PAUL WILLIAMS, FATHER BRENDAN SMYTH AND NORA WALL

It is absolutely clear that Paul William's allegations against Nora Wall, published by the Sunday World on 11 July 1999, are repulsive lies; the newspaper had to apologise and pay substantial damages. Since Nora Wall had just been convicted of raping a child the Sunday World thought that they could print any lie whatsoever without fear of a libel suit. However the conviction collapsed and the World was left exposed. Well justice sometimes triumphs in this world. [See article "Sunday World Apology for Libelling Nora Wall" on www.alliancesupport.org on 21 October 2007]

Where did Paul Williams get his ideas from? Did he simply invent everything? Not necessarily. The following is an extract (pages 132-133) from the book "Betrayal of Trust: The Father Brendan Smyth Affair and the Catholic Church" by UTV Counterpoint journalist Chris Moore. Moore produced the TV documentary "Suffer Little Children" on Brendan Smyth in October 1994; his book was published in 1995.

Moore claims that a boy "Danny" was buggered by other boys and by priests in an UN-NAMED Catholic institution. Group sex sessions involving Danny and other boys were led and observed by priests. Moreover one of the priests at this establishment was a friend of Father Brendan Smyth and would supply a number of boys for his guests sexual amusement. This is the same allegation that Paul Williams makes against Nora Wall - if we substitute her name for the un-named priest and St. Michael's childcare centre, Cappoquin for the un-named Catholic institution. Is this some kind of co-incidence?

Chris Moore claims that "The children were originally placed in Nazareth house but from there Danny was sent to another Catholic institution which cannot at this point be identified for legal reasons as it is under investigation by the police." (page 132). Well that was 12 years ago. Have the police completed their investigation? What is the name of the priest and of the institution Mr. Moore?

extract from "Betrayal of Trust" pages 132-33
"Siobhan's brother Danny was only four when his mother committed suicide in a Belfast hostel. The children were originally placed in Nazareth house but from there Danny was sent to another Catholic institution which cannot at this point be identified for legal reasons as it is under investigation by the police. He was eleven years of age and by this stage had already endured many years of abuse by the priest [Fr Brendan Smyth].

"His transfer to new surroundings did not bring about a cessation of visits by Fr Smyth who simply followed him there. As if this were not bad enough Danny was soon thrown into the worst period of his short life, facing sexual abuse on a grand scale, suffering painful humiliation and degradation by up to ten other priests, buggery by other boys in the residence, orchestrated and observed by some of the priests and group sex sessions with other boys led by, and again observed by other priests.

"One of the priests at this establishment was a friend of Fr Smyth and on the occasion of the monthly visits of the priest from Ballyjamesduff he would supply a number of boys for his guest's sexual amusement. Danny was just one of the boys told to report for private meetings with Fr Smyth, waiting in line outside the room set aside for these sessions.

"Danny told me other priests would tell him that, 'Father Brendan is here to see you' and if there was somebody in the designated room with him, simply to wait outside until called. As soon as he was alone with the priest the kissing would begin, not the fatherly peck on the cheek; French kissing with the priest's tongue penetrating the boy's mouth. Then the priest would open his trousers and place the boy's hand on his penis, making the boy masturbate him until he ejaculated. Once that had been achieved - and the sessions normally lasted fifteen or twenty minutes - the boy would be quickly taken to the priest's car to receive a bag of sweets and a couple of pounds pocket money. The next boy would be called in for more of the same.

"For a boy of eleven years of age this was not only disgusting behaviour but it simply was not in keeping with the teachings of the Church. "Masturbation was a sin" said Danny. "At least that is what we were told - although it seemed to be permitted if you were doing it to or with a priest." "

MY COMMENT: The sexual abuses committed by Father Brendan Smyth against boys were real crimes and tragic for all those affected. However Chris Moore is not content with recounting real crimes. He distorts and embellishes the truth in order to involve other priests and thereby seeks to fuel hatred of the Catholic Church. When our anti-clerical witch-hunt eventually collapses, there will be nothing left but cynicism; REAL victims of child abuse will be the main sufferers because they will be linked in the public mind, with the liars and fraudsters who are running the show today.


Rory Connor
23 October 2007

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