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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

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18 Comments
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    Mute Darren Moore
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    May 12th 2014, 4:53 PM

    That’s like asking a fox to oversee and report on the safety of the chicken coup .

    27
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    Mute Tony Daly
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    May 12th 2014, 4:45 PM

    The NBSCCCI is a Catholic sponsored review group staffed by Roman Catholics. Report all complaints and allegations of clerical child sex abuse directly to An Garda Siochana and look for confirmation that complaint has been received. Only report to the NBSCCCI after reporting to An Garda Siochana.

    24
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    Mute Rick Grimes
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    May 12th 2014, 4:53 PM

    You can say what you want about organised religion being a force for good, but all I have seen in my lifetime as well as looking through history is that it is the single most evil invention in the history of mankind. Don’t confuse this with a faith in God or a higher power, which is perfectly rational. We don’t have the ability to understand it anyway. It would be like an insect trying to comprehend what it is to be human i.e. impossible so no point trying

    20
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    Mute Neal Ireland
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    May 12th 2014, 5:12 PM

    Gee, thanks for caring about the kids, church.

    19
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    Mute Sean O'Keeffe
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    May 12th 2014, 6:26 PM

    6 swimming coaches were accused of child abuse.
    Two have deceased, one continues to coach, one has resigned and two have retired.
    None were convicted of any offence. Although ten assaults were reported to the Gardai.

    How obscene is that statement?

    Somehow its OK if it applies to members of religious communities.

    14
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    Mute Beabad Bishop
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    May 12th 2014, 7:33 PM

    Yes they dragged it out long enough so that the abusers would die off and not face justice. Or maybe they’re not all dead nothing unusual for the church to move abusers around and help them change their identities.

    8
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    Mute Brian Farrell
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    May 12th 2014, 4:59 PM

    Two pregnant nuns pass each other in the cloisters. One says “morning Sister Mary Francis, I haven’t seen you since Benedictus”.

    13
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    Mute P O' Neill
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    May 12th 2014, 5:13 PM

    Hilarious Brian. Must have taken real effort to copy that ‘joke.’

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    Mute Michael Coyle
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    May 12th 2014, 5:19 PM

    Meeting MOST? If they are falling short they should be banned!

    12
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    Mute Rick Grimes
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    May 12th 2014, 4:55 PM

    Also, I am officially convinced that the Journal is a master troll organisation. Well done, I tip my hat.

    9
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    Mute P O' Neill
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    May 12th 2014, 5:12 PM

    A master troll organization? With you at the pinnacle no doubt.

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    Mute Peter Richardson
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    May 12th 2014, 7:47 PM

    Protocols are one thing. Stopping the sexual abuse of children is a different thing.

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    Mute P O' Neill
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    May 12th 2014, 4:35 PM

    Good!

    5
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    Mute Martin Bishop
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    May 12th 2014, 4:48 PM

    P O’ Neill, why are you ok with the church policing itself? The NBSCCCI is a Catholic sponsored review group staffed by Roman Catholics.

    You’d be crying like mad if TD’s wanted to police themselves or some other group wanted to police themselves, Yet you’re ok with the church doing just that.

    In case you’ve missed the past 70 years, the catholic church can’t be trusted to police its own members.

    21
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    Mute Rick Grimes
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    May 12th 2014, 4:51 PM

    Because he is a devout Christian, and we all know how that supersedes rational thought

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    Mute susanna smyth
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    May 12th 2014, 5:12 PM

    Just don’t cave in and have you’re child baptised catholic. It’s not a fun day. What you’re doing is subscribing to an well run business where abused children are collateral damage

    14
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    Mute Beabad Bishop
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    May 12th 2014, 7:29 PM

    No doubt he wouldn’t be happy if it was a Protestant church policing itself.

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    Mute Peter Richardson
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    May 12th 2014, 8:25 PM

    Window dressing and PR exercise. But it confirms that some Roman Catholic clergy remain a sexual and predatory danger to children and that vigilance cannot be relaxed. The hypocrisy of Catholicism is revolting.

    4
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