In a display of silence, the John of God Brothers headquarters, based in Rome, did not open the door to Marylands survivor Darryl Smith. Smith, a long-time voice for sexual abuse survivors, was sexually abused as a child while at John of God Brothers residential schools in both New Zealand and Australia. Pleased that finally Read more
The Catholic Church in Aotearoa New Zealand has welcomed the publication of details of the case study inquiry into the former Marylands School in Christchurch announced by the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care. Marylands was a residential school for children with learning difficulties, run between the mid-1950s and 1984 by the Brothers Hospitallers of Read more
The author of the book, Darryl Smith says he was subject to abuse on his first night at Marylands – a Christchurch school for children with learning difficulties – in 1971. Woken from his sleep, the 6-year-old was called to an Order of St John of God brother’s office late in the evening and told one of the men responsible for Read more
New Zealand police have arrested Bernard McGrath, a former Catholic brother and convicted pedophile after Australian authorities filed 252 new charges against him. McGrath voluntarily left Sri Lanka last week and arrived at Christchurch International Airport on Friday. Police deny he had fled to Sri Lanka, saying he was only there for a holiday. He Read more
Bernard McGrath, a former religious brother, who served two years in a New Zealand prison for sex abuse committed in Christchurch is now being sought by New South Wales police after being charged with 252 offences in a Newcastle court on June 27. New South Wales police were to extradite McGrath to Australia from Christchurch Read more