END WITCH HUNT AGAINST THE CHURCH
ABUSE SURVIVOR SPEAKS OUT Army veteran calls for Irish people to embrace historic visit of Pope Francis
AN Irish Army veteran abused in a boys’ home as a child has insisted the Catholic Church “witch hunt” must stop.
Patrick O’rourke, 74, said he does not blame religious orders for his horrific ordeal.
Urging people to “embrace” the visit of Pope Francis, he added: “I still have respect for the Church even though I have suffered.”
AN Irish Army veteran who suffered abuse in a boys’ home run by nuns has urged people to “embrace” next weekend’s historic visit by Pope Francis.
Calling for an end to a “witch hunt” against the Catholic Church, Patrick O’rourke said he does not blame religious orders for the horrors of his childhood.
The 74-year-old relived the sexual and physical abuse he suffered at St Joseph’s Boys Home in Termonbacca, Co Derry, when he gave evidence at the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry.
But Patrick, a Co Donegal man who now lives in Dublin, said he bore no malice against the Catholic Church and believes the Papal visit is something to celebrate.
He told the Irish Mirror: “I still have respect for the Church even though I have suffered.
“I’ve worked all my life and I tried to stay positive. Don’t get me wrong, I know a lot of people have suffered.
“But I have to say most of the Sisters Of Nazareth nuns were very good people. It was just a handful who were bad.
“I spent eight years with the Sisters in Bishop Street and I certainly wouldn’t blame the nuns for everything that happened to us.”
Patrick’s parents brought him to Termonbacca at the age of five after they fell ill.
His three-year-old sister was also put into the care of the Sisters Of Nazareth nuns at another institution.
HELL
He suffered eight years of hell at the hands of nuns and older boys – and said he lived in constant fear.
There was physical abuse from both the nuns and the older boys at the home – and later on some of the boys sexually abused him.
Patrick, who drove buses during the Troubles, said: “As I got older I realised that not all the nuns were bad.
“You were terrified from some but others were OK.”
Patrick left the home at 13 and suffered a breakdown at the age of 16. He was given electro convulsive therapy as part of his treatment.
As a result of being repeatedly struck across the back of the head and assaulted he also suffered serious physical side effects in later life.
He added: “I’ve had trouble with my hand all my life because of the amount of times I was thrown on the ground in Termonbacca.
“I was beaten on the back of the head all the time. To this day if someone comes up behind me I always feel like they are going to hit me.”
Patrick, who won awards during his time with the Defence Forces, won’t be going to see Pope Francis but he hopes his visit goes well.
He said: “I’m not going to see him even though I live next door to Croke Park. I’m not great with crowds at the best of times. The thing that has struck me over the past few days with details of the cover-up in the US, in Pennsylvania, there seems to be a lot of hate out there. “I’m sitting here and I’m thinking of all the survivors in the Republic and in Northern Ireland.”
On Thursday the Vatican released a statement saying Pope Francis was on the side of the victims of more than 300 “predator” priests in the US accused of abusing more than 1,000 children across seven decades.
Abuse survivors said the statement falls short and failed to address the issue of Church leaders who had enabled the perpetrators.
ACCUSATIONS
There are widespread accusations the Catholic Church ignored and covered up child abuse in countries including Ireland, Australia, the US and Chile.
Patrick was one of the first to give evidence to the inquiry which covered 22 institutions.
The publication of its findings have been delayed due to the impasse at
Patrick, 74, does not hold any grudges against religious orders Irish Army veteran wants Pope trip to be ‘embraced’
Stormont. He added: “I’m still holding up but some of the others are a lot older than me and they don’t have a lot of time left.
“The delay has hurt us a lot and there’s a fear we’ll never get justice.
“When I gave my evidence I was in tears. I’ve been in the Army, into sports, swimming, tug of war you name it... but I cried at that.
“But over the years I have worked with the Capuchins and other religious orders. I never blamed the Church or
religion for what happened. I have fond memories of working with the homeless at the Capuchin Day Centre with Brother Kevin [Crowley] for many years.
“He’s a great man and I’ve nothing but good to say about him.
“And while I’m not religious in the traditional sense, I do say a few prayers.
“All of this brings it back again but I do wish that people could enjoy this Papal visit.” sylvia.pownall@irishmirror.ie
If someone comes up behind me I feel like they will hit me PATRICK O’ROURKE ON COPING AFTER ABUSE