BROTHER Defends Handling of Child Abuse

9 News
February 23, 2016

http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/02/23/03/42/pedophile-christian-brother-wanted-love

A religious superior says he is appalled and regrets the horrible child sex abuse committed by Christian Brothers under his watch.

Brother Paul Nangle has told the child abuse royal commission he only knew about two sex abuse complaints in the 1970s and took appropriate action, despite others saying he was told about other offending.

"I do regret enormously the horrible things that were done, and in my regret I profoundly wish that I had been better informed and had more complete knowledge of what was occurring," Br Nangle told the inquiry.

"I'm appalled at what happened and I am deeply sorry for the pain that people have suffered as a result of that."

Br Nangle suggested the 1970s sexual revolution may form part of the explanation for why a number of Christian Brothers abused children while he was the superior of the order's Ballarat community and headmaster of St Patrick's College.

Commission chair Justice Peter McClellan asked how it could ever be said the cultural changes caused or justified Brothers sexually abusing children.

Br Nangle said the abuse and rape of children could never be justified but society became more relaxed about matters of sexuality during the sexual revolution.

"I wouldn't say that it caused it," he said.

"I'd be inclined to say that it might have contributed to creating a climate in which such things may have become possible."

Br Nangle said as a religious superior, he would have taken for granted that the Brothers were all motivated by a desire for spiritual perfection.

"At the time in my mind it would have been totally inconceivable to me that a religious Brother could have behaved in such a deplorable manner."

Br Nangle also said he did not fully understand the enormous trauma caused to children by abusive adults.

Br Nangle said he has no memory of serious sexual matters that others say they raised with him about Br Edward Dowlan, and the only complaint about him was for excessive strapping in 1974.

The commission heard that boy was so badly beaten by Dowlan he was left with an imprint of a belt buckle on his skin.

The boy's mother said that when challenged Dowlan said he did it in a fit of anger, but she decided not to have him charged because of her Catholic background and after talking to Br Nangle.

"Br Nangle sort of talked to me about it and he said it was a big blot on the Catholic Church, which it probably would have been, and St Patrick's being an exclusive type of college, it would have been bad for them," she said in 1994.

Br Nangle denied that and said he was not aware of the injuries.

Br Nangle said he did not remember telling two boys who said they were abused by Br Stephen Farrell they should not go to the police, and denied hugging the Brother after telling him about a 1974 complaint.