Sexual abuse scandal in the Congregation of Christian Brothers
Encyclopedia
The sexual abuse scandal in the Congregation of Christian Brothers is a major chapter in the series of Catholic sex abuse cases in various Western juridictions.
, there were 4,392 sexual abuse allegations in the US against priests from 1950 to 2002. A database of cases and priests has been prepared on Bishop-Accountability.org. One of these cases follows.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times
, in 1998, Brother Robert Brouillette was arrested in Joliet, Illinois
for indecent solicitation of a child. In 2002, a civil lawsuit was filed in Cook County, Illinois
against Brother Brouillette for sexual assault against a 21 year old man. Brother Brouliette served as faculty at Brother Rice
, in Birmingham, Michigan, at St. Laurence High School in Burbank, Illinois
, and possibly other institutions
.
Brother Robert Brouillette was also known as Robert Sullivan according to court docket 1-07-0633 from the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois.
in Canada
more than 300 former pupils alleged physical and sexual abuse at the Mount Cashel Orphanage
in Newfoundland
. When allegations of physical and sexual abuse started to surface in the late 1980s, the government, police and local church leaders conspired in an unsuccessful cover-up. In Ontario
in January 1993 the Christian Brothers reached a financial settlement totaling $23 million with 700 former students who alleged abuse.
Allegations of sexual abuse at Mount Cashel Boys Home
orphanage in Newfoundland (Canada) led to a royal commission, (The Hughes Inquiry
) and further investigations followed into allegations at other institutions across Canada.
Sexual abuse was rife. Artane Industrial school
's staff hosted a number of Brothers who had repeatedly been warned for “embracing and fondling” boys. Others accused of rape, beat or bribed their victims into silence. Accused Brothers were invariably excused, lightly admonished or, typically, moved to other institutions where they were free to continue abusing children for decades.
, to prevent the Commission from naming deceased brothers and brothers who were too old to competently defend themselves. The High Court
rejected the challenge, but did stipulate that the Commission must take into account the corroboration of accusations and the testing of witness evidence, and to allow the representatives of deceased brothers to cross-examine witnesses. However, Justice Seán Ryan
later overruled this when he took over the commission, and declared that individual perpetrators of abuse would not be named unless they had already been convicted
The Commission found that thousands of Irish children at Christian Brothers institutions were abused and that more allegations were made against the Irish Christian Brothers than against all other male religious orders combined.
In the Irish Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse
's five-volume report of its investigation of systemic abuse of children in Ireland, the Congregation of Christian Brothers, which was the largest provider of residential care for boys in the country, received more allegations of abuse than all of the other male religious orders combined.
They have accepted the allegations were correct, saying ""The Christian Brothers accept, with shame, the findings of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse ... The congregation is deeply sorry for the hurt we have caused - not just for the mistakes of the past, but for the inadequacy of our responses over recent years."
and St Alipius Primary School (now closed) in Ballarat, Victoria
. After investigation, Brothers Robert Best, Edward Dowlan and Stephen Francis Farrell were all convicted of sex crimes. Dowlan and Best were later transferred to the senior campus, and continued to offend.
for counselling. Fr Ridsdale was later convicted of 46 counts of sexual abuse against 21 victims over two decades. His victims claim that he selected children from the class and abused them. Ridsdale admitted that his victims number in the hundreds. In 1994, Bishop Mulkearns claimed that while he was aware of the abuse, he was not aware of the extent.
In late November 2009 the organization announced they would supply a €161 million (£145 million sterling) package as part of reparations for child abuse in Ireland. This includes a donation of €30 million to a government trust and €4 million donated to provide counselling services. Playing fields owned by the organisation and valued at €127 million would be transferred to joint ownership of the government and the trust that runs former Christian Brothers schools.
Abuse in the United States of America
According to the John Jay ReportJohn Jay Report
The Nature and Scope of the Problem of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests and Deacons in the United States, commonly known as the John Jay Report, is a 2004 report by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, commissioned by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, based on surveys...
, there were 4,392 sexual abuse allegations in the US against priests from 1950 to 2002. A database of cases and priests has been prepared on Bishop-Accountability.org. One of these cases follows.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
, in 1998, Brother Robert Brouillette was arrested in Joliet, Illinois
Joliet, Illinois
Joliet is a city in Will and Kendall Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, located southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County. As of the 2010 census, the city was the fourth-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 147,433. It continues to be Illinois' fastest growing...
for indecent solicitation of a child. In 2002, a civil lawsuit was filed in Cook County, Illinois
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
against Brother Brouillette for sexual assault against a 21 year old man. Brother Brouliette served as faculty at Brother Rice
Brother Rice High School (Michigan)
Brother Rice High School is a Roman Catholic all-boys non-residential college prep school with approximately 700 students located in Bloomfield Township, Michigan . Until 1993 its address was in neighboring Birmingham, Michigan's postal district. In 1993 the U.S...
, in Birmingham, Michigan, at St. Laurence High School in Burbank, Illinois
Burbank, Illinois
Burbank is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 27,902 at the 2000 census. It is located at the southwest edge of the city of Chicago; the Chicago city limit – specifically that of the Ashburn neighborhood – is in common with Burbank's eastern city limit...
, and possibly other institutions
.
Brother Robert Brouillette was also known as Robert Sullivan according to court docket 1-07-0633 from the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois.
Abuse at Mount Cashel orphanage
The Christian BrothersCongregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
more than 300 former pupils alleged physical and sexual abuse at the Mount Cashel Orphanage
Mount Cashel Orphanage
The Mount Cashel Orphanage is a former Canadian orphanage that was operated by the Congregation of Christian Brothers. It was located in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador....
in Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
. When allegations of physical and sexual abuse started to surface in the late 1980s, the government, police and local church leaders conspired in an unsuccessful cover-up. In Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
in January 1993 the Christian Brothers reached a financial settlement totaling $23 million with 700 former students who alleged abuse.
Allegations of sexual abuse at Mount Cashel Boys Home
Mount Cashel Orphanage
The Mount Cashel Orphanage is a former Canadian orphanage that was operated by the Congregation of Christian Brothers. It was located in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador....
orphanage in Newfoundland (Canada) led to a royal commission, (The Hughes Inquiry
Hughes Inquiry
The Hughes Inquiry was a Canadian royal commission launched after allegations of sexual abuse by members of the Congregation of Christian Brothers at Mount Cashel Orphanage in Newfoundland....
) and further investigations followed into allegations at other institutions across Canada.
Abuse in Ireland
In Ireland, during the latter part of the 20th century, Christian brothers schools were noted for brutal and frequent use of corporal punishment.Sexual abuse was rife. Artane Industrial school
Artane Industrial school
St. Josephs Industrial School, Artane was an industrial school run by the Christian Brothers in Artane, Dublin from 1870 to 1969.It closed in 1969.-History:The school opened on 28 July 1870, in Artane Castle with fifty-six acres of land added....
's staff hosted a number of Brothers who had repeatedly been warned for “embracing and fondling” boys. Others accused of rape, beat or bribed their victims into silence. Accused Brothers were invariably excused, lightly admonished or, typically, moved to other institutions where they were free to continue abusing children for decades.
1998 apologies
In Ireland in March 1998, the Congregation of the Christian Brothers published full-page advertisements in newspapers apologizing to former pupils who had been ill-treated whilst in their care. The unprecedented advertising campaign expressed "deep regret" on behalf of the Christian Brothers and listed telephone lines which former pupils could ring if they needed help. In Australia the Christian Brothers protected Brothers accused of sex offenses.Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse
In 2003, the order took legal action against the Commission to Inquire into Child AbuseCommission to Inquire into Child Abuse
The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse is one of a range of measures introduced by the Irish Government to investigate the extent and effects of abuse on children from 1936 onwards. It is commonly known in Ireland as the Ryan Commission , after its chair, Justice Seán Ryan...
, to prevent the Commission from naming deceased brothers and brothers who were too old to competently defend themselves. The High Court
High Court
The term High Court usually refers to the superior court of a country or state. In some countries, it is the highest court . In others, it is positioned lower in the hierarchy of courts The term High Court usually refers to the superior court (or supreme court) of a country or state. In some...
rejected the challenge, but did stipulate that the Commission must take into account the corroboration of accusations and the testing of witness evidence, and to allow the representatives of deceased brothers to cross-examine witnesses. However, Justice Seán Ryan
Seán Ryan (Irish judge)
Seán Ryan is a judge of the Irish High Court.As a barrister, he was Senior Counsel to the inquiry into abuse in the Catholic diocese of Ferns , and was chairman of the Compensation Advisory Committee that prepared guidelines on compensation to be paid to abuse survivors at the Residential...
later overruled this when he took over the commission, and declared that individual perpetrators of abuse would not be named unless they had already been convicted
The Commission found that thousands of Irish children at Christian Brothers institutions were abused and that more allegations were made against the Irish Christian Brothers than against all other male religious orders combined.
In the Irish Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse
Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse
The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse is one of a range of measures introduced by the Irish Government to investigate the extent and effects of abuse on children from 1936 onwards. It is commonly known in Ireland as the Ryan Commission , after its chair, Justice Seán Ryan...
's five-volume report of its investigation of systemic abuse of children in Ireland, the Congregation of Christian Brothers, which was the largest provider of residential care for boys in the country, received more allegations of abuse than all of the other male religious orders combined.
They have accepted the allegations were correct, saying ""The Christian Brothers accept, with shame, the findings of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse ... The congregation is deeply sorry for the hurt we have caused - not just for the mistakes of the past, but for the inadequacy of our responses over recent years."
Abuse in Australia
In Australia, there were allegations that during the 1970s sexual abuses took place at the junior campus of St Patricks CollegeSt Patrick's College, Ballarat
St Patrick's College was founded by the Christian Brothers in 1893. It is a Roman Catholic day and boarding school, located in Ballarat, Australia. It provides education for boys from Year 7 to Year 12, with an emphasis on sporting and academic programmes...
and St Alipius Primary School (now closed) in Ballarat, Victoria
Ballarat, Victoria
Ballarat is a city in the state of Victoria, Australia, approximately west-north-west of the state capital Melbourne situated on the lower plains of the Great Dividing Range and the Yarrowee River catchment. It is the largest inland centre and third most populous city in the state and the fifth...
. After investigation, Brothers Robert Best, Edward Dowlan and Stephen Francis Farrell were all convicted of sex crimes. Dowlan and Best were later transferred to the senior campus, and continued to offend.
Gerald Risdale affair
In 1971, Bishop Ronald Austin Mulkearns of Ballarat referred a priest, Fr Gerald RidsdaleGerry Francis Ridsdale
Gerald Francis Ridsdale is a convicted child molester who abused children while working as a Catholic priest.-Early life:Gerald Francis Ridsdale was born at St Arnaud, Victoria, in western Victoria, the eldest of eight children...
for counselling. Fr Ridsdale was later convicted of 46 counts of sexual abuse against 21 victims over two decades. His victims claim that he selected children from the class and abused them. Ridsdale admitted that his victims number in the hundreds. In 1994, Bishop Mulkearns claimed that while he was aware of the abuse, he was not aware of the extent.
Financial settlements
On the 5 November 2009 the organization announced they would be paying €34 million in reparations, following the publication of the Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse the previous May. Up to €30m is to be given to a Government trust, in addition to €4m for counselling services. The donations reflect the "Christian Brothers' acceptance, shame and sorrow at the findings of the Ryan Report".In late November 2009 the organization announced they would supply a €161 million (£145 million sterling) package as part of reparations for child abuse in Ireland. This includes a donation of €30 million to a government trust and €4 million donated to provide counselling services. Playing fields owned by the organisation and valued at €127 million would be transferred to joint ownership of the government and the trust that runs former Christian Brothers schools.
See also
- AbuseAbuseAbuse is the improper usage or treatment for a bad purpose, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, sexual assault, violation, rape, unjust practices; wrongful practice or custom; offense; crime, or otherwise...
- Child abuseChild abuseChild abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
- Child sexual abuseChild sexual abuseChild sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities , indecent exposure with intent to gratify their own sexual desires or to...
- Religious abuse
- Roman Catholic sex abuse casesRoman Catholic sex abuse casesThe Catholic sex abuse cases are a series of convictions, trials and ongoing investigations into allegations of sex crimes committed by Catholic priests and members of religious orders. These cases began receiving public attention beginning in the mid-1980s...
- Sexual abuseSexual abuseSexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
- Sexual misconductSexual misconductSexual misconduct is misconduct of a sexual nature. The term may be used to condemn an act, but in some jurisdictions it has also a legal meaning....
- Spiritual abuseSpiritual abuseSpiritual abuse is a serious form of abuse which occurs when a person in a cult-religious authority or a person with a unique spiritual practice misleads and maltreats another person in the name of a deityor church or in the mystery of any spiritual concept...