The Christian Brothers are a teaching order of the Catholic church which has run schools and orphanages since the beginning of the nineteenth century.
Many cases of sexual abuse of children in their care have been established against Christian Brothers in Britain, Ireland Canada and Australia. The requirement of celibacy and the repressive attitude to sex by the church will have undoubtedly contributed to the sexual misconduct by these priests.
What is less easy to explain and generally less well known is the extent of sadistic physical punishments of children in the care of these people. Before corporal punishment of children in schools became generally unacceptable, and illegal in many developed countries, the harshness of the Brothers was not the subject of too much focus and apologists for the order will say that they have to be judged by the norms of the times.
The truth is that the savagery of beatings by men of small children were sadism, sometimes with sexual content, and no amount of justification will alter that. There were also cases where children were taken from Britain to Australia to suffer at the hands of this order in their institutions. Some children alleged to be orphans did have parents and they were lied to about their parents. Apologies have been given for their failures by the Christian Brothers and the Australian Government. Little consolation for a ruined life.
What we should be asking is what is to stop members of this secretive organisation with such a horrific history from finding new ways to exploit and damage children out of sight of the scrutiny that we now hope to be in place?
There should be no place in education or child care for any organisation with such a background. Celibate priests and nuns still have the sexual drives that are generated by their hormones. If these drives do not come out in sexual abuse of children in their care, the frustrations caused by sexual repression may well manifest themselves in cruelty to those same children.
The church creates an unnatural environment in which misconduct is inevitable. It is the responsibility of society to ensure the educational and care establishments provide loving, supportive conditions in which children have the possibility of growing into balanced adults with an understanding of normal human relationships.
The stark truth is that those people who choose life in a celibate religious order are highly unlikely to be fit persons to have the care of children and allowing the Christian Brotherhood to run their own institutions is an invitation for abuse to continue.
There is something about a religeon whose central symbol is an instument of torture and bloody death, a religeon whose central tenet is redemption through extreme suffering, that makes it fundamentally unreliable.
Yes Ginga. Nothing that is worthwhile can be built on false foundations. Christianity is built on false claims of a virgin birth, resurrection and a whole range of fantastic claims of miracles and future redemption.
Not only is it unreliable, but damaging and dangerous. Trying to repeat the suffering of Christ in their own lives, people like the Christian Brothers create frustration and bitterness in themselves that they then vent on the children in their care.
Education and child care must not be allowed to be distorted and damaged by religious falsehood and malpractice.
I was educated by the Christian Brothers in New Zealand. As individuals, most were the victims of the requirements of celibacy and the Church’s repressive attitude to sex. But the consequence of this was that they were often the worst sort of sadists, perverts and hypocrites. I cannot believe that their Order still exists. I consider that it is so tainted by its past that no matter how much good work they may now do, they should voluntarily abolish themselves forthwith.
I agree with you Steven. If they were genuine about their belief in their mission they would reflect on the history of the Brotherhood and see that the reason they have done such appalling damage to so many children over generations is inherent in their organisation. There is absolutely nothing they can do to prevent continued abuse now and in the future if they do not abandon their organisation itself. The celibacy, the false beliefs on which the Brotherhood is founded, and the male structure separated from society is not capable of reform.
I do not accept that the Christian Brothers do good work at all. Their past abuses have been partially exposed and they have reacted to that, but the root causes of the abuse remain and we do not know how it is expressing itself. It is not acceptable for the risk to be taken that in another generation we will discover a further great wave of misconduct perpetrated in more covert ways than it was in the past.
The Christian Brothers must wind themselves up completely. Those among them who genuinely believe that they should teach, ought to go and get employment as individuals in main stream schools.
MY SISTER WAS MOLESTED BY AN IRISH CHRISTIAN BROTHER IN ROCHSTER, NEW YORK. WHEN SHE TRIED TO BRING HIM TO JUSTICE,C. 1993, THE ORDER OUTLAWYERED HER,HID THE ABUSER IN SEVERAL SCHOOLS WITH CHILDREN(!) AND THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS RAN OUT. ACCORDING TO ALL THAT I’VE READ ON THIS SITE, IS THERE ANY WAY TO FIND HIM, DIALOUGE WITH THE PROVINCIATE, OR RECEIVE SOME JUSTICE?
SHE WAS SO PHYSICALLY ABUSED THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO EVER HAVE A CHILD.
I am so sad to hear of the damage to your family Katherine. I am afraid that the wealth and power of the catholic church is very hard indeed to fight. There is not only a long history of abuse by the Christian Brothers and other members of the church, but your experience of the abusers being protected and allowed to continue their abuse is also very common.
In his recent visit to the USA, the pope met some victims of abuse and criticised some bishops for their failures. Now that your legal action has be prevented from proceeding due to the statute of limitations perhaps the only way of making any progress will be to approach the church and use the statements by the pope to support your request to find the abuser and try to find some closure.
I am sorry that your sister suffered at the hands of these people and I wish you well in trying to overcome the terrible consequences of abuse.
I went to the St Mary’s International School in Tokyo, Japan, run by the Christian Brothers. I saw no abuse by the Brothers or heard of any. I am proud of their contribution to my life.
that is a different order. St. Mary’s is run by the Brothers of Christian instruction from Quebec. However, there were allegations against a brother who taught 6th grade. I was not there at the time so I cannot say much.
One of the O’Reillly clan (educated by the Jesuits in Dublin) also saw no abuse at his schools. Could it be that most of the victims of these people were from working-class or poor families? The Murphy Report bears that out as does the Ryan Report – that the victims were all from – what one commentator described – the lower orders. Needless to say victims from these (poor) communities would have been given short shrift if they dared to report their abuse. One fellow did – Peter Tyrrell – report on his abuse to a Catholic group (Tuairim?) – in 1967 or so – they were looking into child care in Ireland at the time. They ignored his testimony completely. He immolated himself on Hampstead Heath in response. Needless to say he wasn’t the first to commit suicide … nor the last.
There was no way I could have told my Mum when my sexual abuse was happening,why,because if my Dad got hold of it he would have physically beaten both of us to a pulp.Regular beatings unprovoked in our little cottage with 11people were very common.Poor underprivileged children such as myself did not stand a chance.In my opinion this is why that De La Salle Brother new he could abuse me knowing that I fear my tyrant of a father.But I know my beautiful mother new but like many poor mothers in Ireland they were silenced out of real living fear from husband and Church.
I am glad that your experience was positive. Worldwide, there are a huge number of instances of physical and sexual abuse by the Christian Brothers. Thankfully they have now announced their withdrawal from education in Ireland. They should follow this by winding up their organisation totally and transferring all of its assets to a trust for the benefit of those they harmed.
Religious organisations should play no part in education and it is utterly unsafe to have ‘celibate’ men in charge of children in a residential setting.
Hello, Malpoet
You seem to know a bit about the CBS in Ireland. I’m looking for a histoery of the Christian Brothers, up to the present. Is it there?
I was in St. Joseph’s Industrial School, Glin, Co. Limerick. Is there a history on that school, when it opened and closed. The school is losed now. I saw the fraffiti on the walls, horrible stuff.
My interest now is to find a roster of names of the boys that were there in the years about 1943 to 1951. I left there at 16yrs. in 1951. Ithe Irish Government must have some record of who was there, because they paid for our upkeep, poor as it was. I guess they would have a list of the Bothers too. I got no reply from the Christian Brothers, Ireland.
Malpoet, have you any way of getting this info, or direct me as to how I can get it….. Thank you. Joe
I will send you a copy of my book
GLIN INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL
if you send me your address.
Best Wishes
Christina.
Hi,
is your publication still available – if so can you send me a copy . Please let me know what the overall cost is !
many thanks
Eamonn Haverty
1, Tudor Close,
Knocknacarra
Galway
091 448507
Christina craft
Wondering if this lady is still around – would love a copy of her book
Hi Eamonn,
My book on GLIN INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL 1893-1973 has been posted to you today. I hope you find it useful. Although the TEXT mainly covers the EARLIER part of the schools history, there are many LATER photographs from which you may recognise yourself or friends who were there at the same time.
Best wishes.
Christina.
Hi Joe,
My father John O’leary (Sean Noll O’leary) was in Glin between 1942 – 1949. I would love to hear from you. I too have been looking for information.
Regards
Helen Barrie (nee O’leary)
Hello Helen,
My email address is christina.garnett43@talktalk.net
Hi Joe
I don’t have the detailed knowledge that you are looking for and I doubt that the Christian Brothers themselves will be helpful. I am sure you are right that the records of the Irish Government are the best chance. This looks like a good starting point:
http://www.nationalarchives.ie/research/health.html
Wikipedia also has an article on the industrial schools and that could give you other leads.
Good luck.
Regards
Mal
I experienced the Christian Brothers in Western Australia at first hand. I can attest to to the cruelties, the abuse in all its manifstations. THe were a law unto themselves. With full control over hapless child migrants they were able to exploit the boys in their charge on a daily basis. Many boys including myself were sexually and physically abused and exploited at these institutions by sadistic and deviant men. However it must also be said hat there were others who were decent and devout men who attempted to really care but in an environment such as existed in these homes run by the brothers they were a minority and were themselves castigated for objecting to the behaviour of their colleagues.
my heart aches for all abused. i pray some tough lawyer takes church to court of law just because they hide withun churc they should be punished for these horrific crimes. we need to call on the creator in jesus name to end all this crimes against children.
I agree with you Mary that the abusers should face the courts. There need to be criminal proceedings so that the crimes are punished and there should also be civil proceedings to ensure that the church which was responsible for employing and protecting these criminals is made to pay compensation to their many victims.
My Dad lived at home when he was a child in Dublin, he was born in 1925. He attended a Christian Brothers school which he left when he was 14. He was once struck so hard on the head that he remembered being dizzy and ‘out of it’ for some time. No medical attention was given. He suffered for the whole of his adult life from severe tinnitus, which he attributed to this blow on the head. He also witnessed the physical abuse of at least one more child, who, when asked to describe an experiment, was repeatedly hit on the head when he proved unable to do so. This would have been between 1935 and 1939. My Dad is sadly no longer with us, may he rest in peace.
Thank you for that Alana.
I am sorry to hear of the suffering of your father and that he is no longer with you.
Your story fits a pattern of many thousands of former students in Christian Brother establishments and it shows how the uncontrolled abuse continues to have damaging effects down through generations.
Humans are fallible and teachers can make terrible mistakes anywhere. The horror of the Christian Brothers is that violence and sexual deviance toward children was increased because of the requirement of celibacy distorting the normal expression of the hormones of these men. This in turn was deeply reinforced by the Catholic Church covering up the crimes and errors of its priests and lay employees.
The lesson which must be learned is that religious orders are not fit organisations to run educational establishments for children and that there must be rigorous oversight of every organisation having the custody of children to ensure that criminal and abusive behaviour is quickly identified and dealt with fully in accordance with the law as well as the requirements of a proper education.
Hi there
Thanks for your comment. The same man who did this also had the whole class running round in a big circle in one lesson, they had to stop and recite the next line of a poem when they got to him. If they were wrong they got hit with the cane. Soon the whole class was just running round in a large circle, nobody attempting to recite anything, with the teacher standing on a chair in the middle of the room just lashing out with his cane, hitting people wherever and whenever he could. He was apparently quite plainly enjoying this.
The thing was, my Dad was not an orphan far from home, but these people were able to get away with this through the usual blackmail of child abusers, ‘If you tell i’ll do this…………nobody will believe you………they’ll be cross at home’ etc.
I had not realised before that the so-called christian brothers were all round the world, and had had so many other people suffer at their hands. i just thought they ran a small school where my Dad lived.
Alana
Yes Alana, the CB’s are a worldwide organisation just as the Catholic church of which they are a part is itself worldwide. The extent of their abuse through their schools will probably never be fully known and the amount of harm is certainly incalculable.
The type of sadistic behaviour you describe, carried out under the guise of education, was obviously terribly destructive to the children who were victims. Not only was their education seriously inadequate, but they suffered psychological and physical damage which will have affected the rest of their lives.
These crimes need to be dealt with by bringing the perpetrators to justice wherever possible and ensuring that victims receive the support and compensation they require and that the cost of this work is borne entirely by the Catholic Church who employed the criminals and allowed their crimes.
To ensure that atrocities like these are never repeated in the future it is essential to prevent similar arrangements being created. First of all it is unhealthy and potentially unsafe to have male only establishments dealing with children. What is even worse than an unnatural, male only environment is one in which the people in authority have all committed themselves to celibate lives so they have no understanding at all of parenthood. They do not have experience of relaxed relationships with children outside of their jobs in which they can develop love and respect for those children as other human beings rather than objects which they control and are able to use. This situation is worsened because the brothers do not have proper outlets for their sexual drives.
No man who has gone through a complete hormonal development is genuinely celibate. Being denied access to legitimate sexual partners, if their sexual drives are not met by masturbation and fantasy they will find expression in some other way. All to often this will be by sexually abusing the children in their control and if they manage to suppress that urge they are overwhelmingly likely to be embittered by their frustrations and become cruel.
I am a former child migrant who was sent out to Australia to a CB “College” On arrval i discovered that it was an orphanage. I endured abuse in all its manifestations for 61/2 yers.I can well understand Alana’s story about her father The CBs were a rather brutal organisaion as a group. In WA they operaed 4 boys’ homes. The regime here was not dissimilar to a juvenile detention centre. If you ever get a chance see the movie A Song For A Raggy Boy – it will give you an idea about the CBs in Ireland in the 1930′s also the TV series The Leaving of Livepool. Both these will enable to get a grasp on the magnitude of the terror the CBs perpetrated upon the boys in their charge.
My own experience has left suffering from PTSD and I have had to take early retirement, you mention your dad suffered from Tinnitus, so do I and like your dad was repeatedly hit on the head.
Most of the perpetrators of the abuse against child migrants in WA are now dead, the sufferng of the boys endures.
Peace
Gage
Hi Gage
Thank you for your harrowing account. I am sorry that you suffered so badly at the hands of these people. The transportation of children to these fake colleges in Australia was one of the worse collaborations by our government and its agencies in the crimes of the CB’s.
As you rightly say, many of the perpetrators of the abuses have now died so they cannot be brought to justice. However, the organisation and its parent body, the Catholic Church are still with us and they must bear the full cost and responsibility of giving the support needed to the victims of the CB’s.
We must also learn lessons from the the patterns of abuse to make sure that abusive institutions and organisations are not allowed to exist now and in the future.
At the moment we are a very long way from getting proper compensation and responsibility from the Brothers and their church. Even more importantly there are still a massive number of schools, colleges, orphanages and many other organisations dealing with children which are run by groups just like the Christian Brothers where it is very likely indeed that abuses are taking place today. There is a great deal still to be done.
Victims and their families must continue to speak out and to demand full restitution for the damage done.
Dear Malpoet,
Greetings from a Belfast orphan. What is the best way for me to publish my story?
I was first abused in a nuns’ home here in Belfast, at six years of age. Then at the age of eleven, I was transferred to a boys’ home, in the Ards peninsula (County Down), run by the De La Salle order, where I was also abused.
The brothers eventually settled with me outside court; the nuns did not.
The lawyers accept that I’m telling the truth about both cases. Yet they tell me I have no hope of justice for the first abuse, since all this took place too long ago. There is apparently nothing more the law can do about the first home.
I still feel cheated, and would like to tell the whole world my sad story.
Have you any suggestions?
Hello James. Thankyou for your comment. I am sorry to hear of the sbuse you suffered and my apologies too for the delay in my reply.
I am afraid that I do not have contacts with publishers so I am not able to help you to publish your story.
The best I can do is point you in the direction of an Irish support group for victims of abuse. Their website is:
http://oneinfour.org/
Although your claim against the nuns may not be possible to pursue legally, support groups do succesfully help with claims through informal routes. Because these groups put you in touch with other people who have suffered in the same way you may also find material and contacts that improve the possibility of publishing your story.
Good luck.
Hypocrites, Drunks, Sadists, Perverts, Cowards.
Dis I say hypocrites?
Not best placed to be teachers and guardians of young children then!
Very well written piece, some of the comments are harrowing.
As you look more and more into OUR TIMES in THOSE PLACES the DIMENSIONS EXPAND. What was so UNIQUE about IRELAND that it could produce a CHILD DETENTION system so DEPRAVED and SO EXPORTABLE?
Why is it that when you HEAR and READ of ABOMINATIONS against CHILDREN you discover an IRISH RELIGIOUS ORDER. Go through the archives of any NEWSPAPER in the ENGLISH SPEAKING WORLD and this FACT will HIT you.
AUSTRALIA
NEW ZEALAND
CANADA,
USA
UK
and our DEAR LITTLE ISLAND called Ireland.
In any ENTERPRISE that PURPORTS to ENHANCE the COMMON GOOD there are CHECKS and BALANCES yet this was SINGULARLY LACKING in OUR SITUATIONS.
It was as if they locked us up and threw away the key.
Nominally there was OVERSIGHT but it deliberately remained BLIND to our SUFFERINGS. It gave a BLANK CARD to THESE religious orders to exploit us to, and beyond, OUR LIMITS.
Is there something in the Irish Psyche that tolerates WHAT WE KNOW HAPPENED?
There is NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in the Irish Psyche that tolerates ABOMINATIONS against the MOST HELPLESS.
What we had in Ireland was corrupt religious leaders blinded by their power and might. Their ambition was to gain in prestige and wealth for their organisation: The Roman Catholic Church is BY FAR the LARGEST landowner on THIS island, the WEALTHIEST organisation on THIS island; So their AMBITION has been STUNNINGLY SUCCESSFUL.
With all such successful enterprises there is a DARK SIDE to this SUCCESS – a price has been paid -
* CHILDREN HAVE DIED WITHOUT ANY PROPER INQUIRY
* CHILDREN HAVE BEEN RAPED
* CHILDREN HAVE BEEN THE VICTIMS OF APPALLING AND DESTRUCTIVE VIOLENCE
* CHILDREN HAVE BEEN RIPPED FROM THEIR KITH AND KIN AND ISOLATED FROM SOCIETY
* CHILDREN HAVE BEEN USED AS FORCED LABOUR
* CHILDREN HAVE BEEN CRIMINALISED
This PRICE is still being PAID by SURVIVORS
Yet the ORGANISATIONS RESPONSIBLE for these CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN CONTINUE to DEMAND RESPECT from people. Indeed they ACT as if THESE CRIMES were very few AND far between – they issue CYNICAL APOLOGIES – they belittle ADVOCATES for SURVIVORS AND VICTIMS – they secretly ENCOURAGE APOLOGISTS and REVISIONIST to tell OUTRAGEOUS LIES about ROMAN CATHOLIC-MANAGED Child Detention Centres.
These maddeningly CRIMINAL organisations may ACTUALLY believe they are WINNING the BATTLE against SURVIVORS AND VICTIMS …….. but let me tell you something: THEY HAVE ALREADY LOST!
Dear Andrew,
No,I agree it is not an Irish thing. All societies are capable of good and also of nefarious practice. With the Christain Brothers, key issues came to play:
The boys were often removed from their parents and placed in homes that were all male preserves; poor education and theological formation of the Brothers also aided and abetted in the decline of this order. Most Brothers had rather poor psycho-sexual development and were certainly not fit to take care of young boys. In Western Australia, the Brothers had charge of 4 orphanages, most of the boys at these home came from the UK, Ireland and Malta. none of the Maltese boys was an orphan. Being a long way from home, the boys were especially emotionally deprived and very vulnerable to assault. It should also be remembered that Governments back home and in Australia also colluded in the practice of exporting children to far flung bits of the Empire. This exercise in social engineering led to the exploitation of many boys and resulted in broken men.
Gage
I agree with you completely Gage.
Irish people are prominent in this dreadful matter because Ireland had such a long tradition of deep Catholic faith. It is not a problem of Irish people it is a problem of excessive influence by the Catholic church.
It is also right that many governments were complicit in putting children into these abusive institutions and helping the abusers to cover up their crimes.
The task is to make sure that the crimes continue to be exposed; that ‘celibates’ and secretive religious organisations are never allowed to run childrens institutions without rigorous independent oversight; and that those who did these crimes, allowed it to happen and covered it all up are made to pay for all the compensation and support that is going to continue to be necessary for a very long time.
Here is my story of abuse at the hands of The Irish Christian Brothers in the USA:
http://www.engaged-zen.org/articles/EXECUTION_HS.html
Thank you Kobutsu. Your well written and presented story will be an inspiration to others who feel the need to express what they have experienced. Well done.
The publication a few days ago of the report by the Irish Government detailing the enormous extent of physical and sexual abuse by Catholic Institutions in Ireland emphasised the major role played by the Christian Brothers in these crimes. This story and many others drive home how their crimes were worldwide and there is a very long way to go before it is all exposed let alone rectified.
Thank you again.
[...] Christian Brothers and Child Abuse January 2008 34 comments 3 [...]
I went to a CB high school in NJ. Like the overwhelming number of people I know who have gone to a CB school, I heard these stories and am absolutely stunned because the brothers I knew were great. There was an occassion wack on the head if you ignored a few instructions to stop goofing off, but nothing remotely abusive. We viewed it as a much better than detention. I don’t doubt that these other things happened with some CB just like it did with some priests. I just had a completely different exerience in over 16 years of education in Catholic school.
Those like me find it hard to fathom these stories because the religous we have known were inspirations, not predators. I know that those who were abused probably can’t fathom how I feel about these people, which is great admiration and gratitude.
The point is, it is always dangerous to paint too broad a brush. Abu ghraid was revolting. But it is not what I think fairly identifies America.
And based on what research I have done, the rate at which physical and sexual abuse occured in securlar institutions was actually higher. Doesn’t excuse it. And by my mind Catholic institutions should have done better to live up to their beliefs. But it is wrong to demonize this group. Demonize the predtors and those who failed to stop them. Not all the brothers.
@Mick. This ‘broad brush’ only covers those abusers and their superiors who were facilitating abuses and covering up the abuses. Add to them those people, particularly in the Irish institutions, who stood by as abuses happened. In Ireland the head of the Church – cardinal Brady – held secret trials in which he forced children to take Oaths of Secrecy.
All the archbishops of Dublin, from the 1940s up to Cardinal Connell were pre-occupied with the maintenance of secrecy, avoidance of scandal, protection of the Church’s reputation and preservation of its assets – other considerations including the welfare of children and justice for victims, were subordinated to these priorities.
Secular institutions do not have a culture of secrecy and cover-up that the Church has, so your ‘research’ is very flawed. Check out what happened in Philadelphia, where the Church was telling us that no abuses by clergy happened there; then in February this year it was discovered by a grand jury that there were 37 priests with credible accusations of abuse against them. That archdiocese has been the subject of not one but TWO grand jury reports. The first, in 2005, found credible accusations of abuse by 63 priests, whose activities had been covered up by the church. But there were no indictments, mainly because the statute of limitations had expired.
Andrew,well said and thank you for the many capitals.
I wanted the John Paul II guy arrested back in the 70′s on his” bullet proof” MACHINE.The guys that were with me taught that I was well,well cidered.”young people of ireland i LOVE you” those words have never ever left my memory to this very day.Both sexually and physically abused by these guys in two schools,casted out in the world then to,let’s say,get on in life.I’m touching 50 next sorry to be born in IRELAND DAY. I still live a life of confusion signals on a daily basis coming from my inner brain as a direct result of the criminal unprovoked assault in the 70′s CBS,as my head smashed against the water drinking fountain in the school yard,my bud @ the time picked me up and guided me to my classroom.Sexual abuse in the first School and then this @ the second School,my life as regards interacting with people has been to date bordering on delusional and tried I have and will continue to do and there’s always a but or if.The Church and State know most of what I know and they still on purpose I might add refuse to get me help with my mental imbalance,I’ve been drunk on two occasions since 1991 ” not bad for me”,but everyday seems like I’m drunk as my equilibrium since that smashing day in the School yard.I’ve traveled to many places to seek employment and getta life,nada nada nada,back home now and truth, even in 2011 Catholic Eire and Enda Kenny’s speech,due to my knowledge of these guys my life is made uncomfortable to be MILD.We ran the Church somewhere until 12th century ???We the people of Ireland should put forward a FIRM agenda to FORM a Vatican III Council in which outside proven experts that have researched these CRIMES ( Peter Insely ) be placed on the Council to HELP these PEOPLE CUT OUR NETS FROM WITHIN THE GREAT NET OF THE VATICAN.I friggin hurting inside to again kneel in MY CHURCH, how many more POPES do I have to see hold their hands up to the HEAVENS and withness a total farse,these guys are busted,Benny is 84,John Paul II gone, maybe 3RD POPE,3′S A CHARM.Bless you all out there, for we’ve cracked the window in the VATICAN and their not at all content with the CHILL.
I have documented what happened to us in Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell, NJ on my website:
http://www.bergencatholicabuse.com
My heart goes out to all who have been brutalized by the “Christian” Brothers….
Rev. Kobutsu Malone
Why,why,why.???. It is truly unbelievable that the CATHOLIC CHURCH here in Ireland with their VATICAN Attorneys found a way to cut ties with the Christian Brothers so as to avoid in anyway the sexual and physical abuse cases that are at a snails pace here.I wanted Pope John Paul II Arrested when he visited my Country ” YOUNG PEOPLE OF IRELAND I LOVE YOU ” for me to hear them words coming from his unholy mouth still ring loud in my mind to this day,why ?.A priest in my Parish new about my abuse ”I told him back then”and all my life I have waited for a knock on the door from the church to start to resolve my TRAUMA.36 years on and I reluctantly and nerve’s at the fore went to a local Solicitor only to be told about severed ties between the f–king Church and the Christian Brothers.Trauma on top of trauma for this Irish Catholic.I would dearly love to be able to go back into my Church,which is my birth right as a Catholic.Until the Church recognizes my trauma caused by two C.B.S. Schools then I guess going into my Church is still on the back burner in their eyes.36 years in the waiting,why,why,why,???.My true Catholic blessings to all that suffered and still are from the savage way in which we were treated.
Best regards— Tommy
I am a female writer and independent researcher. I have been researching the subject of irish industrial schools for over twenty five years.
In the beginning I came across great opposition from many irish people. Some even told me to ‘go away and forget about it and research something nice’! Othere were not so polite!
I soon realised that at the time, they were reluctant, even frightened, to face up to the truth about the terrible sexual and physical abuses, starvation,slave labour, etc which went on in these schools. The main reason for their reluctance seemed to be because it would cause them to challange their belief in the goodness of the catholic church and its clergy which they had followed blindly all their lives.
At times it became difficult to continue the research but I kept going despite the opposition. I met and interviewed many, many men who had grown old and were still haunted by their past. Most told me that it was a great relief to speak about things that they had kept locked inside their minds. Some even carried the burden of shame about the things that had happened to them even though it was not their burden to carry.
This is such a big subject, which as we have found out is not unique to Ireland.
Hi Christina – Have you contacted the Vatican? Not a trite comment in any sense. The Christian Brothers and the Rosminians have a ton of files in their HQs in Rome. During the Child Abuse Commission sittings in Ireland both congregations revealed that their files were situated there – indeed they quoted from those files – outlining sexual violence by their members – in testimony. The Commission, for some reason unknown, didn’t demand that these files be Discovered to the Commission so that our people (survivors/victims) could go through them. Nor was the Rome Superior of the Rosminians called to give testimony. Both Congregation were allowed to quote selectively from these files. As hard hitting as the Ryan Report was we just haven’t got to the full truth of the obscenities these congregations perpetrated on women & children In Ireland.