I've been looking at the website of Salesian School, in Chertsey, Surrey. The current Headteacher James Kibble describes it as "a thriving and active school with a long and well-established reputation." It is a now a Catholic co-educational comprehensive school for children of all abilities from 11-18 years.
The Salesian School's website at http://www.salesian.surrey.sch.uk/ states that the school is characterised by the philosophy of the Salesian founder, St John Bosco (1815-1888). "He stressed high educational standards and sound moral and religious education," it is claimed. "He insisted too on a friendly atmosphere in his schools where the idea of community could be fostered. We strive to ensure that every student personally experiences a happy atmosphere that will help them to leave the school with a high level of confidence in their own abilities, as well as excellent examination results. These goals are delivered through a strong pastoral system, excellent learning and teaching and an extensive range of sporting, cultural, physical and social extra-curricular activities."
I have no reason to doubt that Salesian School today is a happy place where I would be delighted to send my children. But 50 years ago I would have felt rather differently had I met former pupil Graham Wilmer.
Above: St John Bosco, founder of the Salesian Order
Salesian School's origins go back to 1921 when it was founded in 1921 as Salesian College at Highfield Road, Chertsey. Until 1971 it was a boarding school for boys, with the later Guildford Road establishment as a girls' school. In 1971 they merged to form one comprehensive school but maintained single-sex education on separate sites until 2008.
Making Graham Wilmer's acquaintance made me realise that it was not just Christian Brothers who made life hell for children at Catholic boarding schools in the UK. His book Conspiracy of Faith - Fighting for Justice after Child Abuse is an eye-opener which, depressingly for Catholics, alleges the alarming extent of corruption and deviancy at the heart of the Salesian Order, one of the Church's most respected teaching groups. For details of sexual abuse allegations against members of the Order see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_abuse_scandal_in_the_Salesian_order
Below: Graham Wilmer's book is reviewed by Francis Beckett at
The author reveals the sexual abuse that he suffered in the 1960s from a teacher, Hugh Madley, while a pupil at the Salesian College in Chertsey. This was not just a case of abuse, but of deviousness and lying on the part of the headmaster Fr Edward Joseph O'Shea, and the Provincial Superior of the Salesian Order Fr George Williams who attempted a cover-up to protect the school's reputation and that of the Salesian Order.
The full story is told by Graham Wilmer (pictured below) in his book, and on his websites http://www.grahamwilmer.org.uk/ and http://www.manwiththelamp.org.uk/ There we learn, astonishingly, that since the publication of Conspiracy of Faith, allegations of sexual abuse emerged against Fr George Williams, spanning decades and involving pupils at Shrigley Hall, the former Salesian Missionary College in Macclesfield, Cheshire. Such was the evidence presented to the police that an investigation was launched in 2008 by Bolton Police.
The primary reason why the investigation did not result in a prosecution is that the victims who came forward, following the publication of Graham Wilmer's book Conspiracy of Faith telling how Fr Williams protected his abuser, Hugh Madley, were not willing to make a formal complaint to the police. "Such is the power of the Catholic Order on vulnerable children and vulnerable adults," concludes Graham Wilmer.
To his credit, in spite of the devious behaviour of these Catholic priests, Brothers, or whatever they want to call themselves, Graham Wilmer is, so he tells me, collaborating with Archbishop Vincent Nichols, Head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, in a constructive manner to deal with the issue of clerical child abuse. He told me on 26 April 2010 that he would be seeing Bill Kilgallon, Chair of the National Safeguarding Commission in a couple of weeks.
Above: Logo of the Commission for Truth and Reconciliation for victims of sexual abuse in the United Kingdom
This was at the Archbishop's request to look at how the Catholic Church can support the national commission idea that Graham has proposed as The Commission for Truth and Reconciliation for victims of sexual abuse in the United Kingdom http://www.ctruk.org.uk/
Graham has joined my Millstones Facebook group.
Email: graham.wilmer@btinternet.com
http://www.grahamwilmer.org.uk/
No comments:
Post a Comment