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Accusations of Abuse in Institutions

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The Press
June 27, 2002

Catholics suspend brother
by Yvonne Martin

A Catholic leader has been stood down from duties after fresh abuse allegations were made against him.

Brother Rodger Moloney, who was in charge of the St John of God Order's residential school Marylands in Christchurch as prior in the 1970s, has been ordered to step aside from his leadership role in Sydney while the allegations are investigated.

The suspension comes as the order learns of more cases of alleged abuse.

The Australasian head of the order, Brother Peter Burke, has been contacted by six more former Marylands pupils claiming they were abused by brothers working there in the 1970s.

Brother Burke has also been informed through the order's lawyers that the New Zealand police have heard from another five complainants, three from Invercargill and two from Christchurch.

The order is setting up a toll-free hotline for people who believe they are victims to report abuse to the order's Sydney headquarters. Brother Burke is urging people to contact police with their complaints.

Brother Moloney, 67, left Marylands in 1977, and now sits on the provincial council, the governing body of the order. He was suspended three months ago.

The Order of St John of God is under siege on both sides of the Tasman from people claiming sexual and physical abuse by brothers. Four former Christchurch brothers have had allegations made against them. None remain working for the order.

So far, the order has paid out $300,000 to five New Zealand complainants, claiming they were abused in the 1960s and 1970s, on condition they kept quiet about their claims and agreements.

Two complainants, known as Patrick and Joseph, who told their stories to The Press, have been reassured by the order that they will not be penalised for doing so.

In Australia, the order has paid $4 million dollars to 24 intellectually disabled men sexually abused by brothers.

Brother Burke said new allegations have been made against former Marylands brother, Bernard Kevin McGrath, who was jailed for three years in 1993 after admitting 10 indecencies against boys. He was jailed for nine months in Australia in 1997 for child sex offences there. McGrath has since been removed from the order.

Seventy boys were at Marylands when Brother Moloney was prior and McGrath worked there. As the brother in charge, it was Brother Moloney to whom the boys would have reported abuse allegations. Joseph told The Press that he went to Brother Moloney to report that Brother McGrath had abused him. McGrath left Marylands soon after.

Joseph has also alleged to police that he was abused by Brother Moloney. Brother Burke said the order would co-operate fully with the police and make accused brothers available for interviews.

Brother Burke intends visiting Christchurch next month to talk to former Marylands pupils. "I feel I need to talk to alleged victims ... it's a great tragedy that this has happened within the church, not only within the order. It has taken its personal toll on me."

The order is appointing a non-Catholic professional to do an independent audit of the order's handling of abuse victims so far. "The church has been accused of not handling these things in an open and transparent way but there is also a justice issue here for victims and the perpetrators," said Brother Burke.