Trouble in Chile

From Periodistadigital [thank you LAN]:

The Legionary priest John O'Reilly, chaplain and spiritual advisor of the Colegio Cumbres, was suspended from all activities in that institution after it became known that there was a complaint of sexual abuse against him. The information was released by the school board in a letter to the school community in Santiago.

The alleged victim appears to be a child, a high school student, who with the permission of their parents underwent an external professional assessment by a psychologist. The report and the background information gathered by an interdisciplinary team were made available to the Prosecutor East.

The alleged complaint - pertaining to events which transpired between 2010 and 2012 - was presented to the same school, through lawyer Rafael Errazuriz. The investigation was conducted by one of the prosecutors who specialize in sex crimes in Las Condes, Ignacio Pinto.

"The information provided verbally by the mother of our student refers to Father John O'Reilly LC, who told the college that he is totally innocent and willing to cooperate in the investigation. The priest and Colegio Cumbres agreed to the suspension of all Father O'Reilly internal activities in order to fully clarify the facts, "the statement said.

The address of the Association called on the entire community to "keep our spirit" and "confirar in a prompt, fair and with strict respect for the guarantees of due process."

Colegio Cumbres' full statement:

    Dear representatives, teachers and administrators:

    Along with greeting them, we inform you that the school on Tuesday filed a brief with the East Regional Office to investigate the complaint of a family of our school community, which would affect one of our Colegio Cumbres female students, who have been subjected to abuse.

    Following established procedures, begun at the time that the school authorities were informed, there has been a process of gathering and evaluating relevant material by a multidisciplinary team with specialist support.

    The school, in agreement with the parents of the affected child, provided the practice of outside professional evaluation by a psychologist. The report of the professional and the background information gathered has been made available to the prosecution.

    The information provided verbally by the mother of our student refers to Father John O'Reilly LC, who told the school that he is totally innocent and willing to cooperate in the investigation. The Priest and the College Summit agreed to the suspension of all activities inside Father O'Reilly to fully clarify the facts.

    The administration of Colegio Cumbres calls for all students, parents and teachers to keep our community spirit and trust in a prompt, fair and strict respect for the guarantees of due process, which to conclude the truth of what happened then consideration of the rights of all concerned. We also reiterate our commitment to love and faithfulness to God for each and every one of the members of our community and we make a call to unite in prayer to Our Lady of Carmel to join us as Mother and illuminate those responsible for establishing the reality of the facts and dispense justice.

Comments

[Augusto Di Sanctis]

Do not know if O´reilly is or not guilty, but i can assure you that the lawyer which represents the school belongs to the legion, is corrupt and has lied and presented false testimony´s and proofs in favour of the legion in the past. He and the legion here in Chile have enormous power, influence and wealthy links that desperately will try to hide this case. Sad, but the legion has done enormous damage and divided the catholics here in Chile.

[les]

Another LC accused of sexual abuse? I realize there are many cases of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church (and elsewhere) but at some point, does it become clear that abusers are over-represented in the Legion? Where does the numbers in the Legion compare to the Church at large?

It would be interesting to find out more details about Fr JO, like his age, his history with the LCs, so we can see if it's possible his alleged crimes are evidence of 2nd or 3rd generation abuse in the Legion.

[Aaron]

This makes a change at least to the letter the LC sent out when I reported Fr. Eoghan Devlin LC to the irish police. He was chaplain of the Cumbres in Medellin, Colombia.

The letter was signed by the directors (LC priest and 3GF) and sent to all of the parents of students.
It stated that the Cumbres does a lot of good work, that there are terrible rumours but they are not true and that the families should not believe anything they hear unless they hear it from the school itself.

It denied that the priest was removed from ministry pending investigation, but said he returned home due to an illness in the family.

I have brought this up to Alvaro Corcuera in a letter, but he ignored it completely in his reply to me.

I would note that, like in this case, it takes a complaint via a lawyer/authority to get a semi-legitimate response.

In another LC school in Chile allegations of multiple sexual abuse were made about a month ago. In this particular case, the Legion did not act in the same way, but in its usual way: denial, doubt, delay.

http://www.life-after-rc.com/2012/06/more-abuse-on-lc-property.html

http://www.life-after-rc.com/2012/07/new-policy.html?cid=6a00d8345201d369e201761624cfe5970c#comment-6a00d8345201d369e201761624cfe5970c

Other Chilean news reports are stating that O'Reilly's victim is a six year old girl.

[Aaron]

Les I agree with you with the analysis. Also it would be interesting to list LC schools and see how many have had allegations of abuse.

The LC system, the LC charisma is that of a paedophile's heaven. If you are not made a paedophile because of your malformation in the legion (I strongly believe that the majority of abuse cases are perpetrated by men who would not have abused in any other environment) but entered bringing with you such an "inclination" (i dont know what else to call it) you will find a perfect environment to prey and be protected.

It needs to be shut down.

Your children are not safe.

[giselle]

There are the sexual depravities that some are prone to, admittedly. But not all. It seems that those who remain and are not tempted in that regard suffer from idolisation of authority, which they think will guide them to God. (The latter snagged me since I was so immature as a new convert). The combination creates two layers that confuse the outside: the inner layer that is perverse and corrupt, and the outer layer that is cherubic and compelling.

[PWC]

In Chile in Spanish: Colegio = High School

[PWC]

but can also include the lower grades.

[giselle]

@PWC: amended, thanks.

[Deirdre Mundy]

"La Tercera's reporter Vasquez interviewed Fr. John O'Reilly, a Chilean spokesman for the Legion, who affirmed he was absolutely "convinced" of Maciel's "absolute innocence." When questioned by the reporter, the Chilean cardinal refused to offer any comment on Fr. O'Reilly's opinion."

From: http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/mershon/060807

A 2006 article on Maciel's invitation to a life of prayer and penance.

[Deirdre Mundy]

Also, another reference to John O'Reilly, LC shows up on Regain, about how Maciel wrote a letter granting him special permission to eat toast.

So, again, we see the inner v. outer circle divide. Those who are 'special favorites' of Maciel and who can do whatever they want, and those who took the rules seriously---

Also, I wonder if the fact that LC were made to believe that all the rules had equal moral force (i.e. using a urinal is a sin!!!) meant that once they were given permission to break one, they were more likely to accept the idea that they could receive permission to break the commandments......

[Deirdre Mundy]

Williams, and then O'Reilly, make me wonder if the church should be looking REALLY CLOSELY at those willing to defend Maciel in the face of all evidence....

[Augusto Di Sanctis]

Chilean conservative news website EMOL says the Legion new of accusations against O'reilly since 2010. It is not true that they where proactive, the parents where to ready to go to court today and the Legion was "obliged" to come out with the letter. Help is needed in Chile to protect the innocent children and their ignorant parents from the legions claws.

http://www.emol.com/noticias/nacional/2012/07/25/552384/querella-contra-sacerdote-john-oreilly.html

[Augusto Di Sanctis]

O'Reilly: "I know very well Maciel, lived with him for ten years in Rome, day to day, and really I can state he is a man dedicated completley to the Church, the souls and I am sure that this pain, this suffering of today will do good to the souls. The same way with Christ in the cross, who saved, somehow with this suffering, the same will happen"

"Conozco mucho al padre Marcial Maciel, me tocó vivir con él 10 años en Roma, día a día, y realmente yo puedo constatar que es un hombre dedicado completa y totalmente a la Iglesia, a las almas, y estoy seguro que este dolor, este sufrimiento de hoy día, va a hacer bien a las almas. Al igual que Cristo en la cruz salvó, pues de alguna manera, con este tipo de sufrimiento va a pasar lo mismo".

http://www.emol.com/noticias/nacional/2006/05/19/219563/john-oreilly-nadie-duda-de-la-inocencia-del-padre-maciel.html

[les]

Funny how the Legion just happens to issue it's press releases right when the dung is ready to hit the fan for the 1,000th time in their sick history. Yet they claim to be all about transparency in the newly reformed Legion. I'm sure they're feeling serenity and peace though, as usual. Nothing changes.

[Jeannette]

Deirdre,
So things like using a urinal was (is?) considered a sin and needed to be "confessed" to the LC priest who was complicit in perpetuating the idea that breaking silly rules was a grave sin, and then it had to be discussed with the ASSIGNED spiritual director (I'm assuming the abuse victim was assigned a lay SD) who would then support the misformation; one was commanded to tell the assigned SD everything. I've said many times before that this is grooming behavior for pedophiles. It's just sick... Obviously, the "using a urinal" rule-breaking didn't apply to Fr O'Reilly's victim.

Wait, this isn't the guy in Atlanta who used to say really stupid things, is it? That was a Fr. Reilly, right?

[les]

Atlanta was Fr Scott Reilly, not "O'Reilly". Haven't heard about him in quite awhile, anyone know what he's up to?

[Dingledore]

He's no longer in Atlanta. I believe he's in Houston. One of his jobs is to take care of safety. His number is provided should someone wish to report abuse.

[PWC]

Sorry, Dingled. That is Steven Reilly in charge of abuse allegations. He happens to be Scott's brother.

[Jeannette]

Okay, sorry. I just realized I shouldn't have put them in the same comment.
Fr John O'Reilly: alleged pederast in Chile

Fr Scott Reilly: used to say stupid stuff like "Archbishop O'Brien is entitled to his opinion..." NOT ACCUSED OF CRIMES.

Fr Steven Reilly: used to be in Baltimore, not accused of saying stupid stuff, NOT ACCUSED OF ANYTHING as far as I know.

[PWC]

A-OK and right on, Jeannette!

[Fr John]

Oddly, the article mentions that Fr John O'Reilly has been suspended from all his activities "in said establishment", ie. Cumbres. I don't know what kind of laws and church norms are in place in Chile, but shouldn't he be suspended from priestly faculties? I mean, he is a very influential priest, and his activities are not limited to the Cumbres, but is an influential fundraiser and most certainly section director or something of the sort. I am sure he preaches retreats and of course hears confessions at RC activities. I am not trying to pass judgment on him. Let’s let the authorities do that. But…Oddly, the article mentions that Fr John O'Reilly has been suspended from all his activities "in said establishment", ie. Cumbres. I don't know what kind of laws and church norms are in place in Chile, but shouldn't he be suspended from priestly faculties? I mean, he is a very influential priest, and his activities are not limited to the Cumbres, but is an influential fundraiser and most certainly section director or something of the sort. I am sure he preaches retreats and of course hears confessions at RC activities. I am not trying to pass judgment on him. Let’s let the authorities do that. But…

[Fr John]

Oops! Looks like I pasted the comment twice. Sorry.

[Fr John]

Loved the urinal sin comment. Just posted my first experience of this on my blog.

[Deirdre Mundy]

Fr. John- great post! I think the urinal sin thing is important to bring up, because it really hammers home how out-there and controlling the Legion is.

After all, what other order takes such interest in the toileting habits of its members?

I know it seems like a little thing to those who are 'in'--like we're nitpicking...

But that degree of micromanagement is, in itself, a HUGE RED FLAG. Contrast the brevity of the rules of Benedict or Francis (St. Francis comes in at under 3000 words!) with the complexity and length of Maciel's framework.

[-9 years of lies]

If it dates back to 2010... I wonder if De Paolis was informed of this. Or, if like the case with Thomas Williams, Alvaro et al are deeply sorry they kept this information from the investigation...

I'm guessing the latter.

Hey- can ANYONE be surprised at this? Corrupt leadership, corrupt people. You want to clean house and forge a new path, you start with the top. Not the bottom.

Just ask Penn State. Sure, they won't have a football team for 10-15 years. Maybe never. But they have a face. Sad that the multi-billion dollar enterprise of academia has been more responsive than the Church. What else can motivate them, if eternal damnation can't?