https://wellington.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/4131#idx7278
"This jubilee booklet was published in 1961 to mark the 50th anniversaries of what were then Wellington's two main primary & intermediate Catholic boy's schools; Marist Brothers' Newtown located between Tasman and King streets, and Marist Brothers' Thorndon in Hawkestone Street. These operated as 'prep' schools for St Patrick's College, then located at the top of Tory Street in Te Aro. Within a decade the landscape of Catholic boys' education began to change. In 1970, Marist Thorndon was closed and relocated to Wilton after the original school was compulsorily acquired and demolished for the construction of the Wellington Urban Motorway. In the 1980s, it became co-educational and renamed Cardinal McKeefry School in honour of Peter McKeefry (1899 - 1973), Archbishop of Wellington from 1954 and the first New Zealand Cardinal to be appointed by the pope in 1969.
Marist Brothers Newtown operated until 1984 when it closed and amalgamated with St Anne's School, also in Newtown. In 1980, St Patrick's College in Te Aro relocated to Kilbirnie; a move prompted by the planned third stage of the Wellington Motorway (from the Terrace Tunnel to the Mt Victoria Tunnel) which was never completed."
There are some interesting photos in it that show Marist Newtown and Marist Thorndon.
In the case of Newtown the 1961 photograph of the playground brings back memories (for me good ones). I attended from 1962 through 1965.
There is a photograph of the Brothers who were there when I attended.
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| Brother Paulinus second from the left |
Richard and Robert went to Marist Thorndon which also had its share of psychologically damaged teachers including at least one paedophile.
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| Brother Benedict in the centre |
“Time present and time past
Are both perhaps present in time future,
And time future contained in time past.
If all time is eternally present
All time is unredeemable."
- From T.S. Eliot Four Quartets
*FOND(LE) MEMORIES
12 comments:
Wow, what a photo! Leon (left) and Benedict both liked to put their hands up young boys' shorts.
I wonder what happened to them?
Some kind of invasive cancer would have been appropriate.
No doubt they're long dead and I have no doubt Robert that the Archdiocese of Wellington was well aware of the abhorrent behaviour of some of their priests and brothers.
Hi
I came across this while working on database of church abuse in NZ. Benedict is one of the men that has abused elsewhere so it was of interest to be able to find confirmation here that he was up to much the same at his new school. We expected no less
I understand the comments around there being no point in taking a complaint forward given he's deceased. However, I would recommend that you seriously consider reporting to the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care. There have been and continue to be serious systemic issues in regards to how the Catholic Church in NZ and worldwide has dealt (not dealt) with the abuse crisis and children are still at risk. The most recent case that has made the media (tip of the iceberg) was in 2018. So, logging your experiences is important.
If you'd like to discuss this more or find out more then can you please contact my via
https://www.thereckoning.nz/contact-us/
It would be great to hear from you.
I was forced to attend in the late 1960s when Leon was a brother teaching at Marist Thorndon. He was a loathsome little man who drank in my father's hotel on Molesworth Street. He used to wait near the school gate and assault boys as they walked in, particularly when the school was empty in the holidays and boys were sent there to meet him as their new teacher. It was meant to be a familiarization tour, and Leon familiarized himself with his victims' genitals. He was a leering, poking and probing, dirty little man who bullied and intimidated small boys. He died, respected by his peers and died unpunished. When I informed the Catholic Church of his behavior several years ago, I was called by a former colleague of Leon's who fondly reminisced of Leon. This was so utterly disgusting and bereft of morality that I struggle to believe the organization isn't listed as a criminal clique. I told my parents at the time but they were so intimidated by the Catholic Church's power they tried to sort it out behind closed doors. The church arranged that my brother and I return to the Star of The Sea Convent, but only after seeing the term out at Marist! Benedict was also a pedophile, but less persistant and easier to dodge as he was quite forgetful. Leon also molested my brother and several friends. He was an open sore on the backside of mother church, and the church turned their head and let him damage hundreds of children, many of whom I met as I sat in alcohol and drug rehab hallways in the 1970s and 80s. It cannot be a coincidence that heavy drug use and abusive Catholic teachers is a familiar thread in the life stories of so many of my friends, both living and dead.
Hi NZJohn.
I'm sorry to hear that and that those unconscionable cunts have had such an effect on you and others. As you can see from this blog (and connected ones I write like https://thereligiouscurmudgeon.blogspot.com/)I take a light hearted approach to things that I've experienced in my life (I'm now 70) but I don't forgive or forget shitty behaviour. While I haven't sought it, other ex Marist, St Pat's and other catholic survivors have found my blog and shared some things. My good friends Richard and Robert are followers of this. One got out but unfortunately the other is still ensnared. I got out unscathed but have heard enough from others to see that the Catholic Church has been complicit in enabling pedophiles for a very long time and no amount of mealy-mouthed apologies from the 'new order' is going to change this as long as the majority of the hierarchy are still in power. I'm glad that Cardinal Pell died recently but frankly it'd have been better if the prick had died many years ago and in bloody agony.
Best wishes.
That’s nice writing. You set a scene well so that I can see the carousel and the fairground and ‘feel’ the loneliness.
I never experienced pedaphile priests, nuns or brothers firsthand but know others who have. I have had experience though, in primary, intermediate and secondary schools, of nuns, brothers and priests who were disciplinary masters who seemed to take an unhealthy delight in handing out punishment- like your Brother Winters. They were sad individuals cosseted in a dodgy institution.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FJQ0buhFDJW7wJvvARYVNyVAiWQOVk6IvCpNc1AyWPs/edit?usp=sharing
I've finally gone ahead and decided to talk to the organization that represents the Marist Brothers about the behavior of Brothers at Marist. They have an independent person who looks into complaints in a very careful and discreet way. Despite it so many years ago it may provide a sense of closure, if that's possible. If any of you feel you would like to be heard it may be of considerable help.
There's no pressure or need to share anything that's best left undisturbed after so long. There is the option to speak privately with the investigator, with or without making a formal complaint. I have permission to provide you his name and contact details, in private, so please contact me if you'd like to reach out.. John
nzobriens@gmail.com
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