By Frank McGinnis
Comboni Missionaries
I don’t know how many there might be. Some Comboni Missionaries must surely be having difficulty sleeping at night. Readers of this blog will know that many 12 year old boys who attended the Seminary at Mirfield still have nightmares. Yes, even 40 & 50 years later.
The crimes of Fr Pinkman, Fr Valmaggia and Fr Nardo may be termed ‘historic’, the pain is so very often a daily companion. The continued denial is an act of cowardice. The continued cover up is a betrayal of the very Catholic Faith your founder held so dear.
Mission Appeals
There can be little moral or spiritual worth in protecting the reputation of the Order if in doing so painful truths must be denied. Your presence in the UK enables a lucrative income. Honest Catholics donate money at your Mission Appeals to fill your coffers. Do you fear the loss of funds if the truth be told ?
Is it worth living a lie to maintain the rivers of cash ? Is it worth ignoring the sexual abuse of children ? There are many former Mirfield Seminarians you should be contacting.
Priestly Duty of Care
You have a basic priestly duty to offer help to those who suffered at your college. Through the blog we have helped a number come to terms with their past. We have offered to assist the Order in locating others.
The Comboni Missionaries have so far shown no interest in assessing the damage done in their house.
Shame on you Fathers, shame on every one of you.
Comboni Missionaries 
Cowards. Not men. Just cowards.
It mostly looks that way Tony. One or two of the Comboni Fathers have hinted that they may possess enough basic humanity to accept the truth about Child Abuse at Mirfield. It is time to speak up a lot louder Fathers.
What is the Comboni Missionaries’ problem in admitting and apologising for the abuse that took place at Mirfield. They have taken the following actions following their investigations of abuse accusations:-
1. Sent Fr Pinkman away from Mirfield
2. Kicked Fr Valmaggia out the Order
3. Brought Fr Nardo back from Uganda and confined him to their house in Verona.
So, what’s the problem? We know it took place. They know it took place.
Surely it’s not money. Yet their representative told a newspaper that they only settled because it was cheaper for them as they weren’t insured in those days.
Are they saying that no abuse took place, when they know it did because it is cheaper. Are they refusing to apologise to those to whom they had a duty of care just because it is cheaper? Surely it is not just a bean count for them? That would be shameful if it was.
…..and yet that is what it appears to be!
Doesn’t decency come into it?
I wish we knew the answer as to why they have chosen the path of denial & cover-up. I wish they were brave enough to look us in the eye. Their actions tell us they value their positions and care not for the plight of those they injured. Their actions tell us it is all about preserving their ability to collect money for their ‘good work’.
If they, by some miracle, truly consider these named priests are without sin then the children in far off missions are in grave danger. The decision makers in the Order would thus be proving themselves incapable of even knowing what to look for. We and yourselves Fathers know the truth, it is time for you to talk about it.