Customer Reviews

Unholy Orders

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This book documents the sexual perversion, physical abuse, and gratuitous cruelty inflicted on defenseless boys as young as seven years old by Irish Christian Brothers in the Mount Cashel orphanage for homeless boys in St. John's, Newfoundland during the 1970s-80s. It is also the story of a massive cover-up perpetrated over a period of some fifteen years which involved high ranking justice department officials as well as the chief of police.

It is a tragic story, which doesn't have quite the ending which I would have liked. Why, for example, were no public officials ever punished or, at least, dishonored for their corruption? And, where was the well deserved lynch mob which might have at least frightened the perverts and abusers when their long delayed time for justice finally arrived? And, why didn't the punishment for the `brothers,' once convicted, fit their crimes as did that of the priest in Louisiana who was sentenced to twenty years at hard labor without the possibility of parole? And why, for God's sake, did they only investigate what happened in 1975 and, even then, only allow the testimony of the eight boys questioned in that year? Surely, there were lots of other boys being sexually abused and tormented long before and long after that year. And, just as surely, there were other `Christian brothers,' yet unnamed, who also deserve punishment. And, finally, why didn't they reinstate the well intentioned cop who got drunk and tried to break the story ten years earlier?

This is a hard read, partly because of its subject matter but mostly because it is so meticulously documented. This, at times, makes for tedious reading. But, if you want to learn just how deviant and cruel even a respected man can be, and just how devious and corrupt public officials can become, then this is the book for you. But don't expect to see the justice you might have hoped for, for in this case justice was denied - at least denied the children.

The 1992 movie "The Boys Of St. Vincent" is based on the events documented in this book.

Unfortunately, the movie gives the impression that the matter was resolved, when it really wasn't.

Read the other reviews of this book for an idea of the on-going crimes and the lack of justice for something that never should have happened.