Child abuse coverup scandal striking closer to Pope's home

[Half Nelson]

Happy surfing.

First link..

A CLAIM that the priest who founded the world-famous 'Boystown' homes condemned Church-run industrial schools when on a visit to Ireland in 1946 has been firmly rebutted by a leading academic.

Writing in the current edition of 'History Ireland', Dr Daire Keogh, of St Patrick's College, Drumcondra, Dublin, attacks Mary Raftery, producer of the programme States of Fear.

..Dr Keogh writes: "Father Edward Flanagan delivered no such censure while in Ireland".

Ah well..

[Toland]

First link..
Ah well..

Surf on, my friend, surf on...

While the rest of us get back on topic.

[Mitsui2]

Your link turned up an interesting piece from

1946- Fr. Flanagan, famous founder of Boystown schools for orphans and delinquents in the US, visits Irish industrial schools. He describes them as “a national disgrace,” leading to a public debate in the Daíl and media. State and Church pressure forces him to leave Ireland.

I'd like to learn more about this.

As far as I recall that's well covered in Mary Raftery's book. Also dealt with (I think) in Paul Blanshard's The Irish and Catholic Power. The Raftery is generally available but the latter book, written in the early '50s, is very well worth a read if you can lay hands on a copy. It was absolutely excoriated in Ireland when it came out, but it gives an excellent view of the country as it appeared to an outsider in the late 40s/early 50s, completely destroying (almost en passant) the excuses sometimes proffered these days about how the country wasn't terribly unusual for the time.

[Mitsui2]

First link..
Ah well..

I'm not at all sure how reliable that is. I don't have the references to hand but I've certainly read transcripts of Fr Flanagan's comments that seem to fully bear out Raftery's version. And Daire keogh seems to be a great apologist for the Christian Brothers, at whom Flanagan's comments were directed.

edit: apologies for prolonging any off-topic-ness, AS

[Toland]

I'm not at all sure how reliable that is. I don't have the references to hand but I've certainly read transcripts of Fr Flanagan's comments that seem to fully bear out Raftery's version. And Daire keogh seems to be a great apologist for the Christian Brothers, at whom Flanagan's comments were directed.

edit: apologies for prolonging any off-topic-ness, AS

Not at all. It's usually best not to feed the trolls, but sometimes you just have to butt them over the bridge to get to the sweet green grass on the other side of the river.

[Toland]

It seems he replace the sexual abuse with rather uncontrolled physical abuse (long after corporal punishment became illegal in schools).

[Didimus]

It seems he replace the sexual abuse with rather uncontrolled physical abuse (long after corporal punishment became illegal in schools).

From the Guardian
"Ratzinger said he himself had occasionally given boys "clips round the ear", as part of the "discipline and rigour" needed to reach a "high musical and artistic level", but had "never beaten" pupils "black and blue". He said he had been "relieved" when a ban on corporal punishment had put an end to the practice."I always had a bad conscience and I was happy when in 1980 corporal punishment was banned by lawmakers," he said. He described the practice of striking pupils as "simply the normal reaction to failings or disobedience".

[Toland]

From the Guardian
"Ratzinger said he himself had occasionally given boys "clips round the ear", as part of the "discipline and rigour" needed to reach a "high musical and artistic level", but had "never beaten" pupils "black and blue". He said he had been "relieved" when a ban on corporal punishment had put an end to the practice."I always had a bad conscience and I was happy when in 1980 corporal punishment was banned by lawmakers," he said. He described the practice of striking pupils as "simply the normal reaction to failings or disobedience".

That's a little out of date, Didimus. He said that alright. Apparently that was nonsense. He apparently had a practice of throwing chairs at pupils to indicate displeasure. Please try to keep up.