This week the Irish Jesuits issued a statement about one of their priests who abused boys for 50 years.
“After the naming in public of Joseph Marmion SJ last March the Jesuits in Ireland appealed for anyone who had any complaints, concerns or questions to contact our Safeguarding Office.
It was clear from what was communicated to us from those impacted by Marmion’s emotional, psychological, physical and sexual abuse, that they wanted a robust process that would address the whole truth of what happened and how it was allowed to happen
After consultation with survivors and others the Provincial, Fr Leonard Moloney, asked two independent restorative justice practitioners to engage with those survivors who wished to, in order to further identify their needs and ways to meet them.
Through this process it was also intended that the full story of Jesuit knowledge, actions and omissions would be told and that answers would be provided to the questions that are being brought forward.
One strand of this process involved the preparation of a detailed chronology and Jesuit Response to the Joseph Marmion history.
What has emerged in terms of the story of Marmion’s abuse, and subsequent handling of his case is shameful for us Jesuits and must be very difficult for survivors to read. Decisions were made that should never have been made and decisions that should have been made were not. There are no excuses.
We are profoundly sorry for the terrible wrongs that were done to survivors. We again ask forgiveness of all those impacted by Joseph Marmion’s abuse.
We understand that words are never enough, no matter how sincerely meant or felt. But it is our deep hope that this first step in owning our story, shameful as it is, and acknowledging fully the role we played as an Order in allowing this abuse to happen and go on for so long, will be the beginning of a new way for us of taking responsibility for our failings.
We understand the justifiable anger, or range of reactions that many survivors may feel on reading the details of this story of abuse and how it was handled.
We want to invite anybody impacted by what they have now read, should they wish to do so. to contact the restorative practitioners:
Catherine O’Connell Catherine.oconnell@mu.ie 0879936237
Barbara Walshe barbarawalshe@live.com 0868186639 or
Saoirse Fox, Child Safeguarding Manager in the Jesuit Safeguarding Office; email safeguarding@jesuit.ie 089 264 4400
The Provincial hopes also that through these ongoing restorative and restitutional processes, the Jesuits will have the opportunity to make their apology in person to survivors”.
THE JOE DUFFY PROGRAMME ON THE JESUIT STATEMENT AND MARMION.
https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/clips/21986488/
PAT SAYS
The Irish Jesuits first knew about Marmion’s paedophilia in 1948.
They received shocking complaints about him in the 1970s.
But he was allowed to continue his activities.
They even allowed him to bring 25 boys each year, on his own, to Austria, where he drugged, raped and abused boys.
He was also a violent monster as a teacher and perfected the art of humiliating and beating boys.
He was a bully in every Jesuit community he served in.
Now that the proverbial shit has hit the fan, the Jesuits and their current slippery provincial, Leonard Maloney, are involved in a PR and save the cash manoeuvre.
They are apparently very interested in being open AFTER HALF A CENTURY!
Some time ago I had dealings with Leonard and his safeguarding people over the then Jesuit, Paul Prior.
I SAY TO ALL VICTIMS
Do not trust Leonard and the Jesuits.
Only talk to the Garda and your lawyers.
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 