BishopAccountability.org
 
 

Nuns Describe Catholic Orphanage Abuse Claims As ‘a Mystery’

Herald Scotland
June 14, 2017

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15345613.Nuns_describe_orphanage_abuse_claims_as____a_mystery___/

Nuns describe Catholic orphanage abuse claims as ‘a mystery’

NUNS from a charity accused of abusing children at a Catholic orphanage throughout the 1980s have said the claims were a “mystery” as the institution was described as “a safe haven” for deprived children.

One local councillor had described it as a “showpiece” for childcare, the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry was told.

However Smyllum Park, in Lanark, has been the focus of claims children were systematically physically abused, and routinely humiliated for offences such as bedwetting.

It is notorious for the graves of up to 158 children who died at the home, left unmarked in nearby St Mary’s churchyard.

At the inquiry, two members of the Catholic order the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent De Paul, were quizzed about the management of six children’s homes run by the congregation. However Smyllum Park, which operated from 1864-1981 dominated the questions from inquiry lead senior counsel Colin Macaulay QC.

The head of the order in the UK, Sister Ellen Flynn told the inquiry the school had been home to 4,404 children in total from 1,930 – the earliest time covered by the inquiry – until it closed in 1981. However, allegations of abuse had only emerged years later, she said. Only 10 sisters who had worked there during that period survived, she said, and only one of those had worked there prior to 1960.

A number of alleged victims including the late Frank Docherty died before the inquiry began.

Sister Flynn said the order had only become aware of allegations in the 1990s. “We were extremely saddened that these accusations have been made,” she added. “We are very apologetic... and appalled that something like that may have happened”. However she added: “We can’t confirm that there was abuse of any kind, because we have no way of knowing that.”

She said while the order had no written policies regarding physical chastisement, “our ethos would absolutely forbid any kind of cruelty or mistreatment of children,” and she said while all the surviving sisters had been interviewed, none was aware of abusive behaviour taking place at any time.

“Our archives have been searched, but no record of abuse can be found,” she added.

Sister Flynn said she was open to the possibility abuse may have occurred. “How could you not be?” she said, but then she went on: “I spoke to all the sisters briefly, and our solicitors interviewed them. None of them witnessed abuse. They are saying that Smyllum was a happy place and lots of things happened there that were good for the children.”

If there had been abuse, it would be a sign of systemic failure, Sister Flynn said. But there was no evidence. “It is a mystery at the moment,” she added. “I’m very reluctant to think any of our sisters would carry out any of these activities... because it is cruel.”

The Sisters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul is to be a case study, for the inquiry, which will look more closely at the abuse allegations surrounding Smyllum Park, in the autumn.

The inquiry continues.

AT THE INQUIRY - Stephen Naysmith

Judge asks if head of religious order did not want to know details

One of the clear intentions of Lady Smith, chairwoman of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, has been to give organisations which potentially might face criticism later, the chance to acknowledge historic failings early on in the process.

In that context, she may have been unimpressed by Sister Flynn’s claims that nuns who worked there at the time abuse is alleged can only recall that a lot of “good things” happened for the children.

The claim, for instance, that birthdays were celebrated with presents, parties and cakes, may be directly contradicted by former residents still to speak, who say presents and cakes delivered by relatives were routinely confiscated.

Sister Flynn also said that she had only spoken briefly to the surviving sisters about the abuse claims, before the order’s lawyers took over.

And when Sister Flynn appeared not to have studied the detail of abuse claims, Lady Smith was openly surprised. “Why not, don’t you want to know?”, the judge said.

“It might be a valuable source of learning for you, not just about what happened in the past but what systems might need to be in the future?”

Similarly, the inquiry’s chief solicitor Colin Macaulay homed in on her claim that no records could be found of abuse taking place.

He asked her, “Would you truly expect a record to be made of abuse?” – Sister Flynn evaded the thrust of the question. “Hardly anything was written down, that’s one of the difficulties,” she said.

Not all of those who claim abuse took place at Smyllum Park are still alive to testify before the inquiry - including campaigner Frank Docherty, who died not long before public hearings began.

But some are expected to give evidence, along with Mr Docherty who left a comprehensive written statement. Among his claims was that when children died through accident or disease, nuns would not speak about it and orphans were not commemorated. However he remembered having to kiss the forehead of a dead nun – who he said had abused him –as she lay awaiting a requiem mass and burial in St Mary’s Cemetery, where nuns are memorialised with gilt-edged marble headstones, while nearby the graves of children from the home still remain, anonymous and unmarked.

 

 

 

 

 




.

 
 

Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.