♦ What Is Sex Abuse ♦ Defamation ♦ Eldon Hogan Xavier College ♦ Celso Romanin Civil Suit ♦ Jack Rush Defamation ♦ Jesuits Deed of Release ♦ Marilyn Warren Victor Higgs Report ♦ Ridsdale Ballarat Diocese ♦ St Louis School Claremont ♦ Survivor Led Response ♦ Theodore Overberg Celebrates 50 Years ♦ Archives Closed to Survivors ♦ the George Pell saga ♦ Quotes & Statements ♦ Jesuit Charities ♦ Client Opinion - In Good Faith Foundation
Brian McCoy SJ received Marilyn Warren's Victor Higgs Report 23 Dec. 2019
Ms. Warren says it is "highly desirable" and "reasonably expected" that the Society of Jesus investigate the other 21 instances between 1968 and 1971.
After that they can continue with the rest (approx. 35 of them).

AND: "there was a serious pattern of deviant criminal behaviour being perpetrated across the Society"

"the location of Higgs could have actually been part of a much larger and more challenging problem of where to locate not merely one but up to 22 problematic priests or brothers."



A partial vindication of everything this website has been saying in the ♦ Cover Up Timeline.



The Jesuit's Document Destruction Policy
"The Australian Province supports the Royal Commission Recommendation 8.1 and already retains records relating to child sexual abuse as well as other records for longer periods than 45 years."

"All the archives are open and there are no secrets" Simon Davies.

Also interesting is the amount of information and the amount of detail the Society of Jesus was able to provide to the Warren Review.
This was provided to Ms. Warren simply because Brian McCoy SJ decided that he would. He was under no legal obligation to do so.
There was no withholding of information because of "privacy" which is the usual excuse for not disclosing information.

The deduction from this is that McCoy can disclose similar information about all and any alleged sex abusers IF HE WANTS TO.
There is no reason why he can't.

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There is text and a video of a tired looking Brian McCoy s.j. summarising Marilyn Warren's findings on her Investigation into Victor Higgs ex-s.j. being moved from St. Ignatius, Adelaide to St. Ignatius, Riverview, Sydney in 1971/72
Brian McCoy s.j. says:
"It is with much sadness and contrition that I acknowledge and apologise for our failings with respect to these events some 50 years ago."

Previously McCoy said: "The records that are available have been reviewed in detail. To date, we have no evidence that Victor Higgs 'moves related to the events to which he subsequently pleaded guilty. However, we cannot discount this possibility."

Ms. Warren has been able to find information that McCoy was not able to. Exactly what we will never know.

"we are contacting all survivors who gave evidence to the review to seek their permission to release the report in its entirety."
This is a new proviso, previously they said it would be published with names redacted.

Why this is important:
1. It is the first ever admission that a Jesuit was deliberately moved from A to B because of sex abuse reports.
2. It is an admission that makes the Society of Jesus vicariously liable for negligence for offences by Higgs at Riverview.
3. By extrapolation it shows that the Jesuit Provincial was informed of the details of reports/complaints as a matter of policy
4. By implication it suggests that all other Provincials knew about complaints.
5. By implication it says that there is information about all the moves of sex offenders in the Jesuit's records.
6. Because of Brian McCoy's repeated statements "In the spirit of openness and transparency" he should inquire into ALL the moves of ALL alleged/known sex offenders.

Our efforts to get Ms. Warren to expand her inquiry failed.
McCoy says "We continue to hold those who have been abused in our hearts and in our prayers and extend to them our unwavering support. We are deeply ashamed and sorry."
If this is true he should do the same for all survivors of abuse at Jesuit schools.
Only you can open the door Brian - Will you?

What documents or information did Ms. Warren find?
Ms. Warren interviewed survivors of Higgs sex abuse at St. Ignatius , Adelaide.
She was able to request documents and information from the Society of Jesus.
She may have received unsolicited information from other sources as well.

I would say that information showing then Provincial Peter Kelly s.j. was informed of the abuse and that it was a factor in the decision to move Higgs could only have come from the Jesuit's own records.
If it was there how come Brian McCoy didn't find it earlier when he said all "available" files had been reviewed?
His original statement was such a lawyer written piece it did raise suspicions.
e.g. "we can't discount the possibility".

A while ago I was asked what do you think will be the outcome.
I said I think they will throw Peter Kelly under the bus and use it to say how wonderful and open and transparent they are as a smokescreen to wash away all the other questions about Peter Kelly's moves.

What I think I didn't realize is how McCoy seems to think that this "sin" by a Provincial is very serious in how it reflects on his Society.
The "Father Provincial" as they call him is actually a very highly revered person inside the Society of Jesus and should of course be the very best of everything they stand for.
Notwithstanding that 3 of them are alleged sex offenders and one was a drunk.


Dr. Paul Hine, Principal of St. Ignatius , Riverview, who was "too busy" to find me information on Theo Overberg SJ,says:
"That a member of the Province –against whom complaints were known at another school –was then consequently moved to St Ignatius’ College, Riverview, is profoundly shocking and a shameful indictment of how these matters were handled in the past"

Nice piece of "mock shock". It is always "I knew nothing" and now that I do I express shock and shame.
They all know about Jesuits being moved because of sex abuse.
A revolting piece of PR, he can't expect anyone to believe it surely.


"Oh, Yes, I'm the great pretender"
♦ Findings of the review into the movement of former Jesuit brother Victor Higgs jesuit.org.au
♦ youtube video link

♦ Riverview College letter to the Community

Brian McCoy s.j. says:
We received Justice Warren’s report on Friday afternoon and now share her conclusions:

1. At least three complaints were made to the then Rector, Fr Frank Wallace SJ, regarding Higgs’ conduct at Athelstone.
2. The substance of at least some of these complaints was conveyed to the then Provincial, Fr Francis Peter Kelly SJ, prior to Higgs’ movement.
3. The fact of these complaints was a factor in the decision to move Higgs from Athelstone to Riverview in 1970.

I thank those who gave evidence to the Review. I appreciate that going over these matters can itself be a traumatic experience.
I also thank the Honourable Justice Marilyn Warren AC QC and counsel assisting the Review for their expertise and commitment to helping us better understand what happened.
I hope these findings help bring those impacted by the actions of Higgs at both Athelstone and Riverview, and who have lived their lives in the shadow of the pain that it caused may, in some small way, come closer to healing and closure.

We continue to hold those who have been abused in our hearts and in our prayers and extend to them our unwavering support.
We are deeply ashamed and sorry.
In the spirit of openness and transparency we are contacting all survivors who gave evidence to the review to seek their permission to release the report in its entirety.
The abuse of any child is contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ and the value and mission of the Jesuits.

The Jesuits and our Jesuit schools are united in our commitment to child safety and have implemented best practices to foster a child-safe culture to best protect those in our care.
These measures include initiatives to encourage and listen to student voices, treat any report of abuse seriously, believe those who come forward with reports of abuse and the introduction of a publicly available code of conduct clearly setting out required behaviours.

We will continue to review in detail Justice Warren’s report, the reasons for her findings and any actions that may need to be taken as a result and strive to ensure that our schools provide not only safe but nurturing environments for the children they serve.

Another summary:
Fr. Peter Kelly ex-s.j., alleged sex offender himself and a Provincial of the Society of Jesus deliberately moved an alleged sex offender from one school to another to to protect the reputation of the school and protect the reputation of the Society of Jesus.
And did this with no concern at all for the victims at the school and no concern at all for exposing the students at the new school to an alleged sex offender.
(this is not news, but it can now be stated without a denial from the Jesuits.)

Peter Kelly ex-s.j. also moved 10 other alleged Jesuit sex offenders during his tenure and also lay teacher Willi Kovac was sacked from Xavier College.
It could be safely assumed that he was given knowledge of any sex offences by those Jesuits as well. How many of those moves were also a result of a sex abuse report to him?

The great shame about all this is Ms. Warren not taking the opportunity to investigate other moves by Peter Kelly (and others).
I supplied detailed information about Peter Kelly to Nick Elias, her counsel assisting, in April this year.
I am concerned that Ms. Warren may not have received that information from Mr. Elias.
You can find the Kelly-Higgs move in here!!
enlarge

Strange connection: Peter Kelly (deceased) is the uncle of Paul Kelly the famous singer/songwriter.

Peter Kelly ex-s.j. also fathered a son,David Weber, while a priest, after his term as Provincial.
David Weber lives in Germany and is still seeking some recognition and compensation/support from the Society of Jesus.

Something I hadn't considered is that the Jesuit's transparency is so perfectly transparent you can't actually see it.