Some people think that because the sexual abuse that happened at Mirfield took place such along time ago – in the 60’s and 70’s – the blog only serves to rake up deep and painful suffering for some, and disillusionment to others. This is, unfortunately, probably true for the majority of people that read and contribute to the site. It has been, and still is certainly, the case for me.

Some people, I know, think it is best to do nothing. To do nothing is one option; however, it is an option I have chosen not to take. Many children were abused by various priests in various ways at Mirfield, there is, now, no doubting that.

However, the parents and families of these abused children were also abused. For me, their abuse was about the abuse of friendship, a closeness they felt with the Verona Fathers, of trust, of placing your child, and in some cases, your children, with people you believed could, absolutely, do no wrong, and yet, many did. The instance that is never far from my consciousness is of the priest saying mass in the front room of my parent’s home and then later, being abused, in your upstairs bedroom when you were sick.

My parents are both dead now. My mother died last year. Neither my father nor my mother ever knew anything about the abuse that took place at home or at Mirfield. It would have caused them too much pain and suffering.

To do nothing is not an option I want to take.

A Mirfield boy