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Irish Missionary faces damning allegations of child abuse in Chile

Columban priest under investigation by Church authorities

CATHAL DERVAN,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Monday, December 12, 2011, 7:20 AM

Updated Monday, December 12, 2011, 11:57 AM

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In the interview, he said he had resigned as the Columbans’ director in Chile once a formal accusation was made against him.

“I am preoccupied with the people who could have been hurt by my actions and I am responsible for my actions. I have nothing to say against them,” he said.

“If there are people who feel offended, I am deeply sorry for this. My intention was never to harm the lives of people. I feel very ashamed by this.”

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The priest who has replaced Fr Healy as head of the Columbans in Chile revealed to the Irish Times that an internal investigation has been completed. The results have been presented to the society’s superior general in Hong Kong and passed on to the Vatican.

“Rome will express its will,” said Fr Álvaro Martínez who also confirmed that Fr Healy is not allowed any contact with minors or allowed to perform any public duties and must remain in seclusion in the society’s house in Santiago. The Kerry priest could also face a civil investigation.

Fr Donal Hogan, regional director of the Columban Fathers in Ireland, told the paper that the society was ‘deeply disheartened by news of alleged sexual abuse by one of our members in Chile’.

Fr Hogan said: “I’ve known Derry for years and years. With the permission of our superior general, I accessed his files going back to student years. There was not a hint of any complaint.

“My own reaction is one of total shock. The Columbans in Chile, under Fr Martínez, are fulfilling all the requirements of the civil law and of the Chilean bishops, in addressing the allegations.”

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KatieMurphy | Apr 08, 2012, 10:42 PM EDT

"catholic" means "universal". True to their name, they probably molested kids universally - eg all over the world where the church operates................................Somethings you cant fix, you just have to tear it to bits piece by piece and start over. Reminds me of the history of America under the british - we had to have a revolution....

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warlocks | Dec 17, 2011, 02:52 AM EST

When will it Stop !! Do we as Catholics have to Put up with the Sins of the Fathers of the Church ? how many wolves in sheeps clothing are still in hiding behind the Robes of the Preists ? this cover up has to stop! how can we trust these evil Sinners with our Childern none seem to be trustworthy any longer. The church is in Decay and must be rebuilt if it is to survive Rome has lost sight of Jesus & His True teachings. its time for the Irish christian Church to Rise up and Breake away from the Roman Corruption.

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CaptainCon | Dec 15, 2011, 07:44 AM EST

Guess thats the kind of reputation an organisation gets when its own investigations into the rape and abuse of children by its officers descends into a farcical 'ecclesiastical court' which is quite blatantly structured around the corporate forgiveness of the rapist. Organisations such as these earn their own reputation and the media are not the cause of it. One good way to avoid bad press is to avoid a situation where you can be rightly condemned for degeneracy. IrelandNorth you are a typical ethical failure attempting to pretend to yourself and others that if you insist on ignoring the evidence that somehow your philosophical boat will right itself. You are exercising no kind of recognisable attempt to right injustice but are in fact defending your own ethical failure as a human being. Away with you and your pathetic conspiracy nonsense- you can ignore the convictions worldwide and pretend the events underlying never happened but all you are actually doing is announcing your own mental state- which isn't good.

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IrelandNorth | Dec 14, 2011, 08:31 AM EST

While child sexual abuse is an abonomination, the secular dogmatists of the partitionist press and media are betraying an obsessional fixation with it as to belie a homosexual Machavellian drip feed/trickle charge attempt to topple the Holy Roman Empire. Hidden agendas everywhere.

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SingleDonald | Dec 14, 2011, 02:44 AM EST

Claudio was wronged; Jorge was not. Jorge Salas was 23 when the affair began. As a heterosexual, he should have been repulsed by Father Healy's conduct, and pushed him away. The priest should only have to answer for what he did to Claudio Ramos, as he was 16 when it began. This still will be difficult, considering that these things allegedly took place in the 1980's.

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sirpeter | Dec 13, 2011, 04:44 AM EST

I'm beginning to think IC staff writers have a bit of fetish with Priest child sexual abuse.Children are murdered,starved and tortured by the thousands every day all over the world since time began.I mean people do that kind of thing don't they?Don't the Jews cut the top off their little babies penises and then use the metzitzah technique of sucking the blood from the babies penis.In May 2006, the Department of Health for New York State, issued a protocol for the performance of metzitzah b'peh.If the Department of Health in New York have a rule book for sucking mutilated babies penises.Child sex abuse must be lawful then.

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Murph46 | Dec 12, 2011, 02:56 PM EST

WOW! What news-Duh!

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proudirishlass | Dec 12, 2011, 12:01 PM EST

As they say in Ireland this takes the biscuit. He told the young man that he would be protected from WOMEN.I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

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