Fr Oliver Joseph O'Brien was named by the Jesuits following an examination last year of the files of 37 deceased Jesuit priests or brothers, who had all been the subject of child sexual abuse complaints over those decades.
Eight of the 15 names published today were already the subject of complaints during their lifetimes. The other seven first became the subject of complaint after their deaths.
All allegations in these cases have been reported to gardaí and statutory authorities.
The Order received seven complaints of child sexual abuse, and one further concern raised by a third party, against Fr O'Brien relating to his time in Ireland. The complaints against the Derry born priest refer to Belvedere College, Dublin, Gardiner Street Church, Dublin, and Sacred Heart College, Limerick.
Fr O’Brien was moved from Belvedere College to Gardiner Street Church in 1961. A letter written in 1965 by the then Provincial references unspecified concerns regarding Fr O’Brien’s behaviour in the Junior School, Belvedere College. The letter was referring to child sexual abuse. There is no record of anyone at Gardiner Street Church being informed of Fr O’Brien’s abuse whilst at Belvedere.
A further complaint of child sexual abuse was received in 1962 whilst Fr O’Brien was working in Gardiner Street Church. On foot of that complaint, Fr O’Brien admitted his guilt and was moved to the Sacred Heart College, Limerick. Again, there is no record of anyone being informed of the complaints made against him.
Following a complaint made in 1965 whilst at the Sacred Heart College, Fr O’Brien requested a transfer to the Jesuit Australian Province and this move was facilitated by the Irish Province.
The Australian Provincial was informed by the Irish Provincial of Fr O’Brien’s ‘difficulties’ at two schools. He was accepted into the Australian Province.
The complaints against Fr O’Brien were only reported to the gardaí after his death.
Fr O'Brien was born in Derry in 1920. He was educated at the Convent of Mercy in Dublin and later at Blackrock College and Belvedere College, also in Dublin. He was ordained a Jesuit priest on July 28, 1954.
Fr O'Brien died in 1994.
In a statement today, the Jesuit Order said that they acknowledged and apologised for their “failings”, including their “inward-looking” approach to the allegations that prioritised the interests of the Order.
The decision by the Jesuits to publish these names today follows on from their naming of Fr Joseph Marmion in 2021 as a Jesuit who abused children. Marmion is believed to have abused dozens of boys at Belvedere College in Dublin, Clongowes Wood College in Kildare, and at Crescent College in Limerick.
The statement added that the primary consideration of the Order when the incidents of abuse occurred “appears to have been the avoidance of public scandal” and the protection of the reputation of the Jesuit Order and institutions.
“We often perceived the abuse from the perspective of moral failure as distinct from a criminal act,” the statement said.
“These misguided considerations allowed individual Jesuits who had offended against children to avoid accountability for their crimes.”
The Jesuit Order statement added that the “right of the Jesuit accused to his good name” took precedence over the consideration of the wellbeing of children, both in terms of protection and outreach.
According to the order, the vital needs of children for support and acknowledgement at the time of their abuse disclosures, and the need for inclusion of their families, were either not considered at all or were disregarded.
Many of the adults who came forward with accounts of their childhood abuse experience did not receive the acceptance and compassion they deserved, the Order said.
Jesuit Provincial Shane Daly SJ said that the Order has been engaged in a process of acknowledgement and accountability regarding the child sexual abuse perpetrated by Jesuits over the past 70 years, adding that the process is “ongoing”.
“We hope that our naming today and acknowledgement of our significant failures will encourage people who were sexually abused in childhood by any Jesuit, not just those named, to make contact with us,” Fr Daly said.
“Our expression of sorrow and regret for the suffering and pain inflicted on each survivor is real. We are truly shamed that so many innocent young people suffered heinous abuse at the hands of Jesuits who were supposed to be serving them and caring for them.
“We put the good name of the institution before their suffering and for this we are truly sorry.”
Fr Daly added that apologies ”will mean little” without “effective action”.
“I want to invite any person who was harmed by any Jesuit to consider speaking with us. We really want to hear from you.”
160 people have contacted the Jesuits Safeguarding Office to make disclosures.