Thomas Naughton
Encyclopedia
Fr Thomas Naughton is a priest
of St Patrick's Missionary Order, Kiltegan
, County Wicklow
, who was found guilty of the indecent assault
of minors. He was one of 46 priests mentioned in the Murphy Report
.
, then going to Africa and the West Indies.
Naughton served in Nigeria
and Grenada
before returning to Ireland in 1976.
He served in several parishes in the Archdiocese of Dublin
, including Aughrim Street and Valleymount
, County Wicklow
until, in 1984, an ex-garda complained to the then Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin, Donal Murray
about Naughton.
He was then assigned to Donnycarney
, where he was in charge of altar boys, some of whom he sexually abused.
He attended a treatment centre in Stroud, Gloucestershire. Even though his counsellors believed that Naughton had limited insight into his offences, he was assigned to Ringsend
, Dublin before being removed from there following further episodes of abuse.
He was convicted of abusing an altar boy in Donnycarney and sentenced to three years in prison, reduced on appeal
to six months. He attended a treatment centre at Our Lady of Victory, Stroud, Gloucestershire
which offers 'therapy in a spiritual context' before his conviction
, Dublin, came to Naughton's house. Upon returning home, he told his mother that the priest was "a queer". The boy offered his dishevelled clothes as proof, saying Naughton had touched him sexually. Mrs Rundle telephoned her husband and told him to come home from work immediately. Later, Mr Rundle, then an active parishioner, took his young son by the hand and went to the Archbishop's House to report the abuse to Monsignor Alex Stenson. Naughton was charged with indecently assaulting four altar boys between 1984 to 1988. He pleaded guilty and served the above mentioned jail sentence.
and a fight he had with his mother. Naughton, when challenged by the Archdiocese about the abuse, admitted what he had done.
When further offences came to light in 1988, Naughton was returned to the clinic. From 1988 until his conviction a decade later, he lived in the headquarters of the St Patrick's order, caring for elderly members of the order.
In 1995, Mervyn Rundle found out that Naughton had abused at least two other boys in Ringsend and was still saying Mass
. He then phoned the Archbishop's House. At first he was told that the Archbishop was abroad but half an hour later, he was told he could see him the following day. Archbishop Connell was "apologetic" when Mervyn and his father found themselves back in his house for a second time. Mervyn was told that Naughton was in an enclosed order and that the Archbishop would put a stop to his saying Mass.
The same day, he and his father went to Clontarf Garda Station to file an official complaint. Mervyn's father said that was the first time he heard the full truth of the abuse his son had suffered. The Rundles also initiated a civil action against the Archdiocese, from which he received a settlement of approximately €400,000 in January 2003, 18 years after the offences were committed.
. The judge described the abuse as “appalling, shocking and horrifying” and sentenced Naughton to five concurrent sentences of three years each, with the final year suspended in every case.
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
of St Patrick's Missionary Order, Kiltegan
Kiltegan
Kiltegan is a village in west County Wicklow, Ireland, on the R747 regional road close to the border with County Carlow.The 19th century mansion Humewood House lies just outside of the village...
, County Wicklow
County Wicklow
County Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
, who was found guilty of the indecent assault
Indecent assault
Indecent assault is an offence of aggravated assault in many jurisdictions. It is characterised as a sex crime.Indecent assault was an offence in England and Wales under sections 14 and 15 the Sexual Offences Act 1956...
of minors. He was one of 46 priests mentioned in the Murphy Report
Murphy Report
The Murphy Report is the brief name of the report of an investigation conducted by government of Ireland into the Sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic archdiocese of Dublin...
.
Early career and sex offences
He was ordained in 1963 for St. Patrick's Missionary SocietySt. Patrick's Missionary Society
St. Patrick's Society for the Foreign Missions is an Irish Roman Catholic society of apostolic life composed of missionary priests, sometimes known as the Kiltegan Fathers from its headquarters at Kiltegan, County Wicklow.-History:It was founded on St Patrick's Day, 17 March 1932 by Monsignor...
, then going to Africa and the West Indies.
Naughton served in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
before returning to Ireland in 1976.
He served in several parishes in the Archdiocese of Dublin
Archbishop of Dublin (Roman Catholic)
The Archbishop of Dublin is the title of the senior cleric who presides over the Archdiocese of Dublin. The Church of Ireland has a similar role, heading the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough. In both cases, the Archbishop is also Primate of Ireland...
, including Aughrim Street and Valleymount
Valleymount
Valleymount is a small village in western County Wicklow, Ireland. Neighbouring villages are Hollywood, Ballymore Eustace, Blessington, Ballyknockan and Lacken.-Location and transport:...
, County Wicklow
County Wicklow
County Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
until, in 1984, an ex-garda complained to the then Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin, Donal Murray
Donal Murray
Donal Brendan Murray was the Roman Catholic Bishop of Limerick from 1996 to 2009. He had previously served as an Auxiliary Bishop of the Dublin diocese-Early life and ordination:...
about Naughton.
He was then assigned to Donnycarney
Donnycarney
Donnycarney or Donnycarny is a Northside suburb in the city of Dublin, Ireland. It is bordered by Beaumont, Artane, Killester and Marino, and lies in the postal districts of Dublin 9 and 5....
, where he was in charge of altar boys, some of whom he sexually abused.
He attended a treatment centre in Stroud, Gloucestershire. Even though his counsellors believed that Naughton had limited insight into his offences, he was assigned to Ringsend
Ringsend
Ringsend is a southside inner suburb of Dublin, the capital of Ireland. It is located on the south bank of the River Liffey, about two kilometres east of the city centre, and is the southern terminus of the East Link Toll Bridge....
, Dublin before being removed from there following further episodes of abuse.
He was convicted of abusing an altar boy in Donnycarney and sentenced to three years in prison, reduced on appeal
Appeal
An appeal is a petition for review of a case that has been decided by a court of law. The petition is made to a higher court for the purpose of overturning the lower court's decision....
to six months. He attended a treatment centre at Our Lady of Victory, Stroud, Gloucestershire
Stroud, Gloucestershire
Stroud is a market town and civil parish in the county of Gloucestershire, England. It is the main town in Stroud District.Situated below the western escarpment of the Cotswold Hills at the meeting point of the Five Valleys, the town is noted for its steep streets and cafe culture...
which offers 'therapy in a spiritual context' before his conviction
Mervyn Rundles' 18-year battle for justice
In November 1985, Mervyn Rundle, then a 10-year-old altar boy in DonnycarneyDonnycarney
Donnycarney or Donnycarny is a Northside suburb in the city of Dublin, Ireland. It is bordered by Beaumont, Artane, Killester and Marino, and lies in the postal districts of Dublin 9 and 5....
, Dublin, came to Naughton's house. Upon returning home, he told his mother that the priest was "a queer". The boy offered his dishevelled clothes as proof, saying Naughton had touched him sexually. Mrs Rundle telephoned her husband and told him to come home from work immediately. Later, Mr Rundle, then an active parishioner, took his young son by the hand and went to the Archbishop's House to report the abuse to Monsignor Alex Stenson. Naughton was charged with indecently assaulting four altar boys between 1984 to 1988. He pleaded guilty and served the above mentioned jail sentence.
Archdiocese response
Mervyn recalled the details of that Wednesday afternoon when Stenson asked his father to step outside while he was left alone with a senior cleric. Msgr Stenson denied an allegation that he had accused the boy of lying, and the Murphy Report makes no mention of such an incident.. Afterwards, the boy's father received a letter from the church explaining that Naughton's behaviour was caused by malariaMalaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
and a fight he had with his mother. Naughton, when challenged by the Archdiocese about the abuse, admitted what he had done.
When further offences came to light in 1988, Naughton was returned to the clinic. From 1988 until his conviction a decade later, he lived in the headquarters of the St Patrick's order, caring for elderly members of the order.
In 1995, Mervyn Rundle found out that Naughton had abused at least two other boys in Ringsend and was still saying Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
. He then phoned the Archbishop's House. At first he was told that the Archbishop was abroad but half an hour later, he was told he could see him the following day. Archbishop Connell was "apologetic" when Mervyn and his father found themselves back in his house for a second time. Mervyn was told that Naughton was in an enclosed order and that the Archbishop would put a stop to his saying Mass.
The same day, he and his father went to Clontarf Garda Station to file an official complaint. Mervyn's father said that was the first time he heard the full truth of the abuse his son had suffered. The Rundles also initiated a civil action against the Archdiocese, from which he received a settlement of approximately €400,000 in January 2003, 18 years after the offences were committed.
December 2009 conviction
In December 2009 Thomas Naughton pleaded guilty to five sample counts of indecent assault against an altar boy. The abuse began in 1982 and continued for two years, when the victim was an altar boy in Valleymount parish and Thomas Naughton was curateCurate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
. The judge described the abuse as “appalling, shocking and horrifying” and sentenced Naughton to five concurrent sentences of three years each, with the final year suspended in every case.
See also
- Roman Catholic Church sex abuse scandal
- Roman Catholic priests accused of sex offenses
- Ferns Report, on sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ferns, Ireland
- Crimen sollicitationisCrimen sollicitationisCrimen sollicitationis is the title of a 1962 document of the Holy Office codifying procedures to be followed in cases of priests or bishops of the Catholic Church accused of having used the sacrament of Penance to make sexual advances to penitents.It repeated, with additions, the contents of an...
- Pontifical SecretPontifical secretThe pontifical secret or pontifical secrecy or papal secrecy is the code of confidentiality that, in accordance with the canon law of the Roman Catholic Church, applies in matters that require greater than ordinary confidentiality:...
- Deliver Us from Evil (2006 film)Deliver Us from Evil (2006 film)Deliver Us from Evil is a documentary film directed by Amy J. Berg which tells the true story of Catholic priest Oliver O'Grady, who admitted to having molested and raped approximately 25 children in Northern California between the late 1970s and early 1990s...
- Sex Crimes and the Vatican (Panorama Documentary Episode)
- Barbara BlaineBarbara BlaineBarbara Blaine is the founder and president of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests , a national advocacy group for survivors of clerical sexual abuse. She alleges that she was sexually abused during her teenage years from junior high school until graduation by a priest. She revealed this...
founder of SNAP (Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests)