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AN IRISH-BORN priest was found guilty in Chile today of sexually a young girl while he was the spiritual advisor of an elite school.
John O’Reilly, 68, was accused of repeatedly molesting the girl, who is now nine, between 2007 and 2010. The court concluded that the abuse began when the girl was five.
“A majority of the court’s members take as established, beyond a reasonable doubt, the following facts… that O’Reilly decided to engage in acts of a sexual nature through physical contact with a student at the school,” Judge Maria Teresa Barrientos said in her ruling.
O’Reilly was also accused of molesting the girl’s older sister but the court acquitted him unanimously of that charge, considering there was insufficient evidence.
The case touches one of the most highly regarded priests in Chile, which granted him citizenship in 2008.
O’Reilly is affiliated with the ultra conservative Legion of Christ congregation, itself beset by sexual abuse, influence peddling and other controversies in various countries.
For years, the Irish priest who arrived in the country in 1984 was the face of the congregation in Chile.
His case follows a formal denunciation of the order’s founder Mexican-born Marcial Maciel after several cases of child abuse and for having fathered several children. Maciel, who died in 2008, was also said to have been addicted to morphine.
The conservative group, founded in 1941, managed for decades to hide complaints against Maciel, who enjoyed the protection of high-ranking Vatican officials during the pontificate of John Paul II.
Sentencing in O’Reilly’s case was set for November 11. Prosecutors have asked for ten years.
O’Reilly has so far refused to testify. Upon entering the audience today, he simply told reporters: “God knows.”
- © AFP 2014.
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I would find it hard to criticise a family member for retribution if they got their hands on that evil monster. The young victim will likely never fully recover. I doubt that the priest will survive prison.
Does the Irish Church have him on their transfer list yet?
- History tells us they’d happily send him out to an Irish parish and tell nobody…..
D, Burke . what is the connection here I.R.A and sexual abuse ? has an I.R.A member committed a act that is closely related to what this Priest done
Set him on fire…. put the fire out with a sledgehammer!
Let him live.
that’s more than likely why he was sent to south America in the first place..
it’s a reference to a BBC northern Ireland spotlight show aired this week.
The Legion of Christ is a scary body. It’s a feature of paedophilia that the perpetrators are often outwardly respectable and publicly conformist. There is something fundamentally wrong with an institution in which the clerical caste in a very trusted position have had so many clerical offenders and have taken so long to start addressing this horrific and utterly despicable crime against innocence.
Pontius, the Journal takes a very orthodox and restrictive line on liberal sentiment but permits nasty stuff, suxlch as anti gay remarks. It depends on what side of the fence your points are. I’m anticipating being bounced very shortly. A specific example is a commentator who objective to a derigatory reference to gay men as “lavender boy” . The derogatory abuse was left up but the accusation by an objector that this was homophobic speech was censored. It’s the way it works here.
Take it on the chin, Ponce, take it on the chin
The ‘Terry Prone defends the Nuns over a mass grave in Galway’ thread was closed down aswell.But considering her connections I can’t blame The Journal.
Defamatory material should be removed as should attacks on minorities but the Journal is not an organ of free speech or open expression. After a while, you learn to use round abot speech and careful technique to minimise comments being deleted but anything anti reactionary will always be at risk. I remember some appalling anti Roma comments left up and objections to that censored. Boards.ie tends to be less restrictive and even comment sections in the newspapers are more balanced in their moderation.
Pontius ..I say again and again ;;we all have freedom of speech ? but do we have the right to be heard ..this as you say is a page where toes could feel an ache even if not trod on ..The staff might be playing .safe rather than sorry..
T , Daly I think that is the gist of it ..a nudge here and a wink there ,,but to be fair we should not offend anyone by been Hmm lets say ;inconsiderate in speech ,,but we all like to get our point across
Luke, that is very well expressed and reasonable.
Fair comment and opinion should have protected that comment. I’m shocked and nauseated that a toddler could have been sexually abused. Bad enough a youg child! I believe that many fathers would exterminate such a evil monster and that is not emotion speaking. It may be wrong to take the law into one’s own hands but when a social institution such as organised religion harbours or allows an opporunity to an evil monster sometimes laws are not enough and a father’s duty may transcend his legal obligations. That is not a defence of others engaging in vigilantism. But the parents cannot be ignored. Their child is psychologically maimed and may suffer life long depression and trauma.
Pontius ; I see your point of view .. and thanks for your further comment ..but I think we must work around with words .But as a parent and grand parent myself ..this story makes me more than a bit sick and at least in your response to me I think your view will now be known to all on the page
I’m intrigued, re post!
What a load of shite tony.
Stop commenting on everything.
What a rotten human being!
And his poor family were probably as proud as punch when he became a priest.
Was Punch proud? What about? Anything to do with Judy?
I just hope that the RCC continues to lose its filthy grip on the young people of this world.
Unfortunately it’s going to take a long time as may be evidenced by the many morons in this present Irish government who still show them respect.
Let’s expunge the religious rubbish from our constitution and our lives as soon as possible and permanently disarm these medieval vultures who prey on the vulnerable and gullible citizens of countries worldwide.
I agree. I won’t say “amen” to it but you know what I mean.
Watched the Rocky Road to Dublin in college today. Michael Cleary was featured heavily. Dev has a lot to atone (intended) for allowing that shower of dirt into our free Constitution. (Maybe off point but relevant nonetheless).
It’s a relevant point. The Institution of the RCC undervalues women and children and it over values “celibate” males.The institutional values are wrong. This is how and why these monsters have thrived in their evil depredations.
T DALY ; I realised as far back 1968 that this problem does not have much to with been celibate ..this kind of priest in the past ,used the R.C church to hide behind . thankfully they are been found but at least with the drop in ;VOCATIONS they wont be too many clerics ,back in the 60s I dropped out of RCC but I would like to point out that I have not found much fault with Christianity ;Islam .Judaism .but found at lot of faults with some Christians.Islamist and some Jews.this problem is not confined to Priest only this vile practice is among all kinds and both sexes any way MAY your God be with you
How can you not stop yourself doing this to a baby? What a sicko!
Replace the words Roman Catholic Church with the more accurate Roman Apocalyptic Cult and it would be made illegal tomorrow morning. I remember when David Koresh and the Branch Davidians were under siege in Waco, Texas. He was being portrayed as the devil incarnate in this country by good ol’ church going stock.
Anyone remember Sathya Sai Baba in India? Millions of followers and was hounded by investigators due to accusations of sexual abuse, fraud and slight of hand when performing ‘miracles’. I remember discussing this with Catholics in this country who laughed at how people could be duped into believing in him. Yet off they marched to give their hard earned money to the RCC for the pleasure of being told they should be ashamed of themselves for virtually everything and watch wine turned into blood by men in dresses. WTF?
The latest turd in the rational water pipe is folks warming to their new cult leader, Benedict. A f*cking mouth piece for the PR dept of this evil empire.
Wake up FFS.
Rant over.
Already happening. Was at a christening in Mooncoin recently. Priest was the most African person he could possibly be.
There’s another point there Peter. The ceremony of inducting infants into the ranks. Want to join the party then by all means go ahead. But do so when you’ve had a chance to weigh up the pros and cons.
I believe I was one of the last people in ireland to get off the RCC’s books using the countmeout.ie website. I left for many reasons one of which was I dont want to be counted as a member of a group I had no choice in joining.
As I understand it the high wizards closed that door soon after. You can be excommunicated from the RCC and STILL be counted as a member.
I am constantly amazed by the number of parents who continue to send their children to RCC schools. Parents need to be more pro-active in the debate on religion in schools in Ireland. Just read on a earlier post on the Journal that gay teachers can be sacked on the basis of their sexuality. What madness is this from an organisation with very real credibility issues regarding its ability to manage its, clearly ever present, paedophile problem with its priests? It’s time for some State intervention in preventing such control by any religious group of its young.
I managed to get out using countmeout just in time although there have been attempts under Canon Law to invalidate this departure. The unceasing revelations of clerical child sexual abuse turnrd my stomach. Officially the RCC opposes clerical child sex and shows self preservation signs of belatedly addressing the immense evil.that it did and concealed. I don’d consider the institution of the RCC as a firce for good although it has a few members who are truly good, for example Peter McVerry.
from a non believer ;; let me say stop saying that water and wine cannot change to body and blood .if you believe in God and you say God can do all things then why can he share himself in this fashion ,,that is my belief ;;oh wait I don’t have a belief ,,DO I ..
Great rant and soooo true!!!!
great summer all in Kilkenny tanned so maybe he was the black with the amber ..this is true in many parts of Ireland and also in UK ,but when all our old ones are gone . there will be no one to recruit them . but how many will give a toss
Awe Pontius ; thanks for the invitation .But you tell me what my Mother always told me but she called me A BIT INNOCENT a kinder word . but I was trying to defuse some of the comments ;not all Priests are abusers , but this was vile act and I could see people using the page as way of getting at Religion ;different subject . this to me was about CHILD ABUSE ; I DONT CARE ABOUT RELIGION ;APART FROM THE FACT THAT THIS THING IN Chile seem to abuse his church that he preached about and it’s virtues ..I await your application form to gain entrance to the GANG
And now we can look forward to this severely dysfunctional and malevolent Institution’s synod on the family comprising old and “celibate” males dictate to us on matters of sexual morality. Is this a perverse joke? Some evils cannot be atoned for. Some crimes are too great. Some crimes reveal the real nature of the institution involved. Let’s hope as much as pissible will be done for this tragic victim. It’s truly revolting. Legionaries of Christ!
Legionaries of Satan!
The blind leading the blind as it says in the Good Book.
I heard on the radio there is a shortage of priests for funerals no wonder it seems a lot are locked up
The shortage for funerals is because of too few clerical necrophiliacs.
The sooner people wake up to the fact the church is a facilitator for sick individuals.. The better … The sooner normal everyday people stand up and walk away from the church and all that it stands for … Never was there an institution that has destroyed as many lives.. Wish it could be destroyed completely.. Greatest load of bull ever sold..
Can we please just abolish religion?
I’m 44 and can’t stand the whole hypocrisy of the Catholic Church. I see my 68 yr old mother turning away from the church due to the horrible revelations of recent years. I now send my children to a secular only school. I now only see the church as a service provider for ceremonial purposes. I don’t go to mass and haven’t for a very long time. I’m agnostic. I believe in God but don’t believe in organised religion of any sort. Religion has no future until it reflects the true nature of human relationships and allows priest of both genders to live in a loving relationship. These priests we could relate to as they would have true empathy and be real people doing an extraordinary toke.
Peter .. the tired old argument .making a connection between celibacy and child abuse ,, Child abuse is caused by married people [ both sexes] But I can see why we Irish might make the connection because Priest used the Church to hide behind and sadly got away with it for far too long Personally ;I remember some one referring to me as pervert in Dublin in 1969 ;[ at the time did not realise the word could be used as Noun][ but in 1995 in bar in London I got a glance at a paper and saw this INDIVIDUELs photo ;;asked if I could have a quick read and must say was not surprised that this iDIOT NOW A Priest was caught to be abusing boy scouts in SW of England the word Pervert came back to my mind and sent a shiver down my back. but if society works together . we can try and stop this vile $$$$$ and perhaps get the church and those with the thrust of children to be stopped before it is too late MAY YOUR GOD BE WITH YOU
I have been saying for years, to anyone who will listen to me, that paedifiles become priests and not the other way round.
Luckily some of these men who enter the priesthood, discover its not for them and leave.
Yes, Pontius, I have seen Catholic comment try to conflate homosexuality and paedophilia. This is beyond disturbing and most sinister, when the Church tries to align its problem of paedophile priests with its bête noire, homosexuality. Good people are leaving the RCC in droves as they cannot, in conscience, stand by a Church that has hurt (and continues to hurt) so many.
Mary ;; spot on ..realise this 1n the late 60s ..but could not express such things back then
Pontius ; those things should not be confused and even the narrow minded will realise that most gay priests did dutiful work and in Ireland now that gay[ness] is out in the open ,gays wont feel that becoming a priest is a way of keeping their orientation under wraps ,Gay priests were not in the main guilty of child abuse but I dont think they stayed celibate but that is their business
he wont last a day in a Chilan prison
Sadly, Chilean prisions are very protective with these kind of monsters. They put em in protected section, so it wont happen anything to him if he goes to jkail (think i doubt, because he have a very powerful web protecting him )
BTW, i read that this piece of shit had accusation of sex offenses over there in Ireland. I wonder if that s true and maybe that s was the reason why he came over here, because, let s be honest, thats the way it works : A priest commits abuse, and he s sent to a faaar away country.
There is a lot of unanswered questions with the church !! Sick hope the child will hav sum bit of a normal life.
String him up cut his balls off. Until this type of thing is done to someone in your family you have no idea how much it rips the family apart. Being a priest means noting. Children are sacred and have to be protected at all times. No quarter should be given.
Marcial Macial was a charlatan and a fraud of epic proportions. He was central to the inner workings of the Vatican, a close associate of Angelo Sodano and Joseph Ratzinger and as head of the Legionaries of Christ a major political figure in Mexico and influential around the world pontificating bilious right wing balderdash…and all the while he was amassing his own personal fortune, fathering children left right and centre and then sexually abusing some of those children and other children in the very schools his organisation established! There’s probably a lot of brass Angels in Catholic Churches around the world but none of them would have a neck as brass as Marcial Macial. It’s no wonder one of his ‘legionaries’ was up to this stuff, after all he learned from the best.
We have gone some small way to rooting out the worst of the perpetrators in the clergy in Ireland (I hope).
We haven’t even begun with the many, many Irish priests and religious based overseas. Far from home, working among often powerless and impoverished communities, much of the time with little supervision of any kind. Certainly some did and do great work and are good and decent people – but it is terrifying to think of the consequences when any of them is not.
Evade, rationalise and then point to the good work as if that mitigates pure evil and institutional cover up.
That despicable priest is no servant of God. Hope he rots in jail.
Ross Casey will tell us this is more anti Catholic bias from the media and not true , that in fact this pond life was a great servant of Christ the savior.
What a ‘sick’ individual to have done this. Sad and pathetic that vermin like this are in the ‘church’ I’m hoping he receives the whole 10 years in prison and that he is placed in general population. That 5 year old girl had no one to protect her, neither should O’Reilly.
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