Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland
monks

Benedictine and Columban orders meeting most child safeguarding protocols

The NBSCCCI reports are largely complimentary to the two orders.

BOTH THE BENEDICTINE and Columban orders have been given good reports by the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI).

The NBSCCCI today published the fifth tranche of reviews on child safeguarding in a number of dioceses, with the orders both found to have fully or partially met nearly all of the criteria outlined to them.

The Benedictine Campus at Glenstal Abbey is found to have one major challenge, that being a guest house that can hold 14 people at a time.

The report says that this should be handled by asking visiting monks and priests to sign declarations and by keeping a record of who is there.

It also says that Garda vetting of existing monks needs to be brought up to date and that a training audit be completed.

Allegations of abuse have been made against six monks in the period between January 1975 and the date of the review, with two still members of the community.

Two are deceased and one remains in ministry. Another is retired and two have left the priesthood.

No Benedictine monks have been convicted of having committed an offence against a child since 1975 and all of the allegations were reported to gardaí.

Columbans

The Columban order reports features allegations against a priest who had been named in the Murphy Report.

The NBSCCCI report today says that the order met most of their criteria, but urged the order to “to develop a safeguarding culture to emphasise prevention”.

It added that the order had reported all of its allegations to the authorities.

Towards Healing Telephone Helpline have extended opening hours are: 8pm to 1am both today and tomorrow and can be contacted on Freephone 1800 303416 (Rep. of Ireland) Freephone 0800 0963315 (Northern Ireland and UK)

Read: Child protection review recommends Cloyne Diocese set up whistle blowing policy

Your Voice
Readers Comments
18
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.