Known Sex Abuser

Father Patrick Stephenson s.j

See also P.j. Stephenson and how he got away with it"


P.J. Stephenson in his room 1978.
Can't find a pic of stephenson in a google search! Looks like there's been a lot of history cleaning going on Found 2 photos from The Xaverian 1967.


The Open Secret
EVERYONE knew!. His list of ways and means is long and wide.
At least from the 1960's he was well known by everyone (staff and students) to be a compulsive
toucher, fondler and groper of the young students at Xavier College.
The boys would joke about it but when going to his room "come up and see me sometime"
you knew you were in for an uncomfortable pervy experience.

• Grabbing boys hard by the collarbone in class.
• In his room, rubbing your knee.
• In his room, fondling your hand while stroking a pen inside his pants fly.
• Accused by one boy, so far, of groping his genitals.
• Sat a boy on his (Stephenson's) bed for the interview and stroked his leg.
• Reported a boy to the Rector. The boy reacted to Stephenson trying to slide his hand up the boy's shorts and pushed Stephenson away.
Stephenson fell on the floor. The Rector threatened to have the boy charged with assault.
• Sadistic behaviour. Crunching a boy's finger causing a lot of pain and asking "does that hurt, boy?"
• With the junior boys lined up for showers in the morning with just towels around their waist, he would run his fingers down a boy's back.     a nice location, an open shower room with about a dozen naked boys to look at.
• Visiting the change rooms and showers after a football match.
• Former student recalls after Stephenson talked to him, rubbing his hand/knee/leg Stephenson went behind a screen in his room and masturbated.

Father Patrick Stephenson (1896-1990).
was associated with Xavier College for more than fifty years (until 1990)
as a teacher and as a mentor in the Old Xavierians' Association.
Being involved in the education of thousands of boys,
which included ex-Archbishop of Melbourne Denis Hart (complicit in covering up sex abuse at the Doveton Parish), Thomas Knowles (ex-priest , adult sex abuse), and Monsignor John Day the infamous abuser of children in Mildura and elsewhere.
He was perhaps the school's most famous teacher.

A former student, who was at Xavier in the late 1960s and early 1970s,
has complained to the Jesuits that Fr Paddy Stephenson, O.B.E., indecently mauled this boy's genitals.
This constitutes a criminal offence — indecent assault.
This student says he was not the only victim. He (and other boys) reported Stephenson's behaviour at the time to another Jesuit priest (a religious education teacher)
but this Jesuit was dismissive and "didn't want to know about it".
Evidently, the ex-student says, the Jesuits were concerned to protect the school's image.
Eventually, many years later, this ex-student has tackled the Jesuit authorities with an official complaint.
The Jesuits have reached a confidential settlement with this ex-student, thereby still protecting the school's image.

Xavier College erases Father Patrick Stephenson's name from its sports centre

Shannon Deery, Herald Sun
March 23, 2016 4:10pm
ONE of the state's most prestigious school's will rename its sports complex
over allegations one of its most revered figures interfered with children. Xavier College today announced it would remove the name of the late
Fr Patrick "Paddy" Stephenson from its sports complex allegations of child sexual abuse were levelled at him.
Fr Stephenson worked at the school for more than 60 years and died in 1990.
Former students say Fr Stephenson's conduct was an "open secret".
Former students have told the Herald Sun Fr Stephenson's questionable
conduct around students was an "open secret" as early as the 1980s. "To have to rename the centre is a blow to Xavier and its repeated claims Father Stephenson was a great man," he said.

"To those schooled at Xavier, Father Stephenson was an educator credited
with forging the school's reputation as one of the best in the state. "However, even when I was there in the 1980s, it was more-or-less an open secret that Father Stephenson's behaviour around students was inappropriate. "And by then he was long retired.
I remember even teachers laughing about it," he said. The past student, who did not want to be named, said he knew students from the 1950's and 1960's who said recalled Fr Stephenson's behaviour around boys as a running joke. "Although less funny if you were a victim of it," he said.
The school today issued a media release announcing it would rename its Kew sport complex to the Xavier Sports Centre. It has previously removed his name from a sign outside the school sometime ago.
But they have not removed his name from inside the swimming pool area, where it remains prominent.

" "Fr Stephenson is remembered with great affection by many thousands
of Old Xaverians," College Rector, Fr Chris Middleton said. "For many years he interviewed thousands of students; however, four complaints of inappropriate touching during such interviews have been made by former students, including an allegation on the public record raised in the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry in 2013.

"The Jesuits do not believe that the complaints against Fr Stephenson
have been substantiated, but nor have we dismissed the allegations as wrong.
The Jesuits believe that, on the available evidence,
there is room for genuine misunderstanding as to his intentions.
as is explicitly acknowledged by one complainant.
"This being said, given that abuse has occurred at Xavier, and that many victims of
abuse suffered further at the hands of institutions such as the Church and the Jesuits
by not being believed and/or responded to, we accept that
it is appropriate to change the name of the Stephenson Centre."

One former student told the 2013 Victorian parliamentary inquiry he was
abused by two Jesuits, one of whom interviewed every Xavier pupil individually
for years and targeted weak and vulnerable children.
"I was dealing with another one, who just had impunity wherever he went,
because his reputation preceded him as the famous, well-known Jesuit who knew everybody," the survivor said.

The school also announced today it would erect a number of memorials to recognise historical sexual abuse.
A victim of sexual abuse while at Xavier, who helped design the memorials,
is being assisted in his fight for justice by one of the state's most senior legal figures.

The hidden story here is why?
I have been told that placing memorial plaque was a part of the settlement with that victim.
It was not something voluntarily done in good faith.
Removing his name? A mere 4 allegations would not do it, being "named" in the Vic Parliamentary Enquiry is getting closer, but not quite enough I don't think.
There was some very strong pressure coming from somewhere unknown
Influential Xavier Foundation member who was himself abused by Stephenson?


Stephenson, Patrick J, 1896-1990, Jesuit priest

IE IJA J/547 Person 16 March 1896-05 May 1990

Born: 16 March 1896, Dunkitt, County Kilkenny
Entered: 31 August 1914, St Stanislaus College, Tullabeg, County Offaly
Ordained: 26 August 1928, Lyon, France
Professed: 02 February 1931
Died: 05 May 1990, Caritas Christi Hospice, Kew - Australiae Province (ASL)

Part of the Xavier College, Kew, Melbourne, Australia community at the time of death

Patrick was a relative of William Stephenson - RIP 1980

Early education at Clongowes Wood College SJ

Transcribed HIB to ASL : 05 April 1931

by 1923 in Australia - Regency
by 1927 at Paray-le-Monial, France (LUGD) studying
by 1929 at Lyon, France (LUGD) studying
by 1930 at Paray-le-Monial, France (LUGD) making Tertianship

◆ David Strong SJ “The Australian Dictionary of Jesuit Biography 1848-2015”, 2nd Edition, Halstead Press, Ultimo NSW, Australia, 2017 - ISBN : 9781925043280

Patrick Stephenson was educated at Clongowes College, Dublin, and entered the Society 31 August 1914.
After philosophy studies at Milltown Park, 1918-21, he was sent to Xavier College for regency in 1921, returned to England and France for theology in 1925, and was ordained at Lyons in 1928.

Tertianship followed immediately at Paray-Ie-Monial.
He returned to Xavier College in 1930, and remained there for the rest of his life, except for a year as headmaster of Kostka Hall.
For a few years, 1933-34, he was minister at the senior school.

Stephenson is best known for his teaching of geography or 'topography', as his subject was irreverently called.
Students started the rumor that he dropped the exam papers from just outside his room on the top floor above second division, and the first paper to hit the floor was awarded First place.

He also taught religion and French at various times.
His sermonettes on the missions on first Fridays were memorable as was his love for St Vincent de Paul.
He ran a monthly meeting of this Society for 60 years, encouraging members to visit the sick and the poor.
In addition, he edited the college annual, “The Xavierian”, for 47 years, and recorded news of generations of Old Boys.

This was particularly important during the Second World War, when he became the “postbox and scribe to the world”.
He would write to Old Boys on active service and their families each evening (his daily letter writing average was twelve), bringing much comfort to the men.

Many letters that he received from the war were included in “The Xavierian” for all to read.
Stephenson was a great affirmer of people. His memory was prodigious of whole families for many generations, and he kept a card index system with the names of every boy and his family He was particularly caring for families in trouble, and good at obtaining jobs for ex-students through his long list of contacts.

During school vacations he visited major towns, country or interstate, catching up with Old Xaverians.
He never stayed long, suggesting that he should go home about 9 pm.
He was always very proud of Old Xaverians who did well, especially those who became judges, lawyers and doctors.

He grew old buoyantly. At the age of 80 he moved from his room in the attic to a room on the ground floor near the infirmary.
At the age of 92, when he could no longer look after himself or handle the stairs, he moved to Caritas Christi, the hospice for the elderly.

The move gave him a new life, exercising his legs as best he could and ringing up Old Boys from Sister Wallbridge's office when she was otherwise engaged.
He was a small man, but had a large heart and was open to change.
He accepted Vatican II and began to wear a tie instead of the clerical collar soon after the Council.

Stephenson was never a good teacher, but was a memorable educator.
For his services to education he was awarded an Order of the British Empire by the Queen.
He had extraordinary influence on generations of Old Xaverians. His gentle humanity and love of people more than compensated for his lack of academic achievements.

He was good company and his stories always enlivened community recreation. His funeral, which packed St Patrick's Cathedral, was a moving tribute to his influence.
In 2016 Xavier College removed Stephenson's name from its sports centre.
The rector wrote to the Xavier community that there were some complaints against Stephenson, and that “the Province does not believe that the complaints made against Stephenson have been substantiated, but nor has it dismissed the allegations as being wrong. It believed that, on the available evidence there is room for genuine misunderstanding as to his intentions, as is explicitly acknowledged by one complainant ..., and that in the light of the complexity and seriousness of the issue, we accept that it is appropriate to change the name' of the sports centre”.

Note from William Stephenson Entry
William was a relative of Patrick Stephenson of the Australian province, and entered the Society at Tullabeg in 1898.

◆ Irish Province News

Irish Province News 23rd Year No 3 1948

Extracts from a letter from Fr. P. J. Stephenson, Xavier College, Kew, Melbourne :
“... We had brilliant results last year. Xavier boys won 28 1st Class Honours and 68 2nd Class Honours in the December Examinations, 1947.
Besides that, they won Exhibitions in Greek, French and Physics ; and four General Exhibitions and 2 Free Places in the University.
That was a fine record for a class of about 40 boys. Five Xavierians joined the Noviceship this year : four were boys just left school.

An Old Xavierian took his LL.B. Degree and became a Dominican.
Fr. Mansfield has been kept going since his arrival. He will be a great addition to our staff as he can take over the Business Class and the Economic Class. Fr. Lawler came over from W.A.
about three weeks ago and has taken up the duties of Socius to Fr. Provincial. Fr. Boylan and his assistant Editor of the Messenger leave for Ireland and Rome soon”.