Former Benedictine colleague in jail

As most of you know, extradition proceedings are apparently under way to have Father Robert MacKenzie returned to Scotland  to face charges in relation to  historic sex abuse.  The allegations appear to be related to his time teaching at Fort Augustus Abbey School.  That’s the sum of what we know.

So, here is a look at a similar extradition process as it is unfolds in Australia:

11 May 2017:  Abuse accused monk eligible for extradition from Australia

Father Chrysostom Alexander the priest referenced in the article, was , according to the article “returned to Australia by the Catholic Church in 1979 after abuse allegations first surfaced.”  He then served as a priest in Australia for 20 years.

What is of particualr interest here is the fact that Father Robert MacKenzie also taught at  the prestigious Fort Augustus Abbey School situated at the South end of Loch Ness.   Like Father Alexandre, he once too was a Benedictine monks.  Indeed, the pair were colleagues.  Father Alexandre and MacKenzie were at Fort Augustus together,  and probably for quite a number of years.    (Father Alexandre left  for Australia in 1979, and  Father MacKenzie  for Canada in  1988.)

Now look at time frames regarding the extradition process in Australia.  The allegations against Father Alexandre surfaced very publicly in the following BBC documentary Sins of Our Fathers

[Click in the box in lower right-hand corner of screen to enlarge]

It has taken four very long years to reach this point where we know that the extradition process for Father Alexandre is proceeding .  As you see however, it’s not over.

Note that as he battles this out in Australia, Father  Alexandre is in jail.  He was arrested earlier this year, and has been denied bail.

Enough for now.

Sylvia