Separate report alleges that Vatican is investigating child abuse claims against another Scottish priest
Ben Quinn
guardian.co.uk,
A Catholic newspaper reported that Cardinal Keith O’Brien was summoned to Rome last year over abuse claims. Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images
The hierarchy of Scotland’s Catholic church was on the defensive again last night over claims that bishops knew of as many as 20 allegations of child sex abuse by priests in the 1980s and 90s, along with a separate revalation that the Vatican is currently considering the case of a Scottish priest accused of child sex abuse.
The claims about the 20 cases, which were made by an academic previously involved in advising the church on sexual abuse and how to respond to it, also came as a report suggested that Cardinal Keith O’Brien was summoned to Rome to answer charges of sexual impropriety as early as October last year.
O’Brien was forced to resign last month by Pope Benedict XVI, barely 36 hours after the Observer disclosed that three serving priests and one former priest were accusing him of “inappropriate acts” against them nearly 30 years ago.
While he made a dramatic admission last weekend that he was guilty of sexual misconduct throughout his career in the church, new questions about the handling of his case have now been raised by a report by the Catholic weekly, the Tablet, which claimed that he was called to Rome last year after a priest lodged an allegation with the Congregation for Bishops. A spokesperson for the Scottish Catholic church last said that he was unable to confirm the report as O’Brien is currently out of the country.
A separate report by the BBC, which claimed that bishops knew of as many as 20 allegations of child sex abuse by priests, was based on correspondence between senior clerics and Alan Draper, an expert in social work and lecturer at Dundee University who compiled a report for the church on how to deal with abuse.
After writing to Scotland’s eight bishops to ask how much they knew, letters were sent to him reported to refer to 20 allegations of child abuse. Draper said the bishops rejected his suggestions that independent experts should investigate.
He remains scathing about the hierarchy’s response to the report drawn up by him and a working party and last night called on the church to open up its files and records to an independent assessment.
“Certainly there’s strong evidence to say some of the priests were out of control sexually, whether they be homosexual or heterosexual,” he said. “The file should be made open to an independent group, preferably chaired by a judge.”
In a response last night, the Catholic church said that it has had nationally agreed guidelines on the protection of children and vulnerable adults since 1999. It added: “All allegations are notified to the police. The church recognises that the statutory authorities are the responsible bodies for investigation.”
The church said that Draper was involved at an early stage in the development of policies and procedures but was replaced “when others with greater competence were engaged”.
“The number of annually reported incidents in Scotland have been small since we began to audit and have only very rarely involved a member of the clergy,” it added.
The church also responded to the BBC’s reporting on the case of a man who claims he was abused by a priest in the 90s, from the age of nine or 10 until his early teens.
“As soon as the complaint was reported, the police were informed, the priest concerned was removed from his parish and after they investigated the police passed a report to the fiscal, who took no further action,” it added.
The church sent its file to the Vatican in July last year and is now awaiting a decision. The priest has not been in ministry or allowed to celebrate public masses or sacraments since he was removed from his parish.
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Catholic Church in Scotland ‘knew of 20 child sex abuse allegations’
BBC News
8 March 2013 Last updated at 12:25 ET
By James Cook Scotland Correspondent, BBC News
The BBC has spoken to an alleged victim of abuse in Scotland
The BBC has seen evidence that bishops in the Catholic Church in Scotland knew of 20 allegations of child sex abuse by priests between 1985 and 1995.
Another alleged victim of abuse says his life has been ruined.
An academic who compiled a report for the Church on how to deal with abuse says not enough was done.
The Catholic Church in Scotland insists its child protection procedures have improved dramatically since the 1990s and allegations of abuse now are rare.
The Roman Catholic Church is no stranger to scandal, but until now Scotland has not been engulfed by allegations of abuse.
That may be changing.
Priest removed
The BBC has also spoken to another alleged victim who is not among the 20 new allegations.
Chris claims he was abused by a priest in the 90s, from the age of nine or 10 until he was into his early teens.
“He would get me to perform sexual acts on him and he would perform sexual acts on me,” he said.
“Away from the family home, in the family home, in the church, in their vehicle.
“There’s many people out there who have been abused.”
Chris’ story didn’t come to light until last year. Police took him seriously, but the case never came to court.
The Church says it removed the priest involved from his parish as soon as the allegations were made and the police were informed.
It insisted the case had been “handled in complete accordance with the guidelines”.
A spokesman added: “The Church sent its file to the Vatican in July last year and now awaits a decision.”
But how common were such claims?
In the mid-1990s, an academic was appointed to advise the Church on sexual abuse and how to respond to it.
Alan Draper asked Scotland’s eight bishops how much they knew.
The BBC has seen the letters which they sent in reply to Mr Draper, which refer to 20 allegations of child abuse by priests.
Lawyer contacted
Mr Draper says he wanted independent experts to investigate further, but the bishops disagreed.
He said: “I was very concerned about their unwillingness to actually expose individual priests who were leading double lives.
“They were very reluctant to do that, and I felt that was totally inappropriate. It’s not what your sexuality is, it’s how you’re managing your sexuality.
“Certainly there’s strong evidence to say some of the priests were out of control sexually, whether they be homosexual or heterosexual. The file should be made open to an independent group, preferably chaired by a judge.”
The Church said Mr Draper was involved “at an early stage in the development of policies and procedures but was replaced when others with greater competence were engaged”.
The letters seen by the BBC suggest some priests were reported to police and removed from parishes, while others were not.
Now more alleged victims are coming forward after Cardinal Keith O’Brien admitted sexual misconduct after resigning as Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh following allegations by other priests.
He does not face any criminal allegations, or any claims of child abuse.
Lawyer Cameron Fyfe said: “I’m acting for six clients who allege abuse, two of whom have come forward just in the last few weeks since the Keith O’Brien scandal.
“Some of them go back to the early 1980s, but two of them have been within the last 10 years.”
National guidelines
He said two of his clients claimed to have been raped while they were children, with the attacks taking place in the late-1980s and mid-1990s.
Mr Fyfe said that under Scots law, cases should be brought within three years.
But he said that was “totally unrealistic because victims of sexual abuse often lock away the memories of the abuse and can’t come to terms with it”.
In a statement, the Catholic Church in Scotland said it had applied nationally agreed guidelines on abuse since 1999.
It said: “All allegations are notified to the police. The Church recognises that the statutory authorities are the responsible bodies for investigation.
“All necessary steps are taken to remove anyone in danger from situations of risk.”
It added that a “national co-ordinator” for child protection was a key part of its “safeguarding structures.”
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Rome confronted O’Brien with allegations months ago
The Tablet
8 March 2013
Cardinal Keith O’Brien was summoned to Rome as early as October 2012 to answer charges of sexual impropriety. It was previously thought that allegations of misconduct had not emerged until February 23, when a story was published in the Observer describing unwanted sexual advances allegedly made by the cardinal against three serving priests and a then-seminarian in the 1980s.
However, The Tablet can report that after a priest lodged an allegation with the Congregation for Bishops, Cardinal O’Brien was asked to travel to Rome to answer the accusation.
The disclosure of the earlier complaint about Cardinal O’Brien’s sexual conduct also casts a new light on the acceptance of his resignation last November.
Pope Benedict XVI, in anticipation of the cardinal’s 75th birthday on March 17 2013, accepted his resignation nunc pro tunc, meaning “now, for later”. However, once further allegations were made public, he accepted the cardinal’s resignation with immediate effect on 25 February.
So now there is word that Cardinal Keith O’Brien may have been summoned tot he Vatican as early as last October to answer to the allegations against him. If that is fact, Vatican officials sat on it, let O’Keefe continue as Cardinal Archbishop, and were game to cover-up. And, of course, if that’s the case everyone sat twiddling thumbs and fingers when the news finally broke and the game of let’s pretend began.
And then there’s the allegations of that young man who alleges abuse in the 90s from the age of nine or ten into his early teens. I was puzzled at reference to involvement of police but no indication that charges were laid. Well – not likely: the statute of limitations is a paltry three years!
That suits just fine, does it not? And sure, turn things over to the police then. It all sounds good.
How many victims come forward within three years? I mean come forward and go to police within three years? Does anyone have any idea? I don’t know the stats, but I’d say they are ever so few and so very very far between.
Anyway, hats off to Alan Draper and every single person who has spoken up to expose what looks like yet another dandy of a cover-up.
The one and only saving grace in this mess is that Cardinal O’Brien will not be voting in the Conclave. And of course the really big question on the other hand is: How many Cardinal O’Brien’s are there int he College of Cardinals?
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So, he might still be in his “position” if the Observer had not brought this to light! He would probably be in Rome , right now!!….
Then a sneaky suggestion of “incompetence” to discredit another “messenger”:
“The Church said Mr Draper was involved “at an early stage in the development of policies and procedures but was replaced when others with greater competence were engaged”.
They really are at the bottom of the barrel!! No shame and no decency. Then they call on the “Holy Spirit”…for assistance?!
He might just show up and let them know that: “Hell hath no wrath as “Heaven” scorned !!”…
jg
Well spoken, they know and they do cover up for sure, lets look at bishop Raymond Lahey, and the dirt and secrets. He knew on preist George smith. He knew everything , but all he did was bounce that preist around from one community to the other , especially when the heat was on the preist for his wrong doings, and once again ,I simply can’t express enough, how much the catholic organnization is a safe haven for queers and pedophiles , to act out and cover up for one another. It’s so sickening.