THE EXECUTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

by Kobutsu Malone

"People don’t want to hear the truth because they don’t want their illusions destroyed."

Friedrich Nietzsche

Serial Sexual Harassment, Assault & Battery by Irish Christian Brothers
at Bergen Catholic High School, Oradell, New Jersey: A memoir from 1964

Written on: January 20, 2002

The year was 1964. I was 14 years old and had just entered Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell, New Jersey. I did not want to go to Bergen but my domineering father whose self-interests for me showed no concern whatsoever for mine, or anyone else's, feelings forced me into the school. I remember taking a long test for placement in the school in the gymnasium and I recall receiving the acceptance form. I had mixed feelings about this, having just spent eight years under the tutelage of Dominican nuns and the Sisters of Charity.

The experiences with the nuns during those years were traumatic. Many of us kids were humiliated and intimidated by the nuns on an ongoing basis. The image of a stern nun in full habit, bearing down on you with ruler in hand is the stuff of nightmares. I graduated from the grasp of the Sisters of Charity from Our Lady of the Visitation Church School in Paramus, New Jersey in 1963. Unbeknownst to me then, my experiences with the nuns were nothing in comparison to what was to come at the hands of the Irish Christian Brothers in Bergen Catholic High School the following two years.

Kevin Malone - 1964

(Ven. Kobutsu Malone)

The first days in Bergen Catholic were disorienting. It was my first exposure to an all male environment and my first dealings with Brothers. I was assigned to Room 34 as my homeroom, in what was then the new extension to the original school building. It was intimidating at first meeting the teachers, Brothers and lay men, who taught at the school. Up until that point in time I had only had women as teachers and suddenly the teachers were all men.

As teenagers in the mid sixties, we were very naive, not having been exposed to much beyond the confines of the Catholic schools that most of us had attended before coming to Bergen Catholic. We had universally been taught that teachers, and especially, priests, nuns and brothers were to be held in high esteem and could do no wrong. To us, they represented the direct intervention of the Church and God himself. We had no knowledge of the psychology of oppression or the idea of child abuse, or even heard the word "pedophile."

There was nothing in my life that prepared me for the horror that was to unfold in Bergen Catholic High School in the following two years. Only in retrospect, looking back at the experiences some thirty five years later can I even begin to communicate what I, and certainly many of my fellow students, went through in that place.

In our freshman class we were introduced to the teachers of the subjects on day one. We had Latin, History, Biology, Math, English and Religion. There were a few teachers I remember as likable, most were intimidating, one in particular was perhaps one of the more despicable creatures to ever wear a Brother’s cassock. Brother Charles Borromeo Irwin was his name; he taught us freshman mathematics and served as the school treasurer.

Br. Charles Borromeo Irwin

I remember clearly the first day this individual came to the classroom. He was unkempt, smelled of stale tobacco, with nicotine stained fingers, yellow teeth and had the most hateful demeanor I had ever encountered. He would make snorting noises in an attempt to clear his sinuses instead of using a handkerchief. He would wipe his nose with his hand and then wipe the snot from his hand on his clothes or into his hair. He would terrorize us orally with tirades of abuse, shouting out loudly without warning, calling individual students "cretin, retard, pot-head, idiot, bungler" and "toad." He would at times spontaneously begin singing the ditty, "Mares eat oats And does eat oats And little lambs eat ivy. A kid'll eat ivy too, Wouldn't you?" His demeanor would change in an instant, bringing forth an outburst of vitriolic hatred directed at an individual student or the entire class. His behavior was bizarre to say the least; he built on the terror he projected, taking delight in the trauma and meanness he spewed forth on us kids.

"Charlie Irwin" AKA "The Chest" had an even darker side. This individual was given total authority over a class of thirty some odd adolescent boys. These young men were subject to him in private for forty minutes every day of the school week, we endured his presence through over 180 classes that year. His irrational behavior was obvious from the start; we all feared him right off the bat and as time progressed, our unmentionable fears became paramount in our days at school.

Irwin was a math teacher, and well accustomed to having his way with students. He had the habit of walking up and down the rows of the classroom while he talked or while we were doing tests or assignments. Periodically he would assign us work and retired to the back corner of the classroom near and open window and have a cigarette, heaven help the boy who dared to turn and look at him thus disposed.

Irwin's most traumatic actions consisted of engaging in a verbal tirade over the stupidity of a particular student followed by a walk down the aisle next to the targeted student's desk. Irwin was a tall skinny man, with an evident potbelly and pronounced slouch, he was far and away taller than all of the boys. His physical size coupled with his nasty demeanor and our lack of ability to communicate was totally intimidating.

I sat in the desk directly in front of the teacher's desk in the classroom and we were required to sit at the same desks throughout the school year. I remember distinctly the first time Irwin molested a student in the classroom.

Br. Charles Borromeo Irwin

His first indecent assault and battery were tremendously shocking to me and I lived in fear from that moment on throughout my tenure in that school.

Irwin came down the isle next to mine and leaned over a young man and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. He pushed down with some force so that the boy was forced forward into his seat, leaving a space between the boy's back and the rear of the seat. Irwin did this with his left hand, approaching the boy from the boy's rear left hand side. After pushing the young man down in his seat, Irwin reached behind the boy in the space created by the boy's position in the chair and began pulling out the boy's shirttail from his trousers. All during this episode Irwin was making wise cracks and calling the young man derogatory names in a hate filled voice. His final action, on the squirming victim, was to insert his hand into the boy's pants and, placing it on the young man’s bare backside, squeezing his buttocks while the youth squirmed in terror and embarrassment in front of all his classmates.

I recall leaving that classroom that day feeling depressed and frightened at what had taken place in front of thirty other boys. None of us had the vocabulary or psychological sophistication to even talk about what we had witnessed, few said anything, and none of us had the courage to even address the issue.

Brother Irwin became bolder from that point on. He made threats to all of us as to revealing what took place in the classroom and engaged in wholesale terrorism for the remainder of the year. Irwin would repeat his molestation countless times on various students. He had certain favorites he would molest and assault repeatedly. His method always seemed to involve placing his hands down a boy’s pants and squeezing the boy’s buttocks while holding the child in his seat by a hand on the young man’s leg or by holding him down by his shoulder.

There was rarely a week that went by that Irwin did not molest someone in that classroom. We had no words to describe what we were experiencing and witnessing. The word "pedophile" was not in our vocabulary, nor was the word "molest."

The closest we came to having a word for what we were experiencing was what some boys voiced as "MO" (short for "homosexual" that was barely, if at all, in our vocabulary)

Charlie Irwin had a biological brother, a lay teacher, named Thomas Irwin who was also a teacher in the school. I remember being in "Tommy" Irwin's class in sophomore year, one day when one of the students called his brother ("Charlie") a "MO". Tommy Irwin denied that his brother was "like that", indicating that even his brother had heard something and was in denial.

Looking back on it now, I find it impossible to fathom that no one in authority in that school or no parent ever took issue with what was taking place in the classroom and what we kids were being subjected to on a daily basis. I can only conclude that either not one of us communicated what was going on or that if anyone did, whatever repercussions ensued were suppressed and “handled quietly.” If the latter was the case, there are some issues of accountability outstanding. Thirty-five years later, I am the parent of two fine young men. If one of my boys came home from school with such a tale of abuse, assault, battery and sexual molestation, I would instantly remove my child from harm, seek immediate legal recourse and insure that the offender never ever entered another classroom or had any dealings with young people.

That is now... back then, at 14 years old, I, for one, would have been petrified to tell my parents of such things. The fear I had of my own father was a terror in its own right. I wanted as little to do with interacting with him as possible then. I most certainly could not have imagined ever bringing up what was happening to us in school by having to describe how an Irish Christian Brother, who my father held in high esteem just for the fact that he might wear a cassock and belong to the order, would regularly patrol the isles putting his hands down our pants, repeatedly molesting us during our math classes.

Back then things were not as open as they are now, there were many topics that were just not discussed in high school that are easily broached nowadays. Then, as victims, as Catholic school students, we were tremendously embarrassed to talk of any sexual matters, let alone homosexual matters, let alone being molested on a daily basis by a Brother in the School that our parents had selected because of its supposed superior educational qualities.

What happened to us was not our fault, but it could not have been any more embarrassing to talk about than any other topic imaginable. It was hard to understand why our parents wanted us so much to attend that place when we were being criminally assaulted and battered on an almost daily basis.

The damage some of us incurred in that place is inestimable. I presently live in the same area as the school and periodically in my travels I pass by the place. Each time I drive by, I remember the horror of those years. I think of the harm done by Irwin to hundreds of young boys over the years and I think of the institution that would allow such behavior to perpetuate. Mostly, I resent ever being sent into that hell hole and how relieved I was when I finally flunked out of there at the end of my sophomore year. I also remember the wrath of my father when my failure became known.

But who failed in reality? My father never had a clue what us kids were going through in there. He wasn’t there in the classroom when Brother Charlie Irwin came down the isle, sticking his hands in our pants, running his fingers in out butt cracks and then surreptitiously smelling his fingers afterwards. How do you tell that to your staunch Irish Catholic father in 1965?

Br. Ronald Alexius Howe

Here is his obituary.

We lived in fear in that school, there were other Brothers there who taught us who were indeed sociopathic, violent men who frightened and intimidated us throughout the school year. I remember one of them, Brother Howe, pulling me out of my seat in the cafeteria one day because I was practicing hypnosis on another student. This individual lifted me bodily from the chair, threw me into a concrete block wall, lifted me up the wall by my arms, held me pinned to the wall by my neck while holding his right hand in a fist in front of my face. His words still resonate in me, "You fucker, you bring him out of that trance or I will drag you up to the principal's office and beat the fucking shit out of you every step of the way." This is an educator of young men? Brother Howe was well known for violent outbursts, his attack on me was not at all out of character, yet he continued to serve as a teacher in Bergen Catholic.

What happened to Charlie Irwin after I left Bergen Catholic I may never know. How many boys did he molest after that? How many young men were forced to endure his criminal attacks prior to my being there? How much damage did that vile individual do to innocent young men over his career as a so-called teacher? What of Brother Howe? I may never know the answers to these questions, none of us may ever know. I know one thing, it took me over thirty years to be able to put some of these experiences down on paper. I have spent a good portion of my life in introspection and self-examination and yet it has taken me more that three decades to be able to speak openly about Irwin.

For all I know, Irwin is long dead, if so he can no longer hurt any young boys. I know full well the implications of being a victim of that criminal in monk's clothing, I know full well about survivor's guilt and the sense of feeling dirty as a victim of such vile, degrading and filthy sexual abuse.

There is no closure, it does not just go away "in time" it is always a part of every victim's life experience throughout the extent of their lives. So much pain, such shame, such unfairness, such betrayal. Forgiveness? It is a quaint notion, perhaps if faced with Irwin in person today; I might be able to manage such a feat. He is not in my life any more; he disappeared from my universe in 1966. Given his state of mind and general unhealthiness, I doubt he is still alive, but the memories of his abuse and battery linger.

It’s hard to forgive a memory, even more difficult as a victim to forgive a memory of terror and profound humiliation. I sincerely hope that in my putting these words on paper, other individuals who suffered as victims of Irwin and other pedophiles hiding in the Catholic Church will find the courage to come forward and elucidate their experiences.

Ven. Kobutsu Malone-Osho

[Later note: Charles Irwin Died on October 9th, 1997]
Here is the Charles B. Irwin obituary.

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Afterword:

The above essay originally comprised a letter that I wrote and sent out to the following, people / institutions on January 20, 2002:

The Most Reverend John J. Myers – Fifth Archbishop of Newark - NO RESPONSE

John J. Myers

Brian Walsh Irish Christian Brother’s Provincial New Rochelle, NY - NO RESPONSE

Bergen Catholic High School, Oradell Avenue, Oradell, NJ - NO RESPONSE

My father; Kevin B. Malone, Mahwah, NJ - NO RESPONSE

Oradell, NJ Police Department. via email [Official acknowledgement click here.]

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This essay was put up on the web in 2004 and drew no commentary until early January 2009. I was quite surprised to receive an email from Mr. Thomas Schwarz, a man who was also a student in Bergen Catholic during my tenure. Since then, I have been contacted by quite a number of BC alumni, (30+) many relating the same sort of experience I had; reading or hearing about clergy abuse in the news and looking on the internet to see if anything was written about Bergen Catholic. Many of the men contacting me asked about specific teachers from that period. To help jog people's memories, here are some pages scanned in from the 1965 Bergen Catholic Crusader Yearbook:

Click here for the 1964 faculty photos

Click here for 1964 Homeroom 34 photos

Click here for Listing of ALL B.C. Brothers

Bergen Catholic Faculty - 1964
Mr. Dominick L. Albamonte Br. John B. Chaney Mrs. J. Warren Chapman Br. Richard L. Connelly Mr. John R. Courtney Mr. Christopher J. Donfield Br. John E. Dornbos Br. John L. Gilchrist Mrs. Walter V. Gilles Br. Patrick A. Gleeson Br. James G. Glos Dr. Robert B. Gorman Mr. Donald J. Gunther	Br. Ronald A. Howe Br. Charles B. Irwin Mr. Thomas W. Irwin Br. Alfred X. Kean Br. Gerald M. King Mr. P. Kieth Krayer Mr. Victor L. Liggio Br. Anton J. Lips Mr. John B. Maazziotta Br. Michael S. McElhatton Br. Patrick G. McPadden Mr. Salvatore V. Montagna Mr. Patrick Murphy	Mr. Thomas M. Murray Mr. James J. Obrotka Mr. Michael A. Picciallo Mr. Ralph J. Pinto Mr. William J. Rollins Br. Jerome A. Shannon Br. Joseph S. Smith Mr. James E. Sokoloski Br. James B. Walsh Br. Robert P. Walsh Mr. E. L. Williams

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Following are some of the letters I have received to date. Most of these have been redacted and *names changed* to maintain confidentiality. Each redacted letter was edited and approved by the individual correspondent prior to posting. All correspondence received concerning this matter is held in strict confidence.

Kobutsu

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The First Letter:
From Thomas Schwarz – BC '66

January 5, 2009 9:51:13 PM EST

Dear Kobutsu Malone,

I feel as though I am at the beginning of a long, rough, perilous, unclear trail. I hope that you can help me, and perhaps I might be able to help you.

I graduated from Bergen Catholic in 1966. Memories of my four years at B.C. have never been pleasant. As I have grown older it seems those memories come more often. Because I am contacting you I suspect that you realize already that I, too, endured abuse at B.C. I recently began Googling all the word and name combinations I could think of to let the internet retrieve information for me, but alas I have come away almost empty-handed -- except for your short piece on engaged-zen.org. [A precursor to this bergencatholicabuse.com website] Your description of the Irwin brothers' behavior was stunningly accurate. (Sentences redacted)

Finally, my own recollections of beatings I suffered while being "jugged" involved Bro. John P. Seibert.

Why are there no other mentions on the internet of these events? Are we the only men who recall such incidents? Are they figments of our collective imaginations? I doubt it.

I would be most appreciative if we could share information and perhaps make a collective, concerted effort to unearth and explain those sordid events.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Respectfully,

Thomas Schwarz

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Brother John Peter Seibert

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January 5, 2009 10:34:01 PM EST

Dear Tom,

I am very glad we had the opportunity to speak earlier. You are the only person I know of so far who can corroborate what I wrote about Charlie Irwin's behavior.

Would you be willing to write about your experiences with Irwin's behavior? Would you be willing to publish it on the internet next to my account?

There were some 30 odd kids in my class room. Irwin taught perhaps five different classes a day, that means 150 kids a day could have been exposed to him perhaps 180 times a year. I have no idea how many years he was at BC, where he was before BC or even when/if he left BC. I was told by the order attorney in 2003 that Charlie Irwin had been dead for five years (1998?). His younger brother Tommy Irwin is still teaching at BC as far as I know.

That man did not just adopt his behavior only in Room 34 in 1964, everybody in that school was terrified of Irwin. Other students who had him in different classes reported the same kind of treatment. Irwin potentially terrorized and induced traumatic stress to many thousands of young people over the years.

I do not know if he was ever "exposed" or if anyone ever filed any sort of formal complaint against him, that information is hardly going to be made readily available through the alumni association or the order. I would like to hear that at some point someone in authority stepped in and took him away from teaching high school kids.

Back in '65 I did not know the meaning of "sociopath," now I do. Irwin was himself mentally ill and in need of supervision and care. I do not know if he ever got any care for his afflictions.

There have got to be others out there who might be willing to share their experiences if enough of us come forward. I don't know where it all might lead, but I sense that us being in contact has something to do with us both healing. There have to be others out there with stories to tell, many may have never even realized what we were put through. Reading what two of us have written might serve to motivate others to come forward.

Telling our stories is vital to heal ourselves, motivate others, correct injustice and set the record straight.

Kobutsu

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From another man:

On Mar 19, 2009, at 11:36 AM, *Pete* wrote:

Kevin (Kobutsu),

I just finished reading your article re Brother Irwin. I am speechless. I am catching my breath. I graduated from BC in 1966 (attended 1962-66) and thus was there when you were there and had much "exposure" to Irwin. My stomach is in a knot. Your description was so incredibly accurate and it instantly shot me back to those days. I am speechless. I think I want to thank you. I think I want to forget. But I think it isn't right to just forget.

Have you heard from others?

*Pete*

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On March 19, 2009 11:42:46 AM EDT

I responded to *Pete* and told him I had heard from others. I sent him my phone number.

(207) 359-2555

Kobutsu

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On March 19, 2009 2:22:43 PM EDT *Pete* wrote:

What rapid responses! I appreciate your responses and your phone number. It is a gloomy day here and my spirits are darkened by thoughts of Irwin and the other BC nightmares. I have asked myself often why it is that I do not feel much affection for my high school days. I always attributed that lack of nostalgia to the fact that it was an all-male institution and the fact that it was a catholic school and I have become quite non-catholic. But I realize it is also issues such as this that compromise fondness for those days of youth.

Given that there have been two recent deaths in my family and that I am struggling in the process of healing and given that this realization about Irwin and his colleagues in crime is bringing me down, I am going to let this go for now.

I greatly appreciate your article and your bravery. I have your contact information and hopefully we can talk about better things someday. Meanwhile, I wish you a very wonderful life. From what I can see, you have been having one.

*Pete*

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From a third man:

On Dec 19, 2009, at 11:36 AM, *Jack* wrote:

"I found your site and was at BC around the same time as you. You mentioned 'for all I know Irwin is long dead' and another alumnus clipped this from The Record in 1999 and sent it to me and for whatever reason I tucked it into the yearbook pages and so still have it."

Here is the Charles B. Irwin obituary.

The summary of the obituary is as follows:

Charles B. Irwin

Born: Jan. 28, 1928 - Mount Vernon, NY

Graduated Iona Preparatory School, New Rochelle

Entered Congregation of Christian Brothers July 1, 1945

Professed First Vows September 8, 1946

Professed Final Vows September 8, 1953

Fordham University - BA Education 1953

St. John's University - MA History 1956

Charles B. Irwin taught at the following institutions:

1. St. Joseph's Juniorate, West Park, NY
2. Santa Maria Novitiate-Novice, West Park, NY
3. St. Gabriel's Scholasticate-Student, West Park, NY
4. Sacred Heart Community and Grammar School, New York, NY
5. Cardinal Hayes-Holy Family Community, Bronx, NY
6. Cardinal Hayes-St. Helena's Annex, Bronx, NY
7. Cardinal Hayes Community and High School, Bronx, NY
8. Power Memorial Community and Academy, New York, NY
9. Leo Community and High School, Chicago, IL
10. Bergen Catholic Community and High School, Oradell, NJ
11. St. Patrick's Provincialate Community, New Rochelle, NY
12. Iona Prep, New Rochelle, NY 1979 - 1991 [Retired]

Died: October 9, 1997 - New Rochelle, NY


Charles B. Irwin, Iona Prep, 1986

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An anonymous individual with Photoshop skills offers some "psychological" advice:

From: xxxxxx
Date: January 17, 2010 6:33:09 AM EST
To: kobutsu
Subject: Your site regarding an Irish Christian Brother

---

A Letter of Support:

On February 19, 2010 7:15:35 PM EST

Dear Rev. Kobutsu Malone,

After reading a report by Ireland's Commission to Inquire Into Child Abuse which came out in 2009, I was shocked at the accounts of many of the surviving men and women who gave accurate details of emotional, physical and sexual abuse at mainly the hands of the Irish Christian Brothers and nuns who ran the Reformatory and Industrial Schools where many of these surviving victims were brought to live at a very young age. I was very affected by their accounts and one school in particular was mentioned as being "a living hell" - it was called Artane. When I read the accounts of the boys who lived there from the 1930's to the 1960's I was emotionally wounded for them. I cried a lot because I could not believe how much they suffered at the hands of not only the Brothers but any adult who was affiliated with the place in one form or another.

What was even more disturbing was how the government, local police, residents and family members did very little to investigate when some of the boys, at the time, turned to them for help. I can honestly say that I am not shocked however at the reaction of the Catholic Church then and now, for decades it has done "absolutely nothing" to protect the victims but everything to protect the abusers.

I came across an article you wrote, 'The Execution of the Holy Spirit' regarding your experience at Bergen Catholic with a Brother Irwin and a Brother Howe - first of all they do not deserve to be called brothers, they deserve to be recognized as "pedophile" and "sociopath" Irwin and "pedophile" and "sociopath" Howe and I hope that all of those young men who they tried to break realize that they are not victims rather "brave" boys and now "brave" men who did absolutely nothing wrong but everything right. The fault, as we all know, lies in the hands of those evil, cowardly fools!

I too suffered at the hands of abuse as a child, the hands of my father who physically and mentally abused me and it took me years to realize that I had nothing to do with his cruel actions-it was his issue not mine. I was compelled to write to you because I wanted to thank you for reaching out to all those wonderful men who related to your experience at Bergen and for reiterating that what happened to you and to them is "not your fault." I believe it is good for them to hear this and to realize that no matter how hard it is to remember, it should be talked about and not repressed. They have nothing to be embarrassed of and neither do you.

I hope you continue to reach out to those who have had similar experiences at Bergen and someday fight to be heard as they are doing in Ireland, for your sake and for the sake of any future, potential victims. The Catholic Church needs to continued to be challenged until they completely take actions to rid the evil souls that still hide behind their doors.

Kobutsu please remember that you and those other individual are not victims of abuse rather survivors of abuse! :)

Sincerely,

[A Friend]

---

From yet another man:

On April 2, 2010, at 1:13:40 PM EDT *Ralph* wrote:

Dear Kobutsu,

I was a couple of years ahead of you 62-65, and transferred to Xxxxxxx H.S. for my senior year. I had Irwin of course for algebra, I have a vivid memory of his running his hand down the back of my pants, down the crack of my ass, and then watching him sniffing his finger as he sat at his desk. I don't have a clear memory of how many times he had his hands on me. There were others he liked more - egads, I especially remember a kid with long blond hair, Elvis style, he was Irwin's favorite in my class. I'm reflecting on thinking how lucky I was that he enjoyed abusing/torturing others more than me - geeze, that is sick. There was another brother, who was also talked about, who I seem to remember left the school in the middle of the year of 1962.

Somehow once I ended up under that guy's arm, and he escorted me into the boys locker room, but kids were there, and somehow, I got away. Never went near him again, his name started with and M or W and sounded maybe polish. After he left there was just Brother Irwin to worry about.

I don't remember his rage especially, there was a lot of that rage, odd for such a vocation? There was a Brother Ryan? who would make us take off our pants in the halls with our shoes on, if we couldn't he would beat the shit out of you. Another lasting memory, was the brother's seeming obliviousness to bullies. I remember a kid named Xxxxxxx from Fort Lee, New Jersey - his favorite recreation between class, at lunch or gym was picking on littler, more timid kids. It was constant and of course there were other bullies, and the brothers turned a blind side to all of that too. It's Kafkaesque, no?

So you're a Malone, and then you took a Zen first name? I am still a practicing Catholic, attend mass etc, despite the current/new scandals reaching to touch the Pope. Most Catholics I know have little to no respect for the Magisterium in all its majesty and hypocrisy.

*Ralph*

"I have a vivid memory of his running his hand down the back of my pants, down the crack of my ass, and then watching him sniffing his finger as he sat at his desk."

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Charles "The Chest" Irwin greets prom attendees 1965.

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And another man:

On October 22, 2010, at 12:52:18 PM EDT *Sam* wrote:

Just found your web site. I was searching for pictures of BC to show my wife. I have a similar story not of any sexual abuse but definitely physical abuse. I graduated from the class of '70 and rode the Fort Lee bus. Yes, that bus. I remember the bullies who picked on us very well and had a few fist fights with them myself.

The school principal was expelled as I remember and a new principal took over. I believe the principal was expelled for physical and verbal abuse.

Yes, we had brothers who were in hiding. Some were obviously sexually confused and some not so obvious. We had one brother who was referred to as Sister Mary by some of the students. I will not use his name but I remember him well . He had a mean streak and liked to slap you in the face. We also had brothers who would punch you and knock you down for chewing gum in the hall.

My brother also had the misfortune of going to BC but failed out in his freshman year. There was a Brother who was a coach there and he was cruel to my little brother.

I did not want to dissapoint my Mother so I hung in there and took the abuse. It wasn't a healthy atmosphere for kids that already had issues. It was certainly not nurturing. My brother did well in public school and enjoyed his high school years.

Brother Howe, I remember him well but not as a sexual abuser. He was just a bully. He enjoyed it and I had many fights with him in class. Mostly he would throw erasers at me . He was surprised when I threw them back at him. I wouldn't take his crap.

We had a history teacher. His name was Mr. Darts. Mr. Darts was a nice man who took me out in the hall one day and spoke with me as a mentor. He knew I was having problems and suggested that if I didn't want to be there I should talk to my parents. I have never forgotten him. His were the kindest words I had ever had at BC. Thankyou Mr. John Darts.

The Infamous Fort Lee Bus. I hated it but learned to defend myself. We had two upper classman who were big bullies. I only can remember their faces. They were football players and wore their BC jackets. I only wish they were in front of me now as an adult!

Send your boys to a good public school.

Here's a memory for you and as crazy as it sounds it is 100% true.

I had a Jesuit for some religion class. He was talking about masturbation and the dropping of the seed intentionally. Did you know that is a mortal sin and you can go to hell for that? Well being defiant I asked him what would happen if it happen unintentionally, like while you were sleeping. What happens then if you die? Do you go to hell or only purgatory? Well the stuff hit the fan. I was told to go to the office. They sent me home with a letter recommending I leave the school. Guess the tuition was more valuable because my mother's letter saved me.

What a bunch of sick people. I feel sorry for them and forgive them their sins. God only knows what they went through as young men entering the seminary. Forgiveness is the best lesson I have learned in life and it wasn't taught to me at BC.

If you can pass my email along to the person who rode the Fort Lee bus I would appreciate it.

PS. I did not go on stage to accept my diploma at graduation. As an act of defiance I sat in the stands without a cap and gown. It was a great dissapointment to my Mother who could never understand. Sorry Mom.

*Sam*

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Brother Michael McElhatton
A.K.A. "Sister Mary"

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And another man:

On November 29, 2010, at 6:01 PM EDT *Karl* wrote:

I was in the class of 1971.

Fortunately, I never had the horrendous experiences you mentioned with Br Irwin and Br Howe, but I remember them both and am not at all surprised. Br Smith was a religion teacher that gave me a slap across the face that left a handprint for a few minutes. He was clearly effeminate, but was intolerant of anything but undivided attention. I had great experiences with all the lay teachers. Mr Stevenson in particular was the chess team coach. My guidance counselor was also the basketball coach (Dougherty?) and he was also very helpful. I got a great education at BC, but it is disgusting what the Catholic Church allowed to happen.

*Karl*

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Brother Joseph Smith
A.K.A. "Smitty"

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And another:

On March 25, 2011, at 3:57 PM EDT *Jerome* wrote:

I just read your story about Brs. Irwin and Howe. I was a member of a late 60's graduating class. I remember Charlie Irwin. We all knew he was a "fag" as we called him them. He did not sexually bother me but I do recall him putting his hand down boys shirts. I never saw the pants action. There were a number of homosexual brothers back then. Maybe because I came a few years after you, I (we) knew a little more about them. I know "Sister Mary" as one writer mentioned. There were plenty of mean ones too. Br. Howe was nasty as were others. I did not take their crap. As a matter of fact, I do believe I slapped Br. Fish after he slapped me one day.

Another guy mentioned the Fort Lee bus. I was on the same bus at that time. The bullies were in full force on that ride. I was picked on in school. I was skinny and not a jock. Fortunately, I always had a way with words and gave it right back. I remember one guy bothering me and I punched him in the face. Of course, he was twice my size and picked me up and threw me across a row or two of desks. But that was the end of it. I did not take the bullies crap either.

*Jerome*

---

And another:

On June 7, 2011, this letter was received from *Greg* at 10:40:55 AM EDT:

Kobutsu:

I was reading an editorial in this past Sunday's New York Times by Maureen Dowd in reference to a Bishop in Ireland, who among other things, got down on his knees and washed the feet of sexual abuse victims at a mass in Dublin. The editorial went on to say how his papal colleagues in the Vatican did not look upon the Irish Bishop favorably.

The editorial brought out the old anger of 40 years ago and I did something that I have resisted for decades. I goggled Bergen Catholic sexual abuse and your article came up. As I began to read my first impression was that I had written this in some trance-like state. When I showed your article to my wife she asked if I had written it. First I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for having the courage to bring out these things that many of us have tried to bury over the years.

My own experience begins with attending Xxxxxxxxxx grammar school in Xxxxxxxxx, NJ. I had gone to public school and had many happy years but my three older brothers had graduated from a Jesuit College and in my young mind I thought going to BC would give me a leg up on doing the same. From sixth thru eighth grade Brothers taught me. As with you, the terror was on a daily basis. Being slapped and hit was common but the worst for me was having to come to the front of the room and having your hand held while you were beaten with a steel ruler. I learned early that tears might diminish the amount of hits and so for me, the tears came quickly. My other recollection was to see some of my tougher friends hold out tears and piss the brothers off and receive many more hits.

Seeing your picture and knowing the dates that you attended Bergen Catholic I know I was there the same year and I am fairly sure that I was in the same algebra class with Irwin. I have forgotten most of my year at Bergen Catholic but the hell of a Brother Irwin algebra class will always be locked in my memory. I remember that his class came early in the day and that once we had gotten thru that part of our day, I personally felt a great sense of relief.

Looking back on that class I felt like that out of a class of say thirty boys, (I was maybe 5'4" 105 lbs.) Brother Irwin gave me more heinous attention than other, bigger kids. This, coupled with a strong dislike of Math, was almost a death sentence in his class. Don't get me wrong, everyone suffered and lived in utter fear in that class, but there were about ten that maybe fit his victims' profile.

I do remember him marching up and down rows with his pointer and for someone like myself, who did not always do his daily homework, trying to guess when he would call on me and quickly trying to work out that problem only to have him skip a person and not know the answer when he circled back and called on me. I did not remember many of his little sick quirks that you mentioned because I kept my head down giving him no eye contact for fear of repercussions.

This is where my story gets a little more intense. A fellow classmate and I were caught cheating by Brother Irwin on the end of year Algebra final. Whether we had crib sheets that we were using or were verbally exchanging answers I don't remember, but we were requested individually to see Brother Irwin at the end of the day. I entered his classroom at the end of the day, Irwin was seated behind the desk and he said, "I got you Mr. Xxxxxxxxx, I know you cheated, and I can fail you for the year." I denied cheating and he continued to accuse. At one point he came from behind the desk and approached me. He did his usual neck pressure points and as I was standing there he reached down the rear of my pants. As I stood there, he took his hands and came around to my genital area. At this point I stepped back and summoned some courage and gave him a look like - "this ends now." He stepped back and did his usual "cretin" and "retard" routine and told me after an awkward moment to leave.

I left that classroom knowing that I would never return to Bergen Catholic and it gave me a great sense of relief. I never mentioned the incident to my parents and thankfully they let me transfer to public school. The coward must have known that he might need to cover his tracks as I was given a "C."

Over the years, I have always been thankful that I stepped back that day but I have always thought of how many other kids who fit his sick profile were put in a position were they did not have that option. There has never been any doubt in my mind that Brother Irwin, if given the right circumstance, would rape and abuse one of us. I have always wondered about the other boy who was caught cheating with me. How was he treated? He fit the same physical profile as me.

Again thank you for your initial essay as it gave me the courage, as a soon to be 61 year-old man, to express these long suppressed feelings.

*Greg*

"At one point he came from behind the desk and approached me. He did his usual neck pressure points and as I was standing there he reached down the rear of my pants. As I stood there, he took his hands and came around to my genital area. At this point I stepped back and summoned some courage and gave him a look like - 'this ends now.' He stepped back and did his usual 'cretin' and 'retard' routine and told me after an awkward moment to leave."

---

And another:

On August 2, 2011 4:33:20 PM EDT *Chuck* wrote:

Kobutsu;

You were sexually abused by Brother Irwin at Bergen Catholic. I was physically abused.

I lost my algebra book (actually stolen from my locker) and Brother Irwin told me to get another one. My family did not have the money to buy a new one.

On the afternoon of Tuesday October 16, 1962 (I know this because I was removed from Bergen Catholic by my parents after this incident) Brother Irwin came down the aisle and stood towering over me at my desk. He flipped the book open and saw another student's name, Xxxx Xxxxxx, inside the cover. He made me go to the back of the room and bent me over a desk. He was known for lifting boy's shirts and taking three fingers together and snapping them across the exposed flesh. Before he started he said he knew something better. He took a belt from another student, Xxxxx Xxxx, and started to whip me. Forty lashes with that belt. Forty really hard lashes. Nothing like I ever experienced in my life, before and ever since. Beyond pain.

Some of the students tried to come to my aid but he threatened them all that if they did anything they would get the same. You could get all their names by going to the 1962 Algebra class records and ask each of them. They were totally intimidated by him.

After he finished beating me (I was a complete mess, crying and almost unable to walk) he made me stand up and said, Mr. Xxxxxx, you didn't seem to like your punishment. Would you rather have had a month's worth of detentions? I nodded "yes" and he said, "You got it" and started to write them out. Xxxxx Xxxx and several other classmates protested, it felt as if a riot was going to break out but I couldn't care less. I was beyond pain. He stopped writing and told everyone to sit at their desks and be quiet. I lay with my head on my desk, crying uncontrollably. I couldn't stop no matter how hard I tried. The bell at the end of the period rang. We stayed in that classroom as the teachers rotated classes.

Brother [Timothy Joseph] O'Sullivan was the next teacher and came in and walked up to my desk and asked what happened. I couldn't speak but one of the students told him what happened.  He left the room and came back five minutes or so later and told everyone to read quietly. After that class, several students helped me get to the bus. I still was crying uncontrollably and it took me all the way home to finally control the crying.

We lived down the street from Xxxxxxxxx Church and Father Xxxxxxxx came to the house. His response was that "*Chuck* must have done something to deserve this". My parents had me stay home the next day and on Thursday my father took off from work and took me to Bergen Catholic and confronted Brother Kean the principal and demanded that Brother Irwin come to the office. When Brother Irwin came in my father took his belt off and tried to go after Brother Irwin but was physically restrained by Brother Kean.

I was taken out of school and started at Xxxxxxxxxx High School the next Monday.

My life was never the same.

*Chuck*

"He took a belt from another student, Xxxxx Xxxx, and started to whip me. Forty lashes with that belt. Forty really hard lashes. Nothing like I ever experienced in my life, before and ever since. Beyond pain."

"My parents had me stay home the next day and on Thursday my father took off from work and took me to Bergen Catholic and confronted Brother Kean the principal and demanded that Brother Irwin come to the office. When Brother Irwin came in my father took his belt off and tried to go after Brother Irwin but was physically restrained by Brother Kean."

"My life was never the same."

Br. Alfred X. Kean A.K.A. "The Axe"		Br. Charles B. Irwin A.K.A. "The Chest"

---

Another man writes:

On Aug 3, 2011, at 12:36 PM, *Dennis* wrote:

Wow!

Physical and verbal abuse was so common in Catholic Schools, but *Chuck's* account here is the most intense I ever read or heard about other than in some novel or movie.

I went to Cardinal Hayes High School. In my freshman year (1965) the most severe abuse I witnessed was during announcements at the end of one spring day. A classmate was chatting away and was spotted by one of the priest teachers from the hallway. The priest came running in, grabbed the student out of his seat, carried / dragged him to the front of the room and smashed him face first into the blackboard. The priest then threatened to do the same to any of the rest of us. The kid was terrified, traumatized – his parents eventually removed him from the school.

*Dennis*

Cardinal Hayes High School, Bronx, New York

---

Catholic Christian Brothers order files for bankruptcy

Fri Apr 29, 2011 1:59am EDT

Click on image for full article.

Seattle attorney Michael Pfau said: "They made money taking over the care of children but put many of their members who were known abusers in charge of them,"

"Then they tried to cover it up. This bankruptcy is just another effort for them to avoid responsibility."

---

Boston College Law Review July 1, 2003 The Impact Of Clergy Sexual Misconduct Litigation On Religious Liberty Click here: Avoiding Moral Bankruptcy  By David A. Skeel Jr

On August first 2012, the “window of opportunity” closed to file a claim with the Federal Bankruptcy Court for sexual abuse against the “Christian” Brothers. While this event brings a halt to people filing for monetary claims against the order, it does not preclude others from telling their stories – the truth about what they experienced at the hands of some of these men. As everyone can see, this website contains stories by real people – most have chosen to remain anonymous and a few have used their real names. For every person who has come forward with their story there are dozens who have not for one reason or another. It is quite understandable for people to wish to avoid dragging up the unpleasant memories of the past.

Those of us who have told our stories have found some modicum of relief in doing so. Some have reported that just writing a few sentences about their horrendous treatment by “Christian” Brothers in the past has been “cathartic” as one man put it.

Please, if you are reading this website and you endured abuse or any sort of degrading treatment at the hands of the “Christian” Brothers or in any of their schools, please consider telling your story even if you weren’t abused yourself but simply witnessed the abuse of others. “Abuse” here does not mean just sexual abuse… it also means physical and psychological abuse. Anonymous narratives will be published and editorial assistance provided to protect the identities of those who choose to remain anonymous.

My heartfelt gratitude goes out to all who have come forward….

Feel free to call… 207 359-2555

Kobutsu Malone

Log entries concerning Br. Brian Walsh:

---

Wrote narrative: THE EXECUTION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: 1/20/02

Sent to:

The Most Reverend John J. Myers, J.C.D., D.D. – Archbishop of Newark, NJ

Bro. Brian Walsh – Christian Brother's Provincial, New Rochelle, NY

Bergen Catholic High School, Oradell Avenue, Oradell, NJ

My father; Kevin B. Malone, Mahwah, NJ

Emailed to the Oradell Police Department, Oradell, NJ

Received phone call from Sargent Michael Oslacky - OPD a few days later:

"Criminal statute of limitation expired."

---

One year and four months later:

Received Phone Call from Anthony Dougherty, Esq. - Christian Brothers General Counsel June 10, 2003

He asked me if I had heard from Brother Brian Walsh, he persisted asking if I had talked to Walsh and I informed him several times that I had not heard from, Brother Walsh, the Archbishop, Bergen Catholic or my father. He told me that he would do an investigation and that nothing could take place until he had some corroborating information. He said he would track down alumni who had been in my homeroom to establish that indeed the abuse had taken place. He told me not to do anything and that he would call me back and we could proceed from there.

---

Eight months following: No return call from Dougherty

My Followup Phone Call to Mr. Anthony Dougherty, Esq. February 24, 2004

---

A letter received from the Oradell Police Department on May 12, 2012:

Click on the above thumbnails to see the full size, complete six page pdf.




Lieutenant Michael Oslacky

---

Then Sargent Oslacky, Oradell Police Department:

"Letter alleges that he and fellow classmates were subjected to criminal sexual contact by a Brother who was teaching at the school. Detective contacted Bergen Catholic and was informed that the accused is deceased."

[February 2002]

~ Ten years later ~

Brother Brian Walsh, Bergen Catholic:

"To our knowledge, those allegations do not involve Bergen Catholic."

[February 2012]

---

"In 2011, after the death of my father, I learned that he had changed his Will some thirty odd days after I wrote and shared with him the above essay about how we were sexually abused in Bergen Catholic High School that he insisted I attend."
 
"Instead of dividing the family three and a half million dollar legacy three equal ways as he had arranged with my predeceased mother – between myself and my two children (each receiving one third of the estate) he completely left out his grandchildren from his new Will and left me with a token payment of five thousand dollars to forestall any potential litigation.  The remainder of the estate was left to The University of Nottingham, England that he never attended."

Kobutsu

---

A man responds to Br. Brian Walsh's letter of February 14

On Feb 16, 2012, at 3:15 PM, *Xxxxxxx* wrote:

"One day, Br. Waldron was having a bad day, and decided to take it out on me. While at my hall locker, he approached me from behind and started to pummel me. I got punched in the ribs and kicked in the legs with his heavy black shoes. He finished me off by knocking out some of my teeth with two blows to the side of my face."

"I went home to my parents that afternoon after track practice. My mother took one look at me and immediately saw my black eyes and missing teeth."

"Then I showed her my black and blue ribs and legs."

---

On March 7, 2012 Brother Brian M.Walsh wrote:

From: Brian M.Walsh <[email protected]>
Date: March 7, 2012 11:51:19 PM
To: *Xxxxxx*
Subject: Response to your email

Dear Mr *Xxxxxxx*,

I thank you for following up your first email to Joe Branciforte with your most recent one. My apology for not responding. As directed, he did show the first email to me. I did not understand that you were expecting a response.

Your letter was an opportunity for me to reflect and to examine the present situation and the letter that I wrote to parents. I was especially sensitive to your admonition that I not act as the bishops have acted.

As the leader of a healthcare institution, I know you are acutely aware of the delicate nature of communicating information as clearly as possible while respecting the rights and privacy of all parties. Complex issues have layers of communication and information around them; this is certainly one of those issues. I understand you and I have differing views of the letter I wrote to parents. Please know that I have taken your comments seriously and have taken your suggestion and reviewed the letter during the past few days a number of times. While you may disagree, I believe it portrays what is known at this time.

I thank you again for caring enough about Bergen Catholic to write.

Sincerely,

 

Brother  Brian M. Walsh

---

The above letter is an exquisite example of moral and ethical bankruptcy in action: 

"... the delicate nature of communicating information”

really means,

“You have to be very careful what you say when orchestrating an ongoing cover-up.”

Kobutsu

---

On March 10, 2012 Matthew Harbowy '87 wrote:

From: Matthew Harbowy
Subject: My story of abuse
Date: March 10, 2012 4:58:43 AM EST
To: [email protected]

Dear Rev Kobutsu Malone:

I wanted to thank you for your website, which I noticed for the first time having received bankruptcy notifications in the mail today. I would like you to feel free to add me to your list of victims, and would like to share with you my story as well. I have published it on my Facebook and Livejournal at

https://www.facebook.com/note.php?saved&&note_id=346301872080231

http://hbergeronx.livejournal.com/312829.html

http://omnimgt.com/sblite/thechristianbrothers/

I received a letter this evening, with a link to the above website, and realized that the real horrorshow that is the "Christian Brothers" is on the brink of imminent collapse. Praise, and AMEN. I am one of the lucky ones: instead of one of my classmates, it could have been me. I am seeing the many stories of my fellow classmates at Bergen Catholic and feel that I too must stand up and tell my story. I am a witness to many abuses, though, and feel ashamed that I, for how much social work I have tried to do, have not stood up and done something about this before now.

http://www.bergencatholicabuse.com/ (warning, much disturbing content in this link)

$74m in assets. $7m in secured debt. Liability claims: unknown. The lawyers are circling to take down an institution that was started by a deeply religious man, Edmund Ignatius Rice, whose life was struck by tragedy when his wife died in a carriage accident. He devoted his life to the education and the service to the poor. He understood that the boundary between success and tragedy in this world is a fine line we all walk.

---

My story is unlike, and yet like, many of the abused victims: for me, ironic as it may seem, Bergen Catholic was the better of two evils, even though better for me doesn't make something less evil. I was a very skinny kid, too smart for my own good, effeminate and with few social skills. I say skinny, but think about this- other parents used to bully my parents for raising an "ethiopian kid" (the butt of a common, cruel joke at the time due to the famine), I was that skinny. Little kids half my age used to come up unprompted to me at the Jersey shore and call me "Ichabod Crane", due to my resemblance to the nerdy victim of Sleepy Hollow in a popular cartoon of the era. To this day, to hear those words makes my stomach turn no matter how good looking Johnny Depp was playing him, but that was my nickname- "Icky", in school. I've never repeated that name before to another soul beside my wife, and it's kind of scary to out this, so please respect that I don't talk about Ichabod, ever, with anyone.

Public schools in my neighborhood were run by bullies, both teachers and students. My sixth grade english teacher physically and mentally abused me to the point where I would come home in tears every day, often with a beating from the local bullies to boot. If I struck back or sounded off in any way, I would be punished mercilessly. I remember being singled out to sit separate from the rest of the class along with the dumbest kid in the class, and was often mocked and told to keep my mouth shut. They knew what they did was wrong: on parents day, suddenly I'm seated among the other kids in class.

In order to give me enough respite to survive my childhood, my parents pulled their meager finances together and sent me to catholic school for 7th grade. Small classes, no bullies; that single event the summer of '85 (and the fact that my parents did not keep guns) is probably the only thing that kept me from having my name mentioned in the same breath as places like Columbine. To this day, I still struggle with the anger, the depression, and the legacy of bullying. Don't pity me, though- I'm doing really well. I'm a white man, after all, and ashamed that that's the truth- that I could endure what I endured, and it's still better than what happens to many poor people, female people, and people of color every day in this world.

---

One day, at the town pool, one of the smaller-sized bullies was giving me the ususal attitude and I took a long pole and struck him on the side of the leg. He wound up with a nice welt, ran off and told on me to his parents. My family was told that unless I apologized, they would all be thrown out of the pool "for life". I refused. The pool superintendant knew I was going to catholic school and church and tried to manipulate me, say I should "turn the other cheek"- but when you turn your cheek every day to the taunts, eventually you get tired. At the behest of my mother, I finally relented and apologized. I told my mother, "I'm doing it for you, and so that you don't get punished for what I did, not because it was wrong".

The older me? Realizes hitting people is always wrong. Realizes war and violence are never, never, never the answer. Violence and abuse, though, take many forms.

---

I'm lucky. My parents love me more than their own comfort. After a few years in a nurturing catholic grammar school got me emotionally on my feet (despite its own occasional lapse into fucked up), I applied to a couple of the local catholic high schools, and was proud that I not only won admission, but a $500 (extremely partial) scholarship to the "best of the best", Bergen Catholic.

I was used to the abuse of my peers, and thought nothing of the conditions that awaited me as I walked through those doors. Kids continued to pick on me, but it didn't kill me, and the environment, so i'm told, saved me from adding the confusion of "girls" into that mix, if that means anything in retrospect.

In those days, parents used corporal punishment to keep their kids in line. I am not going to sugar coat it: raising children is a tough job, and children will bring you closer to the brink of your patience than mere mortals ever will. I wasn't a bad kid: but I was incessantly curious about the world and occasionally would roam into situations that would be potentially hazardous to me. Given the choice of remembering a slap on the wrist versus being struck by a car (having experience both as a kid, very minorly, in my time) I'll take the former.

Bergen Catholic teachers were proud of corporal punishment. I remember it being a selling point to parents: public schools can't do this to your kids, we do. Many of the brothers wielded rulers. (rereading this, I'm struck by the (coincidence?) that none of the lay teachers, only the brothers, wielded rulers) One, Br Staniecki, had a piece of plexiglass he called "Cindy". To me, this didn't seem strange. Really, I didn't reach full sexual maturity until age 20 and was completely unaware of "sadomasochism" or any sex. I had "funny urges" but they were completely unconnected to either gender- but seeing nothing but straight role models, I did what every boy did- went to dances and stood on the sidelines most nights, completely mystified on how to approach, talk to, the "other sex".

If I were (still) christian, I might be thankful that Jesus watched over me and protected me from the worst of these creeps. As it is, I can only feel shame that Jesus may have wached over me, but did not watch over my classmate my junior year when Brother Ferro abused the sophomore class president and was "sent to Florida to reconsider his vocation". One day he's my english teacher, next day he's not. I remember the boy as a friend who rode my bus with me in the morning, and we traded geek boy programs for our Commodore 64s. We weren't close, but he didn't deserve what happened during and after that. Everybody labeled him as a "fag" for having attracted the attentions of a brother. I really didn't even know what that meant, really, I was just kind of glad they didn't call me that.

Brother Salvatore Anthony Ferro
www.bishop-accountability.org

Brother Ferro was a serial abuser. Note well: he wasn't sent to "Florida", he was (as best I can discover) sent to Paramus (the next town over!) and then to Boston, where he did it again according to the affidavit above. He was "sent" many places between 1970 and 2002 but always put back in charge of kids. I'm sure at the time, the officials in the Order never thought there would be an Internet, a database or discussion area where the collective experiences of up to 500 kids a year per school could reconstruct all of the millions of lies they were told. I don't know what was shared with the parents, if they knew what went on. Sometimes I hope that if they actually knew, they'd have burned it to the ground with the brothers still inside, honestly.

I'm sure if you've read this until now, you are feeling quite squeamish. I can only apologize if the material I've linked and written about upsets you, but really, this is the place where I write what happens down, and where I can write what happened down in my own name. If you've read this far and want to stop, now's a good time, we're at the halfway point. Thank you for listening. And, if you are a member of any organization that you know that tolerates any amount of bullying or sexual abuse, voice your objection. Don't be a bully, and don't let others be a bully. If you were abused, I encourage you to stand up and tell your story.

---

I had a protector. His name was Mr Irwin, and he "protected" the kids who weren't star athletes on the football team. He protected kids like me, and being on the bowling team was a nice, "nerdy" way to gain the protection of a PE teacher. (What kind of fucked up world do we live in that "protection"- like the Mafia gives, or like strong armed peers, is a good thing?) If other students harassed you, they might find themselves hurled up against a locker in the strong, six foot six, 200 pound grasp of Mr Irwin.

What I never realized until a year or two ago was that Mr Irwin was the somewhat grumpy but affable "good twin" of his "evil twin" (biological, not "really" twin, fyi) brother, Br. Irwin, who served at Bergen Catholic in the sixties. The websites I have linked to above document his "exploits" with kids. I don't know what Mr. Irwin thinks about those events, how well he sleeps at night, but he protected me, never laid a hand on me, and for that I am grateful. (Was he a former brother?) I guess becase I pursued a sport, any sport, no matter how "nerdy", you got protected, cause it made you "a man", and while that may seem absurd if you've never peeked beyond the curtain of white male privilege in this society, I think it's a reasonbable observation.

I had few friends at Bergen. I think, because most kids were much richer than my family. I remember one kid (bragging?)/complaining that he took a ride in his brand new Porsche with four linebacker friends and blew out the tires from the weight. Wealth brought drugs, lots of hard drugs, and girls. I rolled my eyes, and hung out with the "poor kids", the geeks, the stoners, the rebels, and the "artsy fairies", while the jocks "roided" and tore the house up with impunity. I was fairly religious because to be religious was just another outlet to study, debate, think, rather than pursue violence. It was with a little schadenfreude, though, when one of my bully classmates, Justin Latona, drove off the road (drunk?) and died shortly after graduation. They memorialized him with a big pot of money- what about the other victims?

This was a bad environment for boys. Another one of my classmates, someone in my "freak" social circle, in fact, was (is?) the son of nototious "Iceman" Mob murderer and serial killer Richard Kuklinski. Violence and abuse permeated that society, the neighborhood, the area. Bergen Catholic was not so exceptional for its abuses, as much as their religious calling never elevated anyone out of it.

I feel bad for the kids discovering they were gay, queer (as I identify), in this environment. Fortunately, when I later came out identifying as bisexual, it had nothing whatsoever to do with what happened in high school, and was in a supportive and respectful environment. I learned that I was turned on by other smart, articulate people, and it didn't matter what their gender was. I learned that love is love, and not to let other people dictate what love is to you. You have to walk your own path. Men? I actually have very little preference for men because I grew up around so many hideous examples of the species outside of my family home. I was rarely bullied by girls. I'm happily married to a woman who respects me and understands my story for what it is.

Many other men are cruel, are bullies, in my experience. I'm thankful that out of that experience of the environment so heavily criticized by feminism, I learned to be a bit more socially ept. I'm still growing and learning at forty something. I have to watch myself every day to treat others with respect. I'm also human, and i have erred on occasion. That's why it's hard for me not to try to forgive the people who I grew up with, those peers and teachers who enforced a male-dominated, strength-is-power attitude, "if I overpower you I can make you do anything" society. Some like Brs. Ferro and Irwin, were probably abused themselves, and if whatever kept them in their lonely cycle of mental illness propelled them to their worst, I cannot but forgive, (even if I do not forget) them for whatever terrible acts they committed.

What I can abhor is the institution that keeps them trapped in this cycle. Brothers take a vow of poverty, which means if they want to eat, they have to do what their told. They have to "serve". And where the brothers serve, is in schools, and in parishes, and in orphanages, where people who are less worldly, maybe a little naive, and not quite under the best situation go into their care.

It's weird to see this list on the bankruptcy site, like a perp walk of many of my former teachers.

http://omnimgt.com/CMSVol/CMSDocs

It's not easy to live in this world. I've always thought it's kind of a good thing not to worry about the basics and the rat race and marriage and kids, and just go and do the "care for others" thing. In fact, I was "called".

---

My senior year, I declared my interest in possibly becoming a brother, or to follow my calling into religious life. Br Staniecki drove me up to NY over a weekend, to Iona College to spend time with some other christian brothers, learn about the life and pray and consider next steps for me.

I remember very little about the weekend, because really, there's not much to say. Being poor, posessionless, and servile just isn't that fun, no matter how many guitar kumbayas you spice it up with. But something happened there, which among more "liberal" friends I recount jokingly, but also haunts me a bit in light of the events over the past two years.

I've only ever had one wet dream (nocturnal emission) in my life, and it happened on that retreat. Typically, I recount this very snarkily, saying that God gave me a sign not to be celibate and to enjoy sex as much as I do, and if I stand before the pearly gates one day, that's going to be my defense.

Now, some litigious minded psychologists might try to hypnotize me into revealing some darker truth, that in fact I was abused on that trip and due to the trauma don't remember how I wound up with a load of come in my undies. If I remember that as one of the most erotic dreams I ever had, and I've had plenty, I'm not sorry at all for that fact, as it was a dream with an amazingly beautiful woman. If they did something untoward to me that weekend, I'm not regretting or harmed by it one bit. In fact, I was trying to be "good", and not masturbate like I (and every teenage boy and girl) do on a very regular basis at that time of my life, which explains the unusual occurrence. I've had to learn from others that that instinct for sex, for orgasm, is healthy and natural, and that associating that with unpleasantness is just one of the many ways that individuals in so-called religious institutions maintain their power, their hegemony, over this world.

It is leaders like that that commit the unconscionable acts of testimony such as we heard before congress a week or so ago; and who excoriate people who speak out, as "sluts". It is institutions that hide the truth that cause the greatest harm. It's rewarding the "home team" in high school ball without balance while "freaks" are marginalized, that might well be a "first world problem" compared to the greater institutional harms such as inequality for women in the workplace, to say nothing of poverty and slavery of non-whites or any "outsider" or "foreigner". But, it is a harm I know well.

As a Jew, I know that these problems are not just in the Catholic Church either. But Judaism teaches that those who heal the world (tikkun olam) receive their own reward in this life (not in the hereafter), the satisfaction of the just; and that evil does not last long. Br Irwin is described as a nicotine-stained, grumpy (dirty) old man who was a child predator. Br Ferro was a mirthless grump, as far as I experienced, and nosed around the "fags" in extracurricular Drama Club, something I was never drawn to. Most Jews believe in the resurrection of the dead for all people (all people are sinners, there is no "hell"), and if such a time comes to pass however it may tarry, I hope that whatever happened to make them so sick can be healed.

Most people are good, despite their sins. Some get trapped in a world, in a life, in an institution where they think hurting others is acceptable, even righteous. If I prayed, I would pray for them, and if you pray, I hope you pray for them too. If you're Catholic, beseech this of Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice: end the institution who has brought suffering, pain, and irreparable harm to so many, and bring those criminals who the Church and the Order hide and protect to this day to some justice and get them the help they need to heal. This is the Miracle I ask, and may the paltry wordly assets, the gold crosses, the crystal chalices, the stained glass, all of it: may it go to truly help the poor and those who suffer.

I'm lucky. I have parents who love me, a loving wife, a great career. I don't need to sue the church to make my way in the world. But if anything I can write down, or share, helps in any way, may it heal the world.

Thanks for your efforts.

Matthew E Harbowy

March 9th, 2012

Bergen Catholic Class of '87

"As it is, I can only feel shame that Jesus may have wached over me, but did not watch over my classmate my junior year when Brother Ferro abused the sophomore class president and was 'sent to Florida to reconsider his vocation'. One day he's my english teacher, next day he's not. I remember the boy as a friend who rode my bus with me in the morning, and we traded geek boy programs for our Commodore 64s. We weren't close, but he didn't deserve what happened during and after that. Everybody labeled him as a 'fag' for having attracted the attentions of a brother. I really didn't even know what that meant, really, I was just kind of glad they didn't call me that."

"Brother Ferro was a serial abuser. Note well: he wasn't sent to 'Florida', he was (as best I can discover) sent to Paramus (the next town over!) and then to Boston, where he did it again according to the affidavit above. He was 'sent' many places between 1970 and 2002 but always put back in charge of kids. I'm sure at the time, the officials in the Order never thought there would be an Internet, a database or discussion area where the collective experiences of up to 500 kids a year per school could reconstruct all of the millions of lies they were told. I don't know what was shared with the parents, if they knew what went on."

---

On March 28, 2012:

Christian Brothers File Bankruptcy The Oakland (NJ) Journal by Charles McCormick Bergen Catholic, Class of ‘82 http://theoaklandjournal.com/oaklandnj/christian-brothers-file-bankruptcy/

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COMMISSION TO INQUIRE INTO CHILD ABUSE

The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (CICA) is one of a range of measures introduced by the Irish Government to investigate the extent and effects of abuse on children from 1936 onwards.  It is commonly known in Ireland as the Ryan Commission. The CICA report volume on the Christian Brothers:  CICA-VOL1-06.PDF

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Another man makes contct:

On March 30, 2012, at 1:01 PM EDT *Albert* wrote:

Memories of Bergen Catholic H.S.

    At 13 I began high school at a younger age that most of my classmates due to an early start in grammar school. Whether I was more naïve than most may have been partly due to age but mostly due to a sheltered upbringing. I was raised in a good Catholic Family – Italian/Polish – with a strong influence from my Irish aunt. I chose to go to Bergen Catholic – even prayed to be accepted – because it was considered our high school version of Notre Dame. I was taught to respect Catholic priests and nuns as the official messengers from Christ himself.

    So, in my first months with the Irish Christian Brothers, I was surprised and somewhat perplexed when the school’s principal, Brother McKenna, would walk up from behind me in the halls, put his arm around my shoulder and stick his tongue in my ear. This happened on at least two or three occasions before I began to watch out for him and playfully put on my guard. When I told my cousin, who was also in the Class of ’60-64, his response was: “Oh yeah, that’s Bro. McKenna, he does that to lots of guys”.

   I can say that I had no other incidents with Bro. McKenna or any of the other brothers, but did witness physical abuse and verbal abuse of others. The Irish Christian Brothers were known to be strict disciplinarians and believed in “corporal punishment” to achieve behavioral ends and submission. But sexual abuse was unheard of. As Kobutsu has said, words were not in our vocabulary nor were the concepts.

    One day we were given a special class on sexual education by Bro. McKenna. Sitting casually on the desk, in what must have been an attempt to bond with the young men under his charge, he made this off-the-cuff remark with a sly smile: “Sometimes you need to slap your girlfriend around a little, just to let her know who’s the boss.” I began to question everything I was taught in religion class from that moment. I knew I would never have dreamt of slapping, hitting or in any way intimidating my girlfriend.

    But a little slap now and then to keep your lady in line meshed well with the record of physical and sexual abuse I either witnessed first-hand or learned of from others.

    There were several Brothers that were feared by the student body due to their reputation for physical violence: Brother Tracy, who would brag about growing up in “Hell’s Kitchen”; Bro. Sassone who went into a sadistic rage one afternoon repeatedly slapping Xxxxx  Xxxxxxxxxx viciously in the hall, with Xxxxx’s back up against the lockers, until his face bloodied; Brother Irwin, who I believe arrived in my Sophomore year and was called “The Chest”. And then there was Bro. Berryman –.

Br. Richard Daniel Berryman
AKA "Brother Merryberry"

    Brother Berryman, a rather short fair-haired fellow who scowled when you passed-by, ran the bookstore and may have run detention (called “jug”). At any rate he was known to discipline boys by taking them to the ‘bookstore’ when it was closed. The ‘bookstore’ was a small, maybe 9x12 room with bookshelves and a 4x5 opening by which one could buy texts. When the opening’s retractable metal screen was down, the bookstore was closed. Inside, Brother Berryman would mete out punishment in the form of paddle slaps. But first he would order the young boy to stand at one end of the room while he sat at the other end. Then he would have his victim drop his pants and underwear down to his ankles and bend over. Boys were made to hold this position for five minutes or more, expecting to be paddle-whipped. But Bro. Berryman would sit on his stool at the other end of the 9 foot room and gawk. Then he would walk up to the victim, give him a few light taps with the paddle on his bare bottom and tell the boy to pull up his pants and go back to study hall (or where ever). For these and other activities, Bro Berryman earned the nickname “Bro. Merryberry”.

    Now, these memories were from my freshman and sophomore years, which makes me think, now, that it was the younger and more vulnerable boys that were attacked rather than the older and physically larger in stature. I don’t know for sure. But I do know that the overwhelming memory for my class, the Class of ’64, was the assassination of President John F Kennedy. In fact our yearbook was dedicated to him and Pope John XXIII.

    I hope these memories are helpful in piecing together a portrait of Bergen Catholic High School and the  perversion of values or cynicism it may have spawned as well as more serious traumatic disorders in the young men under the charge of Irish Christian Brothers.

Yours Truly,

*Albert*
(class of '64)

"I was surprised and somewhat perplexed when the school’s principal, Brother McKenna, would walk up from behind me in the halls, put his arm around my shoulder and stick his tongue in my ear."

"One day we were given a special class on sexual education by Bro. McKenna. Sitting casually on the desk, in what must have been an attempt to bond with the young men under his charge, he made this off-the-cuff remark with a sly smile: 'Sometimes you need to slap your girlfriend around a little, just to let her know who’s the boss.' ”

"Bro. Sassone who went into a sadistic rage one afternoon repeatedly slapping Xxxxx  Xxxxxxxxxx viciously in the hall, with Xxxxx’s back up against the lockers, until his face bloodied"

"Then he would have his victim drop his pants and underwear down to his ankles and bend over. Boys were made to hold this position for five minutes or more, expecting to be paddle-whipped. But Bro. Berryman would sit on his stool at the other end of the 9 foot room and gawk. Then he would walk up to the victim, give him a few light taps with the paddle on his bare bottom and tell the boy to pull up his pants and go back to study hall (or where ever)."

---

Br. Eugene D. McKenna

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Allegations of sexual abuse leveled at a Christian Brother removed from Cardinal Hayes HS and assigned to Bergen Catholic High School in the late 1980’s:

Br. John Justin O’Connor


Click on the above thumbnail to see the full size pdf.

"The teenage boys who came forward to report their abuse by Justin O’Connor were called ‘conmen’ and ‘liars’ by priests, Christian Brothers, and others. They were sons of immigrants from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and elsewhere who struggled to pay thousands of dollars of tuition annually so their sons could receive a ‘better’ education. What they encountered was a cauldron of sexual abuse, lies, cover-up, and deceit from men who claimed to be ‘of God.’ "

"O'Connor was assigned to Bergen Catholic"

VIDEO

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Creditors investigating ties between Palma High School, Salinas, CA and the Christian Brothers.


Click on the above thumbnail to see the full size pdf.

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Dr. Steven M. Cantrell, Palma High School, Salinas, CA alumnus, class of 1989, breaks silence and publicly reaches out to other victims:

Steven M. Cantrell, M.D.




Click on the above thumbnails to see the full size pdf.


Gerald Funcheon


Click on the above thumbnail
to see his fact sheet pdf.

Click here to view a partial (1984–2012) set of case files on Gerald Funcheon.

Click here to view Dr. Cantrell's Summons and Complaint pdf.

---

And another man writes:

On June, 6, 2012 at 9:11 PM, *Roger* wrote:

Kobutsu:

I attended Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell NJ, Class of '67.  One year when I was there Brother Irwin would come to supervise our class when the regular teacher had "some business to attend to."  I did my best to become invisible when he came.  Brother Irwin could be very mean and extremely abusive both physically as well as verbally. Sometimes he appeared very rational and at other times totally crazy, I wondered if he was mentally ill and even considered that perhaps, he was possessed by a very vile and evil spirit.  He was very good at creating major fear.  He would sometimes go off on a student for no apparent reason.

When my regular teacher would return Brother Irwin would tell him that he wanted to borrow me to assist him with a project that he was working on.  Oh I prayed hard that he would forget about this and leave me alone.  I did not want to be anywhere near him ever.  But he didn't forget he kept asking my regular teacher if he could borrow me when he would watch over my class. The day did come when he took me out of my class and brought me by the Bookstore to this large storage room where textbooks were kept.  Brother Irwin said that he wanted to organize and straighten this room up.  The room was dimly lit and I was moving boxes of books and neatly stacking them where Brother Irwin directed.  I was bending way down to pick up a heavy box off the floor, as I stood up he grabbed my shirt in the area of my lower back and very quickly and forcefully pulled my shirt out of my pants.  Like a tablecloth quickly yanked off the table without disturbing the dishes and glasses and utensils.  I had no idea why or what for this was happening.  I set the box down and turned around and looked at him.  He was grinning like a little kid playing his favorite game.  His actions were very weird to me.  This thought was nothing new to me.  When I bent down to pick up the next box BAM his hand went down the back of my pants.  I didn't even see this coming.  I was in a state of TOTAL SHOCK.  I struggled to free myself and Brother Irwin was not smiling now.  He struggled to hold on to me with his hand down my pants.  His hand on my skin was completely repulsive.  He was much bigger than me and my surprise was to his advantage.  I recall the feeling that I got away but I don't remember how this came to be or what else if anything occurred.  I told him "Not to ever do that again."  He made me feel ashamed and angry and not worthy and embarrassed.  He would pick on me after this and say that I shouldn't be mad at him.  It was like he would not let the wound he inflicted heal.  He kept picking at it.  I did my best to ignore and not respond to his taunts.  I was afraid of him.

I want you to know that this has been very difficult to write this – hard to put into words.  My intention is three fold.  To speak the truth as I was taught by my parents my Church and my Teachers, and to accept nothing less in return; To face my Fear and begin the process of healing from this abuse; finally, to acknowledge the courage and bravery of those who have stood up and taken a stand to end the abuse of our children. Its time to acknowledge the wrongdoing and it is time to make amends. 

My Love and Forgiveness are yours.

*Roger*

"The room was dimly lit and I was moving boxes of books and neatly stacking them where Brother Irwin directed.  I was bending way down to pick up a heavy box off the floor, as I stood up he grabbed my shirt in the area of my lower back and very quickly and forcefully pulled my shirt out of my pants.  Like a tablecloth quickly yanked off the table without disturbing the dishes and glasses and utensils.  I had no idea why or what for this was happening.  I set the box down and turned around and looked at him.  He was grinning like a little kid playing his favorite game.  His actions were very weird to me.  This thought was nothing new to me.  When I bent down to pick up the next box BAM his hand went down the back of my pants.  I didn't even see this coming.  I was in a state of TOTAL SHOCK.  I struggled to free myself and Brother Irwin was not smiling now.  He struggled to hold on to me with his hand down my pants.  His hand on my skin was completely repulsive." 

---

On June 6, 2012, the following article appeared in the New York Times Magazine concerning the sexual abuse of students at the Horace Mann School, some sixteen miles from Bergen Catholic:

Prep-School Predators: The Horace Mann School’s Secret History of Sexual Abuse

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Four days later (not a decade later - provoked only by legal claims) the school responded with a letter vastly different from the insensitive, contemptuous response of denial put forward by "Brother" Brian Walsh and the high level leadership of Bergen Catholic High School:




Click on the above thumbnails to see the full size pdf.

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Another BC alum writes on June 13, 2012 4:38 PM:

Dear Mr. Malone,

I came across your excellent website by chance this afternoon, and I have been dumbstruck by the contents. I graduated from BC in 1976. I, like many others, read the piece in the New York Times Magazine this weekend about sexual abuse at the Horace Mann school, and, not having heard about allegations of such abuse at BC (but well aware of the issues facing the Christian Brothers), just out of curiosity I Googled “Bergen Catholic Sexual Abuse” and found your website. I want to commend you for putting together such a comprehensive and interesting resource.

Thankfully I never witnessed any sexual abuse or relationships by brothers, teachers or students during my four years at the school. I did, like others, witness horrific physical abuse, although again, thankfully, I was not myself a victim of it (other than perhaps having hands laid on me one or two times, but nothing too serious).  Among my memories are:

-          A Brother Barwin [Br. John Christopher Barwin] pounding the head of a classmate into a desk because he had neglected to do his homework. This was severe enough that I recall that his mother came to the school the next day to complain, and the Brother gave the class a half-hearted apology the next day, saying that he should have only hit the student on his bottom, not his head. Unbelievable today, but not then.

-          A Brother Levy (sp?) (Br. Patrick C. Leavy) literally throwing a classmate across the room, so that he landed back-first on the window sill (and it is a wonder he did not go through the window itself) because, as I recall, he had neglected to button his top button and then apparently mouthed off to the Brother when he told him to button it.

-          A freshman science teacher (whose name I forget – I believe it was Mr. Salvano?) who told a student to go outside the classroom and stand against the lockers and, as soon as he came into the hallway, he sucker-punched him right into the lockers, making a loud clanging noise throughout the school. His crime was jokingly calling the teacher the name of a cartoon character that the public address announcer had labeled him as in the faculty-student basketball game the night before.

There were many other incidents, but these stand out as particularly egregious. The worst part was that many of these Brothers and teachers were otherwise good, decent men who were great teachers and who showed real (appropriate) interest in the students outside of the classroom – in particular, Brother Levy used to spend a lot of time with students on the playground and was something of a favorite among the students. The fact that these men had unaccountable, absolute power over students, with no fear of repercussions no matter how much they abused their authority, led them to behave in ways that should have been, but were not, viewed as completely unacceptable, especially for those given charge over teenage boys.  I can understand how this absolute lack of limits led in some cases to sexual abuse, which in some ways is the absolute expression of abuse of the powerless by the powerful.

Although one never knows where one’s career choices came from, I do believe that my experience in seeing how the lack of accountability leads to abuse of the weak and powerless in the Catholic school system had a lot to do with why I chose to become a lawyer, and a strong believer in the rule of law.  As for the Catholic Church, I wish it well in trying to reform its own internal issues, but I think that I saw too much in my 12 years of Catholic School for me to maintain any respect for it as an institution, although I did and continue to deeply respect individual members of the clergy (but certainly not all of them, and certainly not due to their titles alone).

Feel free to post this letter if you wish, but please do not publish my personal details. Thank you.

Sincerely,

*Willy*

"A Brother Barwin pounding the head of a classmate into a desk because he had neglected to do his homework. This was severe enough that I recall that his mother came to the school the next day to complain, and the Brother gave the class a half-hearted apology the next day, saying that he should have only hit the student on his bottom, not his head. Unbelievable today, but not then."

"A Brother Levy (sp?) literally throwing a classmate across the room, so that he landed back-first on the window sill (and it is a wonder he did not go through the window itself) because, as I recall, he had neglected to button his top button and then apparently mouthed off to the Brother when he told him to button it."

"A freshman science teacher (whose name I forget – I believe it was Mr. Salvano?) who told a student to go outside the classroom and stand against the lockers and, as soon as he came into the hallway, he sucker-punched him right into the lockers, making a loud clanging noise throughout the school. His crime was jokingly calling the teacher the name of a cartoon character that the public address announcer had labeled him as in the faculty-student basketball game the night before."

---

June 27, 2012

An article entitled “The Child I Was: The Man I Would Be” in The Wyckoff Journal by Charles McCormick – Bergen Catholic, Class of 1982

http://thewyckoffjournal.com/wyckoffnj/the-child-i-was/

Aftermath of a Math Teacher

A survey of former students of Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell, NJ sheds light on the situation of many other victims who suffered abuse through church, school, or sports.

To the outside observer, the abuse may seem to have no present day relevancy, but to the victims the wounds remain green - and this can related to the concept of trust being betrayed. It was a trust betrayed by the perpetrator, trust betrayed by those who protected the perpetrator, and the trust betrayed by those who continue to protect them.

In the case of Bergen Catholic, credible allegations have been laid on the Christian Brothers concerning teachers who worked in the school in years stretching from the 1960s to the 1990s. Acts of sexual molestation and physical abuse have been levied and confirmed by students against Brother Charles Irwin in the 1960s; then there is Brother Salvatore Ferro whose abuse was detailed in a lawsuit filed by a Catholic priest; and the infamous  Brother Thomas Cuthbert Ford who taught at Bergen Catholic while on the run from Canadian authorities for beating unconscious a 14 year old boy in the showers.

The evidence that abuse was tolerated, that abusers were protected, and that the Christian Brothers put the religious order above the welfare of Bergen Catholic students is modus operandi throughout the Catholic Church, and now surfacing in premier institutions such as Penn State and Syracuse University.

For the Christian Brothers, the organization hopes their bankruptcy filing will close the book on accusations of child abuse and cover-ups. The courts have imposed a deadline of August 1, 2012 for victims of Christian Brothers to come forward and report their abuse.

The courts are not the last resort for victims of abuse, and it is unlikely that the courts can deliver what many victims are seeking, which is acknowledgment. In the case of Bergen Catholic, the school continues to deny any failings or responsibility for allowing abuse to occur and for continuing to put students at risk by providing a safe haven for known abusers.

Charles McCormick – Bergen Catholic, Class of 1982

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July 19, 2012 – Victims group: Ex-Iona chief Brother James Liguori accused of child sex abuse in Christian Brothers case

Brother James Liguori

Brother James Liguori, the former president of Iona College in New Rochelle and a current top administrator at Fordham’s Westchester County campus, has been accused of child sex abuse in a court filing, a network of abuse victims announced Thursday.

An Orange County, Calif., man accuses Liguori of abusing him in 1969 at the Cardinal Farley Military Academy in Rhinebeck, N.Y., according to a release from the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.

Click here for the story:

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Received August 10, 2012:

Click here for full size pdf.

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CBC Canada - August 23, 2012:

Click here for full size pdf.

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"theloop" - October 14, 2012:

In the wake of bankruptcy proceedings that followed sexual abuse allegations, the Congregation of Christian Brothers, based in New Rochelle, and who founded New Rochelle's Iona College in 1940, appears to be quietly selling off some of its beautiful and historic Beechmont area houses near the Iona campus.

Click here for the pdf.

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NOTICE OF AUCTION OF VARIOUS HOUSES AND SALE HEARING:

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to the Debtor's Motion For Orders Pursuant to Sections 105(a) and 363 of The Bankruptcy Code and Bankruptcy Rule 6004 Approving (I) Sale Procedures and Notice of the Auction Relating Thereto, (II) Sale of Real Estate to Iona College or a Party Making a Higher and Better Offer Free and Clear of Liens, Claims, Interests and Encumbrances, (Ill) Approving The Stalking Horse Purchase Agreement, and (IV) Granting Related Relief, filed with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (the "Bankruptcy Court") on August 23, 2012, the Debtor is selling the houses (the "Houses") known as:

Click here for the pdf.

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On November 18, 2012, Ted '65 writes:

 From: tedbach
To: [email protected]
Subject: BC Alum 62/65Date: Sun, 18 Nov 2012 17:09:37 +0000
Rev. Kobutsu Malone
cc: Brother Brian Walsh  (via J. L. Branciforte)

     When I received Bro Walsh's letter back in February, re the bankruptcy proceeding, I was struck by the sentence that no claims existed regarding any abuse involving Bergen Catholic. The memory fades a bit after almost 50 years but not of Bro Irwin and his infamous "stingers". I mentioned to my wife that somebody had to have come forward about this guy. A few days later I received the formal bankruptcy notice and filing deadline letter from the attorneys for the victims, and a quick look at their website revealed the infamous Bro. Charles 'The Chest' Irwin. I didn't stumble across your bergencatholicabuse.com website until a few days ago. 

   First of all it is utterly laughable that Bro. Brian Walsh can assert that no credible claims exist. Irwin was an abusive pig who preyed on weak kids. The letters written by others detailing abuse (I'm pretty sure one was a fellow classmate), probably only scratch the surface. I was pretty good in math so he left me alone but I remember several of his stingers being administered at the back of the class to some poor chap. The '62 incident of the confrontation between Irwin, Keane and the young man’s father looking to pay back the belt whipping his son had to endure also opened the memory bank. Everyone knew something big had gone down in the Principals office but details never got out. One can only imagine the subsequent discussion Bro's Irwin and Keane must have had; probably classic abuser/enabler. 

   As you point out there is a correct way to deal with this problem and some in the Catholic community have chosen that path. Good for them. Unfortunately in this case Bergen Catholic has chosen to stonewall the past and all the pronouncements of future good intentions mean little to you and all the other victims. So to Bro. Walsh, shame on you for not “fessing” up to the obvious. You only add another chapter to the continuing saga of the decline and fall of the Catholic Church and the Christian Brothers bankruptcy is well earned. 

 Kobutsu, I hope you and all the victims get that long overdue apology you rightly deserve.

Wishing you all the best,

Theodore F. (Ted) Bach, Class of 1965    

  

 PS: Bro Walsh, until you have the courage to do the right thing, kindly remove my name from your mailing list and I would encourage all BC Alums who believe in fairness to do the same.       

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Obituary of Thomas W. Irwin,
Brother of Charles B. Irwin
Also a Teacher at Bergen Catholic,
December 2012.

Click here for the pdf.

(It is interesting to note how they left out any reference to Thomas being the biological brother of Br. Charles B. Irwin.....)

Kobutsu

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February 3, 2013 

From: Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx <[email protected]>

To: Kobutsu Malone <[email protected]>

Bergen Catholic                                                                              

Hi Kobutsu,

I just came across your website regarding abuse at Bergen Catholic. If you still need corroboration regarding (Brother) Irwin, I can at least attest that he was still going strong with his sexual abuse in Algebra class in 1968 when I was a freshman at Bergen Catholic. Your descriptions of his conduct and demeanor are quite vivid and accurate. In addition to pulling out a victim’s shirt tail and putting his hand down the back of his pants to caress his bare buttocks, he also would approach a student sitting at his desk, methodically unbutton the victim's dress shirt and reach in and fondle his bare pectoral muscles. I witnessed both acts so frequently it seemed like routine. I also remember that Irwin organized a retreat at a camp in the Catskill Mountains in the summer following freshman year. He convinced enough of us to go to fill an entire bus. He saw to it that there was only one shower facility. At the end of the day, he just stood inside the doorway as people filed past, going inside to watch them shower;  he was in his glory.

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A charter bus being loaded in the Bergen Catholic H.S. parking lot to take students to the
Quo Vadis?  ["Where are you going?"] Retreat

“An excellent opportunity to find out just ‘where’ they were going was given to the 74 students who went on the closed retreat this year. Under the guidance of Bro. Irwin and Bro. Gilchrist, the boys spent three days at Gonzaga Retreat House in Monroe, New York. Secluded from the hectic world of daily life and strengthened by daily Mass and Communion, the retreatants were able to deepen their spiritual life as never before. The boys, sixty-eight senior and six juniors, quickly adapted themselves to the regimen of monastic life. The rule of absolute silence (except during the two hour recreation period in the afternoon) was surprisingly well kept. The daily spiritual exercises (morning and night prayers, meditation periods, outdoor Stations of the Cross) were diligently performed by all. The retreat was, in fact, run by the boys themselves, for wherever possible the exercises were conducted by the retreatants. ” Bergen Catholic Yearbook 1965

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I see a letter of denial by Brother B. M. Walsh in his letter dated 2/14/12. I find it patently unbelievable that he did not know what was transpiring. He was the biology teacher at the time. I also was aware that another teacher at the school, one  Brother [Timothy Joseph] O'Sullivan, asked a friend of mine at the time for oral sex. Additionally, I had another friend on the basketball team who had Mr. Chris Donfield jump on him in a car.

Bergen Catholic was a place full of pedophiles and others who metered out physical abuse.

 

Sincerely,

Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx (Class of 1972)

	Br. Timothy Joseph O’Sullivan		Mr. Christopher J. Donfield

"In addition to pulling out a victim’s shirt tail and putting his hand down the back of his pants to caress his bare buttocks, he also would approach a student sitting at his desk, methodically unbutton the victim's dress shirt and reach in and fondle his bare pectoral muscles. I witnessed both acts so frequently it seemed like routine."

"I also remember that Irwin organized a retreat at a camp in the Catskill Mountains in the summer following freshman year. He convinced enough of us to go to fill an entire bus. He saw to it that there was only one shower facility. At the end of the day, he just stood inside the doorway as people filed past, going inside to watch them shower;  he was in his glory."

"I also was aware that another teacher at the school, one  Brother [Timothy Joseph] O'Sullivan, asked a friend of mine at the time for oral sex."

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Click Here for Full Press Release in PDF Format:

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April 26, 2013 Complaint (Including Brother Charles B. Irwin) at Leo High School in Chicago, filed in The Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois.

Click Here for Full Complaint in PDF Format:

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS

COUNTY DEPARTMENT, LAW DIVISION

COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES

“NOW COMES the Plaintiffs, JOHN DOE 1, JOHN DOE 2, JOHN DOE 3, JOHN DOE 4, JOHN DOE 5, JOHN DOE 6, JOHN DOE 7, JOHN DOE 8, JOHN DOE 9, JOHN DOE 10, JOHN DOE 11, JOHN DOE 12, JOHN DOE 13, JOHN DOE 14, and JOHN DOE 15 (collectively referred to hereinafter as "JOHN DOE #1-15"), by and through their attorneys in this regard, HURLEY McKENNA & MERTZ, and in their Complaint against defendants, CONGREGATION OF CHRISTIAN BROTHERS; and, CONGREGATION OF CHRISTIAN BROTHERS-NORTH AMERICAN PROVINCE a/k/a WESTERN PROVINCE a/k/a EASTERN PROVINCE a/k/a AMERICAN PROVINCE...”

“3.1. Plaintiff JOHN DOE 1, who currently lives in Cook County, Illinois, was sexually abused by Christian Brother C.B. Irwin while JOHN DOE 1 in approximately 1959 to 1960 while he was a student at Leo High School. Christian Brother Irwin was a teacher and/or employee at Leo High School at the time he abused JOHN DOE 1. The abuse occurred at the Christian Brothers' residence at Leo High School. In the interests of privacy, this complaint identifies plaintiff JOHN DOE 1 only by pseudonym.”

“5.36. Plaintiff JOHN DOE 1 was sexually abused by Christian Brother C.B. Irwin while JOHN DOE 1 was a student at Leo High School. Brother Irwin was a teacher and/or employee at Leo High School at the time he abused JOHN DOE 1. The abuse occurred at the Christian Brothers' residence at Leo High School.”

“6.18 That the Christian Brothers defendants breached the duty of care owed to Plaintiffs, minor children, and their parents or guardians, and were guilty of one or more of the following wrongful acts and/or omissions:

(a) Improperly deprived Plaintiffs of the normal protection of their parents and directed minor Plaintiffs to be alone with Christian Brothers that they knew or should have known had a prior history of sexually abusing minor children;

(b) Failed to take affirmative acts of protection or vigilance to protect minor Plaintiffs from physical harm while they were in the Christian Brothers defendants' sole and exclusive custody, when they knew or reasonably should have known that predatory and pedophile Christian Brothers were in active service of the Christian Brothers defendants;

(c) Improperly exposing the minor Plaintiffs to unsupervised contact with Christian Brother C.B. Irwin, an unidentified Christian Brother who was a summer school teacher working at Leo in approximately 1974, and Christian Brother Dennis Bonebreak, wherein they were able to sexually abuse Plaintiffs when they knew or should have known Christian Brother C.B. Irwin, an unidentified Christian Brother who was a summer school teacher working at Leo in approximately 1974, and Christian Brother Dennis Bonebreak had histories of sexually abusing minor children;

(d) Were otherwise guilty of careless and/or negligent conduct to the detriment of the Plaintiffs.”

---

An excerpt of the official alphabetical roster of all Christian Brothers reveals only two entries for Brothers with the last name “Irwin”.

The entire Christian Brothers roster listing may be viewed HERE:

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According to his obituary, Charles Borromeo Irwin taught at the following institutions:

1. St. Joseph's Juniorate, West Park, NY
2. Santa Maria Novitiate-Novice, West Park, NY
3. St. Gabriel's Scholasticate-Student, West Park, NY
4. Sacred Heart Community and Grammar School, New York, NY
5. Cardinal Hayes-Holy Family Community, Bronx, NY
6. Cardinal Hayes-St. Helena's Annex, Bronx, NY
7. Cardinal Hayes Community and High School, Bronx, NY
8. Power Memorial Community and Academy, New York, NY
9. Leo Community and High School, Chicago, IL
10. Bergen Catholic Community and High School, Oradell, NJ
11. St. Patrick's Provincialate Community, New Rochelle, NY
12. Iona Prep, New Rochelle, NY 1979 - 1991 [Retired]

Died: October 9, 1997 - New Rochelle, NY

---

Here is "Christian Brother C. B. Irwin" identified

Leo HS Chicago 1959 Year Book Br. C. B. Irwin

Bergen Catholic HS 1965 Year Book Br. Charles Borromeo Irwin

Iona Prep 1989 Year Book Br. Charles Irwin

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April 30, 2013

Click Here for Full Article in PDF Format:

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May 23, 2013

ABUSE VICTIMS COMMITTEE SETTLES WITH CATHOLIC RELIGIOUS ORDER THAT OPERATES SCHOOLS




CASES AGAINST CHRISTIAN BROTHERS OF IRELAND COME FROM 17 STATES & CANADA

Los Angeles, CA – May 23, 2013 – The Committee representing some 400 men and women who say they were molested as children by Christian Brothers of Ireland has reached a settlement with the Catholic religious order. The Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors for The Christian Brothers Institute and The Christian Brothers of Ireland, Inc. has approved the terms and conditions of a consensual reorganization plan in the Chapter 11 cases of The Christian Brothers Institute and The Christian Brothers of Ireland, Inc. (In the United States, the Christian Brothers are the civil arms of the North American Province of the Congregation of Christian Brothers of Ireland.)

Click Here for Full Article in PDF Format:

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August 15, 2013

UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK

------------------------------------------------------------------- X

ln re: Chapter 11

THE CHRISTIAN BROTHERS' INSTITUTE, et al.               Case No.: 11-22820 (RDD)

Debtors. (Jointly Administered)

------------------------------------------------------------------- X

Click Here for Full Notice Motion in PDF Format:

NOTICE OF HEARING TO APPROVE INSURANCE

BUYBACK AGREEMENT BETWEEN CHRISTIAN BROTHERS'

INSTITUTE AND PROVIDENCE WASHINGTON INSURANCE COMPANY

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE, that upon the motion, dated August 15, 2013 (the "Motion")

of The Cluistian Brothers' Institute ("CBI") and the Christian Brothers of Ireland, Inc. ("CBOI"and together with CBI, the "Debtors") as debtors and debtors-in-possession, by and through their counsel, Tarter Krinsky & Drogin LLP, the Debtors shall move before the Honorable Robert D. Drain, United States Bankruptcy Judge, at the United States Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York, 300 Quarropas Street, White Plains, New York, courtroom 118, on October 8, 2013 at 10:00 a.m., or as soon thereafter as counsel may be heard, for entry of an order authorizing the Debtors to enter into a Settlement Agreement, Release and Policy Buyback (the Insurance Buyback Agreement") in the form annexed to the Motion as Exhibit "B," between CBI, Other Releasing Parties and Providence Washington Insurance Company ("PW") which provides for the sale of all interests under certain commercial general liability policies and commercial umbrella policies (the "Insurance Policies") to PW for a purchase price of $3.2 million which will be contributed to a trust established under the Debtors' plan of reorganization to pay certain sexual abuse claims.

---

http://www.hawaiireporter.com/consensual-reorganizational-bankruptcy-plan-in-irish-christian-brothers-sexual-abuse-case-filed-hawaii-impacted/123

---

August 15, 2013

August 26, 2013

I wonder why they never told me this in 2002?

I didn't even receive an "acknowledgement of receipt" letter, postcard or note back then. It felt like my letter fell on deaf ears; it appears that eleven years, the threat of a looming lawsuit and attendant publicity changed things.

It is noteworthy how the Archdiocese tries to distance itself from Bergen Catholic by saying that the school is "private" and not "administered by the Archdiocese". What they fail to mention is that the Archdiocese originally invited the Irish Christian Brothers into their Archdiocese with their ecclesiastical blessing to build Bergen Catholic High School and even supplied the land on which the school was built!

The prominence of the photographs of the Archbishop in our Yearbooks where he is listed as "the Spiritual Advisor" for the school belies their attempts to "distance" themselves from Bergen Catholic now that the school and the Irish Christian Brothers are under heavy fire.

Kobutsu

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Diocesan Profiles

NEWARK, New Jersey

The Archdiocese of Newark September 2009

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE STATUS OF CLERGY ABUSE

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From Page Seven of the 1965 Bergen Catholic "Crusader" Yearbook:

April 9, 1957



Bergen Catholic High School Corner Stone
Laid by Archbishop of Newark Thomas A. Boland
Background: Br. Eugene McKenna, BC. - Foreground: Msgr. John McHenry, OLV.

[Source: History of Bergen Catholic.pdf ]

---

October 6, 2013

From: <[email protected]>

Subject: Bergen Catholic Class of 1965

Date: October 6, 2013 1:11:10 AM EDT

To: [email protected]

I don't know how we found each other, but here we are.  Tonight, some forty years after I left Bergen Catholic as a freshman, I did a Google search of  "Bergen Catholic sex abuse" and your website came up.  Why would I do that?  I was not sexually abused.

I am a retired Army officer, a retired Registered Nurse, and currently serve as a Justice on the Ohio Supreme Court.  In short, my life came out just fine.  But I am certain that is because I got out of Bergen Catholic at the end of my freshman year by telling my parents "I am not going back"

And yet I felt compelled this year, forty years later, to tell my Bergen Catholic story to two 16 year-old twins I am sheltering because, quite frankly, I felt safe telling a story to teenagers.  I did not want to be judged but I did want to be heard.  I am financing their catholic education.  Go figure.

I am quite certain I was not sexually abused, but am equally certain that as a small kid I was a target of physical abuse and humiliation.  One incident stands out so vividly in my memory, I recently told it to two 16 year old twins I am sheltering who attend a Catholic high school here.  It was therapeutic to tell somebody, and I figured teenagers would understand.

I remember the whispering in 1961 that someone, a coach or a brother, had been dismissed because he had "helped some kid jerk off"...which was a truly mysterious story since in those days I seriously doubt any teenager knew even what that meant!  Nobody really paid any attention to the details, but on reflection, I would estimate there never was a day in the gym locker room without one brother or another walking through ostensibly to move people along from class to class...but on reflection I place a far more sinister light on their attention.

My memorable incident of humiliation and abuse came during a math test. There was no cheating, but I am certain a friend of mine and I whispered something or other during the test and we were overheard.   We were summarily physically dragged out of the class into the hallway and turned over to a very short but stout older Christian brother and labelled "cheaters".  We were then physically dragged, bumping into lockers, desks and tables into an ongoing class of upper classmen (probably seniors) and made to stand before the class with the blackboard at our backs.  The Brother then began erasing the board and hitting us in the face with the eraser with each swipe hard enough to hit our heads on the board.  Within minutes we were covered with chalk dust and shame.  The humiliation of being abused in front of those "older boys" remains today and I can only remember being a hardheaded Irish kid who would not cry.  My classmate told me at the end of the incident that my hands were shaking uncontrollably...but I did not remember.  I was simply terrified.

There was something terribly wrong with that school in 1961. At any rate, I lived in fear for a year and refused to go back.  I went to Cresskill and then when my dad was transferred I graduated from Cleveland Heights High School...which was 90% Jewish and a truly world class school.

Anyhow, good luck with what you are doing.  I am fine, and feel vindicated reading your website.  Keeps me from thinking I am crazy!

Justice William O'Neill

Ohio Supreme Court

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October 8, 2013

A letter from James I. Stang, Esq. of Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones:
To Abuse Survivors.

Click Here for Full Letter in PDF Format:

NOTE:

According to Christian Brother’s attorney Tony Dougherty, anyone who attends any of these meetings will be prohibited from making any audio or video record of the meetings.  I do not intend to attend due to the expense of traveling close to one thousand miles and the expense of food and overnight accommodations.  I do intend to send them a letter that I will be able to publish here. (A part of me feels that they should be coming to our doorsteps on their knees rather that forcing us to pay for the privilege of meeting with men who weren’t even involved with the abuse we endured.)

Kobutsu Malone

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October 17, 2013

An open letter from: Rev. Kobutsu Malone
To: Christian Brothers North American Region
Province Leadership Team Members

Click Here for Full Letter in PDF Format:

NOTE:

The above letter was sent from Sedgwick, Maine to the "Christian" Brothers on October 17, 2013 via registered US Mail.

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Click Here for Full Article in PDF Format:

A federal judge has approved a $16 million settlement brokered between sex-abuse victims and the New Rochelle-based Christian Brothers Institute.

The settlement was first agreed to in May. Judge Robert Drain’s order on Monday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in White Plains means the settlement is now binding on all parties, including the Christian Brothers’ debtors, the group said in a statement.

Abuse victims voted in recent weeks to unanimously approve the settlement, which was developed jointly by lawyers for the more than 400 victims, the Christian Brothers and the group’s debtors.

“We apologize for the difficulties that abuse survivors and their families have endured,” Brothers Hugh O’Neill and Kevin Griffith, the leaders of the group’s North American and Latin American region, said in a statement. “We have reached out and met with a number of survivors of abuse to apologize and express our sorrow in person.”

---

On Jan 21, 2014

*Tony* wrote:

Kobutsu,

Great site, http://www.bergencatholicabuse.com/  I was surprised it took so long for someone to post it on the web.  

I was surprised no mention of Brother Chaney in any of your letters who I guess was more discrete.  During class in the late 1970’s he would squeeze the fists of students till they were in pain.  If you went for extra help after school in Spanish he would call you to his desk and put one hand on your ass and the other on your penis and squeeze it and say, “Now give me the answer!”   

One session of after school extra help was enough!

*Tony*

"If you went for extra help after school in Spanish he would call you to his desk and put one hand on your ass and the other on your penis and squeeze it and say, 'Now give me the answer!' "   

---

Brother John B. Chaney
Bergen Catholic - circa 1964

Listed on 6/11/14 by the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers as accused by at least two persons in claims settled in bankruptcy proceedings. The Christian Brothers state that the merits of most of the claims settled in the bankruptcy were not tested. Chaney was added to a list of accused on the website of Boston attorney Mitchell Garabedian on 10/31/14 after a settlement had been reached in the year previous. Assignments included Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell, NJ, where the abuse alleged in the Garabedian case is said to have been committed. The 2014 Official Catholic Directory shows Chaney living at a Christian Brothers residence in West Park, in the New York archdiocese. Convicted abuser Bro Ronald Justin Lasik CFC and accused Bro John Laurence Heathwood CFC are also listed as residing there.

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Posted May 30, 2014

In order to further promote healing and reconciliation, and in accordance with our Court required Settlement Agreement, The Edmund Rice Christian Brothers North America Province has listed below the names of current, former and deceased brothers who were identified in at least two (2) sexual abuse claims filed as proofs of claim in the bankruptcy matter In re: The Christian Brothers’ Institute, et al. It is important to note that the merits of most of the claims were not tested.

Bergen Catholic Faculty - Highlighted

1.	Angel, Larry K. (Deceased)	2.	Barry, Gerald K. (Former)
3.	Beckstorm, Robert E. (Former)	4.	Brouillette, Robert (Former)
5.	Burton, David B. (Brother)	6.	Carr, Michael T. (Deceased)
7.	Carroll, Francis (Deceased)	8.	Casale, Albert (Former)
9.	Chaney, John (Brother)	10.	Cobb, Alan S. (Former)
11.	Collins, Donald Cecil (Deceased)	12.	Condon, Eugene (Former)
13.	Courtney, Edward (Former)	14.	Delamere, Frank P. (Former)
15.	Duffin, Thomas (Deceased)	16.	Dunn, James Claver (Deceased)
17.	Ferro, Salvatore (Brother)	18.	Ford, Thomas C. (Deceased)
19.	French, Edward George (Brother)	20.	Gardner, Stephen Justin (Former)
21.	Hanney, James (Former)	22.	Heathwood, John (Brother)
23.	Heustis, Jerome (Deceased)	24.	Hewitt, Andrew Thomas (Deceased)
25.	Houlihan, James Alvarez (Deceased)	26.	Irwin, Charles (Deceased)
27.	Kealey, John (Deceased)	28.	Kernan, Joseph (Deceased)
29.	Lasik, Ronald (Brother)	30.	Lawlor, John (Former)
31.	Medvit, Paul (Deceased)	32.	Murphy, Clement Adan (Deceased)
33.	Murphy, John E. (Former)	34.	Murphy, Thomas Ignatius (Deceased)
35.	Nash, Dermod (Deceased)	36.	Neary, Walter D. (Deceased)
37.	O'Connor, John J. (Former)	38.	Padilla, Ruben Mark (Former)
39.	Post, Robert (Former)	40.	Ralph, Alan Gerard (Brother)
41.	Reycraft, Paul S. (Former)	42.	Ryan, Daniel Peter (Deceased)
43.	Satterthwaite, Robert (Deceased)	44.	Stoyles, Michael E. (Deceased)
45.	Thompson, James (Former)	46.	Thorne, Harold (Brother)
47.	Walderman, J. Matthew (Brother)	48.	Walsh, Michael (Deceased)
49.	Warren, James V. (Deceased)

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~ The Bergen Catholic Unholy Five ~

Chaney, Ferro, Ford, Irwin & O'Connor.

---

From: Don Griffin   <[email protected]>

Subject: Re: feedback

Date: January 22, 2014 at 8:38:52 PM EST

To: [email protected]

My contribution to this website is prompted by another manifestation of betrayal, apart from the sexual abuse perpetrated on students entrusted to the care of the Irish Christian Bros.. I became aware of this website accidentally as a result of a casual conversation with a person at the fitness center in Ormond Beach Fl., where my wife and I spend 4 mos. in the winter. When he told me he was from Bergen County, I asked if he knew about Bergen Catholic. I was thunderstruck told me he was sexually abused there as a freshman and is one of the litigants against the order. That conversation opened the floodgates of my memories, experiences with the ICB's.

I was riveted to the section relating to Br. Brian Walsh. The brothers owned and staffed Bishop Kearney H.S. in Rochester N.Y. I started teaching there in 1964 as a lay teacher, after leaving the seminary. I devoted 33 yrs. to BK as teacher and department head. My wife and I contributed time and treasure to the school over the years.. The school opened 1962.... in the early years with nearly 2,000 co-ed students. The school thrived. When the 80's arrived and Br. Walsh was principal..... yes THE current principal at Bergen....... enrollment dropped..... spirit dropped..... a garrison mentality set in. Yet, over all the years my perception was that BK was a "clean" school.... an occasional hint.... nothing serious. Yes, Brian Walsh was a colleague, then my Principal. Then he moved on.

In 1991 Br. Ray Vercruysee (a BK graduate whom I had in class) became Principal, then President. The decline continued. I was growing weary of all the negativity. At one point the faculty voted no confidence in his leadership. Yet, he was kept on. He convinced me to go part time in 1993. I stayed active with fund-raisers, etc. Then in 1997 he eliminated my position. 

I called Brian Walsh, who was then second in command of the province. He assured me I was wronged and would deal with the matter. He knew how distraught I was. Yet, he came to Rochester and never once contacted me. I was left to hang.

I went to work for BOCES as a tutor..... rediscovering decency and humanity, woefully lacking at BK. So, here we have the same Brian Walsh. He cannot be trusted to do the right thing. Then there's Vercruysee..... presiding over BK's decline.....serving as Provincial in 2011 when the order filed for bankruptcy. He too cannot be trusted, one of the most duplicitous persons to ever grace the planet.

These two are deserving of the turmoil in their midst. That Walsh has not been forthright at BC is no surprise. His flair for words and mastery of the language hide the deceit and duplicity that defines him. Would he ever apologize for the hurt and loss of trust. Doubtful. So, we are all victims in our own way, victims of misguided stewardship and leadership. I still have faith..... but barely.... a nominal Catholic. When all is done we shall be called to accountability.   Amen    

Donald R. Griffin

An update on my earlier comments regarding my experiences with the ICB's. 17 years ago when I was left to hang...by Brian Walsh, I was in a state of despair and I was not sure of what would happen to BK.. During exam week 2 seniors who were in my Economics class...not always cooperative, came to a room where I was proctoring, having heard what was happening, asked what they could do to help me. All I said was pray for the school. Some that year feared its closing. Isn't it strange that 2 troublesome students reached out to help me....that has sustained me for 17 years as opposed to the betrayal by Brian Walsh and the ICB's. Now I hear that a wealthy Rochester businessman is buying the school and now the complete severance of BK ties to the ICB's will become a reality. What a feeling of liberation and the lifting of a dark cloud. If only other schools could be rid of those demons.. God be praised.

Don Griffin

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February 14, 2014

Click Here for Letter in PDF Format:

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February 20, 2014

Christian Brothers abuse bankruptcy Daily update February 20, 2014 13WHA M-TV

"Golisano offers $3.4M to buy Kearney property Rochester Democrat and Chronicle The only lawsuit here involving the Christian Brothers Institute arose in 1993, ... attended Bishop Kearney claimed a member of the order had abused her. ... Institute to file for protection from creditors in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in 2011."

Click Here for Full Article in PDF Format:

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Received February 28, 2014

UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK

NOTICE OF HEARING TO CONSIDER APPLICATIONS

FOR FINAL AWARD OF FEES AND REIMBURSEMENT

OF EXPENSES PURSUANT TO 11 U.S.C. § 330

HEARING DATE: March 19, 2014

HEARING TIME: 10:00 A.M.

Applicant	Fees Requested	Expenses Requested
Tarter Krinsky & Drogin LLP Attorneys for The Christian Brothers' Institute and The Christian Brothers of Ireland, Inc. Debtors and Debtors-in-Possession	$3,945,049.30 (less payments received on account)	$110,563.20 (less payments received on account)
This is outrageous that the lawyers representing the ICBs are requesting 4million dollars out of the $14 million pie (very close to 1/3rd!) This is an insult to all the victims.

Br. Philip Pinto

Brother Philip Pinto, the head of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers, said that the order's decision to seek bankruptcy protection in New York was aimed at "trying to ensure that people who have been abused are the ones who get the money, not the lawyers”, he said during a break in a conference on religious life sponsored by the Conference of Religious of Ireland. [At the conference he gave an address entitled “Out of Darkness Colour Breaks” which can be read here.]

Click Here for Document in PDF Format:

When law can do no right,
Let it be lawful that law bar no wrong:
Law cannot give my child his kingdom here,
For he that holds his kingdom holds the law.

- William Shakespeare,
        The Life and Death of King John

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May 29th, 2014

Ex-Bergen Catholic High School wrestling star Lukas Iorio accused of wild rampage on Jersey Shore

May 28, 2014, 8:58 PM    Last updated: Monday, June 2, 2014, 6:07 PM

By JIM NORMAN

MANASQUAN – A former Bergen Catholic High School wrestling star was arrested and charged with going on a violent rampage in a hijacked beach patrol buggy, authorities said Wednesday.

Lukas D. Iorio, 20, of Ridgefield Park, jumped feet-first into the plastic windshield of the golf cart type buggy operated by two members of the shore community’s beach patrol on Sunday night, Police Chief Elliott A. Correia said.

Article - click here:

http://www.northjersey.com/news/ex-bergen-catholic-high-school-wrestling-star-lukas-iorio-accused-of-wild-rampage-on-jersey-shore-1.1024935

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Received October 9, 2014

An account from a survivor of
a Christian Brother's abuse
at Essex Catholic High School,
Newark, New Jersey.

Essex Catholic High School, Newark, New Jersey

SHATTERED DREAMS

During the late 70’s when I attended Essex Catholic High School the real bullying hadn’t occurred among us students, rather a teaching staff of Irish Christian Brothers who gave bullying a whole new meaning, as in off the charts corporal punishment… crimes against humanity.

 As the end of my sophomore year drew to a close, I was on pace to receive a full ride scholarship in either sport basketball, or as a javelin thrower. Yet, the game of basketball filled my life with so much joy. However, my field coach helped me to realize I was a natural talent for the javelin throw. Freshman year, I was the number one javelin thrower at our school, as I was chosen to represent Essex Catholic at every varsity meet. However, it was only after I received a silver medal with a throw of 169’ feet at the sophomore state meet of champions that I truly realized I had a special gift. Immediately following that meet the varsity coach had stated: “You’re on track to throw 200’ plus feet by your junior year, which will surely earn you an early athletic scholarship”. 

At the start of my junior year, I was considered by coaching staff to be a double threat in two sports. All that hard work and endless summers I spent practicing basketball from sun up, until sun down was about to pay off. So I thought.   

My days of happy go lucky, gifted athlete, dreams for a promising education were all cut short that first quarter of my junior year. The incident had occurred during English period after I passed one of my trade mark jokes that left the entire class laughing, all with the exception of my teacher Brother Xxxxxxx. I was asked to leave the class with Xxxxxxx following in hot pursuit. I was led away toward a dark isolated hallway when Xxxxxxx unleashed a sucker punch that found the back of my skull. As I went down, I hit the floor face first. Semiconscious, He then proceeded to savagely beat me into submission, which lasted for minutes, feeling more like hours. After I shuffled to my feet grimacing with pain, I hobbled out of the school and never returned.

Brother Xxxxxxx had been in his late twenties and stood approximately 6 feet tall, 200 plus lbs of solid stature, as for myself 5’11” about 140 lbs pencil thin. At the time of the incident, I was only fifteen years old.

Immediately following the attack, I headed straight home, which was only a block from school. In the aftermath, I never left my house, holed up in my room for just over a month. I refused to discuss the matter with anyone, including my father, who raised me. As a young naïve teenager, I suppressed the traumatic event, as that was my way of diverting the emotional pain. I remained silent never telling a soul for almost a decade.

A month after the attack, I was contacted by a relative and convinced to switch high schools to at least earn my diploma. So it was done, I switched schools mid-year. However, I was in need of a serious intervention that never arrivedcame. I was alive in the physical sense,sense; yet, my zest for life was gone. That one time desire and relentless determination to persevere at school, and sports, was no longer present.  I became helpless against that evil monster referred to as depression. Unfortunately, I self destructed and certainly not by choice.. Unconsciously, I had been angry for having my life placed on hold.   

The fall out, I barely managed to graduate. During my junior and senior years at my new high school, I missed more than 100 days of school. Unfortunately, I no longer had the desire to participate in competitive sports, much less concentrate on my studies. At my new school the coaches had heard about my athletic accomplishments, as they tried unsuccessfully to recruit me.

Following High School graduation my life continued to spiral out of control for years. I found myself bouncing from one dead end job to the next. I started out digging ditches for a construction company, working the grave yard shift packing out shelves in a super market, to multiple security guard positions, asbestos removal worker, night club bouncer. I was basically unemployable. I became a desperate teenager just trying to survive. In reality the problem wasn’t my job skills, but an explosive anger I was unable to reign in.

I went from happy go lucky to a lost soul with a bad attitude of I don’t care anymore. I went on a pity party of self destruction. I was angry at family members, but mostly at my new school staff. I felt the professionals should have realized (by my actions of misbehavior) just how deeply troubled I had been. Today psychologist would have referred to my behavior as a having a serious conduct disorder.

I went from penny thievery to shop lifting sprees. From speeding tickets to literally thousands of dollars in traffic fines, to losing my license for six months,  as my wake-up call was about to sound a rude awakening.

In all, ten years had passed before the abuse I suffered as a High School student resurfaced. I had suffered a nervous breakdown from what I thought was due to a broken relationship. However, the relationship split was the underlying trigger that awakened (so to speak) long ago suppressed memories of the abuse I endured as a teenager. Suicidal, I had no other recourse but to seek professional counseling. Psychotherapy had helped me to understand that my emotional scars were indeed sabotaging my life in so many ways. I can honestly say the years spent in therapy had literally saved my life. As for Br. Xxxxxxx, one day he’ll have to face the wrath of God.

Frank Spicer   

"I was asked to leave the class with Xxxxxxx following in hot pursuit. I was led away toward a dark isolated hallway when Xxxxxxx unleashed a sucker punch that found the back of my skull. As I went down, I hit the floor face first. Semiconscious, He then proceeded to savagely beat me into submission, which lasted for minutes, feeling more like hours. After I shuffled to my feet grimacing with pain, I hobbled out of the school and never returned."

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January 9, 2015

Former Bergen Catholic Basketball star Sean Banks arrested

ENGLEWOOD- Sean Banks, the troubled former Bergen Catholic High School basketball star who has spent the past decade in and out of jail, was arrested Wednesday night on a domestic violence charge, police said.

Englewood police were dispatched to a home on St. Nicholas Avenue around 10:30 p.m. on a report of a disturbance involving Banks. As they approached the home, they came upon the 29-year-old who was held for questioning. Meanwhile, Officer Anthony Jones interviewed the residents of the house, who said Banks had tried to break down the front door and demanded to see a woman with whom he has children, Capt. Timothy Torell said.

Click here for a PDF of the complete article.

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NEW JERSEY
Road to Recovery

MEDIA RELEASE

APRIL 10, 2015

Bergen Catholic Graduate Hall of Fame 1994 Inductee Rev. Michael Hansen Class of 1959 – the “first graduate of the school to become a priest.”

West Orange, New Jersey priest, Rev. Michael H. Hansen, from the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey, gave alcohol to innocent children and sexually abused them

Rev. Michael H. Hansen took innocent children to the “Jersey shore” where he gave them alcohol and sexually abused them 

Rev. Michael H. Hansen, deceased, was a volunteer firefighter in Glen Ridge, New Jersey and chaplain of the New Jersey State Firemen’s Association where he had access to many minor children

Rev. Michael Hansen

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http://www.northjersey.com/obituaries/the-rev-michael-h-hansen-1.537206

The Rev. Michael H. Hansen

August 23, 2012

The Rev. Michael H. Hansen, 71, of Allendale, passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2012.

He was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and was a member of the first graduating class at Bergen Catholic High School in 1959. He was inducted into the Bergen Catholic Hall of Fame as the first Bergen Catholic graduate to enter the priesthood. The Rev. Hansen was ordained on May 27, 1967. He was parochial vicar at Sacred Heart Church in Bloomfield, Our Lady of Lourdes Church in West Orange and Church of the Assumption in Emerson where he retired in 2009. He was a former volunteer firefighter for the Glen Ridge Fire Department and fire chaplain for the New Jersey State Firemen’s Association.

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June 6th, 2015
Public Demonstration at Bergen Catholic.

Bob Hoatson and Fred Marigliano.  Photo by Kevin Waldrip.

"We are here today to demand that Bergen Catholic stop its foot-dragging and return to reasonable and fair negotiations.  The longer Bergen Catholic High School is unreasonable, the more the victims of Br. Charles Irwin and Br. John Chaney are re-victimized.  Victims of sexual abuse deserve better treatment.  Bergen Catholic High School must negotiate reasonably so the sexual abuse victims of Br. Charles Irwin and Br. John Chaney are not continually re-victimized."

"You might be at Bergen Catholic High School this evening to attend the graduation of Bergen Catholic High School, or you might be a neighbor of the school or just passing by.  Bergen Catholic High School officials do not practice what they preach.  They tell their students to act justly but do not demand that of themselves.  They are classic followers of the 'Do as I say, not as I do' adage which is hypocritical and unjust."

"We are sure graduates this evening will hear all kinds of pious platitudes from the administration, but if the Bergen Catholic High School administration continues to re-victimize sexual abuse victims of former Bergen Catholic High School teachers, their words will continue to ring hollow.  Bergen Catholic High School must act reasonably and fairly negotiate so victims can begin to heal."

Click here for a PDF of the complete announcement.

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June 30th, 2015

Wyckoff Man To Make Court Appearance On Rape Charges

Kevin Convery was charged in May after he allegedly raped a Manhattan College student in her dorm room.

By Daniel Hubbard (Patch Staff)

“A Wyckoff man will inform a Bronx judge next month whether or not he’ll testify before a grand jury on sexual assault and rape charges that were filed against him.”

“Kevin Convery was charged in May with rape, sexual abuse, and forcible touching after a Manhattan College student accused Convery of raping her in her dorm room.”

“Convery, who played soccer at Bergen Catholic High School, will appear in court Aug. 17 to inform a judge whether or not he’ll testify before the grand jury, said Terry Raskyn, director of public information for the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office. Manhattan College is located in the Bronx.”

“Convery allegedly met the victim at a concert in the Manhattan College gym and was invited back to her dorm room, authorities said.”

“The pair allegedly engaged in sexual activity, but when pressed by Convery to do more, the woman said, ‘I do not want to have sex,’ authorities said.”

“Convery then allegedly raped the woman, a criminal complaint states, who said to Convery, ‘I told you no.’ ”

Original Article Here.

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July 16th, 2015
Public Demonstration at Bergen Catholic.

Kevin Waldrip and Robert Hoatson, background, distributing leaflets
outside Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell on Thursday.

ORADELL – Men who say they were victims as children of clergy sexual abuse are protesting Bergen Catholic High School’s response to their claims against two Christian Brothers who they allege molested them in the 1960s and 1970s.

The men say the school has dragged its feet through settlement talks, now going on four months, and that officials never offered them an apology or counseling, a widely adopted practice in Catholic dioceses since the nationwide sexual abuse crisis exploded in 2002.

On Thursday, Road to Recovery, a victim’s advocacy group, raised those issues in a protest outside the high school, and one of the 19 claimants spoke publicly about how he felt newly victimized by school officials.

"I’ve been routinely brushed off by the powers that be at Bergen Catholic," said Kobutsu Malone, 65, who started a website called bergencatholicabuse.com. "I’ve been ridiculed, my claims have been declared not viable, and all together I think these people are trying to sweep something under the rug."

Malone said that when he attended the school at age 14, he was repeatedly molested by Brother Charles B. Irwin, who died in 1997. He and 18 men who say they were sexually abused as children by members of the Christian Brothers received part of a $16.5 million settlement against the religious order last year. Now they are pursuing legal remedies against the school. The claims concern Irwin and Brother John B. Chaney, who is living in the New York Archdiocese.

Mitchell Garabedian, a Boston lawyer representing Malone and four others, said the school offered an extremely low settlement and has ignored his clients’ requests.

"My clients are trying to move on with their lives, and Bergen Catholic is preventing that," he said.

Thomas Herten, a lawyer representing Bergen Catholic, said in a statement that the school has been involved in a "good faith mediation" of the claims and that by doing so admitted to no liability or wrongdoing. He declined to comment further about any aspect of the case, including the decision not to offer therapy, citing confidentiality rules of the settlement process.

Bergen Catholic and the Christian Brothers are not bound by the policies set by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in the wake of the clergy sexual abuse crisis. Under those policies, the Archdiocese of Newark offers counseling to anyone who files an abuse claim involving its clergy, even if the claim turns out to lack merit.

But Robert Hoatson, founder of Road to Recovery, said the school should set its own policies that mirror that same level of concern.

"The first thing they have to have is therapy," he said. "If these men preyed on young boys in this school for so many years, they have to do something to help these men recover. Their healing and recovery is crucial."

He also decried the school’s lengthy deliberation of the claims. Some cases are settled as quickly as one day, he said.

"They’re dragging it out for some reason. We don’t know why," Hoatson said.

Malone, who lives in Maine, said he was particularly concerned over the school’s defensive posture considering that 17 of the alleged victims have come forward with similar accounts of abuse by Irwin. He cited a February 2012 letter by the school’s president, Brother Brian M. Walsh, that said there were "no credible claims of sexual abuse."

But Malone said that by that time, he and several others had come forward.

"They need to really recognize the amount of pain and damage they have done," he said, "and they haven’t done that yet."

http://www.northjersey.com/news/education/protest-airs-sex-abuse-claims-1.1376077

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Received July 17th, 2015

[email protected]

July 17, 2015

My son transferred to Bergen Catholic in 2009.  He experienced 2 years of horror in the name of bigotry and anti-Semitism.  My son is a child of a mixed marriage and also carries a Jewish last name.

He routinely experienced swastikas drawn on his property and even on the blackboards.  The teachers did nothing.  The administrators did nothing.

He experienced students marching down the hallways marching the “Nazi “ way and saluting him as Nazi’s did while shouting out Heil Hitler.  

My son was a jock and a very good student. He played lacrosse and football. None of that would help him with his day-to-day troubles. The more he complained the more he would find himself in trouble for petty offenses that any other student would receive no punishments for.

He transferred out after Junior year after I tried to deal with the administration and was ignored.

I am sorry to hear of your troubles at the school, but certainly not surprised.

Xxx Xxxxx

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July 22^nd, 2015

Xxxxxxxxx [email protected]

To: Kobutsu Malone <[email protected]>

bergen catholic abuse

Dear Rev. Malone,

It was my pleasure to speak with you on Sunday regarding my experiences at Bergen Catholic High School. You are free to post this letter on your site, either in whole or part, but please do not share my personal information at this time. You may email back if you have any questions.

Last Friday July 17th I read an article in The Bergen Record that spoke of abuse you and many others encountered while attending Bergen Catholic High School. I am a graduate of Bergen Catholic myself and I am quite familiar with the abuse that was perpetrated there, but I had no idea there was a movement or a website finally trying to bring all of this to light. I went onto your website Friday afternoon and I was so deeply engrossed in it that I spent well over 3 hours that first day reading the cases of the many victims. The one thing that made my jaw drop was that one of my classmates actually spoke of a case of severe physical abuse that was inflicted on me. After seeing that and reading the many other cases I feel I should state for the record exactly what happened to me during my years at Bergen. I am one of those people that can recall every incident of my high school days like it was yesterday, therefore I will be very specific and include as many details as possible as hopefully other victims who read this may gain some clarity as to the events described. You are free and encouraged to post this letter on your website but please leave out my personal details at this time as the sexual incidents are very embarrassing as you will see. I realize that at some point I may have to come forward and press charges as many others have done and I encourage all victims to document their cases herein. In some cases I must refer to abuse received by fellow classmates in order to preserve continuity and in this cases I will refer to the victim only by the first letter of his first name.

In reading many of the cases outlined previously, it seems a good number of the cases were back in the 1960s. I am a kid of the 70s, and attended Bergen in the mid 1970s and let me tell you physical abuse was alive and thriving even then. I do not claim every brother was beating kids daily, certainly not. It was the same group, the chosen few who chose to inflict physical punishment at will, and even brag about it, with no fear of repercussions at all. Thankfully the sexual abuse in the 70s was no where near as prevalent as it seems to have been in the 1960s, however there was one brother who did not get the message. I will talk about him later in this letter but first I want to describe in detail what happened to me in my sophomore year when I received what was to be the worst beating of my life, even to this date.

It was the second week of September 1973, school had just started for the year, and I was in first period in sophomore room 11. Room 11 was also our homeroom so right after homeroom we would seguay right into first period, which was American history with Brother Barwin. It was a Thursday and on this day Brother Barwin was planning on showing a filmstrip however he was having trouble with the projector. I was sitting in the second row, the last seat and he had turned the lights off in order to show the film. I could see Brother Barwin was having some trouble with the projector but did not think much of it at the time. There was a student about 5 seats in front of me named J and he was talking when he should not have been and Brother Barwin went over to him and hit him in the head so hard his head hit his desk and bounced back up like a basketball. Brother Barwin continued back to the front of the room without breaking stride, like it was all in a days work and then showed the short film. After that the lights were turned on and Brother Barwin then wanted to review the last night's homework. As bad luck would have it I forgot all about the assignment and did not do it and I remember Brother Barwin's exact words: "Lets review last night's homework, the first question, uh, last man second row..." Now that was me, and I told the truth. I stated "Brother, I forgot to do the homework". Brother Barwin got this weird look on his face and he responded "What? you didn't do it'? and he came flying down the aisle to me. Back in the 70s I had longer hair, it was in style then. Brother Barwin grabbed me by my hair and mercilessly began to pound my head into the desk, full force, with all the power he had. I actually saw strands of hair flying out. After about 6 poundings into the desk he lifted my head up and punched me full force in my right eye. Then he punched my left eye and I am talking about full adult shots not kid shots. After that he busted me in the mouth, splitting my lip. The attack was so intense and so constant I thought I was going to loose consciousness. After the beating he walked back to his desk and got out his grade book and marked me as incomplete for the homework, then he went to each other student and checked to see of they did their's as well. About 5 minutes later, the man who was a brutal sadist came back down to my desk leaned down in my face and said in an almost caring voice "are you going to be ok, you better go to the bathroom and wash the blood off." I went to the bathroom and cleaned myself up as best I could but I was in pain. I returned to the class and things progressed "nomally" until the second period bell rang. Now second period was right across the hall and it was geometry with Mr Ciccone and we all filed over as usual. I noticed Brother Barwin came in and said something to Mr Ciccone and they both looked at me and then Brother Barwin left and the class continued as usual. When the bell rang for third period, We had to go upstairs to room 32 for Brother Cawley's religion class. I noticed Mr Ciccone followed us in and said something to Brother Cawley and they both looked at me again and then the class went on as usual. All day long my classmates were talking about the beating Brother Barwin gave me, it was topic number one. Many kids were saying I should sue the school. At the end of the school day I was talking to a classmate R and Brother Barwin walked up to me. R took that as a cue to leave and Brother Barwin informed me he called my mother after he beat me because he feared I was in such bad shape I would ask to be sent home. 

When I got home from school I discussed the incident in detail with my mother and she had no doubt about the veracity of my story. I was never a wild kid. In my 4 years at Bergen I was never a brain, never a jock, I was just a quiet kid who did what he was told and never mouthed off to a teacher. Now as far as money goes, we were not well off. My mother had to work to help support us and one of the reasons I remember this happened on a Thursday is that it was her day off so she was home to get the call from Brother Barwin. My mother did not drive, never had a car, she was an old school New Yorker. So there was no way she was going to go to the school and complain to the principal, Brother James Kelly. She told me I should insist in a public apology in class from Brother Barwin. So the next day I went to school and before first period I was summoned to the principal's office, Bother Kelly wanted to see me. So I went to his office, and I was scared, I was 15 and I had 2 black eyes and my face was really sore. Brother Kelly asked me to relate the details and I did, and he asked me if I was surprised by Brother Barwin's violent actions and I said I was. Brother Kelly's exact words were "he surprised me too" meaning his actions, but I would soon learn that this would not be the last time Brother Barwin would assault someone in my class. Brother Kelly then asked me what my mother wanted and I told him that Brother Barwin needed to apologize to me in front of the class and Brother Kelly said it would be done. 

As it turned out the apology was nothing but an attempt to blame me for him having to hit me. Brother Barwin speaking: "I want to address an unfortunate incident that happened in here yesterday. I am afraid I lost control and had to hit a student. While I am sorry I had to hit him, it would never have ever happened in the first place had he done his homework would it"?

Scared classmates in unison: "Nooooooooooooooooo......."

Br. John Christopher Barwin

Brother Barwin then went on to say he should not have stuck me in the head, but rather a lower place on the body. Keep in mind he struck my classmate J in the head earlier in the day and as you will soon see head shots continued to be his forte throughout the school year.

Brother Barwin never hit me again, but there were some times I think he would have had I been someone else. Example: he turned on me once but when he saw it was me he said " oh, its my friend...." some friend. After that I could spot the trouble signs like clockwork. I would like to say something about Brother Barwin right now. When he was in control of himself he was a really good teacher. He taught American History and I learned a lot in his class. He engaged student participation and you were never bored on his class. But he was a sick man, a very sick man. You would never know what could set him off but when someone did he would turn beat read and begin to sweat profusely from his upper lip. I remember him going off on students who did not know the answers, did not finish assignments and one student got to see Brother Barwin's bad side when he committed the transgression of closing his History book a full minute before the class ended. This student, T, was the recipient of a verbal tirade that was lashed out while Brother Barwin straddled the student's desk with his hands on either side of the student's desk top. Another student who sat next to me later in the year was a football player named M. He was a big kid, one that looked like he could take care of himself. So one day M was called on and did not have the correct answer and Brother Barwin struck him in the head several times. Now I want to point out Brother Barwin did not hit this student even close to the way he hit me, but the student began to cry and say that he had a broken collar bone [at one time?] and that this exacerbated his injury, though he did not use those words. I remember Brother Barwin's reaction, because by this time he had calmed down and was transforming to his calmer alter ego. Barwin said " I just can't learn to keep my hands off students"

I remember him choking another student, and had Brother Barwin not released him I believe he would have passed out on the spot. It began with some good natured ribbing. As I stated earlier Brother Barwin was not all bad. He taught an interesting class and could be very affable at times, but he would snap at a moment's notice and God help the person on the receiving end. So this one time T and Brother Barwin were trading barbs about Brother Barwin having grown up in rural Schenectady New York. Well it was good natured at first, but then T said something that caused Brother Barwin to snap and he grabbed T by the throat and applying pressure and was shaking him back and forth. If anyone is wondering why any classmates did not jump and and get involved I can answer that right now. It was a different time, in the mid 1970s students respected and feared their teachers. If a teacher said "jump" the student would say "how high"? Teachers were in charge but brothers were the top of the line. Lay teachers rarely hit any students, I saw one lay teacher assault a kid and heard of a few others second hand. But the brothers were quick to dispense physical punishment and had no qualms about doing so. 

To this day I still have bad dreams about Bergen Catholic, specifically Brother Barwin. I have never gone to a class reunion and have no plans on doing so. I went back to Bergen one time since I graduated and it was to the alumni office. I was given the tour and treated well, but I did not disclose my past negative incidents. The closest I came to bringing it up was when they asked me why I do not engage in any of the school functions. I replied "the Bergen Catholic you seem to remember is not the same Bergen Catholic I remember...."  To be fair not every student was subject to physical abuse so I can understand some not harboring ill will on this issue. But as a victim I want people to know that this did indeed happen and it was not an isolated incident. 

Earlier I stated I had seen only one lay teacher get physical with students. I did hear stories about others but because I did not witness them I will not name them here. I had Mr Liggio in the 1974-1975 school year and again in the 1975-1976 school year. He taught accounting and other business subjects and he was a really good teacher. He was similar to Brother Barwin in and that he kept the class interesting, and involved all students. I never had any problems with Mr Liggio as a teacher nor did I ever witness any questionable actions in my class. As a teacher in the classroom he was first rate, he commanded respect and he got it. However when I was a freshman Mr Liggio was not a teacher per se, his position was "Dean of Discipline" and had an office upstairs in the freshman wing at the top of the steps. I was in homeroom 34 at the time and one morning during homeroom Mr Liggio poked his head in and asked my teacher if he could speak with D out in the hall. I do not know what exactly was said out there but Mr Liggio went ballistic and choked this student and repeatedly banged him into the lockers. It was loud, and I mean loud, and there was no way anyone could not know what was going on. the teacher, while concerned, said " ok class don't worry about what is going on out there pay attention to me..." When D came back in the class his entire neck was raw, it was beat red. Note that we did not have to wear ties at that time as it was during the summer dress code and this was torward the end of the year. To be honest D was known as a wise guy and a trouble maker, and I do not doubt he wised off to Mr Liggio out in the hall, but I am just documenting this incident to reinforce the case history of yet another seemingly really good teacher going off the deep end. In sophomore year Mr Liggio was a religion teacher and a gym teacher and one day he got mad at someone and picked up a baseball bat and threw it on the ground as hard as he could, splitting the bat in half. Luckily as I said, the next 2 years I had Mr Liggio in the classroom and it was smooth sailing all the way. I cannot even remember him raising his voice at any one, he did not have to, if he told you to answer question #3 you answered question # 3. If he told you to double score this and double score that you did as you were told. 

As outlined above, physical abuse in Bergen Catholic High School was quite prevalent in the mid 1970s. I can thankfully say that I did not witness widespread sexual abuse during my tenure at Bergen. In fact, in my 4 years there I can honestly say I know of only one brother who engaged in this type of behavior. All experience I am going to detail are first hand experiences; either they happened to me or they happened in my class to one of my classmates in my presence. 

During the school year of 1974-1975 I had Brother J.B. Chaney for Spanish 3. I had him during second period in room 5.  Brother J.B. Chaney stood over 6 foot 2 and always wore the old style robe, not the more up to date black dress pants and black shirt most of the brothers wore.  Brother J.B. Chaney tolerated no nonsense in his class, and I never knew him to hit a student, at least never in my presence, but he had other uses for his hands which I will relate shortly. 

Brother J.B. Chaney loved to demean students and talk down to them in front of the class. He literally talked to the class like he was talking to a one year old child. Several of  Brother J.B. Chaney's childish meanderings still play in my head today, such as

"Whats the matter tiger cub, no bookie wookie?"

"Oh my! You are such a tiger!"

"Joe-Joe, come up to the front of the class and tell brother the answer."

I should mention that while talking in this manner  Brother J.B. Chaney would alter his voice inflections as well, the way one might talk to a 1 year old child or a small puppy. While that in itself may not be considered sick behavior, the following certainly is. 

Brother John B. Chaney - circa 1975

Brother J.B. Chaney was a butt grabber and I mean once he got hold of your butt he really went to work on it. During class, if a student was called up to the desk of  Brother J.B. Chaney it was a certainty that the students butt would be fondled. This was such a commonplace event that we took it as a "normal" course of events. As I said  Brother J.B. Chaney did not try and hide his  actions but rather did this in front of the class so the student being fondled was humiliated in front of the class. Often students would cat call the person being fondled in an effort to relieve some of the tension and the uncomfortable feeling that was permeating the room. These actions took place both in front of the class and also during one to one meetings. I remember one time on a Thursday I was walking past room 5 during the activity period and I made the mistake of glancing in and saw  Brother J.B. Chaney sitting behind his desk all alone. He spotted me and called me into the room and to his desk. He said "... you should have stopped into see me, you are not doing well in class..." and whipped out the grade book to tell me I got a 62% in the last test. Of course his other hand had already found my butt and was rubbing it in a circular motion non stop. All this while still berating me for poor marks while inflecting that little kid's way of talking that I described above. 

I do want to be clear about one thing.  Brother J.B. Chaney never put his hands inside my pants like Brother Irwin is said to have done, nor did I witness  Brother J.B. Chaney doing that to any student in my class. There was one incident though, that stood out as much more egregious than butt rubbing and grabbing. There was one student in my class named R who was a favorite of  Brother J.B. Chaney. For some reason  Brother J.B. Chaney referred to this student by his first name and middle name, so for example if the student's name was John James Smith  Brother J.B. Chaney would always refer to him as "John James". Only this one student was addressed in this manner, and it was obvious  Brother J.B. Chaney had a special affinity for this student's butt. One Friday,  Brother J.B. Chaney called R up to his desk and began rubbing his butt as usual. The rest of us were very uncomfortable watching this and was teenage boys would do we started murmuring among ourselves.  Brother J.B. Chaney was so engrossed in rubbing this student's butt that he did not notice the murmuring was starting to escalate. Then,  Brother J.B. Chaney, while still rubbing that student's butt, took his other hand and put it under his robe and began rubbing his crotch area and I mean really going at it! The students were in disbelief and one student who was sitting a few seats behind me yelled out "Oh my God look at him he is jerking off!" The tension in the class was so great and the murmuring and snide comments were so loud that  Brother J.B. Chaney screamed "SHUT UP"! It was probably the only time I ever heard  Brother J.B. Chaney scream in that manner. 

As I stated earlier, sexual abuse was not a widespread problem in my 4 years there with the exception of  Brother J.B. Chaney. It was not a secret either, his preferences were quite well known and it was expected that if you were called up to his desk your butt was fair game. In a chance encounter, I ran into one of my class mates in 1994 who I had not seen since graduating Bergen. He was in my class with  Brother J.B. Chaney and I said to him "hey, remember  Brother J.B. Chaney?"  Well this former student went into a litany of how he had to seek professional counseling for 10 years for what he went through under the tutelage of  Brother J.B. Chaney.

I wish to state right now that Bergen Catholic High School also had its share of great teachers. Some of the ones I had that come to mind were Brother Cawley, Mr Belluzzi and Mr Lancellotti. But even the good teachers knew what was going on and did not speak out.  They chose not to participate in that barbaric behavior yet they also turned a blind eye to it as well. Perhaps like someone else speculated, they were in fear for their jobs. Or perhaps they did not think they could do much to alter the situation. This goes especially for the physical abuse, which was just too widespread to have gone overlooked by anyone who worked there on a daily basis.

I encourage any other former students who experienced this type of physical or sexual abuse to write in and tell your story here. This kind of behavior should never be covered up. I wish all of you continued success and hopefully some piece of mind.

-- A Bergen Catholic student of the 1970's

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July 27^th, 2015

[email protected]

To:  Kobutsu Malone <[email protected]>

Class of 1982

Hi Kobutsu:

My name is Xxxxx Xxxxxxx and I attended Bergen Catholic HS from 1978 - 1982.

After reading an article in the Bergen Record on 7-17-15 titled "Protests airs sex abuse claims" and then seeing the web site mentioned in the article, it brought back a flood of memories, mostly bad, some good, from my 4 years attending that school.

Although I was never sexually abused by any of the Bergen Catholic High School faculty, I did have a very bad encounter with that piece of crap Brother Ferro. [Br. Salvatore Anthony Ferro]

Brother Salvatore Anthony Ferro

I stood up to Brother Ferro my Senior year, while enrolled in his English class. Because I did so, I was dragged down to the vice principal's office (Brother Lawrence) [Br. Peter L. Lawrence] by my ear, in front of other students. He suspended me from his class for one day and on that day, he gave a surprise test, which of course I failed, because I was suspended. By failing this test, I would have failed the class, preventing me from graduating with the rest of my class. Luckily my parents intervened (most likely made a donation to the school) and I passed the class with a D-.

I have so many stories, some good, some funny but mostly bad and sad, of my formidable years at Bergen Catholic High School and how it negatively affected my life, even to this day. Seeing the website opened a pathway to feelings long buried deep in the back of my mind.

I remember complaining to my mother all the time about this school. Later on in life, I learned she also suffered as a student in the Catholic school system. She used to tell me that she turned out OK. This leads me to my next conundrum and why I just buried my experience away. I look at all the successful people that Bergen Catholic High School turned out. Many of my classmate went on to be Doctors, financial advisors, a famous sportscaster and other businessmen. So how can I complain about a school that has such a history of successes, yet I came out of that school damaged? Was I too sensitive or weak? I don't know. I came from the Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx public school system, where I was treated like a little prince. Then I go on to Bergen Catholic High School, where I was treated like a piece of garbage. This happened even worse, after I had to quit the wrestling team my Freshman year, due to my grades sliding. And if the school wasn't bad enough, the Fort Lee bus, puts the icing on the cake. Usually the morning ride wasn't too bad but the afternoon ride home was another hell for me and some of my friends, my Freshman year. The evil that adolescence can instill upon each other, I could not understand at 14 years old. I could not understand how I went from a well adjusted student in grammar school, to a fear filled high school student. This fear followed me up until I was a Junior. It affected my school work, my social life and mental health. I blame Bergen Catholic High School for the psychological abuse I endured while attending that school.

I have much more to share but I don't have the time right now. It is very commendable of you to proctor a site where those of us who have suffered at the hands of these criminals, could come together and let each other know that it wasn't just in our heads.

 

Regards,

 

Xxxxx Xxxxxxx

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August 3rd, 2015

Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx <[email protected]>

To: Kobutsu Malone <[email protected]>

Dear Kobutsu, 

I was shocked and elated when I was mailed a recent Bergen Record article, about your expose' of the infamous Brother Irwin. I was a Freshman in Bergen Catholic in 1963, and witnessed the depravity of Br. Irwin's twisted behavior myself. Although I never had the misfortune of being a victim of his, it was well known throughout the freshman ranks, that when he picked you as one of his "boys", as we observed him walking with his arm around one's shoulder, when we walked the hall between classes, you were going to be "queered" by him, (as it was known back then) I was happy I was never selected by him, and I remembered specifically looking away from his glance, so as not to be hailed by him. However, I had another MANIAC for a math teacher, named Brother John Gilchrist. This sadistic prick used to beat the crap out of us just for not understanding the algebra. I got slapped by him a number of times, but the kid who sat in the desk in front of me got slapped and punched off his desk chair routinely. His name was Xxxxx Xxx.  And he was deathly afraid of Gilchrist. He was targeted daily when Gilchrist walked in the classroom.

Br. John L. Gilchrist

Gilchrist would make a fist like he was going to punch Xxxxx Xxx, then Xxxxx would squeal and retract in fear, as Gilchrist would pull back his fist and scratch his Marine cut hair, and yell "fake out" while laughing in Xxxxx's horrified scared face. I secretly wanted to punish this guy for what he did to psychologically mess this kid up for life !!! I actually swore I would get this guy back someday when I grew up to his size. He had to be 30 yrs. old at the time when I was just 13 in Sept. of 1963. I was in Michael Picciallo's Biology class, when the death of Pres. Kennedy was aired across the hallways by "Axe" Keane. Picciallo was another guy who took me out in the hall after class and face slapped me into the lockers.

Michael A. Picciallo

But we all had our hero, as freshman. This kid named "Xxxxxxx" was the only kid who had balls enough to stand up to the bullying abuse. He was a football player on the freshman team, and wasn't small and skinny like we were. He used to take a ruler into the detention room after school where they made us stand silently at attention for a whole hour, just for being late to class, as was my violation. And we would watch with glee, when the attending Brother would squawk orders to us, and Xxxxxxx (who was constantly in detention) would defy his orders, and get attacked by the Brother, attempting to drag Xxxxxxx out into the hallway for his insubordination...when to his surprise, Xxxxxxx would pull out his heavy ruler, out of the back of his pants, (which we could see him do from behind him, but the Brother couldn't),and beat the Brother over the face and head, out the door and banging back and forth into the hallway lockers...as we cheered in glee while we stood alone. It was a heroic victory for us because we all had war stories and scars. And the news came back that Xxxxxxx was being expelled. I left B.C. after that year of hell, and transferred to public H.S. in Tenafly, N.J. where I graduated in 1967. Thanks to my Mother believing my stories of abuse, and my total fear of returning there as a sophomore. I never got even with Br. Gilchrist. That's my story.

 

Kobutsu, God or Buddha bless you for avenging us children.

Best Regards 

Xxx Xxxxxxxxxx

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November 25, 2015

Release and Settlement agreement between Bergen Catholic HS and 20 Claimants. (Except claimant Kobutsu Malone).

Click on image to view complete seven page document in PDF format.

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April 7, 2016

A Bergen Catholic student of the 1970's

Dear Rev. Malone 

First, I would like to say thank you for keeping the Bergen Catholic predator issue in the spotlight. I have been in therapy for the last year and a half dealing with the results of my four years at BC amongst other issues. In any case, I came across the information that you and other former BC students have shared and I was shocked by one letter in particular written by a "70's student". My memory may not be as sharp as his and it may be possible that I have blocked out some events, but I could have written that letter myself and may have even been portrayed by the writer in his story. 

 I encourage any other former students who experienced this type of physical or sexual abuse to write in and tell your story here. This kind of behavior should never be covered up. I wish all of you continued success and hopefully some piece of mind.

The following events took place during my years at BC (1970-1974) and while not as detailed as others this information is true.

* The incident involving Brother Barwin as told by the former 70's student could have been written by or about me. I had Brother Barwin for American History as well as at least one study hall. During this time, Brother Kelly was the Principal of Bergen Catholic and I believe was suffering from some type of heart issue. I was in Barwin's class one day as he addressed Brother Kelly's health. As Barwin walked down the aisle between the desks, I said something to the student next to me. Apparently, Barwin thought I had said something like "I wish he would have a heart attack" (which I did not say - nor would I ). Brother Barwin proceeded to grab me and slam me up against the back wall and began punching me in the face. With each punch that he threw my head would bounce off of the wall and back into his fist. I began to bleed profusely from my nose and mouth and in moments my white shirt was covered in blood. Ironically, I had him for steady hall the next period. As I walked through the cafeteria doors (study hall was held there back then), Barwin said something to me which even today I don't recall; however, I do remember that my response was not respectful or gracious. Barwin, promptly sent me to the office to visit with the aforementioned Brother Kelly. I still remember hearing the women in the main office gasp as I walked in with blood all over me. I was immediately sent into Brother Kelly's office and tried to explain what had happened and emphasized that I didn't know what his heart issues were nor would I ever wish a heart attack on anyone. Brother Kelly's response was "you do know that you are a pain in the ass"(paraphrased) to which I agreed, but I pleaded with him that no matter what I said, I should not have been physically abused. The rest of the day was a blur as I waited in the office for my father to pick me up. Apparently, they wanted to expel me, but somehow my father convinced them to let me stay. The physical description of Barwin as noted by 70's student was spot on. I will always remember the bright red face and the sweaty upper lip.

* Another incident, which occurred was when I was attending “JUG” better known as Justice Under God. I will not lie, I was a frequent visitor to detention, but again there were boundaries that shouldn't have been crossed. That being said, I was chosen by Brother Timothy O'Sullivan (May not be accurate spelling) to help clean up the chemistry lab along with four or five other students. If I remember correctly Brother O’Sullivan was a bit grabby which made me nervous and that being said he often chose me for his detention "team." One day in particular he began sending students home one by one until I was the only one left. He walked up and locked the door and turned to face me as said "Pull down your pants so that I can spank you". Fortunately I dodged him, grabbed my coat and ran out of the room. I have told very few people this story for obvious reasons and I share it now, so others might see that they were not the only ones being abused.

*These are only two incidents of many that I witnessed during my BC career. A few of the more brutal members of the staff 1970-1974 included Brother’s Howe, Klein, Smith and for a short period Brother Shaw. Right or wrong, nobody deserved to be punished in their chosen way. Finally, there was one staff member, who will remain nameless, in particular who I idolized as a teacher, a coach and a mentor only to learn later that he was a predator as well. This hurt me then and does to this day.

** Keep fighting the good fight Reverend. You will be rewarded.

I am Michael O'Herlihy/Class of 1970-1974 

I am not ashamed because I did nothing wrong!  

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August 21, 2016

Road to Recovery, Inc. – P.O. Box 279, Livingston, NJ 07039 – 862-368-2800 MEDIA RELEASE – AUGUST 21, 2016 1.9 MILLION DOLLAR SETTLEMENT REACHED BETWEEN BERGEN CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL, ORADELL, NEW JERSEY, AND TWENTY-ONE (21) CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE VICTIMS OF TEN (10) IRISH CHRISTIAN BROTHERS AND ONE (1) LAY TEACHER A 1.9 million dollar settlement was reached between twenty-one (21)) childhood sexual abuse victims from Bergen Catholic High School.  The abusers are identified as: 1)         Br. Richard Daniel Berryman, C.F.C. – he is no longer an Irish Christian Brother and allegedly lives in Florida 2)         Br. John Bonaventure Chaney, C.F.C. – he is still an Irish Christian Brother and may be living in New Rochelle, New York 3)         Br. Ronald Alexis Howe, C.F.C. – he left the Irish Christian Brothers, married, and is deceased 4)         Br. Charles Borromeo Irwin, C.F.C. – he is a deceased Irish Christian Brother, and may have been a chief financial officer of the Eastern American Province of the Irish Christian Brothers for many years 5)         Br. Lawrence Sean Mc Elhatton, C.F.C. – his location and status are unknown 6)         Br. Eugene David Mc Kenna, C.F.C. – he is a deceased Irish Christian Brother and the founding Principal of Bergen Catholic High School.  A prestigious graduation award at Bergen Catholic High School may still bear his name. 7)         Br. Timothy Joseph O’Sullivan, C.F.C. – he is no longer an Irish Christian Brother and may have worked for several years as a professor of science at a Massachusetts university 8)         Br. Robert Jogues Roepke, C.F.C. – he is a deceased Irish Christian Brother and may have been Principal of Blessed Sacrament High School in New Rochelle, New York, in the 1970s 9)         Br. John Peter Seibert, C.F.C. – his location and status are unknown 10)       Mr. James Sokoloski (Lay Teacher) – his location and status are unknown 11)       Br. Donald Dominic Walsh, C.F.C. – his location and status are unknown Bergen Catholic High School currently refuses to reasonably settle an additional claim of sexual abuse by the Reverend Kobutsu Malone, Buddhist monk, formerly Kevin Malone, who was sexually abused by Br. Charles B. Irwin, C.F.C. at Bergen Catholic High School because Reverend Kobutsu Malone, age 66, continues to practice transparency regarding clergy sexual abuse cases in order to protect children.  His website, bergencatholicabuse.com, has been a major source of transparency and information for Bergen Catholic victim/survivors and many others. What A press conference announcing a 1.9 million dollar settlement between Bergen Catholic High School, Oradell, NJ, and twenty-one (21) men who were sexually abused as minor children by ten (10) Irish Christian Brothers and one (1) lay teacher at Bergen Catholic High School, Oradell, NJ in approximately the 1960s and 1970s When Monday, August 22, 2016 at 11:00 am Where On the public sidewalk outside Bergen Catholic High School, 1040 Oradell Avenue, Oradell, NJ, 07649, 201-261-1844 Who Members of Road to Recovery, Inc., including its co-founder and President, Robert M. Hoatson, Ph.D., Inc., who spent 23 years as an Irish Christian Brother and is a victim/survivor of sexual abuse by Irish Christian Brothers.  Road to Recovery, Inc. assists victims of sexual abuse and their families and advocates on behalf of several of the victim/survivors involved in this settlement Why For decades, students at Bergen Catholic High School were sexually abused as minor children by several teachers, many of whom were members of the Irish Christian Brothers religious order and one lay teacher.  Bergen Catholic High School reached a settlement of 1.9 million dollars with twenty-one (21) of those students who were childhood sexual abuse victims of ten (10) Irish Christian Brothers and one (1) lay teacher.  These men were found credible.  However, Bergen Catholic High School currently refuses to settle the sexual abuse claim of Reverend Kobutsu Malone, age 66, because he continues through his website, bergencatholicabuse.com, to practice transparency regarding clergy sexual abuse in order to protect children.   Contacts  Robert M. Hoatson, Ph.D., Road to Recovery, Inc. – 862-368-2800 – [email protected]  Reverend Kobutsu Malone, Maine – 207-359-2555                   (victim/survivor of  Br. Charles B. Irwin)

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August 23, 2016

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August 28th, 2016

Jack Kelly <[email protected]>

To: Kobutsu Malone <[email protected]>

 The articles of abuse at Bergen Catholic made my skin crawl and brought back some very bad memories.

      I went to BC from 1958-62. There were situations, that I can see now that I am an adult, were sexual in nature. I remember Br. McKenna sitting directly in front of us during our physical exam as he watched us drop our shorts  for a hernia check from the doctor. By siting in this strategic location he was able to see every kids genitals. He must have been thrilled by it and I guess that was the beginning of his lusting for young, innocent and vulnerable early teenagers. A very sick man indeed… Was the Doctor brain dead? Didn't he see what was going on? Why McKenna, and not a nurse or medical professional?

I vividly remember Bro. M. Bradley telling me to meet him  'in the passageway' by the library for talking to a friend Jim, now an MD, in Spanish class. This was in May, 1961 just about a month after my father died at age 51 from a massive heart attack. I was a mental wreck although I tried not to show it..  Bradley sucker punched me in the jaw. He really hurt me (all 140 lbs. of me) but I wouldn't cry or show him any satisfaction.  Funny thing, I was an 'A' student, studied hard, aced tests, always did my homework and really wanted to learn Spanish. Not a troublemaker at all.                          

I kept saying to myself that my father, a NY longshoreman, would never let this happen if he were alive...sparks would fly. I fantasized he would rescue me and kick the shit out of Bradley. I think he knew this and since I had no male to protect me he made his move. This was the end of my belief in Catholicism. This was a clear case of physical and emotional abuse and a power play in the name of God!!

I was tormented by Xxxxx Xxxxxxx (stealing lunch, name calling, etc.), he was a big guy for his age. Xxxx Xxxxxxx, another loser, referred to me as 'Fern' because I liked to read about plants. Well, ‘Fern'  went to Seton Hall after HS and then went to University of Arizona where I earned two Master degrees. I retired from the faculty of the University of Arizona, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences as an Assistant Extension Agent - emeritus. I was also the Chief Horticulture Specialist (1983-88) for the Kuwait Government and was responsible for 17million dollars of landscape projects.

Then there was Bro. Crean - a psycho in the making, I had him for Latin.  He relished making you squirm and you never know if he was about to hit you in the face or be 'Mr. Nice guy'.. I remember his taking a liking to a particularly handsome student.  Looking back, he was attracted to this kid. Well, stupid me - he went out for football Freshman year.  Crean would loiter, yes loiter, around the shower and look at his new subject of affection. I doubt he molested him or anyone else, but I never took a shower in the locker room again after this. 

I don't know how I survived that hellhole for four years living on edge. I learned to keep a low profile and under their radar. How could I concentrate when worrying about whether we’d be assaulted that particular day.

I think that the 60's emboldened them to leap from passive abuse to full fledged sexual perversion in the 70's.

Jack

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September 1, 2016

From: [email protected]

To: Kobutsu Malone <[email protected]>

Re: WTF

I graduated Bergen Catholic class of 85'. For nearly 30 years I've had nothing to do with that school.  I am however disgusted that Bergen Catholic gets to do an Alford plea when it comes to that settlement.  I read about this last week while visiting my mother back home in NJ.  I hope more law-suits come about. This one was from result of sixties.  There should be another for students of the eighties. I was never physically, or sexually abused so I am not seeking anything from them.  Chaney was the only teacher that remained from that settlement. I can agree he was a flaming homosexual who loved to humiliate.  I was there for era of Ferro and his fuckups including the son of a family friend who suffered his wrath.  Walsh (Br. Brian M. Walsh, Principal) is getting a bad rap on this.  It should be Roepke (Br. James E. Roepke, Principal).  He knew this shit went on and did nothing.  I laugh at the KoolAid drinkers also known as Class of 1985 Alumni Committee. These guys clearly peaked in high school and will probably defend until the day they die. 

I'll give you my name if you need it.

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September 11, 2016

From: Harris Kirk

Subject: Thank you for the site with my supporting story

Date: September 10, 2016 at 11:44:55 PM EDT

To: [email protected]

I came upon your site after a Facebook acquaintance who shares my interest in ending childhood spankings posted it on her FB wall about a week ago.   

I was shocked yet not surprised that the story was about my High School.    

I attended from 70-74.     While I was not subjected to any sexual abuse, I was subjected to a physical abuse incident that I will never forget.

I was 14 yrs. old (freshman) and happily waiting for either the class to start (or during a lull in class activities I don't recall).    As I was speaking to a fellow classmate, I also noticed the school principal (Brother James R. Kelly.... Principal 1968-1974) looking through the door window at me.   I didn't think anything of it and kept talking.   He opened the door and asked for me to come outside into the hallway.  Still having no idea what it was about I walked out and innocently asked him what was wrong.   The next thing I knew was a hard slap across the face that left me stunned.     Other students later told me they heard it on the other side of school.    My crime?   Apparently I was not supposed to be talking to my classmate.   This was the school principal doing this.   Not some renegade teacher.   And not something done in the heat of the moment but planned.   While the physical pain was intense, what really hurt was the utter sense of violation.   I never thought much about it until the last few years.   Amazing to me that I saw that post after so many years.

So, I totally believe the stories I recently read about other abusive treatments of students.

Thanks for providing the validation and support.

Harris Kirk  ('74)

Br. James R. Kelly

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October 19, 2016

Facebook

Robert Hoatson

3 hrs · West Orange, NJ ·

Road to Recovery, Inc. – P.O. Box 279, Livingston, New Jersey 07039 – 862-368-2800

MEDIA RELEASE – OCTOBER 19, 2016

Bergen Catholic High School alumnus and childhood sexual abuse victim of Br. Timothy Joseph O’Sullivan, CFC, Walter Slapkowski, of Bogota, New Jersey, to speak publicly for the first time about his childhood sexual abuse at Bergen Catholic High School

Walter Slapkowski was a minor child in approximately 1970 when he entered Bergen Catholic High School and met a sexual abuser, Br. Timothy Joseph O’Sullivan, CFC, who was his science teacher.

What
A press conference by Walter Slapkowski of Bogota, New Jersey, at which he will announce that he was sexually abused as a minor child at Bergen Catholic High School, Oradell, New Jersey, by Br. Timothy Joseph O’Sullivan, CFC

When
Thursday, October 20, 2017, at 11:00 am

Where
On the public sidewalk across from the main entrance of Bergen Catholic High School, 1040 Oradell Avenue, Oradell, New Jersey 07649

Who
Walter Slapkowski of Bogota, New Jersey, a 1974 graduate of Bergen Catholic High School, and resident of Bogota, New Jersey; Robert M. Hoatson, Ph.D., a former Irish Christian Brother of 23 years and President of Road to Recovery, Inc., a non-profit charity based in New Jersey that assists victims of sexual abuse and their families

Why
Walter Slapkowski will turn 60 years of age on October 31, 2016. His family moved from Jersey City, New Jersey, to Teaneck, New Jersey, when he was approximately 10 years old. Approximately 4 years later (1970), he began attending Bergen Catholic High School at approximately the age of 14. It was at Bergen Catholic High School in approximately 1970-1971 that he was a student in the science class of his teacher, Br. Timothy Joseph O’Sullivan, CFC, who sexually abused him in an anteroom of the science class and laboratory. It is believed that Br. Timothy Joseph O’Sullivan, CFC, left the Irish Christian Brothers many years ago and may have taught (or still may be teaching) at a college in Massachusetts. Walter Slapkowski will share his story of having been sexually abused as a minor child at Bergen Catholic High School in order to try to heal, be a support to other victims, and hopefully alert others to the dangers posed by pedophile Br. Timothy Joseph O’Sullivan, CFC.

Contacts
Robert M. Hoatson, Ph.D., Road to Recovery, Inc. – 862-368-2800 – [email protected]
Attorney Mitchell Garabedian, Boston, MA – 617-523-6250 – [email protected]

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October 20, 2016

Walter Slapkowski, shown here during a news conference on Oct. 20, 2016, is one of eight men claiming that they were sexually abused at Bergen Catholic High School. (Sara Jerde | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) (Sara Jerde)

8 more men claim sexual abuse at North Jersey high school

Bergen Catholic abuse allegations

Sara Jerde | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com By Sara Jerde | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

updated October 20, 2016 at 4:05 PM

ORADELL — Eight more former Bergen Catholic High School students have come forward to accuse former staff members at the school of sexual abuse.

The eight have levied their allegations since it was revealed in August that the all-boys high school in Oradell had reached a $1.9 million settlement with 21 men who said they were sexually abused at the school.

The eight men, who are now between the ages of about 55 to 75 years old, say they were sexually abused when they were teens between the years of 1956 and 1977, said Mitchell Garabedian, a Boston lawyer who represented some of the previous alleged victims.

The timeframe of the alleged attacks is similar to the one provided by the other alleged victims who settled with the school. They had said they were abused between 1963 and 1978.

Settlement gives 'hope' to one alleged victim

Walter Slapkowski, 59, spoke outside of Bergen Catholic on Thursday, willing to share his experience, he said, in the hopes that the man he says abused him is stopped.

Slapkowski, from Bogota, said a teacher at the school told him to take off his pants and underwear, and count while he spanked him during detention.

"I don't want to hurt you, but I have to teach you a lesson," Slapkowski said the man told him at the time. Slapkowski said the teacher then put him across his lap.

"I couldn't scream, I couldn't tell anybody," Slapkowski said. "I was so scared. I didn't know what to do."

Slapkowski was about 14 at the time. He said he now suffers from panic attacks and depression, gets nervous around doctors who have to perform procedural physical exams and has had personal relationships suffer.

Slapkowski graduated from the high school and earned a degree in accounting at what is now St. Peter's University. But he said he always grappled with sharing his experience.

Slapkowski said he never told his parents, his ex-wife or his daughter. His son was told just last week, but he said he told his girlfriend years ago when he had a "freak out" over the Penn State sex scandal.

"I dreaded this, but if it helps other kids," Slapkowski said. 

Garabedian said he was preparing to file claims on behalf of all the victims and was researching the statute of limitations.

The school, which has about 700 students enrolled, did not admit liability in reaching the previous settlement. It is staffed by the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers, which did not immediately return a request for comment.

Bergen Catholic is a private school in the Archdiocese of Newark, but it doesn't govern the school, so a spokesman for the archdiocese declined to comment.

The men who settled with the school have received their money, Garabedian said. They were expected to receive sums that ranged between $65,000 and $115,000.

There were 10 Christian Brothers and one layman accused in the settlement, said Robert Hoatson, co-founder of Road to Recovery, an advocacy group for sexual abuse victims.

There have been four perpetrators named so far by the eight men who have come forward, Garabedian said.

"Based on my experience in representing victims of sex abuse, given the number of pedophiles at Bergen Catholic and the number of children who attend Bergen Catholic over such a broad time period, there has to be hundreds upon hundreds of victims of sex abuse there," Garabedian said.

A representative from Bergen Catholic High School didn't immediately return a request for comment.

Sara Jerde may be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @SaraJerde. 

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October 20, 2016

October 20, 2016, 4:49 PM

Last updated: Thursday, October 20, 2016, 4:54 PM

Bergen Catholic alumnus shares his account of being sexually abused by teacher in 1970s

By MELANIE ANZIDEI

STAFF WRITER | 

The Record

A 1974 Bergen Catholic High School graduate came forward Thursday to share for the first time his account of being sexually abused by his chemistry teacher as a 13-year-old student, echoing public claims made by dozens of others who attended the school from the 1950s through 1970s.

TARIQ ZEHAWI/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Walter Slapkowski, of Bogota, stands outside Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016.

Standing across the street from his alma mater late Thursday morning, Walter Slapkowski, 59 of Bogota shared in detail his account of the abuse he endured in after-school detention several decades ago.

He recalled how his chemistry teacher ordered him to detention for speaking in class. The detention, known as “jug” at the school, took a dark turn when Slapkowski said he was asked pull down his pants and underwear so he could be “disciplined.”

“I was completely naked. He put me over his lap, and he started smacking me – and I mean hard,” Slapkowski said. He continued, “When he was done, he was completely on top of me. I couldn’t scream. I couldn’t tell anybody. I was so scared. I didn’t know what to do. I was so scared.”

Slapkowski said he kept the incident to himself. He avoided the teacher in the hallways, and quit the track team. He said he joined the bowling team, instead, because he could avoid being in the locker room. He didn’t tell anyone about what happened until six years ago, when child sexual abuse allegations against Jerry Sandusky, the longtime Penn State assistant football coach, first surfaced. Slapkowski said he confided in his wife about what had happened to him.

Slapkowski was accompanied on Thursday by Robert M. Hoatson, the co-founder and president of Road to Recovery Inc., an organization that assists victims of sexual abuse by members of the clergy. Slapkowski said he was motivated to come forward after news broke that others have endured similar abuse while at the school.

“He needs to stopped, because I’m sure he’s still doing it,” said Slapkowski, of his alleged abuser. “This was ’71.”

In August, several of the alleged child sex abuse victims and former students at Bergen Catholic held a  news conference outside the school, sharing stories similar to Slapkowski’s account. At that time, they announced that the school had reached a $1.9 million settlement agreement with 21 alleged victims in November 2015.

Slapkowski  is one of eight additional victims who have come forward since the settlement was made public, said Mitchell Garabedian, the Boston-based attorney representing the new alleged victims. Garabedian also represented seven of the people included in the 2015 settlement.

Given the number of people coming forward, “I wouldn’t be surprised if hundreds upon hundreds of children were abused while at Bergen Catholic High School,” Garabedian said in a telephone interview on Thursday. “The question remains, where were the supervisors and why weren’t they protecting children from pedophiles?”

A message left with the school’s principal, Timothy McElhinney, on Thursday, seeking comment about the new allegations was not immediately returned.

Garabedian said his eight clients took place between 1950 and 1975, while most were between the ages of 14 and 17. Slapkowski, who turns 60 on Oct. 31, said he was 13 at the time.

In an unrelated case in 2013, the North American Province of the Congregation of Christian Brothers, which runs Bergen Catholic and many other schools across North America, agreed to a $16.5 million settlement as part of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in federal court. Officials with the order said they had filed for bankruptcy in 2011 because they were operating at a significant loss due to the legal costs related to the settlement of abuse cases.

Garabedian said he is representing his clients in eight separate claims, and recently filed an objection against the school’s bankruptcy filing on behalf of his clients. He said he is looking into the statute of limitations to see if his clients could file a complaint against the school or his abusers.

Email: [email protected]; Twitter: @melanieanzidei

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July 11, 2017

Emily Girsch     Jul 10, 2017, 11:44 pm       Jul 11, 2017, 2:20 pm

11 Bergen Catholic HS alumni await settlement funds for alleged sexual abuse

They allegedly suffered at the hands of 5 faculty members several decades ago

Walter Slapkowski, 60, was just a 13-year-old freshman at Bergen Catholic High School when a teacher allegedly sexually abused him.

He says he was sent to after-school detention for talking in class when a science teacher he identifies as Brother Timothy Joseph O'Sullivan took him into a back room.

"He asked me to take my clothes off then he brought me by the hand and said 'I have to discipline you because you were talking in my class.’ He spanked me 20 times and made me count..and his fingers were traveling," Slapkowski said.

He came forward last year, alongside 10 other alleged abuse victims at the school. The victims allege that five faculty members abused them during the 1950s and 1970s.

Dr. Robert Hoatson who works at a recovery center for child sexual abuse victims says the school has never apologized to the alleged victims and is dragging its feet in settling a monetary claim even though similar claims have been settled in past years at the school with as many as over a hundred victims over the past two decades.

"When institutions receive reports of sexual abuse as children, very often they either bury it or cover it up or they stall and drag their feet," Dr. Hoatson said.

The attorney for the 11 victims, Mitchell Garabedian, says the current law of the statute of limitations in New Jersey needs to be amended so that victims have the ability to report abuse later in life.

Right now, child victims have until the age of 25 to report abuse and press charges on their alleged abusers. But Garabedian says many of these victims block the abuse for decades and don't come forward until they are in their 50s or 60s, leaving their alleged abusers out in the world to continue abusing others.

Slapkowski says being abused as a child is confusing and scary. He says that he didn't learn until recently that there were other victims because of how the alleged abuse impacted him.

"We never told each other because you don't talk like that to your friends but I heard he did it to a couple of my friends but we didn't say anything because we didn't want to, we were ashamed, but we shouldn't be ashamed, it should be him,” he said.

See the original article with associated video here:

http://www.fios1news.com/newjersey/11-bergen-catholic-hs-alumni-await-settlement-money-for-alleged-sexual-abuse#.WWfcrJJ314m

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Timothy O'Sullivan
~ Present Day ~

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I pray we hear from more men who were there with us and lived through the terror... most of all I would like to hear from those who "don't remember" or have compartmentalized their memories, dissociated, or deny that anything was wrong. Things were wrong – they were very wrong. Young people were hurt – it didn't "toughen us up" – it damaged us. Authority without accountability is simply not acceptable in any circumstances. Telling our stories is not about hatred, money, or revenge – it is about solidarity, responsibility and justice.
	Kobutsu Malone
Kobutsu is an American Rinzai Zen Buddhist priest, the father of two adult sons, a prison/death row chaplain, and social justice activist. He lives in a remote village on the coast of Maine, with his Newfoundland/Great Pyrenees Service Dog Harley-Bear. He may be reached through: [email protected] Or by calling Kobutsu at: (207) 359-2555 (Phone: 24/7 - any time; day or night.)
	In gratitude for all who have written...