A CHILD-MOLESTING Marist Brother was promptly ushered out of the brotherhood to avoid scandal while his Newcastle victims received apologies and had their school fees waived, court documents tendered to Newcastle Local Court stated.
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John Patrick Gleeson, formerly known as Brother Dominic, pleaded guilty yesterday to seven counts of indecently assaulting three boys when he was a teacher at Marist Brothers High School, Hamilton, in 1962.
He had fondled the boys on separate occasions in front of unsuspecting classmates by using his robes to hide his hands, a statement of facts said.
The school's principal, a Brother Dimitrious, later summoned one of the victims to his office and apologised.
The boy hadn't told anyone about Gleeson's offending because he didn't think anyone would believe him, but one of the other boys told his mother who complained to the school.
That boy not only received an apology from Brother Dimitrious, but he also had his school fees "dropped", the statement said.
Gleeson confessed and his "Indult of Secularisation" was also tendered to the court, which stated that he was "completely incapable of bearing the yoke of religious life any longer because of inability to keep the vow of chastity".
He also wrote a letter on school letterhead offering to leave the Marist Brothers "at a time when it would be less noticed and avoids scandal".
A Brother Quentin wrote to Gleeson saying that he was sorry to hear of his "news" and suggested that Gleeson might benefit from a "residence" at a church property in Sydney.
In a letter from Brother Quentin to his superiors accompanying Gleeson's secularisation, Brother Quentin wrote: "Because of the possible danger of scandal and the implication of the institute I am presuming the necessary authority to allow Brother to leave today."
The letter concludes: "I suppose while we have human nature with us this will come up from time to time. It is not easy when it does come. Still, 'angels are bright still, though the brightest fell'."
Gleeson, 84, now of Glenbrook, will face a sentencing hearing in Newcastle District Court later this year.
He has difficulty hearing and needed help to stand up when magistrate Ian Cheetham addressed him.
As well as his time at Hamilton, Gleeson taught at Maitland, Camberwell, Cairns and Sydney during nine years as a Marist Brother.
