Vatican to investigate alleged abuse by Christchurch Catholic group

Wednesday, 15 November 2023

Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer at Mt Saint Joseph's monastery in Geraldine say prayers, from left, novice Brother Raphael, Father Anthony and postulant Brother Benedict in 2021. There is no suggestion that any of the men photographed were involved in the alleged abuse.

The Catholic Church in Rome has ordered an investigation into allegations of abuse by a Catholic group in Christchurch known as the Sons of The Most Holy Redeemer.

Dr Christopher Longhurst, a Catholic theologian and the national leader of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (Snap), said the Holy See has ordered an emeritus bishop from Australia to travel to New Zealand as a representative of the Pope to interview complainants.

The representative is emeritus bishop Robert McGuckin.

Christchurch Bishop Michael Gielen, who was appointed to the role 18 months ago, confirmed that he had approached the Holy See, the Church's governing body at the Vatican.

“Soon after my arrival in the diocese, matters regarding the institute of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer were brought to my attention. I sought the guidance of the Holy See.'

Gielen said that in response to this approach, the Vatican arranged for McGuckin to make an apostolic visitation.

'The apostolic visitor is appointed to act as a Papal representative tasked with reviewing circumstances identified by the Holy See. I have requested all parties involved respect this appointment and the visitation process,” Gielen said.

The Sons of The Most Holy Redeemer, run by Father Anthony Mary, are also known as the Transalpine Redemptorists.

Father Anthony studies scripture in his bedroom at Mt St Joseph's monastery in South Canterbury in 2021.

In August, Snap revealed it had received reports of alleged ritualistic and other forms of faith-based abuse by priests of the Sons.

“The allegations involved children being told they were possessed by Satan, having lengthy exorcisms performed on them without prior medical examination, priests’ sex-texting children, sexualisation and penitent disclosure in confession, and isolation of parents from their children.”

Longhurst said after first receiving the reports in 2021, Snap contacted then Christchurch bishop Paul Martin asking him to consider removing the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer from his diocese.

Martin responded by assuring him that the Sons “are following the safeguarding protocols that have been established nationally”.

In August this year, Longhurst sent multiple emails to Gielen asking if and how the Sons were being monitored.

“We were promised a reply from [Gielen’s] PA. However, we never received any reply,” he said.

Longhurst believed Gielen only acted now because the allegations had become public.

“It is concerning that it requires the press to intervene before anything is done,” said Longhurst.

“The church has failed to do its duty in the first instance - it has an obligation to respond to the survivors, but they don’t do that. Only when lawyers or the press get involved, do they finally act.”

Longhurst said while the Vatican sending an apostolic visitor to investigate complaints of abuse was not something that often happened, it was standard practice in Catholicism according to church law.

“But to me, this means the local bishop has either lost control of the situation or he simply does not know what to do. Therefore, he pushes the matter up the pipeline so to speak,” he said.

“That this has happened in Christchurch is, in my view, an indictment of the local bishop’s leadership and ability to fulfil his duty on the ground and protect the people of Christchurch.

“That he could not stop the abuses and protect his people, especially the affected children, without the intervention of the Holy See is concerning.”