Queensland 1970 to 2010: The Marist Brothers ignored complaints about two Brothers and withheld from abuse victims what they knew

What happened to the people

How were they charged and sentenced?

1. DG was sexually abused in the early 1970s as a student at a Marist Brothers college by his teacher Brother Raymond Foster. The order had earlier received complaints about Foster, including allegations of child sexual abuse in the 1950s; Foster acknowledged two inappropriate incidents to Provincial Alexis Turton. According to the commission, Turton took no further action and did not comply with the bishops' conference protocol of 1992. Only when police interviewed Foster in 1994 after DG's report did Turton withdraw him. On 23 March 1999, the morning he was to be extradited, Foster took his own life.
   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 10

   „‘DG’ was sexually abused by Brother Raymond Foster, also known as Brother Celestine, while he was a student at a Marist Brothers college in the early 1970s.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 10, Feststellung 22

   „Brother Turton held discussions with Brother Foster, who acknowledged that there had been two incidents in the 1950s that were inappropriate.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 10, Feststellung 23

   „Brother Turton did not take any further action in relation to these complaints, and did not take any action in relation to Brother Foster’s acknowledgement.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 10

   „On 23 March 1999, the morning he was to be extradited, Brother Foster committed suicide.“

2. DK was abused by Marist Brothers at St Augustine's College in Cairns in 1976 and around 1980/1981, among others by Brother Ross Murrin in his dormitory. In 1981 the principal Brother Gerald Burns received complaints from two students; Murrin admitted touching them inappropriately. Burns nevertheless left him as dormitory master and the complainants in his dormitory. According to the commission, Murrin's subsequent offending may have been avoided with different protective steps. Murrin was convicted in 2008 and 2010.
   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 12

   „In 1976, DK was sexually abused by a Brother in the infirmary at Marist Brothers’ St Augustine’s College, Cairns“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 12, Feststellung 35

   „Brother Murrin admitted that he had inappropriately touched the boys“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 12, Feststellung 35

   „Brother Burns did not remove Brother Murrin from his position as dormitory master“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 12, Feststellung 36

   „If different protective steps had been taken by the Marist Brothers, Brother Murrin’s subsequent offending may have been avoided.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 12

   „Brother Murrin was convicted in 2008 and 2010 after pleading guilty to charges relating to child sexual abuse at two schools.“

What happened to those affected?

1. At DK's facilitation in 2010 Burns did not tell him about the 1981 complaints, of which he had personal knowledge, and led him to understand that the order had known nothing. The facilitator was the director of the Church's professional standards office in New South Wales, without DK knowing his position; according to the commission a potential conflict of interest, because he was employed by the Church. Murrin remained a Marist Brother despite conviction and imprisonment.
   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 13, Feststellung 43

   „did not inform DK about the 1981 complaints against Brother Murrin, of which he had personal knowledge“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 13, Feststellung 39

   „A Director of Professional Standards acting as a Facilitator in a Towards Healing facilitation raises a real potential for an actual or perceived conflict of interest given that the Director is employed by the Catholic Church.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 14, Feststellung 46

   „Brother Murrin has been convicted and jailed for child sexual abuse. He remains a Marist Brother.“