I was never a great diarist at Mirfield. In 3 years I completed about 6 entries with no dates. Only ever kept one page. A boring day really yet it engraved itself on my mind, just for that reason. Here it is :-
‘I was tired this morning. The bell went and I didn’t move. Big John (Carberry) was already sorting his bed when I got up. He is a goody-goody but is actually alright, not one of the praying all the time ones. Soap bag, toothpaste, towel, I waited for Eddie (Roberts) again to go to the washroom then followed him. He jokes all the time, supposed to get washed in silence but not with Eddie around. It would be alright as long as he’s there. Pinkie watched all the time from the far end. Brushing my teeth I saw him staring but Eddie made me laugh and I turned away. Must be more careful. I might tell Eddie about Pinkie sometime but he would laugh and tell everyone, so not now. Pinkie in dorm, following me everywhere. Waited till he headed up the dorm then got dressed. He missed me.
Chapel, mass. I think it’s Cerea saying mass. He hates me and I get him for History today. Cherry and Pinkman. The two priests who hate me the most straight after each other. I hate this place. I’m writing this in the toilet halfway through mass because I felt sick. Pinkie wasn’t there. I can smell Huddersfield from the window, it is a very smoky place. Heading back, feel better.
Stayed in the middle during the run round the wall keeping away from Pinkie. It was cold but I quite like keeping fit. Porridge for breakfast, English boys put sugar on theirs, yuk. Pinkie and Cerisoli at their table get good stuff. I don’t know why I’m here but we get football today so that’s good. I don’t know if I’ll be allowed to play because Pinkie told me I had to clean the library as it wasn’t done properly on Saturday. I told him I had done the recreation barn on Sat but he just walked away.
Me and Lockie are the only ones called Francis. Cherry always calls Lockie Francis this and Francis that. When it’s me he says maggeeenezzz. I watched the door all the time incase Pinkie came in like before. History is alright and so is Geography. I enjoy learning about other places and people. I just hate them. I never look up during Geography and I won’t. It’s hard to always never look at him, think he knows. I don’t know what else to do. At finish he told me to do the library instead of football. I am in the team and he won’t even let me practice. It’s because I never went to see him I think. This is a rotten day.
French tonight. I never know what she is saying. watching the door when Pinkie came in. Spoke to the teacher then went away. My heart was thumping. Polished the floor in library, Pinkie was down at the football. Played a few games of table-tennis, getting quite good. Evening prayers are boring but I like the hymns. Salve Regina always ends the day.
Getting closer to getting home for Christmas. I’ll tell them I’m not coming back. Pinkie doing his rounds. Soon be lights-out. He can see me writing this. Finish it tomorrow. Waiting for Eddie’.

The Comboni Missionaries Lie Factory

There has been an article in the Liverpool Echo today about the abuse that we received at the hands of the Comboni Missionaries (ex Verona Fathers). See it here http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/liverpool-man-breaks-silence-over-7999755

The Comboni Missionaries are still in denial about it. A spokesperson for them in the Echo said:-

“The 11 claims which have now been resolved were all settled on a purely commercial basis and with no admission of liability.”

I think that ordinary people will put two and two together as they did when Michael Jackson paid out the father of a child he abused $20m while saying that he didn’t actually abuse him.

She continued “Given the passage of almost half a century since the alleged abuse, and particularly the deaths of the two alleged abusers named in 10 of the claims, we will never know the truth of what happened at St Peter’s.”

Well, we all know exactly what happened at the Comboni Missionaries seminary in Mirfield. The stories told by the boys (now men) who were abused are compelling. Indeed the stories show a pattern of abuse in the opportunities used whether it was Fr John Pinkman bringing boys to his room to tell them the facts of life to get them to remove their clothes for further explanation or Fr Valmaggia’s using his role as Infirmarian to get the boys to take off their clothes as he needed to weigh them regularly.

One of the comboni Missionaries abusers is still alive and is wanted for questioning by the West Yorkshire Police who have stated that a crime has been committed. He is holed up at the mother house in Verona and our police are being told he is not well enough to extradite.

She continued “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.”

She must know that more than 12 boys claimed to be abused as she has the statements of other boys who were abused who did not want to be part of the case but who wanted to corroborate the stories of those taking action against the Comboni Missionaries. There are also other boys we could name who were abused but who want to forget about it and just get on with their lives.

I never talked about it when I was there, and neither did most others, but at the first reunion that I attended it turned out that the MAJORITY of those attending had been abused by Pinkman, Valmaggia or both. The Comboni Missionaries knew all about it. Some of the boys told people who are still alive, at the time.

Here’s a question that needs to be answered. If the Verona Fathers knew nothing about it why was Fr Valmaggia summarily dismissed on the very day that several boys told Fr Hicks about their abuse at his hands and sent packing that very day? Of course they had been told before about it by several boys but it was only when Fr Hicks demanded action that they got rid of him from the seminary – although they never reported him to the police and he was allowed to live out the rest of his days in Italy till his death in 2011.

I have been asked if anyone using the blog has  information about Michael Joseph Gilhooly’s  time at Mirfield.

Apparently, Michael started at the Mirfield  Comboni Seminary   in 1970 or 1971 and was  more than likely  only a pupil at Mirfield  for a very short time. He spent a short period in the armed forces before returning to his home town of Barnsley

Michael died 21st. June 1980.

Any information sent   does  not have to be posted on the blog, and will,  therefore,  only   be seen  by  either Kevin Deignan or myself.

Thanks,

Mark (Murray

Prata di Pordenone), June 24, 2008

CHIESA DI SAN GIOVANNI DEI CAVALIERI CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE KNIGHTS

XVII Festa Medievale di S. Giovanni 2008 XVII Medieval Feast of St. John in 2008

Inaugurazione dei restauri della Chiesa di San Giovanni Unveiling of the restored Church of St. John Vespro – (con i cori parrocchiali di Prata, Villanova, Maron, Visinale e Puia) Vespers – (with parish choirs of Prata, Villanova, Maron, Visinale and Puia) “Santa Messa, col proprio di San Giovanni” “Mass, with his St. John” Cantata dalla Cappella Altoliventina diretta da Sandro Bergamo Performed by Cappella Altoliventina directed by Sandro Bergamo

Link below

http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=it&u=http://www.natisone.it/0_archivio_messe/messe2006/messe406.htm&prev=search

When I wrote to Bishop Giuseppe Zenti, the Bishop of Verona, in 2010 to inform him about Nardo living in the Comboni Mother House in Verona, I had a similar reply that you had – not from the Bishop, but from his Vicar General, Giuseppe Pelligrini.
“Assure you of our prayers” and “the people involved fall within the competence of the Superior General of the Comboni Missionaries,” was his response. In other words: ‘nothing to do with me.’ Terrible really.
I took the advice of Pelligrini, the Verona Vicar General, and wrote to Father Enrique Sanchez, the Superior General of the Comboni Missionaries.
Sanchez’s response was: “Please be assured of my continuing prayer,” and “at the end of the day, Mark, we are all in the hands of God. May He go with you always.”
My reply: “where were the hands of god when I was being abused by the hands of a priest.”
I received a similar response from the Verona Bishop, Flavio Roberto Carraro in 2002. Carraro’s Vicar General, also offered to say prayers for me and, yes, he also said: ‘nothing to do with me.’
I am not short of people praying for me!
When I wrote to Father Martin Devenish, the Provincial of the Comboni’s London Province, in 2001, he, also offered prayers: “I am sorry that I can do no more in the circumstances, although I shall continue to remember you and your family in my prayers.”
I wonder if the above are still praying to their god for me now.

Mark Murray

It is so good to see more Mirfield Old Boys getting in touch with the Mirfield Memories site. The emotions described in ‘ More Sad News’ are familiar to many of us. It may be helpful to know that we have all felt much benefit from the new friendships formed through the blog. Cristopher; take comfort in knowing that you are not alone.It would be great to hear from you both again. I enclose my own e-mail should that be of use. I’d be very happy to be contacted. frankmcginnis88@gmail.com

Just been reading this blog, having been informed by a friend of the article in the Observer Magazine on 19th October, 2014 and seen Tony Smith and Bede Mullen on “Look North” the local BBC News Bulletin a week or so ago. This has stirred up all kinds of memories for me, happy, sad, confused, disappointed, joyful, among them. My time at Roe Head (1965-1970) was troubling from a number of aspects including sexual abuse by Fathers Pinkman and Valmaggia at possibly the most crucial time in my life from the point of view of emotional, social and sexual development. At one time I was Vice Captain of the school ( a sort of Deputy Head Boy) when James Garvey was school captain and I had responsibility for the Junior ranks patrolling the dormitories at lights out being one of my duties.

I remember the petition being passed around against Father Pinkman and the dilemma I felt I faced at that time as to whether or not to sign. I think my loyalty to him and the school got the better of loyalty to my peers. If I remember rightly Frank McGinnis was one o f those brave enough to set the wheels in motion
I remember Patrick Joyce who I think was from Huddersfield and David Harrigan amongst those who have contributed to this blog.

I am in the process of contacting West Yorkshire Police. From what I have read it seems as though they are still interested in receiving further information about events at the school and I a more than happy to pass that on if it assists in the building up of a picture of the “culture of abuse” which the Order seem so keen to deny existed. I have no particular axe to grind against the Comboni Missionaries, interesting as it is they have changed their name, but wish to set some records straight.

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.