Secrets of St Peter's: Shocking child abuse at Catholic Church school revealed 

Well done Joanna. This is the kind of journalism we need to protect victims and punish criminals. All over the world.

Reason why I lost faith in my Catholic religion. I still believe in God though, but I hate religion.

I thank my mom and grandma from the bottom of my heart for the fact that they did not raise me Catholic as they had been. There clergy seems to be a magnet for pedophiles and abusers in general. Over the last few weeks, I have read and I have seen quite a few articles and videos that talk about nuns and priests abusing children either physically or sexually at orphanages in Catholic schools and I am sickened and disgusted by them. Worse still, the church knew about their exploits and instead of tossing them out, they covered it up and place them at another place where they could do the same thing to other children they did this again, and again, and again in place after place, country after country. I would wager anything that they did this for centuries and are only now being caught and having some of their members brought to justice. Just sickening.

Absolutely sickening. Thank you Joanna for exposing the truth and being the voice to the victims.

These monsters and those who cover this up should be severely punished.

I still say the Holy Roman Catholic Church should be held accountable for all these atrocities 😠

The Catholic Church need to be held accountable for these cases. They are in a position of trust and completely abuse it!! 😡

we need to talk about this we can't keep silence this is terrible and should never happen to a child #speakUp #endRape #stoppredactors

They died before they got their punishment on earth. But I am confident they meet their justice when they die.

Whenever there is a powerful institution there will always be a power of abuse! This is so sad because it's cyclical and there is no end in sight!

the worst part in all of this was that the victims never even got the acknowledgement that they had been wronged. sadly I can't even say I'm surprised that this occurred given the other abuse carried out by/within the Catholic priesthood that is coming to light in the recent years. shame on these abusers and the institution that not only allowed it to occur but enabled it.

It's awful to think of the misery those vulnerable youngsters had to endure, alone and frightened, just dreadful. I'm confused about the fact of so many paedeophiles under the Roman Catholic umbrella. Why were there so many of them ? Were they paedeophiles when they began working for the Church ? Why were they attracted to religious careers? There are so many reports of cruelty and abuse from males and females, it's heartbreaking to think of the tragic lives many children had to bear.

Don't forget nuns, many are the other sort and would prey on younger ones, and others are sadistic when looking after children ,,

I am so glad and thank you for telling the truth about Catholics....... Great Job.

I commend all you brave people who have spoken out and I hope you have understanding in the deepest part of your psyche to let go of all guilt and shame because sadly abused children become adults who still believe it was their fault.......and it never was....blessings to you.....

The catholic church has alot to answer for.

I must have grown up really sheltered. It amazes me how many men my age were screwed as boys. I never even heard of it as a possibility.

Torture is the only name for that..!!! Evil lives in every Church..!!! Demonic possessions are real no doubt..!!

It was bad enough that the Irish were abused by the British but now we see how bad the Catholic Church was and is. Very sad for the Irish.

This must have been going on generation after generation...since the beginning of the Catholic Church, plus other churches....

UPDATE!!!!!!! Suicides caused by abuse from a priest: 324. !!!!!

This happened a lot and is still happening. More and more of these places are closing and becoming abandoned now. It doesn't help those who were there when they were operational but the few places that still exist are under the microscope and people are more aware of what's going on. Most of the asylums have closed with the introduction of new drug therapies but I can't find a solution to Juvenile crime and punishment - can anyone?

Thank you for your help for these abused souls.

There is a special place in hell for those who lie, loot, rape, torture, and kill in the Creator's name.

What Haselberger discovered in Minneapolis was typical of the entire Catholic church. If a Catholic chancery received a complaint about a priest's inappropriate sexual (or other?) behaviour, the priest was shifted to another posting. Sometimes the priest was moved to another diocese or English speaking country. Nothing was ever said to any secular authorities. A few extreme cases were defrocked. I was a child 50-60 years ago, a time when it was very embarrassing to talk about the sexual side of human nature. It was felt best to sweep reports and rumours under the Great Rug. The alternative would have required talking about the human genitalia (deemed impossible outside of medical circles), the acts done with the genitalia (talking about this in any way was believed to fuel sinful prurience), and as undermining the Catholic church's prestige and moral authority (the defense of which was paramount). The Catholic Church was all too suspicious of heterosexual prurience, but turned a blind eye to same sex prurience. Talking about lewd behaviour between two people of the same sex was seen as inadvisable because it would fuel curiosity and experimentation. The Roman Catholic clergy and religious orders all required a vow of celibacy. This was silently and wrongly interpreted as ruling out primarily heterosexual sinning. I am told that a high percentage of young men in Catholic seminaries inclined to be gay, or fell into bits of the gay lifestyle. Catholic regulations allowed nuns to teach both genders, but men were not allowed to teach girls. I have never heard of, or read about, nuns sinning with minors against chastity. But the Church was willfully blind to the fact that men teachers (lay as well as religious) could sin against chastity with minor boys. Protecting boys against such behaviour would threaten the church's ability to play a role in the education of boys. I have read of similar behaviour among ultra-orthodox rabbis, who are all married, and the Jewish obsession with ritual circumcision I now suspect has a very unsavoury psychosexual basis. The ultra-orthodox have a moral rule such that no misconduct can be reported to the secular authorities without the permission of a committee of rabbis, a permission that is never granted. I bet that the sexual abuse of children by clergy and teachers in religious schools goes on in any religion where the clergy are put on a high pedestal.

God bless that man Tony I hope one day he will get the answers he deserves and those priests and other teachers will rot in hell they will get what they deserve

Australia had a Royal Commission into this problem in Australian institutions. Churches are now paying reparation via Court Process for each individual case. Costing about 1 million per victim. The cover up by the Churches has been proven.

A response I wrote to an article on Child Marriage; I don't understand why anyone would attempt to marry a child, this is unthinkable, children are not capable of Romantic Relationships, they cannot process adult Relationship lifestyles. They are children and function as children, they are being placed, and forced in adult Relationship situations, and they cannot process nor understand it until they are Adults. Nothing about a child is capable of handling a Romantic Relationships, Physical Relationships, Mentality handling Adult Relationships, and Lifestyles and financial matters. A Child cannot understand the Deeper Matters of the Hearts, or Deep involved Love connections etc. So, it baffles me to think any man would be interested in a relationship with a child. Why not choose an Adult Woman who is matured in Mind, Body, and Spirit, intelligence...? I could NEVER be attracted to s child. (I have NEVER, NEVER BEEN attracted to a child nor teenager male or female) Children need to be focused on getting their early childhood education, and growing up around other children and playing with other children. I cannot fathom why a man would be interested in a Child as a Bride,( or any intimate sexual manner whatsoever) A Child could NEVER appreciate Romance, Poems, Dinning, or a Dinner date etc. Really! marry a child...this makes No sense to me! (I have NEVER, NEVER IN MY LIFE BEEN attracted to a child nor teenager male or female) This is beyond my comprehension... Jason Sandifer, Michigan, 11/10/2018

It just time for that disgusting institution to CLOSE ITS DOORS!!

I worked in part of those buildings around 25 years ago when it was a nursing home, I was a teenager at the time, It was horrible foreboding place.

Men retelling their sexual abuse to women, is just weird.. From the teller, and the woman, sitting there listening. Lady, are.there no other jobs for you? Sir, no shame, no distress listing your sex degredations to a woman??? Weird, and creepy.

The perpetrators are in hell burning in torment. Let them burn!!

Heartbreaking... makes me angry

My Two Brothers were incarsarated in Industrial schools as Babies each was transfered to Artane the adult Industrial Reformatory School a Brutal Sadistic child abusing Hell Hole . on reaching 10 years old , Their lives were totally Ruin'd the damage caused to them is heartbreaking ,I hate the RC Church indeed I hare all Religions they are all about Power over others, I was also locked up in an Industrial Hell Hole School and tortured starved ,Beaten ,forced into Slave Labour, denied all Human Rights, and the pompus Politicians and RC Church are trying to bury it all ,

How can a kid to call Police? They will say is nothing serious.

God will Judge them and they will get what they deserve. I'm sorry for the pain these young boys had to go through and still going through😢

They will be brought to justice and there is not a single doubt about that!!

the staff may be dead and in hell but the government can still be brought to justice watch the video about the very bad man it gives everyone hope money doesn't take the pain and memories away but it can make life a little more comfortable

All of these boys were innocent victims.. Taken advantage of by men headed for perdition.. I pray that God will heal your hearts and minds to make them whole again as only God can.. Please know that this was not your fault, and the Lord knows that as well.. Please know that you are valuable and we are sorry for what you have endured. If I could have taken your place I would have.

It disgusts me how much in church this sick stuff continues on. If I hear anything about the catholic church my mind goes right to priests sexually abusive kids.

♡♡♡ Hi, To All ! 🙂👏🏼🙂 Thank You for this information! I'm trying right now,, to find the,,, "right words"!!! I'm not sure if This is Enough ❕❕❕ Well,, I'd like to say, that, maybe do like I'm trying to do for myself.. Realize that what happened ,, is Not Happening Right NOW 💖!. Those that harm, "usually" want the victim to keep perpetuating the Past. I can't speak for anyone but myself,, and my own experiences!!! I just hope by sharing,,, might Help , You,, and Others,, Ok! ~❇️•☮️•💜•☮️•❇️~ ♡♡♡

Yet, still no punishment

I am a Christian/Catholic, but have always looked at the pope and everyone else in the full time ministry of the Lord as HUMAN BEINGS not God. They. Have failings and weaknesses just like any of us. They must NOT be seen as more. We must always question and Speak out.a As for them in their vocation, they have to have a strong conscience and step down when necessary. The. Pope at least should be committed. Enough to GOd to right the wrong that is within his authority.

My payers are for Melanie Shaw the whistle blower still in jail.

It stated "sadly the perpetrators won't be brought to justice".I DISAGREE.... now that they are dead and gone from this earth, they ARE getting their just reward by spending eternity in hell..... a punishment I would wish on anyone even those sick pedophiles.

4:22, what kind of teeth are those along the bottom? They look cut off and filled w/ brown.

I'm writing a book about abuse I received by a number of people, some at st Joseph's approved school Nantwich, in the 60s. And of course other lads there, I had been abused in a number of institutions in my youth, and only came out with it, even to my wife of 40 years, I got involved with the,IICSA, but I am now sorry I did. I have done a videos with the police over my 10 years of abuse, all I get from them is, there all dead now, we can't do anything, I said why can't we sue the government, as most of these things happened in government run places. I think I said the wrong thing or should I say word....MONEY! They all want to show they care, but then don't soon as you ask for help. Case shut.

This stuff goes on all around the world, every single day, in private homes. Sons. Daughters.

Heartbreaking 😢😢 😢 Christ Jesus will restore ALL victims!

It still shocks me to no end end at the sheer number of young girls and boys who have been physically and sexually abused within the Catholic Church by priests etc. Every year something else comes out about abuses within the Catholic Church and coverups and money payoffs. It’s so disgusting the big hush hush.

I drive past this place quite often. Its awful what happened to these men when they were just young vulnerable boys. Shame on the church for covering this abuse up. Goes to show you can’t trust anyone. Even the “men of god”. People are wanting the place torn down I believe it should be. But 2 separate company’s own the land it’s on. 🫤

So brave of these men to come Forward and tell their story x

Child abuse by Catholic priests in churches and schools has been happening since literally God was a child. I am 60 and vividly remember my Dad warning me when I was roughly seven, to stay well away from men of the cloth and to never trust them. I didn't fully understand why he was so adamant about this at that age, even at the time thinking it a strange warning, as at school, we were being taught that men of God were to be respected and admired. Being brought up in a non-religious household, it was easy for me to heed those warnings. My father of course had not been so lucky. In the 1930's he had been repeatedly abused/raped by numerous Catholic priests for years, after his naïve devoutly Catholic parents had encouraged/signed him up to be an alter boy. They had innocently effectively sent him like a lamb to the slaughter, as nobody other than those in the church hierarchy were even remotely aware that boys were being systematically sexually abused by the priests. On the rare occasions they were exposed by the local community, it was all kept hush hush, with the church simply moving the perpetrator onto the next parish, where the cycle of abuse would continue. The Vatican's reputation was and still remains much more important to them, than the vile abuse of thousands of innocent boys down the ages all over the world, by supposed men of God.

I’ve been raised Catholic and attended all my life. Our pastor was accused of abusing children. That was the last straw. I still pray every day, but I no longer attend mass. It’s difficult because my husband still attends. Hell must be overflowing with clergymen and nuns.

Tony is very brave for speaking out. One can see the tops worn right off the teeth in his lower jaw. Possibly a reaction to abuse in the form of teeth grinding. He deserves some serious compensation.

My friend was abused by a Protestant pastor. It’s a horrific ordeal to be abused by a church member! Speak out and keep talking. If you see a child being abused - speak out

“I cut my own hair.” I understand this man perfectly. I cannot stand to be touched.

For this woman To say, “ ...sexual abuse MAY have been carried out.” Is asinine! It happened! No doubt!

It’s heartbreaking to know that these cowards lived their lives and died without ever facing any repercussions for their actions.

This makes me sick. I've heard nothing but horrible things about nuns and priests. Shut the Catholic Church down!

My grandparents , uncles and aunties ,mother are residential school survivors (Canada). The things they went thru were horrible.

Every dirty rapist who has ever lived counts on the shame and silence of their victims. Especially child victims.

Catholic church has a lot of secrets.

It happened to my grate grandmother in a Indian school .i wish I knew what one she was in I would burn it to the ground.

Predators will gravitate where they can have access to victims they can groom, who due to a religious institution would be reluctant to speak out and where the institution itself would shield the predator to protect their so-called reputation. It's just not a Catholic problem but any organization with power.

Why does this not mention that Darby committed suicide on the eve of his trial? Kind of important if you ask me..

more cases of the catholic church wiping its hands of those who have been harmed while in its care rather then offering compensation to its victims. It should take some responsibility

I grew up in a devout Catholic home. I went to mass religiously once a week, usually on Saturdays as I got older. My mother and father were very dedicated to the church. However, when my mother transitioned, it seemed the priest would constantly focus on sex as a sin.....though this was 1996 at the height of the scandal. It forced my decision to abandon the church. It took several years to learn that you can be spiritual but not necessarily religious.

Hell is empty, all the devils are here on earth.- William Shakespear

I live at St. Thomas on the Hill in Birmingham Alabama 1066-1969. The nuns were horrible it was a nightmare every day.

I'm in Australia. Same sort of thing occurred here. Ballarat in Victoria was bad. Certain parishes had endemic abuse. I think it was a flawed policy to ever have celibate priests and religious in charge of children, educationally and otherwise. Nuns, seemingly benign, often would hit the bejesus out of children who were wards of the states, or 'bastard' children. Is it surprising? Christians uphold Original Sin, kids are bad, and those outside the familial norms were probably deemed to be worse. It's an absolute cancer in the Church. Same-sex marriage and child abuse scandals will crucify the RC Church, except perhaps in the Third World (eg Phillipines, Sth America etc) where the Church thrives because the people are in abject ignorance. The dominance of the Catholic Church has passed.

Catholicism mocks Christianity & God's truth, Jesus never forbid them to marry. They will be judged highly, no hiding. 🙇🏽‍♀️🇦🇺

The stories that have been uncovered about sexual abuse is just so horrible. To think one of God’s children being treated this way is just so sickening. I have 2 sons and now grandchildren and if I ever found out someone did this to them I’d kill that person and gladly go to jail with a smile on my face. I’m not catholic but it happens in all faiths. Sad sad sad sad

The courage it takes to come forward....much love to the survivors & those speaking for the survivors.

Apologising for any harm that “May” have been caused. The people that cover up abuse are as bad as the perpetrators as far as I’m concerned. I’m sure there’s a special corner in hell for all of them

I always applaud these courageous men who come forward and tell their stories. This villainy should always be exposed as it empowers other victims to come forward and share their experiences as well. People really do care 😢

It's always so disheartening to hear stories such as these.

Somebody has to say it: the Church in Ireland has been particularly vicious in its treatment of children. Cf. this with the stories about the Magdalens.

So vile & disturbing!! Poor kids, what they endure blows my mind.

the Survivors are still frightened to speak out as they have been threathened by the stste,

Thank you, Joanna for you many hours of work on this horendos story. Sadly, this isn't the only crimes against humanity the Catholic Church has committed and covered up. They sold into adoption hundreds of children and buried 795 on the grounds of an orphanage that housed illegitimate children and put the unwed mother's into FREE labor industries. This happened in irland in the town of Tuam. And Dublin. Sadly, the church is still sweeping scandals "under the carpet" today.

When you have a road to travel in life like everyone has. But when one has been effected by abuse, what ever that abuse entailed sexual, physical and mentally . That road is no longer the road you travel. Your whole life is turned upside down. 😠

The gentleman whose father was a grounds man, I sense he may have been a victim also. His demeanor was very much like mine when my family raised about sexual abuse by my step grandfather. I was abused as a very young child and never spoke of it until a family member raised it when I was in my early 20's. I felt scared to say anything but my cousin questioned me and I eventually admitted what had happened to me.

Did families not miss their sons??? 😢😢😢

You are doing a great social service and creating a fence of awareness for parents and society. Child abuse and victimisation is far most inhumanly as it is and should be addressed and dealt with immediate action

I wonder if the first man grinds his teeth at night. Sexual abuse can do that. It looks painful, and it would be cool to raise money to help him get restorative work.

There’s a Spanish saying : Everyone calls the priest father except his own children who call him uncle.

having watched this more staff knew what was going on here I was at the School from 1967 till about 1971 when I was moved to St Williams School where the same sort of thing went on and no on would believe us I am glad now that the truth has come out the one thing that got me was that Mr Burns was at the Detention Centre I went to still as a teacher

This happens all over the world. Evil doesn't care about religion,color or family you come from. Evil wants to destroy as many people as it can, it has no regard for life. Please don't hate, your feeding into evil and giving it energy. Hate holds up your healing.You have the power within you to talk love to your child self. Rescue the child within you and you will be safe and happy. It doesn't happen over night it's hard work. Love the child back to life. What you've been feeling all your life is your inner child's rage you have every right to be inraged. Now go get your inner child. Use your heart and mind. God be with you.

I’ve recently been told about this short film regarding the accusations of sexual abuse at St Peter’s School in Gainford in the ‘60s and ‘70s. I have to say that the allegations regarding Father VINCENT Duffy cannot be correct. The allegations about the headmaster Mr Beirne and the other staff member, Peter Darby may or may not be true. However I cannot comment on these two men, as they had left before I knew Fr Duffy. I must, however, strongly protest the allegations made by ‘Robert’ that Fr Vincent Duffy was a ‘very touchy, feely’ sort of person, and the boys in the school would need to ‘steer clear’ of him. When I and my five sisters experienced a house fire a few weeks before Christmas (in either 1971 or 1972) our family lived with Fr Duffy in the presbytery for three years and were treated with the utmost respect, care and kindness throughout our stay. Fr Duffy taught me many good things that still stay with me to this day and treated us all as though we were his own children, caring for us in such a way as to leave me with nothing but the strongest feelings of love and respect for possibly the best male role model and benefactor I personally have ever known in my life. Fr Duffy could very easily have taken his position of authority to levels of inappropriate behaviour, as some of the other Catholic priests I have met in my life have done, but he always acted openly, honestly and completely appropriately with me and my sisters. There is not a one of us who would ever wish to hear false allegations or any vitriolic tales about this man and I would ask you, Joanna Della-Ragione, to remove the single allegation from ‘Robert’ which slanders this highly honourable, loving and wonderful man from the film. How you could allow these allegations of impropriety to be put on film for all the world to see and to believe to be correct, when your ‘investigative journalism’ means that you cannot even get the man’s name correct (please see footage at around 14:43) astounds me. Surely, the unsubstantiated testimony of a single person in this film should not besmirch the good name of a man who is no longer here to defend himself? No person should have to defend themselves against such immoderate allegations on the hearsay testimony of a single person’s youthful interpretation of events or actions that may have been coloured by the actions of other people in the institution. When that person is no longer alive to answer such an allegation makes this ‘investigative journalism’ even more hard to stomach.

I know from experience that teachers turn a blind eye to the horrors inflicted by their fellow teachers on students, which is a cowardice act in itself. In my school, teachers witnessed abuse first hand, but kept silent.

Story after story, child after child, cover up after cover up. Yet the church still goes along business as usual. They don't care about the kids or parishioners. They care about the money and power.

Live in Calhoun County Florida there was a school for boys ran by the state in the next county call DOZIER School for boys, it was a real bad place, boys abused,, tried to get on with them once, glad that I did not get that job

Nothing is shocking regarding the catholic church anymore...

Can I get a list of the thumbs down crew? They're clearly all suspect.

Oh, but they will be brought to justice! i'm sure of it. On the day of God's wrath!

Dinny Ryan was a former police officer in my home town of Mildura, Victoria, Australia. He was forced out of the police force in the early ‘70’s due to his stance on endemic sexual abuse within the local Catholic Church. The local police & the church effectively shut him up. Thankfully, he’s been vindicated & compensated for telling the truth. By the Victorian Police at least. The Catholic Church remain silent & refuse to even acknowledge it.

Brung here by the report of possible demolition of the site on local media.... Heartbreaking.. my brother was sent there in the 70’s for truancy, he would consistently run away from the school & walk the 20+ miles back to our town. He ended up homeless & have lost touch with him for approaching 20 years 😥 He has never spoke about the abuse but I am sure it went on. Ruined young life’s & no one accountable

I would like to know the total amount of Catholic institutions and how many, if not all were children mistreated and/or molested.

Dont understand how theyd expect the kids to go to a teacher when they cant trust most of them they had nowehre to run or hide