Priest at centre of Australian claims allowed retire to Ireland

AN Irish priest at the centre of two hidden abuse claims in Australia was allowed to retire to Ireland where he attacked and sexually abused at least one young boy in the priest’s private home.

The Murphy Commission made the grim finding after examining a serious complaint against Fr Rion. The priest, who was born in Ireland in 1908 and died in 1976, returned to this country in 1974 after allegedly retiring from his post in Brisbane due to ill-health.

Despite having no formal association with Cloyne, he was given permission by the diocese’s then bishop, John Ahern, to visit local schools and say Mass at his home with the assistance of altar boys picked “on a roster” by a local school principal. One of these children, “Andrew”, contacted the Cloyne diocese from his home in Australia in January 2005 to confirm he was abused in 1975 and 1976.