Spiritans abuse survivor: 'Picture a 12-year-old child that you know. That was us'

Corry McMahon at a joint news briefing with the Spiritans in Ireland, where they announced a restorative justice process to assist all those who have suffered abuse in Spiritan schools in Ireland. Picture: Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie

Just four of the people accused of abusing hundreds of children at schools run by the Spiritan Congregation are still alive, with the order saying two are so old as to be "no risk to anybody" and only one is before the courts.

Gardaí last night confirmed they have received six further allegations of abuse in the last week alone and urged others who suffered at Spiritan schools or at the hands of members of the Spiritan Order to contact them.  

As the religious order issued a public apology, it emerged that a prolific abuser attended the funeral of one of his victim’s fathers, uninvited, 20 years later.

Louis Hoffman, a member of a survivor’s group, told a press conference that Father Senan Corry attempted to abuse him during a school concert in 1974 and that his “anger boiled up” when the priest turned up at the funeral so many years later. Mr Hoffman said his brother told him the priest tried to abuse him too.

The number of people who have come forward alleging abuse at schools run by the Spiritans, formerly known as the Holy Ghost Order, initially stood at 233 but the order confirmed it has now risen above that, but could not say by how many. To date, at least 78 members of the order have been accused of historical abuse.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin described the level, scale, and nature of the sexual abuse carried out at the Spiritan schools as "sickening and shocking". He told the Dáil a “bespoke” inquiry into what happened may be needed.

“The mode and manner in which we go about this are important,” he said. “We need to learn lessons from previous inquiries.” 

At a press conference attended by representatives of the Spiritan Congregation and victims groups, the order said it is willing to take part in an independent inquiry into the abuse and its handling of it. 

The survivors said whatever happens next must respect the victims and put them at the heart of the decision-making.

Blackrock College past pupils (from left) John Coulter, Corry McMahon and Louis Hoffman.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee said victims must be listened to in order "to ensure that there is justice and whatever form that comes in”.

The Spiritans apologised to all victims for the “cruel and indefensible” abuse they suffered, as well as for failing to take action which would have prevented further children from being abused.

“We acknowledged that its effects have lasted a lifetime, with many still struggling to cope with it,” Father Martin Kelly said. “The abuse took many forms: physical, sexual, emotional, and spiritual.” 

Fr Kelly urged victims to come forward and make contact, while the group of survivors urged others to engage with a new process of restorative justice to “address their trauma and to hopefully begin the long process of healing”.

Fr Kelly later told RTÉ radio that four of the 78 accused are still alive, one was a "clear case" of mistaken identity, one is before the courts and the others are so advanced in age as to present no risk to children.

Led by independent facilitator Tim Chapman, the restorative justice process allows victims to ask questions of the Spiritans, tell their stories, and describe the impact the abuse has had on their lives.

Mr Chapman described meetings with 19 ex-students at Blackrock College, one of the schools impacted, over the past year. He said the nature of the abuse they described was “depressingly similar”.

“It was moving to hear how they’ve been carrying that pain most of their lives. And the anger that it’s taken this long.” 

He also praised the “incredible honesty and courage” of victims who’d come forward.

Corry McMahon, who took part in the process, said that he was abused by two priests when he was a child.

“Picture a 12-year-old child that you know,” he said. "That was us. Our mindsets at the time. I’m 62 and a half now.”