Nearly four full years ago I posted the following article, a disturbing account of what appeared for all the world to be a punishment meted out upon a priest in Scotland for his continued attempts to have a predatory priest who sexually assaulted him as a seminarian brought to justice both in and out of the Church.
28 July 2013: “New sex abuse crisis in Scottish Catholic church” & related articles
Well, the accused priest, Father Paul Moore, is finally going to trial in December. I have pulled together a raft of articles to update. Sorry, I realize that there are quite a number of articles lumped in together, but I kept searching to put the pieces together, and I do believe that all of those are necessary to paint a picture of the magnitude of the injustice and cover-up at all levels.
12 May 2017: “Retired priest faces trial over abuse claims” & related articles
And, yes, this is in Scotland. And, yes, that’s the homeland of Father Robert MacKenzie who, as we understand, may eventually be extradited to his native land to face sex charges related to his years as a Benedictine in Scotland.
Note too that Father Moore was shipped off across the Atlantic ocean to Canada’s ‘Catholic” “treatment” facility, Southdown.
And, note too, yes, there’s even reference in there to Fort Augustus Abbey, school Father MacKenzie’s alma mater, where he was first a pupil and, later after his ordination as a Benedictine monk, a teacher. I think actually there may be an error in the article which states: “He was later allowed to return to Scotland where he worked for a time at Fort Augustus Abbey School, ” – I do believe that the school itself had closed around 1993? I believe too that the Abbey itself remained functional for a period of time after the school was closed, and have heard that clerical sexual predators were ta times shipped off to the Abbey. Any clarification from those who know dates welcome , equally welcome would be what years or years Father Moore landed there.
No matter, in light of our recent interest in Father MacKenzie it’s just interesting to see that this Father Moore who was protected for countless years by Church officials in Scotland, and whom the police failed to charge for countless years, spent time in Canada at Southdown, and time at the the Abbey.
Sad to say, the wheels of justice seem to grind as slowly in Scotland as they often do in Canada. Thankfully in this case Father Paul Moore will finally face his accusers in a court of law. And, thankfully, Father Lawson never gave up!
Enough for now,
Sylvia
What did thi s Father Moore do?