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	Dutch Priests Accused of Child Abuse Dutch News February 26, 2010 http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2010/02/dutch_don_bosco_priests_accuse.php Three Catholic clerics from the Don Rua cloisters in 's Heerenberg, Gelderland, have been accused of abusing at least three children in the 1960s and 1970s, Radio Netherlands and the NRC report on Friday. The research shows one former pupil claims to have been abused for two years by a member of the Salesian order at the cloisters when he was 11 and 12 years old. Another priest was suspended after being accused of molesting a young boy and a third has been accused of abusing a girl when he was teaching English at a school in Doetinchem, the NRC says. Abuse The seminary was home to hundreds of boys aged 12 to 18. According to Radio Netherlands, former members of the order have confirmed the issue of sexual abuse was discussed internally. And a former member told the NRC many priests had their favourite boys and had relationships with them. The technical head of the order in the 1970s was the current bishop of Rotterdam Ad van Luyn. He was a teacher at the 's Heerenberg school in the 1960s and has declined to comment on the allegations. Investigation Father Herman Spronck, the current head of the Dutch branch of the organisation told the NRC he knew nothing about any abuse and had no objections to an investigation. The Salesian Society, founded in the 19th century by St John Bosco, was set up to help the young, especially the poor, and ensure the education of boys to the priesthood. In Germany, there have been widening allegations of clerical sex abuse at Catholic schools throughout the country including claims levelled at a number of members of the Salesian order, who worked at Don Bosco centres. For the full Radio Netherlands report, click here
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