Abuse scandal in the Sisters of Mercy

Allegations of abuse of children in certain institutions owned, managed, and largely staffed by the Sisters of Mercy, in Ireland, form a sub-set of allegations of child abuse (many of them substantiated) made against Catholic clergy and members of Catholic Religious Institutes in several countries in the late 20th century. The abusive conduct allegedly perpetrated at institutions run by the Sisters of Mercy ranged from overuse of corporal punishment to emotional abuse, and included some accusations of sexual abuse by lay persons employed at the institutions.

Background

In Ireland, the Sisters of Mercy operated, from the time of their foundation in 1831, as a series of autonomous convents, each of them subject (until 1983) to the authority and jurisdiction of their local bishop.^[1] For a period of 20 years from the mid-1960s onwards, a process of amalgamation was initiated by the Sisters whereby all convents in any given diocese in Ireland were gathered under a single leadership structure. By 1994 a second level of amalgamation was complete whereby all convents in all 26 dioceses of Ireland (together with the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy in South Africa, who had a strong Irish connection) were united as a single organisation.^[2] They provided child care services and schooling through institutions worldwide, including at least 26 Industrial schools in Ireland where the institute was founded.^[3]

In 1996 Dear Daughter, a documentary looking at abuse allegations at St. Vincent's Industrial School, Goldenbridge, Ireland, which was run by the Sisters of Mercy, was screened on RTÉ Television. The documentary focused on allegations against a nun at the school by a former resident. Although serious concerns were raised about the validity of a key aspect of the testimony, and the allegations were denied by the nun concerned, the documentary led to further accounts of abuse at the school.^[4][5] A second documentary series, States of Fear, screened in 1999. States of Fear looked at allegations of abuse in the Irish industrial school system, prompting a strong public response, and this led to the formation of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse which examined abuse allegations against a number of Roman Catholic organisations in Ireland, including the Sisters of Mercy.^[5]

Investigations and allegations

Nora Wall, 1999

Nora Wall, a member of the Sisters of Mercy, was wrongfully convicted of rape in 1999. Paul Pablo McCabe, a homeless schizophrenic man, was alleged to have twice raped a child at a group home managed by Wall. In relation to one of the two rape allegations, the Defence was able to prove that McCabe could not possibly have been there on the date in question – which was the 12th birthday of the accuser Regina Walsh. The jury acquitted him on that count and convicted him (and Nora Wall) on the second rape charge which did not specify an exact date.^[6]

On 17 June 1999, a week after the rape convictions, Regina Walsh gave an interview to journalist Barry O'Keefe of The Star newspaper claiming that she had also been raped by a "black man in Leicester Square" in London. This was news to Wall's defence team. Moreover The Star published the names of Walsh and her "witness" Patricia Phelan for the first time. A Kilkenny businessman read the newspaper and recognised Phelan as the woman who had made a false rape allegation against himself, and the defence came into possession of this evidence. This rapidly led to the collapse of the convictions of the two accused and they were released from prison. Eventually on 1 December 2005 the Court of Criminal Appeal in Ireland certified that Wall had been the victim of a miscarriage of justice.^[7] McCabe had died in December 2002.

The Ryan Report, 2009

In 1999, the Irish government established a non-statutory Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, chaired by a High Court Judge, with broad terms of reference. Pursuant to various recommendations made by the Commission itself, it was re-established on a statutory basis in May 2000. One of its principal purposes was to provide an opportunity for persons who had suffered abuse in childhood in institutions to recount that abuse, but it also had extensive investigatory functions. The period covered by the work of the Commission was initially from 1946 to 1999, but it was subsequently extended to cover the years from 1914 to 2000. In September 2003, a senior barrister, Mr Sean Ryan S.C., was appointed to chair the Commission in place of its original chair, Ms Justice Laffoy, who stood down in January 2004.^[8] The Commission having concluded its work, it submitted a Report to the government which was released on 20 May 2009 and came to be known as the Ryan Report. The Report recognised that

"the issue of sexual abuse did not feature as prominently in the evidence in relation to schools run by the Sisters of Mercy as it did in relation to schools run by other religious communities"

but it concluded that other forms of abuse occurred. Concerns were expressed in regard to such abuse at a number of schools, specifically: St Vincent's Industrial School, Goldenbridge; St Michael's Industrial School, Cappoquin, County Waterford; St Joseph's Industrial School, Clifden; Our Lady of Succour Industrial School, Newtownforbes; and St Joseph's Industrial School, Dundalk - all of which closed down between 1969 and 1999. The instances of abuse which the Ryan Commission found had occurred at these institutions varied considerably in nature, duration and extent. It ranged principally from overuse of corporal punishment to neglect of various kinds, but the Ryan Commission also noted^[3][9]

"some very serious incidents of sexual abuse perpetrated by lay staff in some schools".

Other abuse allegations

A 1998 Australian documentary described allegations of abuse from Sisters of Mercy orphanages in the 1950s and 1960s.^[10] Earlier allegations of sexual abuse at the Meteor Park Orphanage at Neerkol near Rockhampton had led to two people being charged, and complaints in regard to the orphanage resulted in moves by the Sisters of Mercy and the Church to negotiate a settlement with "more than 60 former residents".^[11] In South Australia, a similar move to settle resulted from complaints in regard to care at the Goodwood orphanage, which was also run by the Sisters of Mercy.^[12] THE Sisters of Mercy leader admitted she was less than compassionate when sexual and physical abuse victims first started speaking out.

Not once when the allegations of abuse at Neerkol Orphanage first came to light, did Sister Berneice Loch attempt to contact victims, the Royal Commission panel heard yesterday.

That was the first port of call she should have made, she told the commission.

However, rather than contact the witnesses, who last week gave evidence of physical and sexual abuse at the orphanage which was run by the Sisters of Mercy, Sr Loch instead sought information from other Sisters, congregational personnel and sources.

Sr Loch decided to oversee the drafting of a media release to counteract those "sensationalistic" rumours.

That media release was never distributed; it was only drafted as a "measure" if the allegations got too "out of control".

The counsel assisting the commission, Sophie David, grilled Sr Loch for her response to the victims.

She was questioned also about her actions when State Government Minister for Families Kevin Lingard raised the abuse allegations in a parliamentary sitting in September 1996.

Mr Lingard said in his statement: "To date (in 1996), six calls have been received from these former residents... further allegations continue to be received about abuse to both male and female.

"Callers to the hotline allege a pattern of incidents of physical and, in some cases, sexual abuse by the priests and nuns at the orphanage."

Sr Loch responded to that statement yesterday saying, "I have no objection at all either to the hotline or to wishing people to come forward. I think that was a good thing to do.

"The sensationalism of this is what I disagree with."

When Ms David asked Sr Loch if she agreed there was nothing sensational about the Member of Parliament's statement, the latter replied: "There had been no allegation I had heard of, of sexual abuse by a Sister, yes, and that was certainly sensationalised."

Several victims started speaking up about 1993. Some of those victims revealed dark episodes of abuse and misconduct at Neerkol Orphanage.

One such allegation was sexual abuse by a Neerkol Orphanage priest and an employee; namely Father Reginald Durham and Kevin Baker. Mr Baker denies all allegations against him.

One Royal Commission witness published a book in the early 1990s about the sexual abuse she endured at the orphanage.

When Sr Loch first heard about the book, and the victim's allegations, she discredited the book.

She held that view right up to November 1996, despite several former Neerkol residents coming forward.

Sr Loch maintained she was not trying to protect the reputation of the Sisters of Mercy by not conducting further investigations into the allegations.

It wasn't until police authorities investigated the claims that Sr Loch changed her tune.

She said she complied with the investigation but admitted she only gave authorities what they asked for.

She didn't provide information to them freely, she said. "Only when I was asked."

Timeline:

1993: Former residents of the orphanage came forward to the church and the Queensland Police to report allegations of sexual abuse.

1993: A book written by AYC, a former resident of the orphanage, was the subject of media attention.

1996: The Diocese of Rockhampton and the Sisters of Mercy were aware of sexual allegations made by AYC, AYB, David Owen, AYQ and AYP.

1997: Queensland Police charged Father Durham with 40 sexual offences against five former residents of the orphanage and a former member of his parish.

Rockhampton Morning Bulletin TOPICS: NEERKOL ORPHANAGE, SISTERS OF MERCY

Response

The Sisters of Mercy in Ireland formally apologised for any abuse suffered by children in their care in May 2004. In doing so they accepted that children had suffered, and they made the apology unconditional.^[13] In December 2009, the Sisters announced that they would contribute an additional 128 million euros to the fund to compensate victims. This was in addition to the previously agreed 127.5 million euro offer that the Irish government had formed with the Catholic Orders as a whole.^[14]

See also

• Sexual abuse scandal in the Congregation of Christian Brothers

References