Terms of reference released for St Bede’s abuse inquiry

In a message sent to the college community, rector Jon McDowall said the Board of Proprietors and the Board of Trustees together commissioned the external inquiry.

“Abuse happened in our college’s history, and it caused deep and lasting harm. I am truly sorry that this happened, and that victims and survivors continue to live with the impact of that harm,” Mr McDowall said.

He said the college has “taken the time to get the terms of reference right, so that the inquiry can be thorough, fair and independent”.

The release of details comes six months after the college announced there would be an independent inquiry. Earlier this year, priest Rowan Donoghue was sentenced to seven years and eight months in jail for sexual abuse when he worked at the college. Donoghue had pleaded guilty to six charges.

The terms of reference for the inquiry include investigating the rules, policies, procedures and systems in place at the school to prevent or respond to sexual abuse from 1977 to the present day.

The inquiry would also look at the acts and omissions of St Bede’s, its trustees, officers and staff in responding to or addressing complaints of sexual abuse.

This includes whether those people were aware, or ought to have been aware, of a complaint of sexual abuse at St Bede’s, and what if anything those people did in response to any complaints of sexual abuse. It would also look at whether there were any attempts to conceal or suppress knowledge or reporting of any complaints of sexual abuse.

The inquiry also includes investigating the adequacy of the systems, policies and procedures in place at the school today to prevent any future sexual abuse.

“The inquiry will not investigate or determine criminal or civil liability of any entity or any person or whether any act or omission by that entity or person complied with the law. Nor will the inquiry determine, as a question of fact, whether any particular instance of sexual abuse occurred.”

Mr McDowall said the inquiry is independent of St Bede’s, the Board of Proprietors, the Board of Trustees and the Society of Mary.

He said the school was “committed to understanding what it knew, and what it did, about complaints of sexual abuse”.

“We do this first and foremost for the survivors, who deserve to have these matters examined honestly and independently, and also for our wider community. Our boys today, and those who come after them, deserve a college that learns from its past,” Mr McDowall said.

Anyone who has a concern or complaint about abuse in a Catholic setting is encouraged to contact the Police or the Church’s National Office for Professional Standards on 0800 114 622.

FULL STORY

St Bede’s abuse inquiry to cover 50 years of school’s history (By Sam Sherwood/Radio New Zealand)

St Bede’s priest Rowan Donoghue jailed for sexual abuse against young people (New Zealand Herald)