to the two schools have been convicted or cautioned in relation to offences involving sexual activity with a large number of children, or pornography.

Ampleforth and Downside are schools attached to abbeys of the English Benedictine Congregation, and are regarded as leading Catholic independent schools.

Monks at both institutions were “very often secretive, evasive and suspicious of anyone outside the English Benedictine Congregation,” the report says.

In 2001 the Nolan report made recommendations on the safeguarding of children in the Catholic church, including that incidents or allegations of sexual abuse should be referred to the statutory authorities.

Both schools “seemed to take a view that [the report’s] implementation was neither obligatory nor desirable. This failure to comply appeared to go unchallenged by the Catholic church,” the IICSA report says. “At Ampleforth and Downside, a number of allegations were never referred to the police but were handled internally.”

It says an abbot of Ampleforth between 1997 and 2005, Timothy Wright, “clung to outdated beliefs about ‘paedophilia’ and had an immovable attitude of always knowing best”.

Abbots at both schools would confine suspected perpetrators to the abbey or transfer them elsewhere. Records were destroyed by both schools, the report says. One former headmaster of Downside “made several trips with a wheelbarrow with files to the edge of the estate and made a bonfire of them”.

During the inquiry’s hearings, senior clergymen in the English Benedictine Congregation expressed regret for past failures to protect children. However, this was “not accompanied by full acknowledgement of the tolerance of serious criminal activity, or the recognition that previous ‘misjudgment’ had devastating consequences for the lives of the young people involved.”

The report recommends a strict separation between the governance of the two abbeys and the schools.

It acknowledges that some steps have been taken but says neither school has formally established a comprehensive redress system and no public apology has been made.”

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Leading Roman Catholic schools “prioritised monks and their own reputations over the protection of children”, a report says.

“Appalling” abuse was inflicted on pupils at Ampleforth in North Yorkshire and Downside in Somerset over 40 years, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) said.

But, the report said, both institutions attempted to cover up the allegations.

Ten individuals, including monks, have been convicted or cautioned for abuse.

The report, based on evidence heard by the IICSA’s investigation of the Roman Catholic Church and the English Benedictine Congregation, said, however, the true extent of the abuse is “likely to be considerably higher” than the number of convictions.

It states many of the perpetrators did not hide their sexual interests from the children and pupils were often abused in front of each other.

“The blatant openness of the activities demonstrates there was a culture of acceptance of abusive behaviour,” it said. “

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“A teacher who sexually abused boys at two prestigious Catholic boarding schools has been jailed for 10 years.

David Lowe, 61, from Bristol, who is now retired, assaulted boys aged from eight to 13 between 1978 and 1984, Southwark Crown Court heard.

The offences took place at Westminster Cathedral Choir School and Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire.

He targeted 10 boys, leaving treats for them and spanking them at his home, the jury heard.

Lowe was convicted of 15 counts of indecent assault.

Judge Martin Beddoe told Lowe he took advantage of “vulnerable” boys.”

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What an irony for the church that it took a layperson and a woman, the late lamented Mary Rafferty, to expose the rank hypocrisy within the Roman Catholic Clergy and the social misfits that they have become.

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The vast major of children placed in residential care homes were from disadvantaged backgrounds. Socio-economic considerstions seemed to play a significant role in the approach taken to deal with problematic issues.

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3.55: Would you make that statement to the Gardai? Why not since It’s a very serious allegation to make? Otherwise, get lost.

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Ampleforth -Smacks of a church cover up operation going on the silence now on
the Abbot – We all know how they work . Close ranks and say nothing until forced to .

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It is interesting Ampleforth has come up on a post about another religious. Their IICSA report makes disturbing reading, not least because monks later convicted of abuse made literally no secret of their sexual interests in children, to the extent the report says it likely there are many other abusers.
I would add that it is inconceivable nobody knew. In religious life there are few secrets.
What is more surprising to me was that parents who found out their child was abused, not only did nothing to stop it, but prevented police prosecution and were actually paying for their children to be abused!
That kind of control is really scary.
The other question that comes up is why the hell anyone would join a set up like that – the motivation is likely to be very suspect indeed.

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You have to understand with the English Congregation Benedictines, which includes the likes of Ampleforth and Downside, is that it is a pretty incestuous set up. Monks will have been boys at the schools. It’s all top drawer stuff, posh, rich people. You just have to watch the video to get a sense of how detached they are from ordinary life. So, it was an enclosed and secretive little club, and being buggered along the way was just part of the experience. Very strange, and very dysfunctional. But, it’s the way the British Empire was established and kept going, doing awful things to kids and expecting them to take it like a man ! I think it was just an accepted and no commented on part of the culture. Nobody thought it exceptional. It just happened. The real sin was in exposing it. They will not have been happy with that. I remember meeting Dom Piers Grant-Ferris, after he was out of prison and back at Ampleforth. He just gave the impression that life was a jolly jape and one didn’t have any sense that he recognised that what he had done was anything terrible at all, actually !!

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I think that is a very astute and incisive observation @6:34 pm clearly based on experience, knowledge and wisdom. Thank you. Please continue to post, as we need people like you.

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Could I ask you at 6:34 pm to confirm that Grant-Ferris – one of the worst abusers in the EBC – was indeed allowed to return to Ampleforth after his release from prison? It is not that I doubt your veracity, especially as you met him there, but to the outsider it does beggar belief!

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Actually he used to be listed in the Benedictine Yearbook as Don The Hon Piers Grant-Ferris.
According to the IICSA report the Abbey gave him accommodation to the end of his life, even after dismissed from the monastery, but doesn’t say where it was. I too would be interested to hear if he was at the Abbey.
The other interesting thing was that he asked to be sent to Fort Augustus, which was obviously well known as a refuge for wayward EBC monks.
Perhaps Dom Athelstan can cast some light on this?

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I have a copy of one of the reports on an Amleforth monks who was an child abuser. The assessment was partly done by Rev Dr Gerard Fieldhouse-Byrne.
Watch this space…

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Every nasty comment on here is read by God and could ultimately make a difference about you lot going to Heaven or hell. Think before you post. If half of you spent more time praying rather than spreading gossip and lies, you may still have time to save your souls.

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Wise words old owl. Most people on here are going straight to hell for the vile clap trap that they post on here. The only possible get out clause is that a large proportion of comments are made whilst people drunk, so perhaps the Lord will forgive that.

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Dear Wallace: This sky fairy god of yours must be a very busy guy to find time to read +Pat’s blog and then chalk up all the scores and tallies for allocating people to their heavenly or hellish abode. Mind you I suppose modern computers do help him now though I wonder how he used to manage before the computer age.
“Cardinal Pell” (sic) and Anon@7:48 should wind their neck in. You’re talking serious stuff here. Well done sir, or madam.

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Getting your knickers in a twist father. Are you. What use or good Romanist did you today in your cushy little presbytery.

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Police investigations have uncovered abuse at Benedictine schools stretching back to the 1960s. Three Ampleforth monks and a lay teacher have been convicted of assault. At Downside, four monks have faced police inquiries and two others have been put on restricted ministry. A former headmaster of the junior school at Ealing was convicted of abuse and the senior school’s deputy head of possessing child abuse images; its former abbot, who also taught at the school, awaits trial. All three institutions have since carried out their own investigations and changed their governance to improve child protection and safeguarding.

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Pat do you have suppressed memories of your time as a Seminarian. I know at least 3 ex Maynooth seminarians who have nightmares of a Senior Priest’s room known as the Pit.

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As a Christian Community we need the unify the Maynooth abuse victims to find a way forward out of the darkness. The memories of the tunnels under pugin hall and the Pit are a memory of pain.

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