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I recently wrote about Father Small visiting the beautiful palace he and his Safeguarding staff – the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors – are taking over – and to which Survivors of Catholic sexual abuse will also have access to in some as yet unclear way. Vatican Safeguarding, it seems, is currently going through a difficult period with the resignation of two Survivors who were on its staff and now the resignation of its leading member Hans Zollner.
Zollner’s comments at a press conference included:
“One thing is certain, several members have left the Pontifical Commission before me and there has been no shortage of criticisms recently expressed publicly by past members, some quite strong”.
“If there is a lack of transparency, complaints and accountability, the doors are open to cover-ups”
Certainly no progress has been made on the De La Salle child sexual abuse scandal which I understood Father Small was hoping to resolve, following the example of the Comboni Brothers. He was going to write to me and I intimated that I welcomed his letter.
Perhaps he’s too busy. Because it transpires that Father Small is not only the head of the Pontifical Commission, but also the Founder and CEO of Missio Invest ‘blending faith and finance’ : an ambitious developmental aid project in the Global South. ‘In Africa alone,’ Missio says, ‘ there are over 74,000 religious sisters, 46,421 priests, and 8,779 brothers.’ This link takes you to their site https://missioinvest.org/en/about-us/#our-team-anchor and tells you about the impressive work they are doing in Africa and elsewhere. This includes agriculture, hospitals, old people’s homes and… schools.
Hence my interest.
Because my Catholic education was conditional on my becoming a seminarian. When, aware of the terrifying sexual abuse in seminaries, I declined, I was thrown out of my school at the tender age of 15. Altogether, my brother and I had 9 years of ‘free’ expensive education at St Joseph’s College, Ipswich. But, of course, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. There were other criminal strings attached, specifically being abused by the Catholic Knights of St Columba whose paedophile Knights included Canon Burrows of St Pancras Church, Ipswich.
This conditional Catholic education was commonplace in the past. Parents, like my Irish mother, even dedicated their children to the Church, with all it implied in that past era. A national journalist has expressed an interest in looking into this disturbing subject.
And there’s the example of John McDonnell MP who wrote to me:
‘I was at St Joseph’s in Ipswich from 12 to 16, funded by the church to then go on to a minor seminary to train to become a priest.’
A fairly recent article about St J’s had a spokesperson denying there was any such thing as St J’s ‘facilitating’ vocations as John described. Despite there being a De La Salle vocations teacher on the circuit of the DLS schools and despite my own clear recollections of being taught Latin one-to-one by Brother Kevin.
I would hate to think that Father Small’s educational work in the Global South includes a similar covert, easily deniable, conditional requirement as I’ve described. So that children there are still at risk – through desperate poverty – of being pressurized into seminaries, religious orders or at the mercy of clerical abusers or Catholic laity abusers, just as I was. Given that the Church has never acknowledged and expressed regret for its past ‘strings attached’ policy, not to mention the sexual abuse that so often went with it, of course it’s still going on and, of course, children are still in danger, even though it’s now obscured with a modern PR gloss, an obfuscation that is the familiar hallmark of the Church. Plus ça change
But where does the Church’s money come from for its ‘free’ education for suitably spiritual, obedient or poor and desperate children its clerical predators can take advantage of?
In my case, was it from some investment fund the Knights ran for the Church? Or from a diocese fund? My old school, St Joseph’s, when it began, was mysteriously funded by the Knights and its current finances are still equally mysterious so that a lawyer and a reporter who looked into them both found the current financial set-up ‘very strange.’
John McDonnell, like myself and others, says his education was ‘funded by the Church’ – but no knows where the money comes from, who it’s funnelled through –except in my case it was the Knights – and how else it’s used.
It’s time we found out.
If Survivors and ordinary concerned people are ever going to make sense of the the Catholic Church, its current potential for abusing and corrupting new generations of poor children in the Global South – where it’s acknowledged by the Church the safeguarding protocols are not as strong as in affluent countries – then it’s important to follow the money.
So this view, sent to me by an insider, knowledgeable in the workings of the Catholic Church, is important. I had no idea about Missio Invest before I read this.
I’ll comment further after their analysis.
I poked around a bit on the internet after reading your blog post about the palazzo – I was intrigued by Fr. Small talking about fundraising to do up the place, I thought, “Surely the Vatican funds the Commission and accepts that it has to throw resources at problems to resolve the crisis for the Church.”
Small’s background is that he’s a commercial lawyer cum entrepreneur. He’s involved in Missio Invest, a Church fund for start-ups by Church entities in the 3rd/developing worlds which got $20m from the World Bank in recent years. The idea is to put Church assets and the assets of Catholic lay organisations to work.
As you know, the De La Salles set up an investment fund in 2009. CBIS Global (Christian Brothers Investment Services) is an offshore fund that’s managed from Dublin. I don’t know how to find out for sure, but what’s the betting that CBIS and Missio Invest don’t have dealings with each other somewhere? What’s CBIS investing in if not the kind of thing that Missio Invest encourages?
Who would pay to do up a palazzo for the Vatican? Especially when that should come way behind redress for victims, an issue on which the Church clearly doesn’t impose universal rules? My mind is boggled
It said somewhere in the articles I read that to get a loan from Missio Invest an organisation has to adhere to the guidelines for safeguarding laid down from Rome. So which comes first in Small’s world: safeguarding and justice for victims, or getting the organisations that want loans from Missio Invest to sign up to safeguarding so that he can spread money around and build his reputation as an entrepreneur?
This kind of thing may be what Zollner was hinting at when he said that concerns about financial transparency were involved in his decision to resign from the Commission.
COMMENTARY:
Investors acknowledged by Missio Invest include the Jesuits and the Sisters of Saint Louis. But it’s quite possible the De La Salles are involved, given that ‘CBIS manages assets of $3 billion (€2 billion) in 10 funds based in the US through which “socially responsible” investments are made on behalf of more than 1,000 Catholic organisations. The Dublin-based fund will mirror the investments made by the firm in the US and will initially target Catholic organisations in Ireland, France, Italy and Spain.’
I’ll return to the subject of the actual value of Missio’s developmental aid another time. It’s a subject I know a fair amount about having written a two year semi-documentary series Third World War that concluded in 1990. It exposed numerous scandals in the Third World such as the Nestle Baby Food Scandal, the human cost of monoculture exports, and the IMF ferocious policies leading to suicides but also heroic resistance by indigenous people.
Today, it’s far worse. Nestle try to control water supplies and seeds are patented so farmers are at the mercy of transnationals. Given that Missio Invest is linked to the World Bank, I fail to see how it’s following a different and more noble path.
Common criticisms of the World Bank
Creating a climate where high levels of lending are deemed to be good.
Advocating disability adjusted life years as a health measure.
Disregard for the environment and indigenous populations.
Evaluating health projects by looking at economic outcome measures.
And, if you imagine Father Small’s Church would have respect for indigenous populations today, then I need to tell you about the Jesuits who threw the Apache Indians off their sacred mountain so they could build a Vatican-controlled and financed observatory on the top. It has the most powerful telescope in the world called Lucifer (Truly!) which searches for alien life. According to Father Chris Corbally, the project’s deputy director, ‘If civilisations were to be found on other planets and if it were feasible to communicate, then we would want to send missionaries to save them.” The Jesuits wanted to name the observatory ‘Columbus’ which the Apaches objected to for obvious reasons.
Some of the information I discovered is on these links :
The Apaches now need a prayer permit to ascend their sacred mountain. Their claim to it is disputed by the Jesuits because they don’t have written records.
Father Coyne, director of the Observatory, further declared that Apache beliefs were “a kind of religiosity to which I cannot subscribe and which must be suppressed with all the force we can muster.”
There was a surprising article in the New York Times by Jason Horowitz
‘In moving from cramped offices to a palazzo, the organization is aiming for more visibility, and to be better able to welcome victims.
‘That property hunt ended last month, when the commission took control of rent-free offices in a stately 16th-century palazzo controlled by the church in the middle of Rome.
‘Father Small (the leader) characterized the move as an expansion to a global headquarters in Rome that can serve as a monument to “the silent massacre of people’s childhoods” and make clear to survivors that they “have a right to be somewhere beautiful.”’
I can see how the Safeguarders will be working in a beautiful place. Not so sure about how Survivors benefit from it, though.
I read about it this morning, tried shrugging it off, then realised it was triggering memories of Catholic childhood abuse and I just couldn’t get rid of them. Catholic self-congratulation and Catholic abuse of power were the triggers – both of which I encountered big time as a kid. In such cases what I normally do is write a blog or tweet about it to get the poison, the Catholic mental abuse, out of my system, so here goes.
It was the self-congratulation that is so typical of all Catholic organisations that first got under my skin. And secondly the dubious use of power – the Commission intends to invite presumably selected and approved Survivors to their offices? Not ‘troublemakers’. But who would not be overawed by entering such a magnificent building? It’s intended to impress.
A more equable meeting would be on Zoom or Skype where Survivors are less likely to be visually impressed. Or intimidated.
The article is fuzzy on details, but if the Commission was intending to invite Survivors of Catholic Abuse in off the street – then I would ask them to make that clear. I very much doubt it. I’ll try reaching Father Small for clarification. Like so many Safeguarders he doesn’t appear to have a twitter account or an accessible email. But I understand he has read my blog about the De La Salles. It’s hardly likely that British Survivors would fly to Rome on the off chance. Based on the past, it seems most likely that Survivors would go through a careful vetting and filtering process so the Vatican finds suitably cooperative Survivors thus providing a valuable PR photo opportunity for the Church.
It’s happened before to a Survivor of De La Salles and nuns and as he rightly, bitterly and passionately puts it, ‘We won’t be fooled again.’
And that’s all this article is. It has no news value whatsoever and the reporter is clearly writing a puff piece for his friends in the Vatican. What do we Survivors care if they’ve moved offices? We want to know what they’re actually doing about the crimes of the Catholic Church.
There’s not a word of criticism or any reaction from Survivors on what they think about the Church’s investigators of the Church’s crimes working in a palace.
Do the British police or Social Services work out of stately homes? That’s a fair comparison.
A fellow St Joseph’s College Ipswich Survivor put it very well
Talk about not being capable of reading the room! What makes them think survivors want to go anywhere near an opulent church property, let alone a church? I wouldn’t go there if they paid me. Which they won’t.
was resigning over when he reference questionable financial dealings?
Other comments on twitter included ‘glorified marketing’ and ‘scam city’.
But because the reporter is so partisan towards the Vatican he has inadvertently revealed some insights into just what Vatican elites really think. If he had been more critical, then Father Small and co. might have been more on their guard. Instead there are some disturbing and revealing admissions in the article, so it’s not all bad.
Firstly, there’s the office politics – the rival factions within the Vatican. Countess Sigrid Von Galen has been observing and writing about this for some time and it’s clear from this that she is absolutely spot on. The resignation of Zollner is just part of it and reading the Commission’s failed attempt to smooth over the cracks in this article is quite revealing.
‘Asked if he thought Father Zollner, whom some commission staff suspected of trying to establish a competing child protection center at a Roman pontifical university, was trying to sabotage the commission, the Cardinal said, “At this point, I don’t know what he thinks.” (Father Zollner did not return a request for comment.)’
Something is clearly going on there
As a Survivor I try not to be bothered with all this nonsense, which is why I attempted to shrug it off. But it reminded me of the Church’s lack of transparency, and attempting to pull the wool over my eyes as a boy intended for the seminary – so it pressed a lot of buttons for me. And the Countess is absolutely right to draw our attention to it, because it underpins what is really going on in the Vatican which affects us as Survivors.
Secondly, the article quote how Father Small hunted for suitable headquarters:
‘Often, he (Small) said, he ran into a “NIMBY” (Not in my back yard) attitude, where church landlords looked at the commission “like a methadone clinic.”
“No one wants it in their backyard,” he said.’
This suggests that the Church generally views Survivors like drug addicts. That’s bad enough and its implications are disturbing. Not to mention insulting to drug addicts – of whom a high percentage are survivors of sexual abuse. It’s perhaps naïve of me to think the Church might show them rather more compassion and not use them for a negative comparison.
But it’s not just the Church generally, but Father Small himself who is actually making a disrespectful and insulting comparison. Just as if I quoted someone using a racist term, I would be guilty of such disrespect.
The appropriate thing to say to the reporter should have been, ‘church landlords looked at the commission in a very negative way.’
That’s not offending anyone and it’s still making an important point. I don’t care to be described as like a patient from a methadone clinic.
I hope Father Small is free of the clericalism that usually pervades his religion and can accept criticism from a Survivor.
That is what the Elliott report recommended, after all.
Father Small, I’m told, was planning to get in touch with me to see if a rapprochement could be made between Survivors and the De La Salles – a monumental task, given that the relevant agency, the RLSS, is now four months overdue in the action it clearly promised.
So I made it clear that I would welcome an intervention by the Commission if it made a difference to Survivors of the De La Salle scandals. I’m always open to the possibility that there are some individuals working for the Church who want genuine change and, if so, they need encouraging.
Even though nearly every survivor I’ve been in touch with has told me, ‘You’re wasting your time, Pat. Safeguarding is all window-dressing just to make the Church look good with no substance.’
What I take away from reading the account below is how important the De La Salles were to the Establishment in the 1950s. They were so well connected back then, any child speaking out about abuse by a DLS brother would never have been believed. The order had the total backing of the Establishment.
I doubt it would get quite the same backing today, but it still remains a powerful and global entity.
It helps explain why the DLS has still not responded to the most serious charges of child sexual abuse laid against it, as well as the promised investigation and apology which is still not forthcoming.
Maybe they still use their connections to their advantage. Or they are affected by clericalism – the elitism that is still present in the Catholic Church – and have nothing but disdain for Survivors. Disdain because they either regard us as liars or think we should keep our mouths shut about the horrific crimes the Brothers committed.
With all this in mind, one observer raised a most pertinent and important question:
‘The founder of the De La Salles wasn’t just canonized, he was declared patron saint of ALL teachers. So why aren’t the De La Salles leading the way for teaching orders to make amends for abuse, instead of being grudging laggards?‘
Another excerpt from an official history of the De La Salles. Everyone knows how appalling De La Salle approved schools and reformatories were in recent times. St Gilberts School was particularly vile and there have been graphic accounts on this site. The latest development is that the De La Salles say they were acting on behalf of the Home Office, so they are not responsible for their own criminal actions!
Their hypocrisy is beyond words. They have absolutely no shame.
Money, it seems, totally dominates their lives.
Compare their current behaviour with how they behaved in the 17th century. See below. ‘Birds in cages’ and ‘cultivating flowers’ were allowed for inmates.
I doubt that was the case in the 20th century!
A survivor of the De La Salles made this comment about the current hypocrisy contrasting with the founder’s admirable ideals. ‘Cardinal Wolsley (associated with Ipswich) said much the same thing (about behaving correctly to boys). These DLS blokes never read their contract again after they signed it. Or maybe they were just bloody evil.’
Here’s the De La Salle founder on how De La Salle brothers should behave.
‘…Never allowing themselves to descend to anything base…This seriousness does not consist in a severe or austere aspect, in anger or in harsh words… The teachers will above all never become familiar with their pupils…’
It angers me and many other Survivors that the De La Salles endlessly present themselves and preen themselves today with self-congratulation and not a word of self-criticism, always awarding themselves ten out of ten for their holy and most excellent behaviour..
They seem so ruled by the arrogance of clericalism that it would never occur to them to say, ‘We got it so wrong in recent years. We strayed far from the path of righteousness. From the words of our holy founder. We are truly and profoundly sorry that we grievously and irrevocably harmed so many thousands of children and we hang our heads in shame and humbly ask for their forgiveness.’
Yet if they did make a genuine apology along these lines (as opposed to their curt, fake apology buried deep within their website and criticised even by the partisan Tablet) they would earn the respect and forgiveness of some survivors, at least.
So it actually makes good sense. Insurers – or whoever really runs the DLS order – please note. But perhaps you simply can’t help yourselves? Arrogance is now your way of life? And not acknowledging that your Order screwed up – big-time?
The more they try to hide from us, the harder we shall seek
The more they try to bury the truth, the deeper we will dig
The more they try to blind us, the truth we will see
The more they try to bully us, the stronger we will become.
by Kevin O’Connor, Caldey Island Survivor
Yesterday I posted a summary of the abuse by monks on Caldey Island going back decades and the refusal of the Abbot to even apologise. Caldey Island Child Abuse Summary [9s].
This current post details some actions you can take to help Caldey Island Survivors Campaign to get that apology they so desperately want and deserve.
Caldey Island Survivors Group
Survivors of abuse from Caldey Island formed a group called Caldey Island Survivors Campaign. Kevin is launching the latest part of survivors campaign tomorrow on Good Friday, to bring more attention to the decades of child abuse carried out by the monks on Caldey Island and what you can do to help. The launch will be on Sonia Poulton’s daily morning show Rise on BNT. Twitter Sonia Poulton[18] Brand New Tube Sonia Poulton[19].
On Saturday 8th April, the first boat sails to the island for the opening of the public season on Caldey Island. Children are at risk from monks and other paedophiles the island has attracted for decades.
Easter time is obviously a particularly significant time to many as the time of crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. The main part of the Caldey Island Survivors campaign is to ask people to fill in the Caldey Island Monks Prayer Request Form, to request that the monks pray for the very child victims raped and abused by the monks on Caldey Island.
We are hoping that will gettheir attention!
Aims of Caldey Island Survivors Campaign
Public Apology – There should be a full public apology from Caldey Island Abbot Daniel Van Sandvoort for the child rapes and child abuse carried out by monks on Caldey Island. Abbot Santvoort has been the Caldey Abbot for 23 years and on the island for 33 years.
Private Apologies to victims – The children abused by monks should also receive an individual private apology from the Abbot.
Child Protection – Children on the island deserve proper protection. The Monks have finally been forced to have vetting, but the DBS vetting needs to be properly supervised by the Religious Life Safeguarding Service [RLSS] [5]
Children’s minister for the Welsh Assembly should recognise the extent of the abuse, the imperative for an apology from Abbot and that the Welsh Assembly need to launch an inquiry into decades of abuse on the island.
Actions for Public to help the Survivors Campaign
We want to make sure that the abuse survivors are uppermost in Caldey Island Monks thoughts and prayers. Survivors desperately want recognition of their abuse and an apology before they can begin healing. We are asking people to fill in a prayer request form on the Caldey Island website to
ask the monks to pray for victims and survivors of child abuse at the hands of Caldey Island Monks on Caldey Island
ask the monks to pray that Abbot Daniel van Santvoort gives a full public apology to all the victims of child abuse on the island and at the hands of Caldey Island Monks. An apology is the only moral and Godly action for Abbot Daniel van Santvoort to take.
ask the monks to pray that Abbot Daniel van Santvoort gives an individual private apology to each victim
This is a screenshot of the prayer request form, and if you click on it, it will take you to the form itself…
Plan B, should the Prayer Request Form go down for any reason, is an email address that you can send prayer requests to, or any other queries… Email inquiries@caldey-island.co.uk
We would ask you to do which of these actions you can or feel drawn to. If you only have time to do one action, please fill in the Monks Prayer Request form for an apology for abuse survivors.
Fill in the Monks Prayer Request form to the monks for the victims of abuse by Caldey Island monks and an apology from Abott Daniel van Santvoort
Boycott Caldey Island and all products #BoycottTheBrothers
Support Caldey Island Survivors Campaign by buying some of their hand beaten recycled copper crosses and other items hand made by survivors.
Pray for the victims and survivors of Caldey Island Child Abuse
Sign up to the Caldey Island Survivors Campaign mailing list to keep in touch for further actions – Caldey Island Survivors [1] or here [2] Scroll down.
Email /Contact actions
Email / Contact Actions
Contact Rocio Cifuentes, the Welsh Assembly Children’s Commissioner for Wales. Ask for her to recognise the importance of an apology from the Abbot for the victims and survivors of child abuse on Calday Island and by monks on the Island. With recognition and an apology the victims of child abuse at the hands of monks on Caldey Island can start to achieve some closure for the first time. Survivors Campaign would like her to support the call for an investigation into the child abuse over on the Island over decades to find out what has happened.
Child Commissioner Wales email post@childcomwales.org.uk [14a]
Caldey Island survivors say there needs to be independent safeguarding checks. Police DBS vetting should now to be supervised by the Religious Life Safeguarding Service [5] [RLSS] but the Survivors Campaign want to be ensure that this will actually take place and to a high standard and that they are watching. There is some debate as to how effective RLSS are. See Pat Mills blog [17]
Please ask for confirmation of RLSS oversight of Caldey Island’s DBS vetting, what levels of DBS vetting the monks are subject to and what RLSS oversight means in practice.
The survivors group and particularly Kevin has spent much time and money trying to raise awareness of the abuse that happened, and trying to get the truth and justice and the extent of what has actually happened to children at the hands of monks on Caldey Island over the last 70 years.
The Survivors Group Campaign now raise funds by making hand beaten recycled copper crosses and other items. These crosses are hand made with love and Kevin described with passion what they represent…
“The reason I make these crosses is that I felt that through all my life, I was carrying the cross that the abusers had placed on my back. Their sins were the weight I carried for decades. The tears I shed left a trail which Jesus followed.”
Even though the weight of their sins became too heavy at times and I fell to my knees with depression and feelings of loneliness, Jesus picked me up and helped me to carry on my path. Without Jesus and my good wife Carol I not sure where I would be today. Making these crosses is done by the hands of survivors of historic child abuse. We make them with our hearts. We know their feelings and hurt. Every cross we make is a symbol for survivors past, present and future child abuse all over the world.
The copper pipe I use is reclaimed from builders who donate them to my campaign. I clean the copper pipe and then hammer it into shape. Then I solder them. We then bless them with Holy water.
Please email caldeyislandsurvivors@protonmail.com for ordering crosses. The price is £25.00 including most postages. Please let me know of your address and we confirm that. With all my heart I thank you.
The hand made copper crosses are particularly stunning I think.
Email caldeyislandsurvivors@protonmail.com for ordering crosses and other items. The price is £25.00 for crosses including most postages. Please let me know of your address and we confirm that. With all my heart I thank you.
These QR codes pass me by, but apparently you can also help Caldey Survivors Group by donating by scanning this QR code to their GoFundMe
Caldey Island monks sell products that they make on the island. But they are tainted with child abuse. Please boycott the island and not buy any of their products. Not only have the hands that abused children made the products, but the products like ice cream and chocolate were used to lure children in to their abuse. The dairy is where the ice cream and chocolate are made and the room off the dairy was used to abuse children.
The Abbot, Daniel van Santvoort, who refuses to apologise to survivors of abuse by monks on the island is in the centre of the picture, surrounded by the abuse and product.
Caldey No.1 – Caldey Island perfume comes with the stench of child abuse…
Caldey Island is opening to the public on Saturday 8th April. Caldey Island, off Tenby, Pembrokeshire, SA70 7UJ, Wales. email inquiries@caldey-island.co.uk
#BoycottTheBrothers #BoycottCaldeyIsland
Please share this post to help Caldey Island Survivors get an apology.
Also check out Patrick Mills blog [17] who blogs mainly on De La Salles abuse but covers all religious abuse. Recently covered views on the RLSS safeguarding.
Poem by Kevin O’Connell
The more they try to hide from us, the harder we shall seek.
The more they try to bury the truth, the deeper we will dig.
The more they try to blind us, the truth we will see.
The more they try to bully us, the stronger we will become.
[7s] 2022 Oct 8 substack foxyfoxblog Kevins Story of Child Abuse on Caldey Island formerly titled Cistercian Monk Child Abuse and Trafficking on Caldey Island
[8s] 2023 Feb 28 Substack FoxyFox Caldey Island Abuse Timeline #CaldeyIsland #CaldeyIslandAbuse #cistercian #ChurchAbuse #Monks #CistercianAbuse
[16] Email inquiries@caldey-island.co.uk Caldey Island, off Tenby, Pembrokeshire, SA70 7UJ,Wales, UK
[17] Pat Mills blog https://patmills.wordpress.com/ who blogs mainly on abuse by De La Salles but covers much church abuse and recently the debate on how effective the RLSS are.
Christa Ford12 hr agoWe are following the survivors and we are praying for them and I’ve just taken a few of the action steps that you have called us to do in your email and I’m more than glad to make those cries for God’s will to be done and for their healing to take place! I sent a prayer request to the monks to before complete repentance and a public apology and a private apology and then also sent an email to the government leader woman that you suggested. I will try to buy one of their crosses soon also! Whatever you’ve done to the least of these my brother you’ve done to me and whatever you have not done until he’s my brother and you’ve not done it to me are the words of JesusLIKE (1)REPLY
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The child raping Cistercian monks on Caldey Island were brought to the attention of the public in 2017 largely thanks to three brave survivors, pseudonyms Charlotte, Emily and Adele. Their story was well reported by Amanda Gearing. 2017 Nov 18 Guardian Revealed: monk who abused children on ‘crime free’ Caldey Island for decades. [21]
It was revealed that there had been multiple victims of child abuse by a monk, in the 1970’s and 1980’s. The serial child abuser was Father Thaddeus Kotik. Caldey Island Abbot Robert O’Brien had covered it up when it was reported to him in the late 1980’s. He did not report it to the Police. The fact that Kotik had been on the island since 1947 raised concerns of decades of further abuse.
Civil Legal Case v Abbey
Charlotte and another female victim/survivor/ [VS] Emily had reported the offences to the Principal of their school, St. Phillip’s Christian College in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia in the late 1980s. Unfortunately the Deputy Principal of the school, Richard Rule, acted as an enabler of abuse and told the girls they “didn’t need to talk of this again because God has forgiven everyone”. The article from 2017 stated that Richard Rule was running a child care centre. This obviously raises/raised safeguarding concerns for the children in his care.
Charlotte, with some research, and doing the job many think the police should be doing tracked down five other women who had been abused. In 2014 in the abscence of any public prosecution, the 6 women hired Tracey Emmott of Emmott Snell solicitors to lead the case of 6 women against Caldey Abbey for an acknowledgment, apology, and compensation.
The Abbey however was not cooperative, backflipped on various previous admissions and used various legal tricks to avoid taking responsibility. The upshot was that the case had to be settled out of court and with meagre compensation payments for the survivor/ victims abused by Caldey Monks. Very importantly there was no apology.
Child Abuse
After the 2017 publicity, more survivors came forward and more revelations followed. To date the survivors campaign say around 30 survivors have come forward. This is still expected to be only a small fraction, due to the length of time the perpetrators were abusing, the number of monks actually abusing and the number of monks who at the very least knew about the child rapes and child abuse and were thus enablers.
This is the testimony from one survivor…
When Father Thaddaeus was abusing me, while he masturbated over me, at least a dozen monks were also masturbating and ejaculated over me. They took off my T shirt as it was drenched in semen. In my view every Monk knew, even the Abbot. It was industrial abuse of children.
Abuse has now been reported on Caldey Island, since at least since the 1960’s [61]. The legal case relied on abuses in the 1980’s and 1990’s but survivors believe that child abuse is still going on, precisely because so many monks knew about it.
There were child abuser visitors who were monks, like Father Charles Jeffries, a friend of Thaddeus Katik, but there were also other child abusing men who had become used to turning up on the Island every year. It was a safe place to abuse children with no consequence, as Caldey Island had no child protection measures in place and police never patrol the island, ever. Sympathetic monks could be trusted to smooth over anything that might be dangerous to abusers.
Even when children visit the island in the summer there are no police patrols, and so Caldey has become a magnet for child rapists.
Perversely, the “first crime” official on the island was recorded in 2016 for a dad mishandling his own son. Father who manhandled his ‘misbehaving’ seven–year-old son [76]. That “first crime” report of course indicates how reality is different from perception and official record as the monks had been abusing children for years.
Whistleblowing on Abuse and Abuse Deniers
Part of the problem of perception and official record is that survivors are not believed and no action is taken. For survivors it is often like living in a parallel universe, where the normal rules that seem to apply to everyone else do not apply to you. One raped child was told by the abusive monk that if he told anyone about the abuse the following would happen
“God would turn his back on me
The devil would come and take me either from under the bed or through the mirror at night
A severed hand would come through the letter box, climb up the stairs onto my bed and strangle me” Cistercian Monk Child Abuse and Trafficking on Caldey Island[7s]
This would be scary enough as a child – raped by a monk, supposedly a representative of a higher power of good and then threatened that God would turn his back on them, the innocent victim of abuse. That the devil would then get him and a severed hand strangle him.
But when the child does find the courage to overcome those threats and tell about the abuse, everyone around denies or covers up the abuse. There was no help from the parents of one child as they actually pimped the child to the monks, whilst supposedly the child was under the care of the local authority. Children are told that the abuse did not happen as monks would not do that sort of thing. The children are gaslighted, ignored, told not to say such wicked things, told that God has forgiven the abusers, or even worse has forgiven everyone – as though the abused child needed to be forgiven. The innocent abused children are often even punished for telling the truth. They learn to keep it to themselves.
This scenario of people not believing that you were abused can continue even when you disclose the abuse as an adult. The survivors have already been through the hell of abuse, struggled through their childhood of not being believed most likely with PTSD and other mental health effects. Whilst a distinction is made between physical and mental health – these are physical effects – just in the brain. The neural pathways in the brain formed under abuse and stress are not the ones that ideally would be formed in a kind loving atmosphere. These pathways are further confused as the love often given by an abuser as part of the grooming process is often welcomed, is lacking in the rest of the child’s life, it is what a child yearns for. This love becomes all mixed up with the unwelcome abuse taking place. Often abuse is taking place even before sex drives have kicked in. One of our basic human drives for sex which is usually associated with pleasure is now associated with pain and suffering.
It is often the people who have had kind loving upbringings that cannot see outside of their own paradigm. They cannot empathise, they seemingly have cognitive dissonance and in their ignorance become vociferous that others are making wicked accusations against kindly people. They are blind to their own ignorance, ignorance not only of the abuse itself but of the system that allows it and hides it. Instead of taking their anger out on the perpetrator they take it out yet again on the victim.
An example of the inner conflict between yearning for love and the bad lessons learned as a victim of abuse is shown by Mark. Mark was a victim of abuse by Kotik. As Kotik was a family friend, ie had groomed the family in preparation for grooming the child, then Kotik kept seeing Mark. This continued even when Mark has left his parents. Mark even in the course of time took his own son to Caldey to see Kotik. It should be pointed out that Mark ensured that his son never left his side.
Mark now is horrified at what he did, saying he cannot forgive himself.
“Looking back, I cannot forgive myself for putting [my son] in such a vulnerable position despite me or another adult being with him all the time,” Mark said.
But what Mark did is understandable and there is no need to forgive himself. It takes time to heal from abuse. It takes time to make new neural pathways and stop using those old destructive neural pathways. It is much harder to correct or relearn new pathways as an adult, than it was to lay down defective pathways as a child, when we are like a sponge of learning, especially under conditions of high stress. To Mark’s great credit he has formed new neural pathways and understood the destructiveness of the old ones.
Anyone want to explore those issues on healing see Caylen Hartwell Mind Control Survivor [11] where there is a good interview and links. I would also recommend Joseph Chilton Pearce Magical Child[12] which gives the ideal blueprint, the correct stimulation, of what inputs a child’s brain needs over time.
As as adult, survivors courageously tell their stories and often meet even more harassment and bullying. Some people absurdly demand “concrete proof” of abuse. Concrete proof from years earlier when those being abused were children, not even comprehending what horrific things were happening to them, often by people who they trusted and even loved.
What concrete proof do these people want? No concrete proof can possibly be given in 99.9 % of cases. What the “concrete proofers” appear to mean is that they will never believe survivors, that they cannot accept that these horrors happen, they appear to not want to cross the barrier of reality and want to live in their fantasy world. In essence they take an anti survivor stance, whilst hiding behind the veneer of an excuse about proof to protect themselves.
These concrete proofers are often the ones who have had loving background and have little understanding of how others had suffered. Conversely they can also sometimes be people who are denying their own abuse, afraid that if they admit that abuse happens they then have to face up the harsh reality of their own abuse, rather than box it away and pretend it did not happen. Maybe the idea of a monk being an abuser is something people cannot comprehend, or they have cognitive dissonance at the evil that some people can perpetrate, or worse still they have an agenda so they side with the abusers.
Locations of Caldey Island Abuse
There are plenty of hidden places all over island where abuse can and did take place. Children have been abused in many places over the island including the woods, ruined buildings and isolated rocky coves near the beach.
Kevin was abused and went to Calday in 2019 to face up to and overcome his demons and to help his healing. Amongst the places he was abused were some ruins…
Below is Kevin arriving back on the island. The video of Kevin’s visit, click on pic to open video in new tab.
2019 Jun 17 Odysee S4C Caldey Island Abbey Catholic Abuse Kevin O’Connell 23min57s [oca5] #CaldeyIsland #csa #ChildAbuse #revisit #monks #cistercian #catholic #benedictine
The monastery garage was used to entice children by having a chest full of sweets in there. The room beside the dairy was used to abuse after the child was lured into the Dairy with a bribe of chocolate or ice cream made there.
Caldey Island Abbot’s Kitchen Chocolate and Caldey ice cream were made by the hands of child abusers and in a circular horrible dystopian irony the chocolate and ice cream was then used to help lure more children into more abuse.
Please boycott any products made by the monks.
As well as the monks I gather there maybe about 40 residents on the island. Resident children as well as visitor children were abused.
Caldey Island Abbey Monks, Brothers, Fathers, Abbot Responsibility For Abuse
The problem with protecting children on Caldey Island is that the Abbey / the monks and in particular the current Abbot Daniel van Santvoort, exploit every opportunity they can to hide the truth. Essentially the Abbot not to be transparent, but to obfuscate, use loopholes, use grey areas, use legal dodges and delays.
These include
Caldey Island is a privately owned. The Abbey either does not allow the police to patrol or the police choose to not patrol
Child Safeguarding checks were denied as it was claimed that the monks do not mix with children so do not need safeguarding checks. Luckily survivors had the photographic evidence that the monks do mix with children so at least now the monks are officially subject to a DBS vetting check.
The monks refuse to accept that child safeguarding is overseen by the local Diocese of Menevia in Swansea, who have been advised the Abbey on their safeguarding policies. I presume this is the local Catholic diocese. Caldey Abbey does not come under their responsibility but Bishop Tom Burns said that “the Abbey has insisted on retaining its oversight of any specific cases, past, present, or in the future.”
The Abbey claims now to have a child safeguarding officer. However the “safeguarding officer” is an ex policeman. The police have failed the children and survivors over the years, and having an ex police as safeguarding officer is not independent nor is seen as independent. Caldey Survivors group do not trust an ex member of the police, an organisation who have consistently failed for decades to protect the children. How can he be impartial and seen to be impartial?
The Abbot and Abbey use opaque ownership of the island to evade responsibility and culpability. Caldey Island was bought by the Cistercian Monks in 1925 to be occupied by a group of monks from Scourmont Abbey in Belgium. Scourmont denied legal liability for the abuse yet Kotik a major abuser spent time at Scourmont. Armand Veilleux, Scourmont Abbot from 1999 – 2017, claimed Caldey was an autonomous house in civil and canon law. Teresa Elwes, a devotee who has maintained a relationship with Caldey and Scourmont for 40 years and knew Kotik, said the mother house, famous for its brewery could afford to compensate victims properly. [42]
Abbey and Abbot Legal Shenanigans
The civil legal process was dragged out from 2014 – 2016 due to Abbot Daniel van Santvoort refusing to admit responsibility or even give an apology. This is an age for suffering survivors, for whom the decision to take the monks on, was supposed to help heal, help bring some resolution to their bodies and minds still suffering from the abuse by monks. [21]
They did not achieve what they wanted. The abbey
backflipped on its previous admissions and claimed instead it had no knowledge of the alleged sexual abuse.
that there was an “evidential disadvantage” in that none of the monks at the abbey during the time of the allegations were still alive. The defence therefore required the abused children prove each offence.
claimed it was not liable as the priest was not employed by the abbey to provide care for children
invoked the statute of limitations, claiming the victims were out of time to sue for damages and it was not possible now for the abbey to get a fair trial
asked the court to find the claim should not be allowed because the seriousness of the allegations was likely to attract attention that may threaten the continued existence of the abbey!!
“The defendant tried to avoid their responsibilities by relying on the time limit loophole claiming the abuse happened too long ago and the claims were too late,” Emmott said. “It took the issuing of court proceedings before out of court settlements were offered, and even then my clients’ request for a formal apology as part of the settlement package was never forthcoming.” Daniel van Santvoort refused even to comment when the story came out.
It should be pointed out that whilst not having achieved what they wanted, they did not fail, they achieved much. They were the Caldey Survivor pioneers. They drew a line in the sand saying that they would not accept being raped and tortured and abused and continue to keep silent. They planted the survivor flag and said we not retreating, we are not cowering in our bunkers. They climbed out of the bunkers of despair and went over the top and advanced. They went to the heart of the beast that had attacked them as innocent children. They fought the beast as best they could in a system that by accident or design favours the abusers.
They stood up to be counted. They achieved dignity and respect and an example for others to follow. They have built a bridgehead so that others can build on their achievements. I recognise your courage, your bravery and your desperation even to take this action to achieve healing from the legacy of what the monks did to you. I recognise what you will have been through in this legal battle, which is on top of the effects of the abuse. Disappointments and delays, emotional highs and lows, mental batterings and bruisings, frustration at the mindnumbing unfairness of it all, despair at the delays and further delays and machinations and procedures of a unfit justice system. Sheer disbelief that the monks who claim to be good but actually are defending evil in this topsy turvy world. Charlotte, Emily, Adele and the other 3 Calday Pioneers I salute you and your immense contribution, your achievement was huge.
Recognition must also go to Amanda Gearing whose article broke the story into public awareness. 2017 Nov 18 Guardian Revealed: monk who abused children on ‘crime free’ Caldey Island for decades [21]. This article not only exposed the Caldey Island monks but encouraged others to come forward and also exposed more and more abuse and abusers. Amanda wrote about nine excellent articles in all, sensitive articles full of information not sensationalism. They were talking truth to power, which to me is what what a journalist should do, but is now so rare in these days of mockingbird media narrative set on high with churnalists lower down carrying out their orders and taking home paycheques. I salute Amanda for her contribution to truth.
Some who came forward publicly are known to be Mark, Kevin O’Connell on behalf of himself and his dead sister Rebecca O’Connell, and Joanna Biggs who has also fought bravely and successfully to clear her sisters name, Theresa from lies told by nun Sister Sheila Singleton. Theresa died in a swimming accident off Caldey when aged 6 after having been given permission to swim by the nun who later denied it and Theresa’s good name in death, was besmirched by the nun to cover up her own culpability. They both had been abused by monks.
Mark, Kevin and Joanna I salute you too. Rare courage from extraordinary people.
Many times, “The Abbey” is referred to. The abbey is a building, whether or not it has legal standing in law I do not know, or what legal entity or construct the monks of Caldey Island hide behind, but what I do know is that the Abbot is in charge. The buck stops with him.
Abbot Daniel van Sandvoort
The current Abbot is Daniel van Santvoort. Abbot Daniel van Sandvoort went to Caldey in 1990, became Abbot in 1999 and is the current Abbot. [33]
The newspaper put it diplomatically by using the word “backflip”. I will be more direct, Abbot Daniel van Santvoort LIED when he said he did not know that there was previous abuse. As well as lying Daniel van Santvoort did everything he could to stop natural justice for the children who had been raped by Caldey Island monks. He refused to give an apology and only meagre compensation. A Godly man would surely have been contrite, and offered a generous apology and compensation commensurate with the crimes perpetrated by the Monks of Caldey Island.
Theere has been no proper apology for the abuse, there has been a limp apology that the abuse was not reported to the police when the previous Abbot was told about it. He was told about it by survivors, parents and staff.
Daniel van Santvoort was Abbot and hence in charge when
the Abbey lied about the Abbey not previously not knowing about Katik’s abuse, despite evidence to the contrary
the Abbey fought tooth and nail to deny 6 survivors even an apology for their abuse
Paul Ashton, a child sex offender stayed on the Island 2004-11,
Father John Shannon stayed 2008-9 who turned out to be a child sex offender
John Cronin stayed for a month in 2009, another sex offender.
Brother Daniel said the abbey was working with Children’s Commissioner for Wales, however Sally Holland has denied that is the case.[64]
many people and news organisations have asked Abbot van Santvoort for comments, but mostly he arrogantly refuses. eg Despite contacting the Brother [Santvoort] several times, he never responded. ITV [46]
it was stated that “the seriousness of the allegations was likely to attract attention that may threaten the continued existence of the abbey”
There is a pattern. This man, the Caldey Island Abbot Daniel van Santvoort (Gerard) has acted to cover up child abuse by Caldey Island monks.
Abbot Daniel van Sandvoort is also reported to have a very quick temper, not something that most people might associate with an Abbot.
Daniel van Santvoort has resisted adequate child protection measures on Calday Island. Why would someone do that, never mind a supposed man of God?
Brothers and Fathers at Caldey Island
Whilst Santvoort undoubtedly has responsibility for covering up the abuse and his inadequate and frankly nasty and unChristian actions towards survivors, then there is a wider responsibilty of all the monks. The brothers and fathers must question themselves as to whether they are happy to be part of an organisation that covers up child abuse and treats the survivors of abuse by monks so badly. Even if the abuse was all in the past, which survivors do not believe to be the case, monks live on the island that the abusers lived on, use the same rooms that children were abused in. They use benches, the same cutlery that abusers used, the same dairy room that abuse occurred in.
Do the brothers and fathers respect an Abbot that treats survivors of child abuse like dirt, that were abused by a monk from their establishment ?
Do they respect an Abbot that refuses to even give an apology for child abuse perpetrated by monks on the island that you live on as monks?
An apology means so much. Why does Abbot Daniel van Santvoort not give an apology?
These Cistercian monks at Caldey refuse to take responsibility for the children abused by their own on the island, over decades, not isolated occurences, and the true extent of which has not been revealed yet. Have the monks no shame?
Child Safeguarding
The Monks now are now finally “vetted” to make sure they have no previous relevant convictions. In the UK is called a Disclosure and Barring Service [DBS] check. DBS Checks[13]. It was previously denied that monks mixed with children but following photographic evidence provided by survivors, that incontrovertible fact has now been accepted. There are various levels of DBC check, and the exact level /extent applied at Calday is not clear as yet.
The survivors group say that the DBS checks need to be properly and rigorously overseen by Religious Life Safeguarding Service [RLSS] [5] an independent team of safeguarding professionals offering safeguarding services to the Religious of the Catholic Church in England and Wales. Kevin from the survivors group says it paramount that the RLSS properly oversee DBS, so that children and vulnerable adults visiting and staying on retreat on Caldey Island are safe.
ITV Wales also contacted the Diocese of Menevia in Swansea. Caldey Abbey is not under their responsibility but they have been advising the Abbey on their safeguarding policies and practices for the last 18 months.
The Bishop Tom Burns said that “however, the Abbey has insisted on retaining its oversight of any specific cases, past, present, or in the future.”
Police
Dyfed Powys Police refuse to patrol the island in the season April to Sept, which is when visitors are allowed, even the high risk time in the summer holidays. This is an obvious risk to children. Why won’t the Police patrol? This is especially risky for children when Caldey Island is known to child abusers and paedosadists to be a safe place for them to abuse.
Dyfed Powys Police refuse to release a public facing report on the results of previous investigations of child abuse on Caldey. Why?
Dyfed Powys Police refuse to carry out a full investigation of child abuse that has happened on Calday Island. Why? Previously they have given an excuse that a perpetrator, preusmably Katik, is dead. What about the dozen other perpetrators?
Dyfed Powys Police have ignored victims, reported crimes with crime numbers have been ignored
Survivors of abuse have felt harassed by Dyfed Powys Police for telling their stories of abuse.
Once such previous investigation was this, Dyfed-Powys Police Temp Det Supt, Ross Evans, said the investigation into allegations of non-recent sexual abuse on the island was ongoing and the force was working with known victims “to build a picture of events” [59] Is it not it time that survivors who have given many hours of statements to the Police received that picture of events that so affected and shaped their lives?
Dyfed Powys police why are they refusing to do a full on investigation to historic child abuse on Caldey Island and why have they ignored so many victims.
Two Welsh MP’s were living or had second homes on Caldey Island during the 1970’s, is this coincidence?
Welsh Assembly
The Welsh Assembly have done nothing. The Survivors Campaign that the Asembly turned them down 3 times for a Public Enquiry, it is unclear why. New evidence is coming forward all the time.
Children’s Commissioner for Wales is Rocio Cifuentes for the next 7 years. She has shown little interest in the plight of victims of child abuse from Caldey. Why will she not press for an Inquiry into abuse on the island that lasted for decades and a Police Public Facing Report on what has happened?
Conclusion
Caldey Island Abbot Daniel van Santvoort refuses to apologise for abuse committed by Caldey Island monks. He refuses to get independent safeguarding, he malevolently sought out every opportunity to cover up the child abuse that occurred.
If they were really God fearing monks, then you would think there would be contrition, profuse apology, atonement and restitution.
Is this a really a pedophile cult who dress in brown robes for protection and not actually monks who are abusers?
On Good Friday Calday Island Survivors group will launch their campaign to help bring attention to the abuse perpetrated by the Cistercian monks. A post will be posted here and a survivor Kevin will be giving more details to Sonia Poulton on Rise with BNT Twitter Sonia Poulton[15] Brand New Tube Sonia Poulton[16]
Please join in the campaign to help them. More details on this blog tomorrow. Also see
[46] 2019 May 14 ITV Calls for public inquiry into historical child abuse on Caldey Island as another victim comes forward 2019 Kevin O’Connell revisited Caldey Island with S4C ITV Wales also contacted the Diocese of Menevia in Swansea. FOI WHen do you have jurisdiction, why do you refuse to patrol? Despite contacting the Brother several times, he never responded.
[64] Victim 10, V11, “Caldey Abbey has worked to ensure this can never be repeated. We now have robust child protection procedures in place on the island including a child protection coordinator.” Brother Daniel said the abbey was working with Children’s Commissioner for Wales, however Sally Holland has denied that is the case.
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This is the FINAL DRAFT of questions for Catholic Safeguarding with the CEO of the RLSS, the Catholic Safeguarding agency responsible for Catholic Religious Orders.
I will ask these questions in a VIDEO INTERVIEW with Dani Wardman, the CEO, shortly.
Please add suggested NEW QUESTIONS in Comments below.
I will try and incorporate your new questions into the Interview.
And do say if you think my existing questions could be improved.
The Questions are FAQs that Survivors have raised and not had answered. They are designed to identify the problems and what we’re looking for.
The video interview will be available for viewing on my site and on the RLSS website as a youtube. Comments on the interview will be welcome on the RLSS site, which I hope will form the start of a ‘SURVIVORS DISCUSSION BOARD’ (like Mumsnet)
I’m trying to keep the questions generalized as far as possible and NOT quote specific Religious Orders. Not least because they should apply to all ROs.
Otherwise the RLSS may say the questions are ‘off limits’ as there may be a current investigation.
We will probably have to do this in TWO INTERVIEW SECTIONS in order to do all the subjects justice.
My thanks to CEO Dani Wardman for agreeing to be interviewed by a Survivor.
AFAIK, this is the first time a Survivor has video interviewed a key representative of an organization of the Catholic Church.
I’m hoping other leading Safeguarding officers will follow – which I believe can be a positive, informative and rewarding experience for all of us.
…………..
DRAFT OF INTERVIEW
*Brief introductions – who we both are.
Pat: ‘I’m a Survivor of childhood Catholic abuse and I run a blog for Survivors on patmills.wordpress.com’
Dani then explains which Religious Orders the RLSS protect.
*Viewer comments on this interview can be left on RLSS website XXXX? or on patmills.wordpress.com.
By agreeing to this interview, Dani, you are proactively supporting Survivors and providing us with valuable information, for which I thank you.
QUESTIONS
1) If a Survivor has an allegation against a Religious Order, do they go to Diocese Safeguarding (contact email) or the RLSS (contact email)? What’s the procedure?
2) Some Survivors don’t know which Safeguarding agency to go to because their cases involve all the agencies.
For example, in my case – which involves a Catholic Laity organisation– there’s a strong overlap between the RLSS, the CSSA, possibly Diocese Safeguarding, and even the Vatican Dicastery. for the Laity
Although, in fact, Catholic Laity organizations – with the exception of the Dicastery – don’t appear to be officially covered or audited by any Safeguarding agency.
How would you advise myself and other Survivors to proceed?
3)With allegations of abuse against Religious Orders, especially ‘historic’ cases, we Survivors have hit a big problem:
A)Police are most unlikely to follow up unless abuser is still alive.
B) Legal action is hard work, it’s triggering, it turns Survivors into reluctant detectives, it’s adversarial which many Survivors don’t want, and ‘historic’ cases are open to numerous legal challenges, so it’s not for the faint hearted.
How can the RLSS help us when A) and B) above are so problematic?
4) I hope there are many proactive things RLSS can do to help us and I’d like to discuss some of them. For example:
Encourage Religious Orders to appoint an independent investigator to look into historic allegations.
This has definitely happened in the past.
But what are the criteria to launch such an investigation?
5) Ireland has some proactive solutions in responding to issues with Religious Orders. For example:
Carmelite statement
‘Through the civil legal process we swiftly offer financial compensation to minimize further stress to those abused’
The Carmelite apology that follows is lengthy and feels sincere to me, and I’ve never seen the equivalent in the UK.
Is it possible for RLSS and its ROs to follow this Carmelite example?
6) Could the RLSS get us some media support so that we Survivors have a voice there.
For example a Catholic media report/interview with the Catholic Herald, the Tablet, or a suitable authoritative Catholic Facebook site? In which I, and/or another Survivor/s, state our viewpoint, rather thanSafeguarding talking ‘on our behalf’.
Father Small of the Vatican Safeguarding has indicated indirectly to me that the Comboni resolution may pave the way for resolving Survivors issues with other ROs and I’ve written back and very much welcomed his interest.
So there’s clearly a valuable Survivor-based follow-up media article: ‘After Comboni. The next step?’
7) A key frustration for Survivors is when no action can be taken because of a technicality on the role of the Religious Order.
An Insider, who is an authority on Religious Order Safeguarding had this to say to me: ‘I saw a report of a case where the Religious Order argued that the Home Office was an abuser’s employer and not the Order, and I think they should be beyond that kind of nitpicking at this stage.’
Your thoughts?
8) Some Religious Orders have their own Safeguarding Officers. If we can sometimes – where appropriate – communicate with them directly and raise issues with them that would be helpful. Often on relatively simple matters.
For example, two families of abuse victims, now deceased, desperately want to know what happened to their loved ones. I know of two such cases. In one recent case, we found the information the family needed through a Facebook Old Boys site. The Old Boys were fantastic and got in touch with the lay teachers for the family.
But it might have been quicker to have approached the Religious Order direct, but no one knows how.
Is that feasible?
And we British Survivors are envious of the Carmelites:
‘Some victims and survivors of abuse also benefit from face-to-face meetings. Many have met and spoken with our Provincial and DLP for Safeguarding. These conversations are ongoing.’
I would definitely benefit from a face- to-face opportunity – via Zoom – and other Survivors have said the same to me.
Is that feasible?
9) Two related questions in response to my Twitter appeal for questions to ask the RLSS.
What commitment do RLSS have from clergy that they will obey the law in regard to mandatory reporting of child sexual , no matter where the information is obtained? There is no “zero tolerance” without total commitment!
Peter Buchanan
@PeterBu59436699
·
Mar 30
Replying to @PatrickEMills
Why have they not implemented zero tolerance?
10) The Carmelite case prompted this question on Twitter.
‘Are they (The Carmelites) not vicariously liable for their inaction and turning a blind eye. As liable as MrMcClean (the abuser)’
Victoria’s highest court has ruled the Catholic church is vicariously liable for sexual abuse by a priest
An attempt by the church to appeal the ruling was quashed
It has been hailed a significant victory for all survivors
What’s the position in the UK? Is the Church vicariously liable for its clerics and religious order members? In the case I quoted about the Home Office it would seem not.
QUESTIONS FOR PART TWO
11) Survivors I’ve spoken to are unclear about the two organizations set up during and after IICSA. Was it the UK Bishops who initiated the RLSS and the CSSA? If a Survivor had a complaint about a safeguarding agency, who would they take that to? The Bishops, or another body?
12) I know many members of Safeguarding agencies are not Catholic. Being non-Catholic has huge advantages but also disadvantages, which I think is worth noting – for example, I’m not sure if non-Catholics truly understand the impact of the childhood Oath of Allegiance and the relevance and importance of Canon Law.
So when I was looking for a therapist, I insisted it had to be someone with a Catholic background, otherwise they wouldn’t understand what I was talking about.
How are non-Catholic safeguarding officers fully briefed on detailed Catholic matters, such as the Oath of Allegiance?
13) Next, I’d like to interview the CEO at the CSSA in a similar way to this.
But if the CEO can’t comment on historic matters – as they are only involved with current allegations – would I need to do a similar interview with – say – a Diocese Safeguarding officer as well?
I’d like both such interviews to be posted on the RLSS site because – as I said earlier – there’s a tremendous overlap between the three organizations with similar matters of concern.
And Survivors concerns need to be read in one place, prior to our own ‘SURVIVORS DISCUSSION BOARD’
Could you help facilitate this next interview or interviews?
14) I know some Religious Orders have files on key abusers – and other relevant historical records.
Does the RLSS have the authority to contact the Religious Order and ask to see the records on ‘X’ and consider the contents on behalf of the Survivor and what could be appropriate to pass on.
So they still remain confidential but we Survivors know more about the person who harmed us. For instance, the file might disclose and confirm that ‘X’ was a multiple abuser, which Survivors don’t always know.
15)Allowing for the significant drop in numbers of members in Religious Orders, what I have read suggests there are still allegations of Religious Order current abuse cases today.
Without being specific, are you able to talk about the statistics around current RO abuse?
16) It would be encouraging if Survivors were actual members of Safeguarding teams.
I appreciate that information is confidential, but I know that’s something you’re keen on.
And it would be valuable for Survivors if a Safeguarder acknowledged they had a similar background. It would mean we were all on the same page. This isn’t a question, it’s rather a point that I wanted to raise.
17) I’d just like to return to the Irish Carmelite example we discussed in Part One of this interview.
Following the sentencing of John McClean, ‘Anyone who was abused in a Carmelite school can access support through the Carmelite Safeguarding Office. Counselling and therapy can be arranged through the Towards Healing service. This can be sourced promptly with minimum waiting times and with no costs to the victims and survivors’
Can the RLSS help similar ROs establish a similar quick and free funding therapy service for Survivors?
18) Thanks for your input, Dani. And we both of us really welcome any comments or thoughts on this interview.
In the long run, if this works, there is the potential for a more ambitious Survivors discussion board – such as Mumsnet.
A Survivorsnet would be able to pursue threads with subjects like recollections of particular schools, teachers, and discussions on Canon Law and PTSD therapy systems: what works and what doesn’t. In my case, I would like to start a thread on Recovered Memory, which I have detailed and positive knowledge of and I’d like to share.
In short, a ‘Survivorsnet’ provides information and support to Survivors – whereas at present we’re all isolated
But I know the key question for you, Dani, is… Is such a discussion board what Survivors want and what do they hope it will achieve?
Is there anything you’d like to add here, Dani?
To viewers:
So do please send us your thoughts on whether a future ‘Survivorsnet’ is a good idea. I’m also on Twitter as @PatrickEMills, so you can reach out to me there.
Pat Mills 