Papal award recipient jailed for child abuse

BY ANGUS MACDONALD
THE DE LA SALLE ORDER was reeling this week from the news that one of its most highly-respected members a lay brother who was awarded a medal by Pope John Paul II less than two years ago for his services to education has. been convicted of the systematic sexual abuse of children in his care.
"It's a moment of shame for the Church, for the order and for his family," said Brother Thomas Campbell, provincial of the De La Salle order, this week. "Many of the brothers will be devastated by this betrayal."
Brother James Carragher, a charismatic man who had spoken at international conferences on child welfare and even advised the government on the subject, pleaded guilty of offences against nine
boys aged 14 to 16 committed while he was principal of St William's Catholic Community School in Humberside between 1973 and 1980.
The school was being run by the order on behalf of the Catholic Child Welfare Society in Middlesborough, but has since closed.
Brother Campbell said the order, which runs 13 secondary schools around the country, including 2 boarding schools, would be examining its procedures to make sure a similar case could never happen again.
Carragher's former colleagues were stunned this week to hear of his conviction. Fr Terry Dougherty, a spokesman for the Church, said "nobody has the words to describe the distaste and horror of what has gone on. Those who worked with him are in a state of shock".