The names of 15 Irish Jesuits credibly accused of child abuse over the last 70 years have been published by the congregation.
It follows an investigation into the files of 37 deceased Jesuit priests or brothers who had been the subject of child sexual abuse complaints over those decades.
To date, in the region of 160 people have contacted the Jesuits directly with allegations of abuse by members of the congregation. The 15 named Jesuits are:
- Fr Rupert Coyle (1896-1978)
- Fr Shaun Curran 1924 – 1999)
- Fr Brendan Kearney (1935 – 2014)
- Fr John T Kelly (1906 – 1977)
- Fr Patrick Kelly (1920 – 2012)
- Fr Kevin Laheen (1919 – 2019)
- Fr Henry (Harry) Lawlor (1911-1989)
- Fr John A (Jack) Leonard (1912 – 1992)
- Fr Finbarr Lynch (1933 – 2022)
- Fr Michael McGrath (1910 – 1989)
- Fr Oliver Joseph O’Brien (1920 – 1994)
- Br Edward O’Sullivan (1920 – 1996)
- Fr Diarmuid Ó Péicín (1916 – 2008)
- Br Douglas A Pill (1918 – 2003)
- Fr James Stephenson (1906 – 1979)
Wednesday’s decision by the Jesuits to publish these names follows on from their naming of Fr Joseph Marmion in 2021 as a Jesuit who abused children, and the similar naming in 2024 of Fr Paul Andrews and Fr Dermot Casey in connection with complaints of child sexual abuse also.
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In both instances the public naming of such Jesuits resulted in more people coming forward to speak about their abuse experiences as children by Jesuits.
Some of the priests taught in the same schools as Fr Marmion, and Fr Andrews, the report stated. Others taught in other Irish Jesuit schools, engaged in community work or held supervisory positions in organisations, working with vulnerable young people. A number worked in other countries.
In a statement, Jesuit Provincial Fr Shane Daly said: “We are truly ashamed that innocent young people were abused by those Jesuits who were supposed to be serving them and caring for them.
“To learn that much of their abuse could have been avoided, had timely and necessary action been taken by those to whom the abuse was made known, must surely compound their pain.”
He said the congregation had “put the good name of the institution before their suffering and for this we are truly sorry. Our expression of sorrow and regret for the suffering and pain inflicted on children who suffered abuse is real. But it will mean little if it is not accompanied by effective action such as the public naming we have done today, which is part of an ongoing process.
“Again, I want to invite any person who was harmed by any Jesuit to consider speaking with us. We really want to hear from you.”
He said it was shocking one man in particular Fr Patrick Kelly had moved from New York to California and then to Gardiner Street in Dublin and then to Limerick. “It is shocking to think that when Fr Kelly’s abuse was made known to the provincial in 1988 by a bishop in America where he was working, that he was allowed to go on to the west coast of America without even being brought home and questioned in relation to that,” he told RTÉ‘s News at One. “And again, it is shocking that we did not inform the authorities in the West Coast that these allegations had been made when Fr Kelly was brought home or when further allegations were made. And Fr Kelly was then charged in the US court and returned to Ireland. It was effectively kept quiet. Nobody was informed. He was moved to Gardiner Street and eventually he was put on restricted ministry, but on being moved to Limerick, the local superior there was not informed that he had been on a restricted ministry.”
It had to be admitted now “that we were totally cavalier in how we dealt with him.”
In an attempt to reach out to potential survivors of child sexual abuse by Jesuits, Fr Daly set up an Independent Working Group in February of last year to advise on the criteria to be applied by the congregation when deciding whether to publicly name a deceased member who was the subject of child sexual abuse allegations.
It was also to make recommendations regarding those deceased Jesuits who had been the subject of complaint and who met these applied standards which, in this instance, meant publishing these names.
The Independent Working Group includes former Supreme Court judge John MacMenamin, (chair) as well as Dr Rosaleen McElvaney, principal psychotherapist in the Alders Unit at Children’s Health Ireland, Connolly Hospital and Lecturer in Psychology at DCU, and Paul Harrison, Independent Children’s Services and Social Work Adviser and formerly director of Policy and Strategy in the Child and Family Agency.
They examined files of 37 deceased Jesuits who are subject to child sexual abuse complaints and recommended the publication of those names listed today.
In his statement today Fr Daly said the Jesuits were “committed to this ongoing process”.
The congregation has set up a special page on their website where all documents concerning the naming process can be accessed.
Anyone with concerns or complaints regarding the Jesuits now named or regarding another Jesuit can contact the congregation’s Child Safeguarding Office and/or the relevant civil authorities.
One woman who said she was abused when she was aged 10, while living in Clonskeagh, Dublin, by Brother Douglas A Pill at Milltown Park, felt “thrown” by the publication of the names and found it very “triggering” but also “liberating”.
Clodagh Malone received a call from the Jesuits on Tuesday, but said the widespread media coverage brought back the “deep trauma” that she experienced.
“I am very happy that it is out there. It’s not that people didn’t believe me. I was treated with respect by the Jesuits and I was believed by those around me,” she said.
“I had suppressed it in my memory and it wasn’t until I had my first grandchild that I realised something was wrong.”
She said Pill had approached her mother and asked if she would like to help him where he worked in the garden at the grounds at Milltown, where he abused her.
Ms Malone, who was born in St Patrick’s Mother and Baby Home in Dublin and is known for her work campaigning for survivors, said she believes Brother Pill targeted her because she was adopted and “vulnerable”.
The Jesuits have also set up a special helpline which operates from 8am until 8pm daily including weekends.
Counselling and psychotherapy is also available, funded by the Jesuits. In addition, redress is being offered by the congregation.
Further details at www.jesuits.ie, while the Child Safeguarding Office can be reached at safeguarding@jesuit.ie or via the helpline mobile number: 083 087 4254 (8am -8pm weekdays and weekends).
