Comboni Missionaries Exposed
Yesterday the Obsever Newspaper published an article exposing the culture of abuse at the seminary in Mifield owned by the Comboni Missionaries (ex-Verona Fathers).
Read it here – http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/oct/19/sins-of-the-fathers-sexual-abuse-catholic-order
Comboni Missionaries 
I am one of the group mentioned in article. I urge any former pupils or their family members reading our accounts to make contact through this blog. There is no need to provide your name if you prefer not to. Would be good to hear from any old boys with their memories, good or bad.
Dear MOBsters
I have just read the article published in yesterday’s Observer. It is a damning piece and I wish only the best outcomes for those who suffered. If I was still practising I would say something about praying for you all. I think it’s me that needs the prayers. I gave testimony to a lawyer acting on behalf of one of the plaintiffs, and I spoke to the journalist who filed the story. Was that enough? I don’t know. I expected to feel vindicated when the story came out. But now that it has, I’m just sad. Sad that the abuse ever happened, sad that boys that I knew suffered so much, and sad that the wall of denial stands in such contempt.
Martin Millar, (1968-72).
At the end of the Observer article is this paragraph:
“In a statement to the Observer, the Order, using its latest figures, said: “Considering the numbers of boys who were educated at St Peter’s, the Verona Fathers absolutely do not accept that claims from 12 individuals demonstrate a culture of abuse at the seminary. There are priests who are currently members of the Verona Fathers who were at St Peter’s in the 1960s and 1970s and who never witnessed or heard of any abuse.””
This is an obvious lie. Pinkman and Valmaggia were kicked out of the order round about that time. So is the spokesman trying to tell us that not one single Verona Father asked where they had gone or why, or even noticed that they had gone?
They all knew – every one of them!
Then there is:
“The statement concludes with the current head of the Order in the UK, Father Martin Devenish, saying: “We know that anyone subjected to abusive behaviour will experience suffering and we are dismayed to think such suffering may have been caused to youngsters who attended our junior seminary. If that is the case, we are deeply sorry to anyone who has been hurt in this way and our thoughts and prayers are with them.””
Interestingly, in another post on another subject in the same newspaper, someone wrote “An apology containing the word “if” is no apology at all.”
By including “such suffering “may” have been caused” and “if that is the case” he is not apologising – he is still denying facts
The BBC also mentioned it, although it was well hidden away on their website:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-29706698
I too am one of the “Boys” from the 1960’s who was abused at Mirfield by the then Verona Fathers now going under the name of Comboni Missionaries, i urge anybody reading this who was abused by the Comboni (Verona Fathers) to make contact with the site.