Irish Archbishop in Nigeria accused of child abuse

[The Caped Cod]

RTÉ News: Rome investigating abuse complaint

The Vatican is investigating an allegation of child sexual abuse against an Irish Archbishop based in Nigeria.

St Patrick's Missionary Society, also known as the Kiltegan Fathers, has confirmed that a complaint was made about one of its members, Archbishop Richard Burke, by a 41-year-old Nigerian woman, Ms Dolores Atwood.

Archbishop Burke, 60, from Fethard in County Tipperary, is one of the most senior members of the Catholic hierarchy known to be facing an accusation of this kind. He denies the allegation.A statement released by the Society in response to a report in today's 'Irish Mail On Sunday' said that Ms Atwood had made a complaint alleging that Archbishop Burke had begun abusing her when she was a 14-year-old patient in hospital.

[Sync]

Hopefully the Nigerians won't allow the church investigate this themselves. If Ms Atwood is brave enough, she should file charges and allow him face the judicial system there.

[Andrew49]

[SIZE=4]Statement of Ms Atwood relative to Archbishop Richard Burke[/SIZE]

I am writing this note concerning the past and present conducts of ArchBishop Richard Burke S.P.S of the Arch Dioceses of Warri and Benin in Nigeria a Irish citizen.

I am a 41-year-old woman who has been living in Canada since 1995 with my husband and 3 children. In 1982 as a young girl from a Muslim home I began my journey into the Catholic faith and first met Father Richard Burke a Catholic priest at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Warri Nigeria. In 1983 when I was 14 years old, I became the victim of (what I now know to be) a sexual assault. When I was 14, I was sick in the hospital with a fever and Father Burke came to visit me. When he and I were alone in my hospital room, he touched and kissed me in a very inappropriate manner. During my teenage years, I suffered through the divorce of my parents, Richard Burke was there for me and the relationship between myself and he intensified. I became so attached to Richard Burke, that there seemed to be no one else that could be a part of my life, even though I knew that he was having relations with other young Nigerian girls.

During the past 25 years I did not tell anyone of our relationship, because he told me not to talk about it to anyone no matter what and also fear of the negative impacts on him and the Catholic Church. Richard Burke left Nigeria in 1989 when he was sent to New Jersey in the USA and then back to Ireland with St. Patrick’s Society. In 1993 I met my husband, who was a Canadian volunteer working in Nigeria, while I was studying at University. My husband and I were married in 1995 in Canada and have had 3 children together. From 1989 to 1995 Father Burke and I continued communications by letters. When I told him that I was planning to get married in 1994, he became upset with me and told me that I should never tell anyone about the relationship between himself and I.

Richard Burke returned to Nigeria in 1996 as Bishop of Warri Diocese. From 1996 to 1998, my husband and I left Canada and worked in Thailand. In 1998 Bishop Burke and I began regular communications by phone again. In 2000 while I was expecting my second child, Bishop Burke said that he would help get my youngest sister to come to Canada for a visit. I suspected that there was something not right when things did not work out and Bishop Burke began to take a keen interest in my youngest sisters well being. Once again, our relationship intensified with frequent amorous telephone conversations. In 2005 I found out that Bishop Burke had had a sexual relationship with my youngest sister. The “friendship” between Bishop Burke and myself began to deteriorate as, once again, I started to become aware of other young girls that he was molesting. In fact, I suspect that Richard Burke has molested or sexually abused hundreds of young Nigerian girls during his time as a priest and Bishop in Nigeria.

I also know that he has taped past conversations that I have had with him and have told others, including his family in Ireland as well as my husband that I am obsessed with him in order to discredit me and make me appear to be crazy. Over a year ago, following a major dispute between myself and Bishop Burke, I confessed to my husband that I had had an intimate relationship with Bishop Burke. This was the first time that I had ever told anyone of this affair. Since my confession, my husband and I have gone to marriage counseling and I have taken private counseling to deal with the stress, trauma and confusion that I have had to deal with over the past 26 years.

Following my counseling sessions, I have learned that a man that I though had loved and cared for me has in fact manipulated and controlled me. I know that Richard Burke is self-serving and that he does not serve the Church. In fact the Church serves Richard Burke by providing him access to the young girls that look up to him and then become his victims of unwanted sexual advances. I believe now, that Richard Burke is a pedophile I have been corresponding with St. Patrick's Society since 2007 about this and have shared with them taped conversations that I had with Richard Burke in the past where he admits to having inapproprite sexual relations with young girls, married women, religious sisters and prostitutes.

I have saved notes letters and emails that Richard Burke had sent me in the past, which I have shared with those of St. Patrick's that are "investigating" him. I know that Richard Burke was sent for an assessment at St. Luke's in Manchester in March of this year, and that Richard Burke is continuing with his public ministry in Nigeria and is having access to young girls in Nigeria. I do not beleive that St. Patrick's Society in Kiltegan County Wicklow, Ireland has taken my complaints seriously. I do not trust them, and believe that they are trying to help Richard Burke escape prosecution and justice for the crimes he has committed.

[Druidess]

The most recent news on this is that the cleric in question is sueing RTE as they reported he had a sexual relationship with a minor. He claims they had a relationship which started when she was 21.

I would be interested to hear what age this lady's younger sister is. Are they claiming that she was underage also?

To the person who suggested the Nigerian authorities investigate, I would say 2 things. Firstly, relationships between older men and younger females are a lot more common in Nigria than Ireland, in fact they are allowed by law in Muslim areas, they are not however unique to the muslim population. To put it bluntly, people would not take the same view. Secondly, the Nigerian police force have huge problems with corruption and incompetence. I would not rely on a fair and unprejudiced (probably in the priests favour) outcome if they were inveatigting.

[Druidess]

The most recent news on this is that the cleric in question is sueing RTE as they reported he had a sexual relationship with a minor. He claims they had a relationship which started when she was 21.

I would be interested to hear what age this lady's younger sister is. Are they claiming that she was underage also?

To the person who suggested the Nigerian authorities investigate, I would say 2 things. Firstly, relationships between older men and younger females are a lot more common in Nigria than Ireland, in fact they are allowed by law in Muslim areas, they are not however unique to the muslim population. To put it bluntly, people would not take the same view. Secondly, the Nigerian police force have huge problems with corruption and incompetence. I would not rely on a fair and unprejudiced (probably in the priests favour) outcome if they were investigting.

[o gara60]

Rte does it again.Was the tanaistes gang running this story too?

[Druidess]

Rte does it again.Was the tanaistes gang running this story too?

well yes, this would appear to bolster the view that lRTE "Investigative" journalism is conducted by a load of lazy arse journalists who pick easy targets (priests?!?) and don't bother to check their facts. Remember Scamela from Nigeria who claimed her children were about to be sliced up? Turned out it was all lies and the journalist who made the documentary didn't bother to check his facts before they were presented as such. Anyone remember the name of the journalist? Ridiculous double barrel name and annoying voice.

[damoireland]

well yes, this would appear to bolster the view that lRTE "Investigative" journalism is conducted by a load of lazy arse journalists who pick easy targets (priests?!?) and don't bother to check their facts. Remember Scamela from Nigeria who claimed her children were about to be sliced up? Turned out it was all lies and the journalist who made the documentary didn't bother to check his facts before they were presented as such. Anyone remember the name of the journalist? Ridiculous double barrel name and annoying voice.

Philip Boucher Hayes.Still has his job after he interviewed a conman live on air.Only in RTE...

[rgaok]

these stories now that are appearing about the sexual abuse of children in 3rd world countries by catholic priests + brothers must be only the very tip of the iceberg....

[jetttxyz]

Weird woman!

If true, she resumed 'amorous' phone contact after she was married; and makes a complaint nearly 14 years after an alleged assault'; and years after an consensual alleged affair.

If the Bishop is suing RTE, I'd say he's probably on solid ground.

I'd be extremely surprised if the Kiltegan Fathers simply ignored her alleged communication(s) without first investigating.