Road to Recovery: Abbot Giles Must Resign
But if parents, students, staff, and alumni were told that Fr. Luke’s actions were a minor boundary violation, that would minimize the effect of the damage to the reputation of the Benedictines and Delbarton School, wouldn’t it? Herein lies the ongoing issue with the Church’s handling of sex abuse charges: the image of the Church and its institutions is more important than the safety and protection of children or vulnerable adults. – Robert M. Hoatson, Ph.D.
Road to Recovery comments on Delbarton sexual abuse debacle
On January 6, 2012, survivors and supporters of clergy sexual abuse met at the Holiday Inn in Boston to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Boston Globe’s exposition of rampant clergy sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Boston. During his reflections on clergy abuse in the Boston Globe during the week, Cardinal Sean O’Malley congratulated the Catholic Church for the great progress it has made in uncovering, handling, resolving, and preventing sexual abuse by church clerics, religious men and women, and lay workers. Within a week of the anniversary, allegations against a New Jersey Catholic high school headmaster surfaced, and officials in New Jersey and Virginia are arguing about who knew what and when, indicating that programs and procedures instituted by the Church as far back as 2002 still are not keeping children safe. Once again, the victim in the case and his healing are not the center of attention and concern.
The former headmaster of Delbarton School, an expensive Catholic high school situated on thousands of gorgeous acres of land and run by St. Mary’s Benedictine Abbey in Morris County, has been accused of sexually abusing at least one student or former student while he was the headmaster. The Abbot of St. Mary’s, Fr. Giles Hayes, claimed that he informed officials in Virginia, where the former headmaster, Fr. Luke Travers, was assigned until recently, about the allegations. Officials of the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia and members of the Benedictine Abbey of Mary Mother of the Church in Richmond have denied knowing anything about the charges against Travers, so here we go again.
The Abbot in New Jersey (Fr. Giles Hayes) deemed the allegation by the alumnus to be “minor” from the time it was reported. Imagine a Catholic priest and school official being told of a former student being hugged and kissed and offered alcohol by the school’s headmaster and deeming it a minor violation of boundaries? But if parents, students, staff, and alumni were told that Fr. Luke’s actions were a minor boundary violation, that would minimize the effect of the damage to the reputation of the Benedictines and Delbarton School, wouldn’t it? Herein lies the ongoing issue with the Church’s handling of sex abuse charges: the image of the Church and its institutions is more important than the safety and protection of children or vulnerable adults.
It is clear that Abbot Giles and Delbarton wanted to maintain the image of their school as being an academic and athletic powerhouse in northern New Jersey. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie sends his son to that school, and the legacy of the school is more precious to the Benedictines than the eighteen year-old who lost his father and sought comfort from a priest who took advantage of his vulnerability and sexually abused him. For Abbot Giles to conclude that what happened to the alumnus was not sexual abuse is unconscionable.
What must be done now? Abbot Giles Hayes of St. Mary’s Abbey and Delbarton School must resign or be fired immediately. Fr. Giles also must resign or be fired from his position as President of the United States Conference of Major Superiors of Men because it is clear he cannot provide the necessary good example to other religious superiors on the handling of sex abuse claims. In addition, Fr. Luke Travers must be kept away from children and vulnerable adults in a supervised location for the rest of his life. Delbarton School must apologize to the alumnus who courageously reported the abuse, and it must provide whatever resources are appropriate to help this man heal. Nothing has changed in the Church. It is still protecting its image. We must not let them get away with it again.
Robert M. Hoatson, Ph.D. – Co-founder and President, Road to Recovery, Inc., P.O. Box 279, Livingston, NJ 07039 – (862) 368-2800 – roberthoatson@gmail.com
