A WOMAN who was sexually assaulted in an industrial
school by the priest who referred her to the institution was denied
money towards counselling because Monsignor Denis O’Callaghan was afraid
of giving "compensation by subterfuge".
The victim, given the pseudonym Rona, was sent to
industrial school in Cork in 1965 on the recommendation of a priest
dubbed Fr Darian.
When this man visited her he sexually assaulted her. When she cried for help her mother dismissed the allegations, deemed her to be "mad" and committed her to an "asylum".
Mgr O’Callaghan was told about this in 1996 but did not do anything about it, or contact the alleged rapist, because Fr Darian was terminally ill. The concern was that raising his history of abuse would have further distressed the dying priest.
Mgr O’Callaghan did not even refer the case to Bishop John Magee and instead initially offered to pay for Rona’s counselling.
However, when he sensed there might also be a demand for compensation, he said the diocese was not responsible.
The case was left stand for five years. At that stage Mgr O’Callaghan rejected a suggestion by an unnamed nun that the diocese could cover the costs of counselling which Rona had already had.
However, "Monsignor O’Callaghan expressed the view that, in the absence of invoices or receipts, this could be ‘incriminating’ and might be seen as compensation by subterfuge".
At no point, in 1996 or in 2002 did Mgr O’Callaghan refer the allegations to the Garda or the health board. He eventually paid for invoiced counselling sessions from the diocesan account in Mallow.
There was no record in the diocesan files of Bishop Magee having been made aware of the case. However, the nun said she and Rona met the Bishop in April 2002.
The Commission was critical of the manner in which Mgr O’Callaghan and the Cloyne diocese dealt with the abuse.
When this man visited her he sexually assaulted her. When she cried for help her mother dismissed the allegations, deemed her to be "mad" and committed her to an "asylum".
Mgr O’Callaghan was told about this in 1996 but did not do anything about it, or contact the alleged rapist, because Fr Darian was terminally ill. The concern was that raising his history of abuse would have further distressed the dying priest.
Mgr O’Callaghan did not even refer the case to Bishop John Magee and instead initially offered to pay for Rona’s counselling.
However, when he sensed there might also be a demand for compensation, he said the diocese was not responsible.
The case was left stand for five years. At that stage Mgr O’Callaghan rejected a suggestion by an unnamed nun that the diocese could cover the costs of counselling which Rona had already had.
However, "Monsignor O’Callaghan expressed the view that, in the absence of invoices or receipts, this could be ‘incriminating’ and might be seen as compensation by subterfuge".
At no point, in 1996 or in 2002 did Mgr O’Callaghan refer the allegations to the Garda or the health board. He eventually paid for invoiced counselling sessions from the diocesan account in Mallow.
There was no record in the diocesan files of Bishop Magee having been made aware of the case. However, the nun said she and Rona met the Bishop in April 2002.
The Commission was critical of the manner in which Mgr O’Callaghan and the Cloyne diocese dealt with the abuse.