Cardinal Brady settles latest claim by abuse victim he swore to secrecy

Cardinal settles with abuse victim - Cardinal Brady dismissed several calls for resignation last year over his handling of abuse allegations

PATSY McGARRY, Religious Affairs Correspondent November 30, 2011

A settlement has been agreed by Cardinal Seán Brady with a Co Louth man who was one of two teenagers he swore to secrecy in 1975 following his investigation into their allegations of abuse by Fr Brendan Smyth.

Brendan Boland (50) sued Dr Brady, the diocese of Kilmore and Smyth’s Norbertine Order.

The settlement was concluded in the High Court this morning.

Speaking after the settlement was announced, Mr Boland revealed that guilt plagued him when he heard Smyth, now dead, had continued to abuse children for years after he made a statement to three priests, including a then Fr Brady.

“I was devastated by this revelation,” he said in a handwritten statement given outside the court.

“The fact that Fr Smyth has been allowed to prey upon and abuse other children, subsequent to the assurances having being given, was very hard to bear," he said. "I felt I had not done enough. I felt responsible for the misery of Fr Smyth’s subsequent victims. My guilt plagued me.”

Mr Boland was sexually abused for two years by Smyth. It started in 1973 when he was just 12 years old.

He said that after he confided in a young priest, he was interrogated by three clerics conducting an Ecclesiastical Court - including Fr Brady - without his father present, and was required to swear on oath that he would not talk about the interview with anyone but an authorised priest.

“My parents, who were good God-fearing people, and I were assured that Fr Brendan Smyth would not be allowed to associate with young boys and girls and that there would be no recurrence of the abuse which I and other victims had suffered,” he said.

“As a result of these assurances, I felt safer and I hoped that the assurances would mean that others would not suffer as I had.”

It was not until 1994 that Smyth was convicted in a Belfast court of 17 counts of sexual abuse. Three years later in Dublin, he pleaded guilty to another 74 counts of child sexual abuse. Smyth died in prison in 1997.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/1130/breaking39.htm

Cardinal Brady settles latest claim by abuse victim he swore to secrecy

Brendan Boland wins settlement and apology
By CATHAL DERVAN,IrishCentral Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 30, 2011


A leading Irish cardinal has reached a financial settlement with a victim of child abuse he swore to secrecy in 1975.

Cardinal Sean Brady has settled a case brought against him by Brendan Boland, one of two victims of infamous priest Fr Brendan Smyth.

The High Court in Dublin has been told that settlement has been reached in the case brought by Boland, now 50. The Cardinal settled a case with another victim Marie McCormack last year for a sum believed to be in the region of $350,000.

Both Boland and McCormack sued the Bishop, the diocese of Kilmore and Smyth’s Norbertine Order over their abuse cases in the 1970s.

Boland is expected to make a lengthy public statement on the scandal on Wednesday.

Cardinal Brady was informed of the abuse by both the victims in 1975 but ordered them to keep it secret.

McCormack’s case against Brady, when she alleged he covered up her claims that she was abused by Smyth between 1970 and 1975, was settled without admission of liability and included apologies by the defendants.
http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Cardinal-Brady-settles-latest-claim-by-abuse-victim-he-swore-to-secrecy-134741158.html

Beyond the grave, Smyth's evil acts have left his order with a huge cross to bear - With massive debt and dwindling numbers, the Norbertines have accepted their fate, writes Jerome Reilly

Sunday December 04 2011

THERE is now a headstone over the grave of Fr Brendan Smyth but though he is dead now for 14 years, the convicted child rapist still casts a long shadow over his abbey and the innocent priests from his order.

Now hideously in debt as a result of civil claims made against them, the Norbertine Order at Kilnacrott Abbey needs to sell the property -- but prospective buyers want all trace of Smyth and his horrific legacy removed before they will buy the abbey, just outside Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan.
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/beyond-the-grave-smyths-evil-acts-have-left-his-order-with-a-huge-cross-to-bear-2953546.html