An email from the principal of Dunedin’s newly renamed Trinity Catholic College calling Auckland’s deadly floods a “silver lining” has been leaked to the media.
Principal Kate Nicholson’s message has hit the headlines – just when she hoped to duck from media about the school’s scandalous past.
Expecting the reason (sexual abuse) for the former Kavanagh College’s name change to be front page news, Kate Nicholson wrote in her 29 January email:
“At least Auckland’s terrible weekend is likely to keep us off the front page — a silver lining hopefully.”
Four people died on 27 January as a result of the unprecedented weather event. A state of emergency was declared in the Auckland and Thames-Coromandel regions.
Nicholson’s email was sent on 29 January, while Auckland was still being battered by historic flooding – the day after a pre-dawn blessing was held at Trinity Catholic College.
Staff, pupils, two survivors and members of the community attended the blessing.
The school was blessed with a new name because a 2020 investigation into the late Bishop of Dunedin John Kavanagh, after whom the school was named, found seven priests, two brothers and one lay teacher sexually abused children and an adult during his time as bishop.
Defending her message, Nicholson explained “all our work so far has been to acknowledge our past, learn from it and try to not re-traumatise survivors in the process, and I hope our actions in these challenging circumstances are not misconstrued”.
Network of Survivors spokesperson Liz Tonks says the school’s name change was a significant step, although some within the church still fail to accept or understand the impacts of abuse.
“It was clear that the blessing and acknowledgement was kept on the down-low by the College.
“The network has been in its headlights for the best part of five years working to achieve the change of name for survivors, and yet no formal and sufficient notice was received to allow survivors to attend and appropriate supports to be put in place for an event that had the potential to re-trigger trauma.
“Only two survivors of the many were able to attend.
“Others were unaware until the network was able to circulate the event on social media a few days before and arrange a local advocate/supporter to livestream the blessing.”
Nicholson’s email “illustrates a complete lack of understanding of survivor trauma and how important the name change was to survivor healing and restoration of their mana”, she says.
“It illustrates a lack of intent to reach out to other survivors strewn throughout New Zealand who were given no notice or opportunity to attend or come forward if they have remained silent.
“What it does illustrate, is a continuation of church institutions seeing protecting of their reputation more important than addressing the harm suffered by those abused in its care.”
Bishop Dooley was travelling and was unavailable when media sought him for comment.
Source
- NZ Herald
- Otago Daily Times
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