This page was set up surrounding the sexual abuse allegation against Brother Lawrence that dated back to 1965, released in a letter on January 31, 2014 to parents. It was announced as a “recent” discovery and that a police investigation is taking place, but members of community have yet to confirm when such knowledge actually occurred and if the police are truly involved at all. This Forum is meant to help discussion between past, dispersed or any members of the school community who can’t meet or discuss easily about matters for various reasons. Problems that dated back to 1965 are sure to involve alumni. And parents with doubts about the school are hardly free to express them otherwise. We will publish anything except profanity or personal attacks. If you are a victim of a crime or know of one, it’s best to report details to the police, not here. You can ask others questions. Please also use your common sense and common courtesy–it’s a crazy topic already. [Update: Most recent comments are now listed on the right hand side bar, at the bottom to find more easily]
St. Mary's International School Labor Dispute 
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Wow is all I can say about the Br. Lawrence case. For me, thankfully it was never a conclusion I would have come to. I wish all the best for the person who came forward. I will pass the information onto my circles.
Yes, please tell all of your friends and circles. If this has been going on for half a century we have all been led a lie as to the ethics of the school. If anyone is charged over this sordid affair the Brothers days should be numbered in Japan, and their schools will fade out world wide maybe.. .
Not very credible. Isn’t anyone concerned that this “forum” is provided on a blog created by a former SMIS employee with a vendetta? Come on people. This is all heresy and this blog is just a Trojan Horse to keep her story in the foreground. What kind of narcissist would have a blog entry about sexual abuse and her own personal defamation lawsuit together like they have any similarity? Apples and oranges. I smell a rat people. A rat named Tran.
Lol. We like how you used “heresy” and “Trojan Horse”–like you know what they mean. (Actually, it’s apt you would use the word “heresy”, so scratch that part). Your ironic illiteracy reminds us of a special Professor of English we know 🙂
Also, what’s wrong with piggy backing a huge, unexpected difficult topic within the school’s community on our blog? It may not have been related, and we’ve always said so, but what other outlet, channel or forum has there been for people to freely express themselves about something like this? None. Alumni around the world have been able to say what they want without peer or institutional pressure. They’ve been able to share news and even organize. Can’t argue that it has been effective, can you? This blog happened to be active at the right time and place in 2014 thanks to certain individuals. Guuzen ni, desu ne? If you’d like for us to start a separate St. Mary’s International School Sexual Abuse blog–let us know! 🙂 I’m sure Sylvia would have tons of information for us to scan and upload. We’ll be sure to acknowledge you on the site for the suggestion!
I love this comment from stmaryslabordispute.
Yes I am sure Sylvia has so much which she could share about SMIS and the sexual escapades of some of the staff. I know she has material which would blow the sox of some of the deniers. Sadly if you read her sight she has personal health issues, but as she is so resilient and tenacious I suggest just keep watching and reading. .
Rumor has it she is …… no. not yet …, just wait and see ….. :
“I smell a rat”
Apples and oranges to use an algebra analogy are dissimilar of course. SMIS and its manipulative geriatric administration and the epidemic child sexual abuse which we hear of is not dissimilar, they have the same cover-ups and the same root cause and t he same order of brothers at the helm be it child molesting or unfair employment.
Now over eight months down the road we still have no answers, no communication, no accountability, no inquiry. All we have to borrow the phrase now so well known to the senior boys.is a headmaster dancing the Takurazuka. Let us hope we get a laugh at 60th with him on stage at the American Club.
I don’t think you really understand… ‘A rat named Tran’… what a sick comment. I am a child that went to one of St.Mary’s Annex schools in the mid seventies. Sexual abuse DID happen. And these sexual predators where recycled out to other country schools in Japan when they ‘misbehaved’ at the main school. Enrages me!
Also the were many other brothers that were sexual predators and they didn’t only abuse in Japan but other countries… and they were charged and/or jailed.
I remember my mother had to gift a rare bottle of aged whiskey to skip the waiting list for elementary school in the 90s. We were grateful at the time, but also regretted these appetites and backdoor ways of the catholic brothers and admin. Keeping up with all the school expenses became too much and I ended my time there. No regrets.
Id like to believe that these accusations shocked the admin as much as everyone else and that’s why they are being so upfront about it. But there is probably a special reason they have to be upfront. In the past scandals were hidden like that video of a student being bullied, that french teacher who made out with a smis student, that office lady who slept with a student, that time we were baned from the nikotama 7-11, how Mr N humiliated his students and this case with Ms T. People could only find out by talking. Sexual abuse is so much worse I know. But I think the victim must have shown that he has some solid evidence that has scared all the school admin into being totally open. Maybe photos or a letter. Or he knows of places or body marks. Or proof that others know. If he didn’t they would probably try to hide it like everything elese. I was always ok with Kagei tho. Tough call for him. i just remember Br. Lawrence being old with old man’s colone in his office. I will always be pround of the Titans!! But I hope this is not at all like Penn State.
Great point. There is probably something to it because they likely straight up asked Br. Lawrence and he didn’t deny it, his being of the Order and all. He probably can’t remember what trail of evidence he left behind or the extent of it and that’s why the admin are freaking out. Reading the letter to parents again, it looks like he is prohibited from making any contact with the kids, but it doesn’t say that he was removed from campus. So, it’s as if he has a cold.
Br. Lawrence is a nice man. I did not agree with his philosophy on how the school is to be run. This is very sad. I cannot imagine Br. Lawrence doing this.
I am sad for the victim too
You can not imagine …. oh dear. As for him being a nice man “concerned alumnus”. if nice men molest children it makes me assume ISIS are nice men too with your logic.
concerned alumnus, Believe it!
In recent times, there are stories (or more like allegations) about a Brother who had taught 6th grade at St. Mary’s for 20 years. Too many times, alumni talk about going to KEEP and about the sex education lectures and having to line up outside a room for a private 1 on 1 chat with that Brother. Then many alumni alleged that they were violated by that Brother. That Brother died over 30 years ago. Recently, alumni tell stories about what happened. They know not much can be done because the Brother died over 30 years ago.
Mr. Kagei may want to issue an apology for what happened. He may even want to ask alumni to write him letters about what happened at KEEP. Any affected alumni should notify the Archbishop of Tokyo and Br. Guy Morissette immediately about what happened.
Of all the great educational choices out there in Tokyo for international schools, I don’t know why after this, St. Mary’s parents would give another yen to this institution. Why wait around to find out all the ways in which the students and community have been subjected to dysfunctional bull? These are never single, isolated incidences. Who knows the extent of this. Tuition will undoubtedly go to yet more lawyers for the criminal defense of a pedophile. To preserve the community: move en masse. Start applying. Customers with money are empowered with their wallets.
Surely parents and alumni do not want tuition fees to be used to pay for the legal expenses of a pedophile? (as per ‘Observer’ on the 2nd of February,)
Kagei-san would not have sent out the letter without mega rock solid reasons. He is clearly guilty beyond a doubt due to this brave action of Kagei-san, and any brother who advocates for fees to be used to pay for his defense must surely be covering up for their own behavior.
We do not want our fees used to pay lawyers to defend him. court appointed lawyers are all he should have. The bros should not put up a bail bond for him either.
Where is he living? Or has he been spirited away to Canada on a businessclass seat, and is now too sick to be extradited back to Japan?
Also why are we not hearing with regards to privacy what the school is doing for the victim. He must have had almost 50 years of torture…The school must respond.
I am not surprised. This is very sad. I remember Br. Lawrence. I spent 8 years at St. Mary’s. There are some other brothers who probably did the same or worse. I know one in particular.
With all due respect, if this is something you are sure of, then let the police know. If the children are still exposed to predators then it’s important to take responsibility and end it.
We were sidelined by the news, but like you, were ultimately not surprised. At this school, we’ve seen serious matters routinely buried, denied and quietened to the point they “don’t exist”. Only when things have exploded and gone too far, does anyone acknowledge it. This sexual abuse allegation is no different. If the culture of the school currently suppresses the weakest among it from speaking or seeking justice, then that needs to change. Enablers, as well, far out number the actual perpetrators. Whoever this victim is, he has started to create an atmosphere of accountability at long last, where abusers of power don’t feel free to have their way. From our standpoint, we’ve experienced that the Brothers, the long-time admin and some teachers have always felt they were unimpeachable. Parents, students and newer teachers had no chance. But the truth is, everyone should be held to exactly the same standards: treat others with respect.
Bully. You are trying to hide it behind quotes and big words, but this is classic.
You need to be more specific with your complaints. As for who the bully is–it’s interesting that you’d think it’s us! Don’t institutions hit you as being rather organized at doing what they want despite individuals within them? They have the machinery of bullying. We are just individuals.
St. Mary’s is a haven and a gravy-train for all the absurd admin and staff who have spent 25-35 years ingratiating themselves to the brothers. How many staff are hired and keep a job paying up to 11 million yen a year just because they are spouses or attend Sunday chapel or are loyal former students, rather than being the Best? Oh yes, some may have online degrees. When warm bodies comprise that much of the staff, compared to other schools around the world, St. Mary’s looks like a cult compound, not a well-managed Educational institution by any means. Are we really surprised that this school had a sexual predator of children leading the Elementary School for decades? With his top aides constantly fluffing him (look at the two who succeeded him), we should be surprised that we didn’t find out sooner. We should be surprised that there aren’t more. Br. Lawrence couldn’t remember the names or faces of students and parents who’d been through all six grades! He cared for his nap, his drink and now we know what else. This place has been concerned with rolling over an easy money-making formula to finance the brothers’ purpose and existence, both dwindling in an increasingly secular world. Ms. Tran made the mistake of bringing up parents’ opinion, kids’ learning and test scores for her case. Ha! She didn’t realize she was just a little lump in everyone’s gravy. Linda Wayne and Michael Dimuzio, who undoubtedly carry big forks around, were only too happy to smush.
St. Mary’s was a good school until 1978, the year that Br. Charles Milot, a long time assistant Headmaster and High school Principal stepped down and returned to Quebec. A leadership vacuum set in and all was down hill since. a certain corrupt power that be stepped in and presided over the school’s decline. This person was a layperson who mistreated many good high school Principals such as Br. Charles Desjarlais, Mr. Harold Fleetham, and Fr. Matthew Ehmke. Good teachers left St. Marys under this corrupt person’s reign of terror; these include Ed Paradis, and Robert Scripko. That person used to live on a house on school property.
If its the same person I’m thinking of, lots of teachers left in 73 the year I graduated as he got the house on the new campus for his family. The brothers at the time thought everybody was good. That is unfortunately not the case. He would tell Asian parents that their son needed extra tutoring on the weekends for an agreed upon price. In Asia this is not out of the ordinary but is illegal in the US.
You guessed it correctly Frank. I did know that he royally mistreated a Japanese-American alumnus of SMIS who was interested in redress for Japanese-Americans who went to the concentration camps during World War II (ie, Manzanar, Tule Lake, etc). Yet, Mr. Ed Paradis encouraged that same alumnus to pursue the interest. Mr. Paradis told that same alumnus that the certain faculty member was giving him rubbish.
By the way, Frank, about that corrupt power that be, he told that alumnus, while he was a student, that he had to be Japanese and go along with Japanese ways; he needed to forget about Japanese-American culture and heritage. He told that alumnus’ father that he had a persecution paranoid complex because of his interest in redress for Japanese-Americans who went to the concentration camps during the war.
He did tell the same alumnus that he had a psychological problem because he was of Japanese ancestry and had great difficulty learning the Japanese language and adapting to Japanese tradition and culture.
That corrupt power that be felt that all Asians had to be Asian. Frank, I guess we are talking about the same person. Am I correct? What do you think of the way he treated the alumnus.?
Later, Mr. Ed Paradis told the alumnus “Power corrupts… that person never tested you on what you were good at and you had to be a peg that fit into eithetr the square or the round hole.” On the flip side, Ed Paradis knew how to meet students where the were at; that is why he was a successful and popular teacher (despite the fact that he was stern and always strict about his personal boundaries).
I recommend this book
http://www.catholicworldreport.com/Item/2903/spiritual_healing_after_sexual_abuse.aspx#.UvCQRK2YZdg
Sab Kagei is actually just removing criminal liability from himself as Head Master in the event that Br. Lawrence does turn out to be a criminal on campus. He HAS to disclose something like this. I’m surprised it’s not more public: neighbors in the school vicinity with children; prospective families who want to enroll should be aware of what’s going on too.
As for the Archdiocese getting involved: at my most cynical, I would refer to the hundreds of millions of dollars that archdioceses and dioceses all over the world have had to pay to victims of sexual abuse, in those cases by priests from the church corporation itself. Here in Japan, with few Catholic cash-cows for the Archdiocese to collect from, St. Mary’s is pretty important to defend. Two tax-free religious / educational organizations channeling billions of yen a year. ~$25,000 USD x ~1000 students at the school, alone. These are important money making machines to keep up. PR tells you to not discuss this too loudly, OK? And victims? Age old sacrifices to the real God: Money. (Might as well give them a cut).
While many of us share your cynicism, this story does need to be discussed critically and carefully. Unnecessary panic could destabilize the school community and education for a large community of students.
But open discussion is not panic. It brings the community together to contemplate how since 1965, the school was not what we believed. A pillar of the school may have been dangerously hollow all this time. Yet, it’s still not a simple case of the school being either a total waste, or all-good. It is complicated. Not discussing it, not addressing it, is not solving it. Whatever we do, we will emerge from this: anxious; ambivalent; in denial; or disillusioned (a good word, meaning changed toward reality). I’d choose the last.
I disagree. The school is very safe as of now. It was already very safe when I was enrolled (Bro. Lawrence and Bro. Paul were already too old; they were really nice teachers). The “suspects” are either already dead, alomiost dead, or (literally) senile; I fell very sorryf or the victims, but what can they do for the crimes committed more than 30 years ago?? Current SMIS does not have much to do with them (though the management will remain with the missionary). In fact, I am quite worried about the lack of new brothers and the subsequent decline in Catholic education in Japan.
You have said Br Lawrence was too old. Curious comment when he was still principal of tag elementary school.
Japan education authority would be most interested
I do know a story about a St. Mary’s alumnus who was bullied and sexually abused by his peers. I do not know his name. He was able to settle out of court with the Archdiocese and with the Superior of the Brothers. He got a royal treatment from them. He got more than an apology. They even offered to reimburse him for the cost of counseling and give him extra to help him out. Some of his former teachers even helped him out and gave him counsel. Those teachers were shocked and wished that they had known about the abuse so that they could have protected him.
The Catholic Church has taken a stance of zero tolerance and guilty until proven innocent. A priest/brother/nun accused is removed from ministry pending investigation; it is very hard to prove ones innocence.
In order for anyone to get involved with Church related ministry, even on a volunteer basis, one has to go through safe boundary and protecting minor classes, get a background check and be finger printed. That process has proven to be a pain in the neck for those who want to volunteer. In addition, one has to take re-certification classes every 4 years.
To be honest, other than for keeping the victim quiet, I have no idea why the Archdiocese had any financial liability in the case you mention. The perpetrators were not priests, but SMIS students (who might have even been non-religious, having nothing to do with “the Church”). It makes no sense for the Archdiocese to have to have paid anybody unless it was to suppress the story. Whatever happened to the student aggressors? Was a criminal investigation launched against them? Or were they allowed to quietly go on their way to hurt more students elsewhere? Maybe the victim got what he needed, but I don’t think the problem was solved with money. In fact, it did nothing to to deter future bullies. No one knows of a solution that came from it, because the problem was kept secret.
The issue was the fact that the victim did complain, but certain lay administrators covered up the case. They even told that student that he brought the bullying on himself by his reaction. I heard that the victim is a very devout Catholic who turned to the Catholic faith during the times of sorrow. Several Brothers reached out and helped him out. He became a Catholic as a result of the Brothers’ willingness to reach out and help him. That alumnus decided not to press charges against his peers because they were juveniles at the time it went on and once they became adults, the crimes could no longer be held against them.
The issue was a cover up by the administration at the time. One administrator is now dead, and the other is no longer at the school. The victim consulted his pastor and a lawyer and, on his own accord, went to the Archbishop of Tokyo and the superior of the brothers to report the matter and told them his conditions. He got much more than he asked for.
This is info that I only heard through the grapevine.
Sounds like witch hunt… how can you prove your innocence for something you (have or) have not done many years ago??
However, I do agree that something must be done to get rid of the criminal pedophiles.
well Brother LAwrence solved this, he apologized …. GUILTY after half a century
Archbishop of Tokyo and Br. Guy Morissette does anyone have their email address?
Last known contact Br. Guy Morissette (maybe he can help, as he’s helped others in the past):
guymori2002—at—-yahoo.ca
Seiko Gakuin
1, Takinoue, Naka-ku
Yokohama 231-0837, Japan
Archbishop of Tokyo can be reached at (from website):
Archbishop Peter Takeo Okada
Archbishop of Tokyo
3-15-16 Sekiguchi, Bunkyo-ku, 112-0014 TOKYO
JAPAN
Tel: 03-3943-2301 Fax:03-3944-8511 E-mail diocese@tokyo.catholic.jp
Br. Guy can be reached at yokohamaguy@yahoo.com
Br. Guy wants the Brothers to return to the mission of the founder of the order… to provide a Catholic education for poor children, not a secular education for the wealthy/rich/upper class children as we have seen.
Yes, Br. Guy is a good man and is very helpful. I hear many compliments about him from those who took up their complaints to him.
I heard that when Brother Michel resigned in August (and hence his new job as Chair of the School Corporation Board) when he found out mid 2013 that a Bro had seriously assaulted a boy in the past.
So if true this is not truthful about just finding out in recent days (eg January 31). Looks like Kagei will be following Bro Lawrence to another vocation. Nice try at a cover up Kagei.
I wonder if the parents at the other 3 schools were notified? I heard he moved to Yokohama school for fresh pickings no doubt.
And yes, what about the neighbors and people around the area with children..
Mrs. L, you bring up some interesting info.
Maybe some parents need to write up a flyer and put it in the mail box of neighbors to let them know. Isn’t one of the neighbors the Empress’ friend? Also: maybe we should question IF this matter really is being dealt with by the police. We should ask the police. For instance, why would the police tolerate interference of the agency of the Archdiocese in a criminal case? Leaving it for the admin to handle is suspect.
Great idea! Lets embarrass the school further and then you can absorb all their students!
Love all the comments by people who will not identify themselves.
Exactly, can we believe the announcement? NO. How very unlikely that the Japanese Police with their highly recognized methodological way would tolerate an external Archdiocese / church investigation..
Kagei needs to come clean. His fob them off message has not worked. If he has gone to police then I challenge him to send out a notice of which police officer and which koban. If he can not do this then he will be going the same way as Bro Lawrence.
Also why not have Brother Michel send an announcement as chairman of the school corporation. This would make sense. It all smells of a cover-up. Kagei come clean. You have probably lost your job over this, and no doubt Bro Michel, you are on a one way ticket to Canada.,
We have not been told why he has not been moved to somewhere with no children, But Mrs L did hear he is at the school in Yokohama, But I saw him with Bro Raymond on a train together in late January in Tokyo (I have never been to Yokohama). This makes me think he is still at the brother’s house and near boys at St Mary’s.
..
There must be a way we can spread the word about St Mary’s and the need for the elderly clergy to follow the route of the Nagasaki Martyrs (at least leave Japan … not executed).
How can we push Kagei in coming clean. His letter does not ring true and there must be more he is holding back.
note: be very careful if your boys wrestle, this is an area where pedophiles like to be involved in.
Well, check w the “local police” that Kagei said they contacted and are investigating. It would be the Setagaya police. Show them that letter sent to parents and ask if indeed there is any investigation. If that fails, that becomes a proper news item, doesn’t it? Parents being misled about a criminal investigation; off-loading an alleged sex-offender onto an unsuspecting Japanese community…
Reading that letter again, I noticed that the word “investigations” (plural) turned into “investigation” (singular), after naming the agencies of the Archdiocese and the police and implying both were on the case. So, maybe by this trick of words, Kagei feels he’s telling the truth by writing that some kind of investigation is taking place with the police, when really it is with only the Archdiocese. Of course, it makes no sense that the Archdiocese could be involved if the police are.
By the way, I always hope I’m wrong about the school. Though I’ve not been so far. 😦 Kagei and Michel are out of the country in Boston Mass, at an Alumni Dinner celebrating all the good they did by the boys: https://www.facebook.com/pages/St-Marys-Alumni-Association/219853214798302?fref=ts
i made a call to the school in Yokohama [I am fluent … Japanese born] to ask for Brother Lawrence, they gave me the phone number of the school in Shizuoka,and said he now lives there ???? I did not call.
But does this mean they move a child sex offender (albeit alleged sex offender) to a school where there are no expats? I am Japanese born and find this offensiive if this indeed is what happened. He needs to be somewhere where there are no children. Iwa Jima?
If what you write is true, then there is no police investigation. They hoped to contain this story within the English silo. Japanese parents won’t know, and if they did would be even less likely to organize, complain or speak up.
Yes, ‘thoughts on this’ reporting or creating a wave is not the Japanese way. Parents at ANY Japanese school would carry on regardless not wanting anything to upset their son’s schooling and life chances.
Following that comment, there is no incentive for the Japanese police to do anything. Its a foreign school, they can wash their hands of it and say bunch of gaijin causing problems again.
St. Mary’s Labor dispute. In the US, when these cases arise, the local Diocese works with the police and a joint investigation is done. The civil law and the Church Law has to be implemented. Furthermore, under the Dallas Charter, the accused clergy/nun/brother is removed and presumed guilty until proven innocent. It is very difficult to prove innocence. In the US, there was a dramatic, but welcome shift from cover up to guilty until proven innocent.
Penn state revisited. I attended St Mary’s way back in the late 60’s. I remember Brother John a French Canadian (1 do not know his last name, but I think he was on the top shelf of the bros, one of a few with his own office) I walked in on him having or actually giving oral sex to a senior. The senior was from India I recall or somewhere similar, and Bro John was on his knees in front of the senior wearign his black cassock and rosary beads.. . At the time I thought he was pissing in Bro John’s mouth, years ;later I found out what he was actually doing.
At least the senior was taking the top position, but still quite mentally think it is sick sick for Bro John. There was a female teacher, think her name was Miss Pedro who saw it too as we were together.
They trained them French Canadians well in ‘novice training’ school back in Canada, hate to imagine how the novices must have had to ‘accommodate’ the bros there? Maybe that is where Bro Lawrence learnt to do what he did?..
why didn’t you or ms. pedro do or say anything? or maybe you did?
Who would believe a kid? Miss Pedro said something like not to tell anyone about the dirty game, so I thought no more about it until years alter when I knew what they were doing.
Please deapks, report it immediately. That Brother maybe deceased but it still needs to be reported. You are a witness and can report it.
Miss Pedro is deceased too. She used to have a reputation for being very extremely strict with the students; I heard that she would hit them with a yard stick to discipline them. Some former students have said that the late Br. Isidore (RIP) had to protect them from Miss Pedro.
From the posts above, you will see that the Archbishop of Tokyo and Br. Guy need to be notified.
A bit hard for me, I live in Mumbai. You could not imagine how they would laugh at me for reporting a foreign crime, let alone one from Japan in maybe 69. And after all that about the UN and priests in the media, they will lilely arrest me for making it up … well ignore me anyway .. India is exotic India, and things work wonderfully but strangely as compared to the West and Japan..
Does anyone know anything about a [French] Canadian Brother John from that time?
Who is Br Guy?
john Paradis, heard he was retired in Quebec in his 90s.
Br. Guy was recently the Superior of the Brothers in Japan. He helped several victims of bullying and sex abuse; he helped them with their grievances and took personal responsibility for what happened to them. Br. Guy is not a traditional Brother, he is a modern Brother who cracks down on corruption.
it is now Bro Raymond Ducharme who is the superior in Japan, or is he the vice provincal for Asia. maybe both?
Br. Guy is Br. Raymond Ducharme’s predecessor. He is the vice-provincial for Asia. Once, an alumnus complained about bullying. Br. Raymond delegated Br. Guy to act on his behalf to resolve the complaint.
By the way, Br. Raymond taught in the grade school at St. Mary’s briefly before transferring to Shizuoka.
If he is vice-provincial for Asia, he must know what the reality is?
Brother Lawrence taught grade school TOO. And it appears he did other things as well, and he was transferred, coincidence or ????.
He left sometimes in the mid 60s, that was not uncommon as people were shifted around. He came back in the early 70s before I graduated. Called himself Br Raymond. Some of the students who knew him as Lawrence and that would get him a bit upset at it.
So while Rome burns …
And we have Kagei and Bro Michel partying in Boston … free whiskey Kagei free cabsav wine Bro.
They should get their ass back to Tokyo, no quick party trips to Quebec
How could you release your letter to parents on the 31st and then f’en leave the country Kagei ? and Bro you are the Chairman the same for you..
The money is on that you both know you will be searching for new jobs very soon, may as well get the paid for party time trip to the US … the Titans will not want you around after this desertion.
This link needs to be on SMIS sites world wide,eg Alumni.
Does anyone reading have the skills to have it in Facebook? I don’t know how to use it and post.the link..
There was no word of this at our recent reunion, but the current principal and a brother Michael were there drinking heavily like everyone there.. Weird they did not mention it, if they were up front it would help their plight..
We’re not alumni, and feel it’s really up to people belonging to this group, like yourself, to take up this issue and use your brotherhood to influence a positive outcome for victims among you. We see it as a child safety and transparency in management issue. Do you have the alumni email? smaa.japan[at]gmail.com It`s great that it`s a lot of old memories and good times, but the true test is to be able to work through hard, complex issues and stay intact or come out better. Outside of this forum, we are also considering ways to approach this…
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I tried this, they deleted it as soon as it is posted, put it on 3 alumni sites and the same thing … woosh gone..
you mean they deleted their own facebook page link? what did you post?
just the link to this site, nothing else.
not even a comment
If anyone knows ANYthing, and not just Br. L, go to the police. It is the year 2014, we should not be quiet about sexual abuse! The affects the victim for life. We need to stop this now.
Peter, I will guess that this would apply to anyone who went to KEEP under a certain Brother who taught 6th grade, and had the sex education lecture and the one-on-one conference about sexual pleasure with that same brother. Am I correct? However, many alumni are reluctant to report it because that brother died over 30 years ago.
Wow: this woman has extensively documented about child abusers within the Catholic Church (particularly in Canada) and has put Brother Lawrence on her docket:
http://www.theinquiry.ca/wordpress/charged/lambert-brother-lawrence-lambert-fic/
and here:
http://www.theinquiry.ca/wordpress/2014/02/10/allegations-against-canadian-brother-in-japan/
The word harpy comes to mind. Not exactly a just the facts website.
Hey, Frank Schiffel “not exactly a just the fact website”
Looks like this lady backs up what she says. More than Sab Kagei.
It is more than WOW, she is a dynamite, she has documented cases of hundreds of Canadian Catholic priests who have been charged with child sex abuse. She deserves a humanitarian award.
Thanks also to ‘stmaryslabordispute’ for alerting the world, and hence Sylvia in Canada of this oter side to St Mary’s.
And finally thanks kagei-san for sending the letter to parents. If you had ignored this we may never have known.
And we wonder what about the victim. What are St Mary’s doing for him. after nearly half a century. They should be providing support, but through a third party. I feel sorry for the victim to have to go through what now looks like a Japanese court procedure to put him in prison if he is guilty. Yes Kagei-san you must have had mega evidence like old photos to go as far as you did. This is GUILTY, if there was reasonable doubt you would not have made this courageous decision.
I think that Kagei-san did his job and went beyond the call of duty. He sent a letter out to the parents. He could have had Br. Lawrence removed quietly and had the police and the Archdiocese do the joint investigation. Had the allegations happened very recently, he would have had to notify the parents and ask for people to step forward to testify before the police and the Archdiocese of Tokyo for sure. Because the allegations occurred in 1965, Kagei-san did more than he had to.
I applaud Kagei-san very highly. His former superb teachers such as Br. Trudel, Ed Paradis, and Robert Scripko would be proud of him.
Now Kagei’s true colors have come out you will need to retract this statement concerned alumnus.
Kagei did nothing but lie in his first letter. We now know he referred to allegations which he knew was hard cold sexual abuse of a child. And this is from him in writing when he deviated from his first letter.
All lies.
As for proud of him … well ….. we all know he is finished and should resign.
Everyone should keep in mind that these sort of things happen all over the free Western world as we know it whether in a secular, non-secular, private, or public school system.
St. Mary’s is a wonderful place. They have had so many dedicated teachers over the years and they should not be forgotten. Students go far in this world and the proof is in what the alumni have achieved.
Should the charges against one person be proved in a court of law, then they will be prosecuted as such, but we must remember that not only in this school, but in all schools there are many more dedicated teachers than not. It is far easier to make money doing something else.
I attended a number of different schools, and I believe St. Mary’s to be one of the best there is.
I hope more past students put forth their support for the school and all the good it has achieved.
Think positive people. God Bless
I agree with you. Studies have shown that the incidence of sexual abuse is the same in religious and secular populations. It is a problem that plagues all kinds of communities. Yes, people are quick to side with victims and condemn alleged perpetrators–especially in crimes that deal with the harm of children. But by openly discussing things–we also invite enlightened opinions like yours.
In no way, should the hard working teachers, students and alumni be indicted by association with a scandal. But in no way should there be tolerance for the harm of a single child past, present or future. There need not be a single sacrificed individual for the sake of convenient comfort for the many. Whenever that happens–there is no integrity. We should see that this presents a very difficult challenge to the community to really prove our strength and our ability to emerge even better. It starts with fully acknowledging everything, however uncomfortable, however disillusioning. Titans are mythological. Our community is real.
I have not put force that tolerance should be granted even if it means to make an excuse for just one individual, and that individual is alleged still at this point.
Convenient for the many makes no sense here. There is no convenience for the many, so perhaps you should be looking at this from the back end rather than speculating about the future.
Integrity is harnessed within each individual’s heart and cannot become nor ever will be a blanket coverage on the masses.
I believe everything has been acknowledged for the time being and that everyone that should or would have come forward shall do so, should there be others.
Yes, Titans are mythological, and at this point the allegations are mythological also.
Let it work itself out and see what becomes of it.
However, while this happens, be positive and let the school keep doing the wonderful job it has been.
To say that the victim’s allegations are myths is to say that they are already fictitious, which is very different from just waiting for evidence. You’re letting your bias show a little too much on that one. You don’t have a word for the victim?
I’d say this is more a Schrödinger’s Cat situation.
“Letting things work themselves out” also doesn’t seem to have any agent, subject, aim or purpose. It sounds like you’re happy with the inertia of the status quo.
What you don’t know about the cat unless you open the box. Its a lot easier to make allegations about brothers who were there 30 or 40 or more years ago. Nothing came out before this date?? That makes the accusations suspect. And somebody saying it went on for decades and affected thousands is a bit much. Nobody leaked? No student talked with another student? Parents didn’t notice a change after the abuse happened? There’s a lot of people posting anonymously about stuff that happened ages ago. Incredibly severe accusations require severe proof. So far that’s not here. Its a he said he said problem And damn one of them is dead.
Hey Frank, Sab Kagei has confirmed it. Child sexual abuse often takes decades to surface, and often never surfaces.
We have a child molester who has been a sleeper hopefully for decades, but 50 years ago he was active. One a child molester always one, there is no cure.
KYizteerai, You make a great point. We don’t know if Br L is guilty or not. And 1965 might be too long ago for the police to investigate properly. We will probably end up with an unclear result like the victim gets paid off, Br L gets shipped off. And life will go on.
Being accused of sexual abuse–is more than a career killer, it’s life ending. A few years ago, didn’t the high school guidance counselor get accused of having child porn? He was outta here. But, no one felt sorry for him. I heard that other teachers resented him for having an easy job. He openly handed his computer over to the IT people like Mr. Sirka to upgrade it and suddenly it came back with “child porn”. What if this is the most effective way to end the career of someone you hate? I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a stash of child porn at the school ready to be used as a weapon.
I do not know about a counsellor being accused of “having child porn”…not really sure what you mean actually.
As far as thinking that the school would stash child porn to use as a weapon is really juvenile in thinking. There are, I would assume many checks and balances within the schools computer systems, and probably monitored as well.
All computers used at the school are property of the school. If someone requested someone at the school to upgrade or help fix their computer system problems, then they would have to be a fool to have material on it that goes agains the very Christian values that all staff at SMIS are asked to follow, and do believe in as part of their working with students as educators and support staff.
As I mentioned earlier, there are aberrations in every organisation on this planet, and if you are to condemn the masses because of the few, then that is a sorry state in my opinion.
Things will work out. SMIS has done so much for this world in my opinion as have many other educational institutions.
If you personally have not heard of this case, it doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. Look in your yearbooks–he was around from 2006-7 school year to I think 2010-11. HS guidance counsellor. I’m not saying he had child porn, I’m saying he suddenly found himself being stuck with that rap. And the computer upgrade was recommended to him. As for “juvenile thinking”, denial and assuming everyone and everything is good, upstanding and wonderful might fall into that category, don’t you think? Its totally ok to say things are messed up! That’s how they get solved! “Things will work out” you say. By who? if not people actively solving it??
I was a student at the time, the counselor’s name was Charles Stanislaw. He supposedly took his school allocated computer into IT for an update and it was just sitting there on his desktop.
That fat dude? Stanislaw probably tossed that computer in the river. They should dredge for it!
To those who do not believe these sexual abuse stories read Sylvia’s Blog you will see that most of the Brother’s and layman that have been accused of sexual abuse at St. Mary’s International school in the 60’s and 70’s were all charged with other sexual abuse trial in North America as well. Just look up the police reports and courts documents. It is there in plain English and in French as well 😉 She really did her research well and for years… amazing dedication.
A follow up from administration would be nice. We have a right to know the story.
To expand on my earlier comment. After releasing an alarmist letter to parents, there is now a wall of silence. The school community need to be reassured that SMIS is on top of things.
Yes the school will of course continue. It appears certain that those. who permitted Brother Lawrence to remain in the school while under investigation (whether innocent or guilty) will now not be able to continue working in a place of trust with children. As soon as the allegation arose a competent administrator would remove the person from ALL children’s proximity IMMEDIATELY. To not remove an alleged person from access to children must be a criminal and also an ethical offense in Japan. To not notify authorities at first inkling of the allegations would be at best a breach of Japanese educational law, and of course criminal law.
However for reasons only known to themselves and God, it is clear that Brother Michel and Brother Raymond both knew of the allegations, and both allowed other children to be placed at risk not just in St Mary’s. Brother Michel may well have his allegations cleared, but nothing will save Brother Raymond and Michel.
I should imagine Brother Gabriel Gelinas in Canada was also aware of what was happening and that he did nothing to protect children, If this is correct then of course the Brothers will remove him as they will with Brother Michel and Raymond.
I hope sincerely that the remaining Brothers left at St Mary’s did not know the reasons for Brother Lawrence’s departure. . .For if they knew and did nothing ….
A very sad series of events, there can be no winners.
Kagei-san needs to continue his letters, the school needs this for closure. This site needs to provide wider access to them.
Yes, no winners, even when it is proved that Brother Lawrence did nothing, his reputation will be tarnished for ever, But the careers of Bro Michel and Bro Raymond have come to a dead end, for leaving him in the schools until this was established there can be no parent trust in them.
However even Bro Lawrence as a previous vice-provincial would have known he should have left the schools for integrity sake. But he did not.
Let us just hope that the remainder of the brothers did not know why he left..
It is now up to Kagei to rebuild the trust back up to the levels of that when the school was functioning well in the past.
I would hate to know what this mess will cost in terms of lawyers and hence tuition fees. If Bro Lawrence is guilty the sky is the limit to what it will cost. in compensation payouts and lawyers. Let us pray Canada will pay the account as they are ultimately responsible for what happened in the 1970s…
.
Sylvia’s blog has uncovered another one of the St Mary’s staff, allegations made against another brother as a child sex offender while at SMIS.. Brother Lawrence is not alone in having allegations made against him..
No doubt Kagei-san will report these allegations to police as he advised he has done with Brother Lawrence …. or was Brother Lawrence never reported?
Thanks Mike, she does an excellent job with digging into records. Several alumni have reported Brother Benoit Lessard, who held sex-ed camp retreats called KEEP. No one can confirm the involvement of the police.
Here is more info on the circumstances of how Brother Lessard may have sexually abused the boys of St. Mary’s:
http://www.theinquiry.ca/wordpress/charged/lessard-brother-benoit-lessard/
All Kobans have records. Surely there must be some interested bilingula parents and or alumni that can go to the Koban in Futakotamagawaen and ask some questions?
SMIS Students are multilingual. If Mr. Kagei did report this, there will be a record of it. I do not believe he would put out a false letter stating so and not have a back up for proof.
Personally, I feel it is time to move on. We live for kids so that our own legacy lives on in the hearts and souls of our children. It is not a selfish thing, it is a human thing.
Let’s make St. Mary’s a better place and make it a place for kids to flourish and help to make the school, community, Japan and the world a better place for you and me.
We are the World.
Michael
I agree with you Mickey. Sab Kagei does speak Japanese fluently and I even heard him. He is a Japanese citizen. It is possible that one of the office staff may have made the report too.
Yes, let us make St. Mary’s a better place. There is always room for improvement. You said it Mickey.
Re Br. Lessard, this is sad. I hope the truth comes out. There are too many alumni from 10 years span who report the same behavior of that Brother.
Mickey Deez thinks it is time to move on. The matter has to be investigated before the ‘next’ stage.
Please read the wonderful comments on Sylvia’s site. Your time to move on comments are very hurtful to anyone affected by child sexual abuse..
Good morning Ms. L.
I am more in tune to Mickey Deez in his/her thinking on let’s move on. One cannot stop a tsunami. It continues forward, but the things in its path can be picked up and repaired to say the least, but with wise motivations and deep thoughts on how to proceed.
If you want all life to stop before the “next” stage, then you have reached an end point and thus what is the purpose of life?
If a comment and an answer causes pain in an individual that may have been wronged by a sexual abuse proven or not, then that is good pain as it allows for it to not be forgotten. It allows for those not aware to become aware and may hasten the ability for all to find a conclusion. You cannot stop time, turn it around and thus forward to the masses the agenda for your own personal needs.
For some reason, after just reading through your own comments here, I would assume you do have some agenda, some gripe, some problem that has not been resolved for your own self satisfaction. However, you should not drag down the masses for the one, and that is what you are trying to do.
When I read news stories in Japanese on line sites, it always seems that the head of the corporation when a scandal occurs always apologizes and then resigns taking full responsibility. If Mr. Kagei is truly a Japanese running this corporation at present, he should as Americans say, step in to the plate and submit a resignation. They are a Japanese corporation … am I right? He should do the honorable thing and leave the corporation, and allow the board to hire a new leader with vision, from outside the institution to clean things up, and make it a real corporation with responsibility to its share holders and workers, and the parents that so trust the institution as it is now.
Who sits on this corporation board or trust or religious organization? Is it transparent? Perhaps that might be a better direction for your internal vendetta, and perhaps that way you might find self happiness.
God Bless
Having read the Japan Times article, it would have been spiked by an editor in the US after the legal department read it. Lots of fluff but no proof.
Well Frank, Kagei has given you the proof.
Ms. Kovalaski
Taken from this site’s comments.
Mid 2013 B. Michel school head master: hears of a significant act of child abuse involvng a brother (perhaps B. Lawrence).
B. Michel resigns and is appointed chairman of the St Mary’s School Corporation, a body so mysterious and accountable it does not appear on SMIS site or anywhere else.
Mt Sauro Kagei is appointed head master.
B. Lawrence is sent away from St. Mary’s.
In the last week of January 2104, B. Michel flies off to meet Singapore Alumni.
Mr Sauro Kagei discovers something serious about the B. Lawrence and issues the letter to parents taken up by this site. It then is apparent that B. Michel did not pass the allegations on to his successor. While B. Michel is partying in Singapore Sauro Kagei perhaps believes this is a new allegation.and does what he thinks is ethically and morally correct. and issues a parent letter.
The School Corporation stymies any police investigation or reporting. Something happened as no record of Police action can be found. Nor can any action on behalf of Peter Okada the Archbishop be found..
Oops, someone decides to sack B. Michel from the School Corporation, and maybe he accepts this blame hoping it will go away..
But along comes Sylvia a lady with a blog in Canada who picks up on the St Mary’s sex scandal and reports on it, something she has done in Canada hundreds of times.
Hello, hello we now have 2 new allegations, or at least 2 new Brothers. And in the case of one there are plenty of them..
We hear from Ms. K that if Mr. Kagei is truly a Japanese running this corporation at present, he should as Americans say, step in to the plate and submit a resignation. He should do the honorable thing and leave the corporation, and allow the board to hire a new leader with vision, from outside the institution to clean things up, and make it a real corporation with responsibility to its share holders and workers, and the parents that so trust the institution as it is now. BUT he is new and can blame not having a correct hand over, the information was with held (or was it?). The entity resigning should be the School Corporation, AND the Brother in Charge of Japan B.. Gabriel in Quebec..
There needs to be a follow up some way or another. I’m not sure any result can be a good one, after an alert like that.
a) no matter the outcome, parents will never easily accept Brother Lawrence back on campus. This means he will go to a Japanese associate school, which is unfair to those Japanese parents and students who don’t know what’s going on. What will the admin be able to say?
b) if indeed, it’s been found that this sexual misconduct was likely or happened, there will be a questions of “how many more?” How will it be prevented? It’s been the same management for years.
c) if nothing has been found to be amiss, then why was the school community alarmed like this? This type of message causes some families to uproot and make serious, costly changes.
The only answer is to hire new management and start over, with an international safety standard on issues like this. The brotherhood need to discharge Brother Lawrence and not shelter him. The school need to discount the tuition to incentivize families to stay. That’s the only way the school can start again, clean and acceptable to people.
Larissa,
a) Brother Lawrence must be close to 80, why are we having octogenarian staff at a top school. Sending him to a Japanese school is equally unpalatable. No school should have a teacher or administrator of that age. His fate is sealed. A retitrement of a jail cell..
b) look at Sylvia’s site. There is more. How will it be prevented, a hard one, Perhaps no more brothers on the grounds is the way forward. Despite the earlier comments, on this blog, studies do not show the same incidence of sexual abuse between secular and non secular populations when these populations are weighted.
c) Surely Kagiei-san weighed up the evidence he had before releasing this information? If he has unnecessarily alarmed people he will go to – the way of Brother Michel. Even if his actions are correct he will have a problem ever being headmaster. No doubt a fresh labor dispute will arise.
Yes, Larissa, the only way seems to hire a totally new management including replacing of the entire School Corporation, (who ever these secret people are). One person on the corporation who must have known is Brother Ducharme the head of the order in Japan. He must have known to sanction Brother Lawrence’s removal to a Japanese school in Yokohama or where ever.
Bring on an independent inquiry
Here is someone who did something right once he took over. He is a Catholic rising star in the USA.
http://www.catholicworldreport.com/NewsBriefs/Default.aspx?rssGuid=archbishop-chaput-finds-two-priests-unsuitable-for-ministry/
Now, a third Brother at St. Mary’s is added to the list of suspected sexual abusers: http://www.theinquiry.ca/wordpress/charged/paradis-brother-john-paradis-fic/ (“Sylvia” has astonishing archival information about the Brothers of Christian Instruction. What a great resource!)
Haunted since January 1966. Molested, fondled, photographed and an attempted sodomy all par for the course at St Mary’s.
The Japanese physical education teacher found me reading a Playboy magazine which I had been given to read by a friend. He took me to Brother Marcel. Brother Marcel and the physical education teacher took me to principal Brother John’s office and I was told to wait outside. I heard and still remember the American Forces radio being turned on playing POLKA music. I was called in and the door was locked. I was wearing my white St Mary’s tshirt with the school name on the front and blue jeans. The physical education teacher told me to take off my shoes, he then pulled off my tshirt and undid my jeans and pushed them down with my underwear. I had to stand nude with my hands on my head. Brother John then started examine me touching me all over the front of my body touching every part of the front of me. The other two also did the same thing until I had an erection. Brother John had a camera and I had to smile for nude photographs he took of me alone and with the other 2. Brother John told me if I ever read magazines like that again he would let all my parents and my class see them. I agreed never to read them again. They left and I was left alone nude with Brother John who locked the door again.
Brother John then took off his crucifix from around his neck and kissed it and put it on his desk. He took off his cassock and had no underwear under it. He was standing in his shoes. What I remember vividly is he had an erection which was huge, so much so that it impressed me as a child. It was curved like a sabre. He told me I could touch it and I did.
He then made me bend over a chair which I thought would give me more pleasure like when they made me get an erection. I felt his hands spread my buttocks. I had gastroenteritis and when he did this my bowel let go and there was a gush of faeces. I stood up and said I was sorry, there was a smelly puddle on the floor. He quickly pulled on his cassock from the desk and when he did this the crucifix fell and landed in the faeces. I said I would pay for it. He told me to get dressed and get out.
When I left the Japanese secretary said “gomenasai” to me which is sorry in Japanese. I did not know why she said this until years later, but now I know. She knew what went on and they did inside Brother John’s office. He was principal in charge of the school and he had a brother and a Japanese in there molesting me with him. If this was the best school in Tokyo, I would hate to see the worst.
On the next Brother Allan my teacher made me wait after the others had gone outside the classroom. He showed me about 20 nude foolscap size black and white photos of me in Brother John’s office and told me never to look at Playboy magazines again or he would show them to my friends and parents. He didn’t touch me.
I can verify this happened. I spoke about it to a psychologist who made detailed notes about it 40 years ago including names of the brothers, and the physical education teacher whose name I cannot remember now. This was a military psychologist and my medical records will never be erased. I do not think he believed me. The records can be given to police NOW.
I now know the erection Brother John had was caused by PEYRONIE’S disease a medical condition which causes curvature of the penis. An examination by a medical examiner will establish this condition. How else would I know he had this curvature of the penis?
I am wanting very badly to make a police complaint, however I am on the other side of the world. Any advice on how to make this police complaint to Japanese police is very welcome. I read from this blog he now lives in Montreal, but perhaps Japanese police could make him return to Japan or the brother in charge of the order could easily order him to return. All the brother in charge has to do is direct a doctor examine his erection which can be induced with drugs if he is unable to produce one.
Then there is Brother Marcel who molested and fondled me all over my nude body in the office and the Japanese physical education teacher who also rubbed his hands fully all over my nude body if they are still alive. Then there is Brother Allan isn’t possession of child pornography a criminal offence?
I would like them charged. Just to know they are taken to a prison and made to strip nude and be fully examined publically in the processing area would make me feel good.
I wonder if the principal’s secretary is alive? If so I wonder what she knows of how many others? As his secretary said “I am sorry” in Japanese, how did she know, why did she say it, clearly it was a regular event in his office.
I am ashamed I went to St Mary’s. However the revelations on these web sites mean that after almost 50 years I will now be believed about what I told the psychologist 40 years ago. I do not think the military psychologist believed me and I have not ever told anyone else. But now I feel free that this burden has been released. There were others.
One good thing is that when I was at school I never realized I had been molested. I just thought I was being given a lesson in not to look at pornography. It was later when I went to college that I discovered what nearly happened being bent over in the office, and them making me get an erection was molestation. Thank goodness I had gastroenteritis as it saved me.
You should get those records from the military psychologist. I think Brother John Paradis is in LaPrairie Quebec, if you mean this person: http://www.theinquiry.ca/wordpress/charged/paradis-brother-john-paradis-fic/. These cases coming up now may also have the problem of a statute of limitations, but if you remember his body, that’s compelling evidence. Is Brother Marcel, Marcel LaFrance? If so, he may still be alive in Quebec too, under Canadian jurisdiction. So, even though this happened a long time ago, not in Canada, I imagine the RCMP would make sure that these Catholic brothers based in Canada would at least be investigated in case they still deal with children. Try and speak to the Tokyo police anyway (St. Mary’s ward is Setagaya): http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-resources-domestic.html and tell them about the secretary. There will be employment records. If she is dead, her family will know. Try the Canadian RCMP or Montreal Police.
If you have evidence you need to secure that first to get people to listen to you. With it, you probably have a strong civil claim against the school and actually against the military personnel who did not report this crime against you as a child. On other parts of this site, there is advice about how to litigate from overseas–not as expensive as in the States. If you have documented evidence, you could also take it to the media both in Japan and in Canada. This would be a huge human interest story. Finally, I believe other victims have settled their issues out-of-court with the Archbishop of Tokyo, should you choose that. These brothers and every adult who has known and failed to act are a disgrace.
Br. Marcel LaFrance was never assigned to Japan. He is not the Br. Marcel who taught at St. Mary’s. This is just fyi.
Who was this mystery Brother Marcel? Any clues?
That is Br. Claude Villemeur. He used to be called Br. Marcel.
The name of Japanese phys ed teacher was Kotakemori who was in St. Mary’s for a great number of years.
Concerned callers to the police in Kasumigaseki (main HQ), and in Futakotamagawa etc. reported that police had not heard of any investigation about sexual assault reported by St. Mary’s admin. These calls were placed in the past two weeks. Keep calling! Keep asking! Much thanks to “Sylvia” whose blog on child abusers has helped expose this case much wider than we ever could (see comments at the bottom for what the police said): http://www.theinquiry.ca/wordpress/charged/lambert-brother-lawrence-lambert-fic/
I will speak from the heart. I had seen dishonesty at St. Mary’s during my time there. If you were bullied, the bullying was covered up and the victim was blamed for bringing it all on himself by his reaction.
There was a Brother who taught biology at St. Mary’s and at Seisen International Schools (Seisen is the all girls school near St. Mary’s). That Brother had been seen walking into the girls’ locker room at Seisen a good number of times. That Brother was not an easy man to get along with at St. Mary’s. Yet he was sweet to the Seisen girls and very cold to St. Mary’s boys.
There was a Brother from the US who taught physics. During his spare time, he would go to the swimming pool and take pictures of little children in their swim suits. He would then show the pictures to his students in the high school and ask, “Aren’t they cute?” Parents complained. Then Mr. Fleehtham (then high school Principal at St. Mary’s) and Fr. Matthew (then chaplain) made the same observation. They reported that brother to his Provincial in the US. They went behind the backs of the Headmaster (Br. Michel) and the Vice-Provincial of Japan (then Br. Lawrence). That Brother was removed from St. Mary’s and is no longer permitted to work with children nor live in a house that is attached to a school for children.
Then Mr. Fleetham was mistreated by a certain lay school administrator who was a corrupt power that be at St. Mary’s (probably for dealing with the brother who took pictures). Mr. Fleetham left St. Mary’s over the mistreatment. Fr. Matthew became high school Principal and also left St. Mary’s over mistreatment by the same lay administrator.
St Mary’s had a high turn over rate for high school Principals because of the lay administrator. That lay administrator is now retired, thank God.
I heard there’s sexual harssment in present 3th grader.
Maybe they’re busy to cover up.
From what I recall, the victim will be told that he brought it on himself by his reaction and if he ignores it, the harassment will stop. The victim may be told to undergo psychological treatment if the harassment worsens. The victim may even be suspended or expelled if it worsens. I saw this happen too many times during my years at St. Mary’s. How sad!!
A few years ago, one of Br. Lessard’s victims called up Br. Michel to report what happened to him at the sex education camp and that he had been molested by Br. Lessard. Br. Michel replied, “Maybe you misunderstood Br. Lessard and it was not what you thought it was.” The victim insisted. Br. Michel accused the victim of having a bad attitude. When the victim wanted to speak to Br. Guy Morisette, then Vice-Provincial, Br. Michel refused to give the victim Br. Guy’s contact info.
That victim died on April 30, 2013, of cirrhosis of the liver. He turned to heavy drinking after the abuse by Br. Lessard came out. He died very bitter and never resolved the fact that he was sexually abused. That was a sad way to die!
After hearing about how Br. Michel tried to cover up Br. Lawrence, I now believe the story that he tried to cover up Br. Lessard. How sad!!!
Has any parent tried to seek counselling or other support over these allegations. It was offered over a month ago. If one phones the school you are fobbed off. There is never anyone available.
There is no new headmaster’s letter to parents. The word is that the school lawyer.has advised them to all say nothing. If this is correct then the cover up is justified.
Perhaps all is well, and the entire issue is finished?
It appears that the SMIS family no longer cares what sexual abuse has been going on at SMIS. They don’t seem to care that pedophiles have been teaching and in some cases molesting their children for half a century or more.
If the SMIS family did care they would be asking sufficient questions to local Police and the Archbishop so that they would investigate. .Parents would see the investigators on campus, and advertising for information here and elsewhere. In years to come what will you say if you find that one of your family was being molested and you did nothing to cause them to investigate?
It appears Brother Lawrence while he initiated this site sex abuse scandal by his alleged actions he was not a big time pedophile as we have had no more episodes reported. But look at what we hear about Brother Lessard.and the photographer Brother Jean, the former headmaster?
The Order in Canada should be here supporting those who need help. Yet they are silent. And what of the fact that Brother Lawrence is living on a school campus in Yokohama or Shizuoka according to commentators here and elsewhere?
The reputation of the school is in tatters. But it can be repaired by the Order advising that an investigation is underway and naming who the committee members are, and then following thru the recommendations. But no, we can not even find who the School Corporation Board are, they are all hidden and secret on the website. God forbid if someone with a labor issue or a sexual complaint wanted to contact this mystery board. . The names of the board, and their contact email addresses and bibliography should be on the SMIS web site. .
.
Thank you for establishing this forum. I am somewhat surprised that the discussion on the School Counselor found to have child pornography on his laptop does not get more airplay. Possession of child pornography is a serious criminal offence in many countries. That the management of St Marys quietly let the sick fiend resign and pursue alternative interests (presumably moving on to the next school) is a telling indictment on the school’s management. This is relevant to this forum. Yes, the pervert was not a Brother, and he was sacked. But the fact is, the management – Lawrence, Michel, Kagei all knew about it and chose not to report the matter to the police. Parents and teachers in the know shook their heads but didn’t have the evidence. The sooner the Police get involved and unearth all the truth, the better.
We have recently heard of several of the brothers involved with taking child pornography photographs, and there is the counselor cited from a former parent and teacher. Is it any wonder that . “Lawrence, Michel, Kagei all knew about it and chose not to report the matter to the police”.
And Bronco Buster the issue if far from over. If it was your child, would you accept it being over? ..
As the brothers and Kagei are incapable of investigating themselves bring on the Police.
I have to agree with Mrs L, Bronco Buster. My wife and I would never trust to send our (now adult) son or daughter to a school that left this kind of tawdry history buried and forgotten. Our daughters experience at Seisen was overwhelmingly positive. Just don’t understand how two catholic schools so close to each other can be so different in their management.
Former Parent/Teacher … I will tell you why it comes down to one thing:. a school effectively run by geriatrics past their use by dates men. You only have to look how an elderly teacher became headmaster and was then appointed .to be chairman of the school corporation. Or how Brother Lawrence was in charge of a large segment of the school at aged 80 plus (pedophilia issue aside)
But it got worse he ended up on the party circuit. When the new headmaster spilled the beans he was in Singapore, then the new headmaster flew the coop and went to the USA to join the chairman for another booze up. There is no distraction like free booze..
However remember the brothers are but an outpost of Canada. The real power who as Former Teacher Parent so wonderfully put it “left this kind of tawdry history buried and forgotten” is none other than the current Canadian Superior and his predecessors..
This is how two schools so close can be so different in their management. However it says a lot about the Bishop of Tokyo too and his predecessors for being so out of touch as to let this progress for decades..
..
. .
So true Mrs L, the brothers and admin enforce the 65 retirement age on all of the teachers however it seems that none of the brothers or admin actually have to follow this rule themselves.
It would also be interesting to know the ages of the Board of the Corporation of St Marys of which Brother Michel chaired for a brief period until he disappeared aged well over 65 . Do they follow what they preach and retire at 65 also.Interesting too that the school website has no contact for them.
But the ‘accountable school’ also has no web address for staff members.
Quite strange that the headmaster and counselors etc have no listed email addresses on SMIS web site along with the teaching staff. Seems very likely that.someone does not want teachers and staff to be able to be contacted.
. .
yes there is still no transparency .. no email addresses
Parent faculty association: pfa[at]smis.ac.jp
Or the whole lot: smisall[at]smis.ac.jp
Very strange how ALL email contacts have been removed. Reeks of a cover up or aimed at preventing information flows.
The various Alumni also have closed their contacts. But Br. Michel still directs the Tokyo Alumni branch even though he is missing in action. How long before they declare him a lost cause and replace him.
Mystery still surrounds who is on the board of the school corporation. Schools of all places need to be and be seen as accountable. But then there is SMIS.
But as one writer has suggested maybe they think it will go away like a cold.
Try these:
Thanks but these do not allow me to contact the Board of the Corporation of St Marys directly. It is a hidden and secret body.
Similarly the staff and even the headmaster NOW have hidden email addresses on the SMIS site. (I have these staff email addresses, but that is not the point). The board is still hidden from view and also its composition.
Maybe the old men who are on it don’t email? Or is their a more sinister reason … very likely.
If anyone knows the Board of the Corporation of St Marys composition, please tell everyone.here. Parents need to know this surely?
More developments (perhaps).
As we all know Brother Michel Jutras was removed from the Board of the Corporation of St Marys after his role in covering up Brother Lawrence Lambet’s child sex attack allegations.
The Alumni Association however are STILL showing him as their Executive. Director on their web site. Does this mean the Alumni Association condones his actions in covering up? Or, are some of those in the Alumni Association condoning child sexual abuse? The answer to both these questions is surely most definitely not.
But why is he still Executive Director? Is it just that he has not had his name removed? Or are the Alumni Association composing a letter to members. to advise of his removal which has not yet been posted?
The Alumni Association need to also take responsibility for this cover up. It is time.
The Singapore Alumni site provides information about a member who died recently, Sylvia’s site also discusses this death after abuse from one of Brother Lessard’s assault (Sylvia does not name him, unlike Singapore, but the date of death is the same)
Alumni you are reading this site. Why are you apologists for child sexual abuse? Is it too close to home?
Try these.
Neither of these addresses will reply with a contact for the board of the school corporation.
Perhaps someone associated with Mrs Tran etc might have a contact?
Quite amazing how they do not want to be found or identified.
What are they hiding this time?.
Who is this Mrs. Tran?
If you were a former teacher, surely you should still have good contacts there and perhaps they can help you with the information you seek.
In Japanese businesses, does not the leader take the fall for the whole institution to cleanse the incidents put forward? If so, and I believe it is true, then why does not the head master step down and take the blame?
The board of this corporation probably have their hands full with running all of their other money laundering events perhaps, and thus do not even know that this is happening.
By the way, do you know of any business that has people working for the business sit on the board? Fishy stuff.
Hi! Ever hear of the Iluminat?
Yeah but this is starting to sound like a Libertarian conspiracy web site.
How come no posts here about the ASIJ scandal that hit top news story on the Japan Times last Thursday or Friday? Much bigger sex scandal than Tiny St. Maria. What about that scandal a year or so back with the marijuana smuggling principal at Sacred Heart? Or those bad arse base kids and their drugs. Seems like the whole world is messed up to me. Happy I am not a student at these places any more.
This is a St Mary’s site.
But vacuum tube, why is the ASIJ scandal bigger? Think again we have far more episodes of sexual abuse reported at SMIS, and involving so many more students AND TEACHERS. ..
But it seems that parents, alumni and the older students do not care one bit about the Brothers having sex with students. It seems that parents do not have issues with pedophilia at St Mary’s. It says a lot about these parents, AND alumni are no doubt putting their heads in the sand and not wanting people to point fingers at them having been a past student and wondering if they were one of the victims of Brothers Lessard or Lawrence, or .Maurice, or John, or Alan, or probably the whole damn lot of them.
Perhaps some of the Alumni have turned into pedophiles as a result of the things the brothers have done to them? Perhaps this is why they are silent?
100ef, yes it is quite strange for the school board to be non contactable and yes they are probably unaware. Maybe they are all geriatrics like most of the Brothers.and are unaware, maybe they don’t even use the net? Maybe that is why there is no link?
And yes what type of organisation has a board comprised of those who work for it, perhaps in North Korea. ?
How did parents send their kids to St Mary’s with people such as Brother Michel as headmaster, and Brother Lawrence in charge of the elementary school. Both these are fat too old to teach, Brother Lawrence was over 80 when he was sent away with his cold,
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St Mary’s has not reported the issue of Brother Lawrence to police. There is no record with them.
Kagei-san must go down the drain the way of Brother Michel, he has lied, but then what would people expect from him..
Parents and children deserve the truth.
Sylvia’s site has more on SMIS. and she advises more in about to be posted..
No doubt there will be something explosive. There is also a new camp revealed,not Camp KEEP but another. .
Meanwhile here it seems parents are quite accepting of boys being molested at SMIS as are the Alumni. No doubt this apathy will result in more children at SMIS meeting the same fate,
Parents should be demanding answers.
Sylvia’s site in Canada has done it again.
Now we have a student who recalls more “little chats”, and this time the girls from SMIS sister school are included in perverted sex.
Oh dear. I have just been alerted to this site and believed the allegations againstt bro Lawrence pertain to a consensual sexual relationship I had as an SMIS students with Lawrence over a number of years.
I was 14 and was cruising a toilet looking for men to have sex with and Lawrence was there doing the same thing. Lawrence and I had a TOTALLY consensual sex life over a number of years.
I believe that a boy who has past peubity has the ability to decide who he wants to have sex with, male or female. Yes it may be illegal in some countries but this in an antiquated belief. I don’t believe it was illegal at that time in Japan.
I knew I was gay since about 7. My parents now know this. I have a male partner of over 30 years and we have a surrogate daughter. I have no problems with my life and am at the top of my chosen field.
At SMIS my parents did not know that when I went to spend one or two nights at SMIS it was to not only have very intense tutoring in my academic life, but to have sex.
I slept “in my sleeping bag” in Lawrence’s room as far as my parents were concerned. The other bros all new about our love and sex life. Other students did not know.
At SMIS I also always knew Lawrence as a man who was very caring and loving. He would never take advantage of boys. When I was going to Keep bro Lawrence warned me about Lessard and told him in my presence that he was not to touch me. Lawrence was caring, very caring as was bro Marcel who was his old lover and who I often had sex with at SMIS. Marcel too was a loving man who would not force himself on boys I am sure.
Bro Lessard did try and fondle me at Keep, I told Lawrence and Marcel attack Lessard so much so he was limping and away from class recovering.
I have no issues with having had sex with Lawrence or Marcel, and this was totally consensual. I was under the impression Lawrence and Marcel had died. When I left SMIS to go to college we decided never to meet or have any contact.
In January past, I was at my winter house at Whistler and met a former SMIS student I had not seen since school. He was possibly the only one who knew about Lawrence and I
He was told about my partner and our daughter and after discussion he could not be moved from the position that bro Lawrence made me gay. This is utter nonsense of course. He advised that as I am OUT it should happened that I expose the bros for what they “had done to me”. He said that even as it is too long to sue, I should expose them. What a lot of crap,
I believe he has made the allegations which have led to the headmaster’s letter
Far be it for us to even begin to parse out your experience. But thank you for sharing it! In our dealings with the school admin, they only very reluctantly go through the motions when there is evidence of their wrongdoing. So, another alumnus gossiping about you, (hearsay), wouldn’t have been enough for them to expose themselves to the worst PR possible for a Catholic boy’s school. Unfortunately, there must have been (an)other child(ren) whose memories recalled no care nor consent, just gross sexual abuse and abuse of power by people who knew there was nothing and no one for them to turn to. But your story does help us understand some more.
Technically you were a minor under the age of consent and it is at least in the US statuatory rape.
Can we really expect anything else from the Brothers.
Nothing will surprise anyone follwoing this sad sad saga.
It does not matter if a child gives consent, a child does not have that legal or moral ability. A pedarist is still a pedophile. There is also the issue of a teacher morally having sex with a child. I just hope japanese teaching authorities investigate and pull the license out from under the Brothers if this is established.
The school would surely be able to be operated by a new crew, and the old guard removed including of course the new lay headmaster. how could he issue the letter of the 31st of january and then run off to drink with alumni in Boston instead of staying … no morals .. he should have stayed back … what sick immoral people.
If the alum don’t respond then I think part of the reason is because we can’t agree with statements made from ‘time for a broom’. We know Saburo. He’s a good guy. He is not responsible for any of this. I’m older than him – was there from the mid 60’s to the mid 70’s. Yes what happened was wrong. And yes this is just another chapter in the issues being faced by the Catholic church in general. When I was there the people that were caught were fired (if they were civilian) or reassigned to some outback in Canada far from boys. (And coincidentally these people have not been mentioned yet which i find interesting.) I assume they did not get the police involved but that’s just standard operating procedure for any Catholic institution. There were a lot of good Brothers at St Mary’s. There were a few sick ones. No different than any other Catholic institution. And yes, it is wrong. And things are changing and yes, never fast enough. I will always support St Marys. It was a great place but not perfect. And what happened to some there was tragic and unforgivable. We need to addess the problem, not burn the place to the ground and I for one have full faith in Saburo Kagei.
As for the 14 year old who was trolling the toiilets, dude, I get it. If the female teachers were putting out then I would have been all over that and we would have been high 5ing each other. But still..sex between an adult and a child should never be condoned regardless of sexual orientation.. It’s an abuse of power.
You make a good point–it isn’t Kagei’s fault and he isn’t to be blamed for those nasty brothers in the past. But as the current head, under whose administration these problems came to light, I’d say Kagei DOES have a role in crisis management. He knows it too–as he issued that letter himself, claiming to be active / cooperative / informative etc. But now there is nothing–just a huge hole ripped into the history, goodwill and reputation of the school. With many students and families still at the school–it wouldn’t do to “burn it to the ground”–of course. But leadership, assurance, accountability and reparations (if needed) to the whole community (not in secret) are standard crisis management practices, so that everyone can move on with confidence. General Managers / CEOs who bury their heads during crisis in business are finished. The fact that these schools (ASIJ and SMIS) are choosing to do exactly what past admin have done to perpetuate these problems (i.e. ignore them) shows they are of the same mind as the enablers of abuse in the past.
Brother Lessard is in it big time. look at
Sylvia’s site, wholesale fondling of boys.
But the alumni say nothing.
If the American School can have a petition, then why not SMIS.
Kagei must go. As this blog says General Managers / CEOs who bury their heads during crisis in business are finished.
As for the Archbishop and the Vice Provencal in Japan, well these two are not fit to hold office.
Brother Guy, a French Canadian Brother at SMIS gave my step son a prostrate massage to achieve a climax at aged 14. This Brother Guy has yet to be mentioned here.
How wide spread was the abuse by the SMIS staff.
An open inquiry is mandated.
Re-post from “Comment HERE” section from Teja Arboleda:
Submitted on 2014/05/12 at 6:05 pm
As I mentioned in my FaceBook post response, I am a St Mary’s abuse survivor, and producer. I’m working on a documentary called “Ring Around The Collar” about sex abuse by priests. If you think your story will bring about necessary change, please contact me directly at tejaarboleda (at) gmail.com
Hey man, good to read about you.
please keep in touch i need to see your documentary
After a wrestling match I was being given a massage by the SMIS coach, like all massages for upper leg injuries I was naked. During this massage only recently I achieved an erection (not from being touched). My coach left me in the room to let me masturbate so I could be in a fit state to walk outside as I was naked with no towel. In the room however throughout the massage was Bro Gabriel who was visiting from Canada. I understand he is the Provincial of all the Bros world-wide. He stayed back in the room and masturbated me.
Is there any chance of a SMIS inquiry? No. clearly he is a child molester as well as the others identified. Who now can insist on an inquiry? The clear answer is no one. The only person is now the Pope (not realistic he would intervene).
So nothing happens. I could give evidence to Japanese Police about this Bro Gabriel, if I was asked. He commented a child sex offence upon me in Japan while visiting from Canada. I was 16 years old and it is fresh in my mind. To make this complaint to police alone is unrealistic. The alumni need to band together and start some assistance to rid the Bros of this scourge.
“There will be no inquiry” is a sick impostor and likely responsible for numerous equally reprehensible postings on this site under various headings.
No wrestling coach gave YOU a nude massage EVER! Period! It’s likely you never were on a wrestling team in your life. Even if you actually were to have some spectator’s knowledge of the sport this sounds more like a demented fantasy where the erection you received was from a disgusting, self-absorbed, alcohol induced, pornographic imagination penned just prior to your sending another disturbing text to this forum.
What kind of moron would think your coach would have given you a naked massage and left so you could masturbate in a separate room?
That you accuse a “Brother Gabriel” of assisting you is outlandish!!! You say he is head of the Brothers world-wide. What year and month did he visit SMIS? If known we could pin down the actual dates and see if there was a Br. Gabriel on that campus and what hours he would have been free to service you. The likelihood of him attending your wrestling meet or practice, and let alone just happened to be in the same room of a private naked leg message, is beyond the pale. It’s pure fiction.
Tell us, why he was there in the same room as you and the coach? Again, what year did this occur? What location? Name the room! If any of this were true, the coach would have been as responsible as your imaginary Brother! Who was the coach? You said you were 16 years old and this is “fresh in your mind”, so lets have it. Such anonymous slander is nothing less than criminal in itself.
The jaw-dropping claim that you “could give evidence to Japanese Police about this Bro Gabriel, IF ASKED” is almost laughable. Who do you want to ask you? No one knows your identity, how can they ask? What kind of information could you give or is it just anything one could glean from the internet?
Step up and do the right thing by reporting it to the police! To say that you couldn’t “make a complaint to the police alone” as “unrealistic” is even more egregious than stupefying. If you are an adult, you should be able to handle it. If you’re a minor bring a parent. If you’re now in another country call the Japanese Embassy or make an appointment. There are numerous victim advocate groups that could help. Really, your is excuse is so filled with baloney, there is nothing to report other than a sicko stirring manure.
It is ironic that you chose to post your wrestling trash just hours after the school was informed of a past wrestling coach honored as an inductee into a Wrestling Hall of Fame. A Coincidence? Not likely. More likely is you’re a disgruntled associate of SMIS, an insecure malignant attention seeker, skewing delusional diatribes as some grotesque sculpted art form, in order to discredit the school.
Unless you have something, can avail YOURSELF to the authorities with proven facts, its hearsay of the worst kind. Like it or not, that is the law.
It is this anonymous vitriol lapped up by the minions of this site, some in dire need of retribution, others truly pained by past personal events, or worse, those of the “pitch fork and torch crowd” that haunt such sites in search of an identity that are being duped.
If something terrible did happen then do something!! Go to the police! Go to court! Get a lawyer! Go directly to the school! Otherwise character assassination by innuendo is the REAL CRIME HERE.
What a Load of Cr*p!, just like you, people have chosen to unload what’s on their minds anonymously. Does that invite speculation? Sure. That’s what you represent too, actually. Your view that “There will be no inquiry” needs to take real, official action to really solve his problem, is valuable–we actively encourage that too.
To discern what you’re reading: this is a discussion forum–just like any discussion forum on the web: there are no real restrictions on what is said. People from all sides have posted their views, provided they seem to speak for themselves. Everything that is in our actual Blog Posts, you should notice, are REAL actions that people are doing to solve their problems: lawsuits, petitions, going to the media, stating their names in their cases etc. That is the example we want to encourage among people who have major grievances.
It’s a fact that the school itself acknowledged that sexual abuse happened–nobody else made that up. No wonder the community is alarmed and wants answers. We agree–nothing will get done via keyboard-warrioring. But, you’d be surprised at the careful, organization happening behind the scenes.
You Said it so correctly.
First of all, the Superior General, leader of the entire order, of the Brothers of Christian Instruction is Br. Yannick Houssay. He resides in Rome.
Br. Gabriel Gelnais is the Provincial Superior of the Brothers in Quebec; he does not speak English at all. In fact, when one alumnus made a complaint about being molested by his peers while he was a student at St. Mary’s, he had to complain to Br. Robert Smyth, the assistant Provincial, because Br. Robert speaks English perfectly. Does the person who made that statement speak French fluently that he could speak to Br. Gabriel?
Who was the wrestling coach? Any alumnus knows that it was not Mr. Ed Paradis, the legendary wrestling coach and social studies teacher. Mr. Paradis was very stern in regards to boundaries but was well liked by the students because he knew how to meet people where they were at. He was one teacher who prepared us for college. Mr. Paradis is one teacher who speaks highly of the good years before the school started to decline. Just a side note, Saburo Kagei was a star student of Mr. Paradis. Mr. Paradis was Sab Kagei’s wrestling coach.
“stmaryslabordispute” you are wrong! The school DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE that sexual abuse happened. Re-read the letter you posted!!! It states, “misconduct allegedly occurred”. “Allegedly” means, ALLEGATION, an allegation IS NOT PROOF!!!!
That the school separated the person in order to obtain FACTS and PROOF through investigation is proper BUT IS NOT PROOF OF GUILT. Until you have those pesky things called FACTS and PROOF it is only hearsay!!!
Until any of the above supposed claimants go to the proper authorities it is ALL hearsay!!! Period!
You’re right, no one has said it was fact. And even if sexual abuse were a fact in all of these cases, the sad reality is that it is very difficult to prove, if not impossible to do so. Especially after all that time. However, we all took a page from the Headmaster’s letter which stated that the allegation was serious enough to be investigated by two parties and serious enough to prohibit the accused’s interactions with any student or staff. So, allegations are not fact, but they are still serious–serious enough for both sides to prove and defend. We are taking it seriously. We encourage both sides to come out and respond to this. That’s what lawsuits encourage. That’s what public petitions encourage. That’s what journalists who take comments from both sides, encourage. Sitting around silently is not a recourse.
Sylvia has an update about another brother who has been accused. Now, 5 brothers are charged or accused.
http://www.theinquiry.ca/wordpress/charged/cyr-brother-alban-cyr-fic/
What a load a cr*p!
It appears to be fact until such time as police and the archbishop make inquiries and are seen to be making inquiries. Kagei must be lying this is all we can assume as he said the police and the archbishop were involved, they are clearly not. Until such time as we see a police request for people to come forward (inlcuding on this web site and on silvia’s canadian site we must assume the allegations are fact.
As for the comments about bro Gabriel not speaking English, well how many westerners who abuse children including the very young in places such as Cambodia speak the same language as the child? I also doubt he does not speak at least some English (but how much English do you need to masturbate a 16 year old boy)?
The coach has had no allegations made against him.
What a load a cr*p! … “bring the inquiry on, challenge them”.
Censorship: Has any one noticed that immediately after Kagei’s letter all email contact addresses for SMIS staff were removed from SMIS web page. No longer is it possible to easily find the email of any SMIS staff. Someone is attempting to filter contact with staff.
If these are ONLY allegations, then why the coverup? Clearly there is reason for this censorship. There is more that is being kept from us.
I have heard that just prior to Christmas Brother Michel and Brother Lawrence visited the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo. Also present was the person Brother Lawrence sexually assaulted and two Canadian diplomats.
An agreement was signed by Brother Lawrence and Brother Michel and the victim notarised by the Consul. In return for the payment of an amount of money paid to the victim in Hong Kong (an amount of over $1,000,0000 the victim would remain silent and agree not to make public the evidence establishing Brother Lawrence’s sodomy.
This evidence is believed to be letters from SMIS to and from Canada from the time of the assault which establish the coverup by the hierarchy in Canada and those in Tokyo. This evidence was “stolen” from the school records when discovered during the campus move and provided to the victim.
Kagei when writing his letter was obviously not advised of the meeting and hence his ‘allegation’ comments in his letter to parents. Clearly he was not aware of the hard facts or he would not have written his letter. Never the less, the fact remain the Brothers do not trust him sufficiently to function as his role requires.
Did this really happen? Any one to verify this? This is almost hard to believe that they went to the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo.
Amazing despite the January email alert Kagei has gone silent.
Clearly the payout and a silencing clause has come into play.
As for the Archbishop and his enquiry,well unlike previous ABs he can never make Cardinal or can he? No enquiry and a payout may be rewarded. But how did Kagei get the Pilice off his back?
The reason why Pope John XXIII named the late Cardinal Peter Doi, deceased Archbishop of Tokyo, a cardinal was to help the Catholic Church in Japan grow. Pope Paul VI did the same when he named Cardinal Taguchi. Pope John Paul II had the same in mind when he named Cardinals Satowaki and Shirayanagi. This has not worked to date. The Church in Japan does not grow because Christianity, including the Catholic Church, is seen as being very western and non-Japanese.
About the current Archbishop of Tokyo, he helped out an alumnus who was molested and bullie by his peers. That alumnus is happy to this day. He even wrote a glowing letter to the Apostolic Nuncio to Japan and the Pope and recomended that the Archbishop be named a Cardinal.
That is not too likely because Pope Francis wants to reach out to poor people. He named Cardinals in very impoverished dioceses.
Hi! My name is Simon Scott and I am a Tokyo-based freelance journalist who is a regular contributor to the Japan Times. I am also the Japan correspondent for the New Zealand Herald. Many of the stories I have published are up on the web, so Google: Simon Scott + Japan Time etc., if you want to check out previous stuff I have written.
I am currently researching a story about sexual abuse at St. Mary’s International School for the Japan Times and want to communicate with anyone who has any relevant information. I would like to talk with not just the victims of the abuse, but also anyone who may have information they feel could help with my story or who may be able to put me in contact with someone who does. I fully understand this is a sensitive topic and be rest assured that I won’t disclose the identity of any sources who wish to remain anonymous.
Please email me at my personal email address: rotty007@gmail.com
Regards,
Simon Scott.
Great news Scott. Give them your best.
Try and see if Brother Lawrence will give you an interview. Why can’t he if he is innocent?
Then of course there is Kagei. Will he tell you about the Police and the Arch Bishop’s enquiry? Yes of course he will if he has any ethics.
Then don’t forget Kagei’s other drinking partner in Boston and Singapore (trips paid for by the Alumni of course) None other than Brother Michel.
But what about all those Japanese boys Brother Lessard molested? Will they speak up.
The Alumni will be terrified of loosing face especially the Japanese where face is so important.
But then there are the others mentioned here and in Sylvia’s site. All five of them. Will Scott try and speak to those still alive ???
.
Thanks for your comments, Mrs L.
When doing these types of stories we always try and get comment from all sides, to ensure the story is balanced. So to answer your question, yes, I will eventually be seeking comment from the school and any other relevant parties, but at this stage I am focused on collecting first hand testimony from anyone who was a victim of sexual abuse at SMIS. So far it has been somewhat of a struggle to get people to come forward, but I am doing my best. I understand this is a sensitive topic and that many victims are reluctant to come forward. I also understand the importance of privacy and people can contact me in confidence. We won’t reveal anyone’s identity in the paper without their permission.
As I am sure you know, this is an important issue and needs to be brought to light. If you know of anyone who could help, please ask them to get in touch with me. My contact details are in the post above.
Regards,
Simon.
Br. Lessard did not only molest Japanese boys. He also moleted Caucasians too; in fact, I know 2 who came forward.
Many alumni think that this happened so long ago that its best to forget about it.
One even sent out an email blast to all his classmates, almost 10 years ago claiming that what Br. Lessard did to him at KEEP was a coming of age experience that was a transition into manhood for him. If you were to recommend that victims speak out, that same alumnus would ridicule you for the suggestion.
Not too many alumni will speak out.
Three emails each one month apart have been sent to:
Brother Gabriel in Canada
Kagei at SMIS
Archbishop Peter Tokyo
All have ask for an update on January’s letter to parents.
All are unanswered.
What does this say??? Not a one word response from either.
But also strangely not one word from Japanese police.
It will be hard for Alumni to say they have been masturbated or sodomized by the brothers at SMIS (or anywhere else).
I wonder what the reaction would be in the Philippines where Brother Lawrence was at one stage if they became aware
NEWS NEWS NEWS
Brother Yannick the Superior in Rome has resigned.
It appears certain he is washing his hands on the Order not wanting to admit ownership of the wholesale pedophilia of which knowledge has arisen under his watch.
But the word is that not only is he an apologist for pedophiles that he is one himself. Word is out that he has been caught up in the SMIS coverup.
What has he done? He has sent an email commenting on the type of boys he prefers to sodomize. And another Bro has distributed this email which has been passed on to SNAP who are about to release it at their upcoming conference.
OMG the end is nigh.
Rumour also has it that the Vice Provincial in Japan has told the Bros about Bro Lawrence and his sexual frolics How long before a Bro with conscience spills the beans??? He made this revelation after the last annual retreat.
Time for the Bros to leave Asia not just Japan. Is there an option? Yes, wholesale suicide.
This has been going on for long enough. If ANY of this happened the very efficient Tokyo Police would be knocking on doors. The only concern is that the Archbishop has said nothing. This reaks of suspicion. Kagei still has his job despite his announcement 6 months ago , again the school board have said nothing. Brother Lawrence is saying naught. No one seems to care. Maybe SMIS boys and alumni enjoyed their SMIS sexual experience. Those who are Japanese will never say a word to not loose face, but what of the others. Maybe SMIS boys enjoyed their antics??
Look, it’s totally the survivors’ business if they want to speak out. There is no need to denigrate them or make light of their experiences for the sake of “news”. If the school were a progressive and responsible institution, which it isn’t, it would be proactively handling this whether or not there are survivors who come forward. The point is to prevent it ever from happening again.
I doubt that the alumnus who was molested by Br. Lessard enjoyed what happened to him; I am referring to the one who died of cirrhosis of the liver at the end of April last year. He tried to report it to Br. Michel Jutras, but Br. Michel replied, “Maybe it was not what you thought it was.” Br. Michel later told the alumnus that he had a bad attitude. In fact, the alumnus died very bitter and never came to terms with what happened.
I also doubt that the alumnus who was molested by his peers enjoyed what happened to him. In fact, he complained to the Archbishop and to the Superior of the Brothers and both helped out the alumnus and the matter was settled. I heard that the Archbishop approached Br. Michel with the complaint made by this second alumnus and it took Br. Michel by surprise. What a curve ball it was. The Archbishop was not pleased with Br. Michel’s response nor his attitude of trying to cover up. The Archbishop was impressed with how Br. Guy, then the Vice-Provincial, took responsibility for what happened to the alumnus, apologized and helped out the alumnus. The Archbishop and St. Mary’s administration were not on good terms since.
Recall that when the new St. Mary’s building was dedicated, normally Archbishop Okada would have been asked to preside over the dedication. One can recall that the Apostolic Nuncio from Vatican City to Japan presided instead. This tells us that the Archbishop of Tokyo is not on good terms with the St. Mary’s administration for helping out the alumnus.
I have reason to believe that Archbishop Okada was never notified, nor were the police.
Br. Lawrence was never assigned to the Philippines. He would not want to be there. He is not on good terms with Br. Charles Desjarlais, who is now the Headmaster of the school there; that school started to go on the upswing under Br. Charles. Br. Charles was always a thorn in the side of Br. Lawrence and Br. Michel. Br. Charles was always on the ball and too much a trouble shooter at St. Mary’s. He was chased out of St. Mary’s by the administration for being much of a person who upsets the status quo. Br. Charles was known for expelling many problem kids while he was high school Principal.
Brother Lawrence may not have been assigned to the Philippines, but during his term as Vice Provincial the Philippines was set up. This is fact. The entire news story is published and appears on Sylvia’a blog.
Archbishop Peter Okada was notified of this site and the Canadian site. ..I know this as I contact his office to advise..
Some comment, please allow me to clarify what I meant. I meant to say is that the school, nor Sab Kagei may have never contacted The Archbishop of Tokyo nor the police. That is what I suspect.
Yes, it appears you are right, there was never police contact. But Bro Lawrence has left Japan … escaped justice
If the school were a progressive and responsible institution.it would have followed through on Kagei’s JANUARY letter, Perhaps if Archbishop Peter was more ethical he would have followed it up too, but his silence roars…
Yes something needs to be done to prevent this happening again, and to assist those survivors who would still be hurting. No doubt many survivors are not even aware of this site, or the Canadian site. . No doubt even in Singapore where a survivor died recently the Alumni are in the dark.,
Many survivors will be too frightened to speak out, I am sure most would be terrified.
Isn’t it time that the school engaged professionals to deal with the matter, just as the American School has tired to do.
Isn’t it ethical that those Bros living in school grounds who have been accused are rehoused pending an outcome? We hear here that Bros are living in Shizuoka and Yokohama.
Isn’t it strange that Bro Lawrence is living in Shizuoka, (or at least he was moved there after Kagei’s allegation letters) rather than be housed elsewhere?.
Wouldn’t an ethical school announce where all the alleged pedophile are living?
Wouldn’t an ethical school announce which Koban (police station) could be approached?
Probably closest to SM. IF you’re overseas and out of Japan, you could file a complaint with Interpol. They will pass it on to the appropriate authorities. Usually you start with whatever your justice department is.
Japanese Immigration Department should surely deport these vile men and those who support these men who have preyed on children.
Japanese Education authorities should investigate the school. In fact all of the SMIS family of schools in Japan.
I was having Brother Lawrence as a teacher for my son, this makes me quite ill to think about. that he was exposed to him as a young boy.
I hope the school is providing adequate intense counselling for the boys who have just read the Japan Times, and their families.
But what is the school doing for the victims who have been identified in the news paper?
I don’t know who to report my abuse by Bro John Paradise in the mid 1960s to. Not living any longer in Japan means I can not go to a police station.
The Japanese Embassy told me it is so long ago and you are not Japanese when I tried to call. They suggested to write to the school, and said to maybe see a counsellor for help to get over it. I am over it. But that low life lives his life out in Canada. He needs to live out his life in a penitentiary.
Please contact Archbishop Peter Okada and Br. Guy Morissette and report it. Please also contact Br. Robert Smyth.
Br. Guy Morissette
Seiko Gakuin
1, Takinoue, Naka-ku
Yokohama 231-0837, Japan
yokohamaguy@yahoo.ca
Archbishop of Tokyo can be reached at (from website):
Archbishop Peter Takeo Okada
Archbishop of Tokyo
3-15-16 Sekiguchi, Bunkyo-ku, 112-0014 TOKYO
JAPAN
Tel: 03-3943-2301 Fax:03-3944-8511 E-mail diocese@tokyo.catholic.jp
Br. Robert Smyth
smythra@yahoo.com
These contacts don’t reply.
But they did reply to an alumnus 5 years ago. It was to an alumnus who complained that he was sexually abused by his peers, and bullied by them. They helped him out. That alumnus still has the letters of apology in his files to this day and can even show them to you.
Sexual abuse by peers and bullying is terrible, but it pales into significance when we are talking about LAMBERT the molester being a teacher. .
It is important now we find out how that scum was able to leave Japan, and where is he hiding now. Sylvia’s site suggests he is no doubt with another of his fellow ex SMIS molesters Brother John Paradis,living at the Mother house on the banks of the St Lawrence River, if correct this information is he is still living within a school camous..
I just hope the Alumni 60th changes focus to reflect on the sexual abuse scandal at SMIS. I imagine many will now boycott the festivities. Perhaps some will wear black arm bands, And I wonder if Kagei will be there in his glory, and of course his collaborator Brother Michel. Together they hid the truth about Brother Lawrence for over one year. What a fine pair of scum, leaving a child sex offender around boys for over a year. How can these two pathetic specimens show their faces?.
The Alumni should show they can force SMIS to rebuild and overcome the sex abuse scandal. Perhaps a vote of no confidence in Kagei and Bro Michel is appropriate.at the Ball.
There is time to save St. Mary’s… That comment does hurt the feelings of the victim of molestation by his peers. It does not pale at all. His life is ruined. He has trouble with self confidence and even social skills, despite years of receiving counseling. That alumnus’ family broke up and he is no longer on speaking terms with his family. His parents brought into the lie of the administration that he brought the bullying on himself by his reaction. How sad. All abuse is equally wrong and there is no excuse for any abuse weather it be by a peer or an adult!!!! Period!!!
Wow. What a joke. They don’t respond. The molesters are entrenched.
Watch their supporters out for the Alumni Ball. But watch when one brave person stops the proceedings with an announcement. Sadly the Ball will wind down.
OMG, Sylvia has done it again. This time another SMIS teacher. And indeed one who is on the run from law enforcement in the US for offences against boys.
She even has photos [blocked faces] of some of his SMIS victims.
And what will those deniers have to say to this sparkling revelation..
If Brother Lawrence was too old to reoffend why was he removed by Kagei and how did he have his own office etc in 2013?
Why is Kagei still there? His hands are dirty. He protects the scum that didthis to us Alum, and he was an Alum too! Makes me wonder if he was dat wrestling dude.
Sylvia in Canada has yet another.
Former SMIS teacher pleaded guilty to molesting boys. So pleading guilty is not an allegation.
Look at Sylvia’s site if you think you were molested by him at SMIS.
Where does it end?
But still no word from Kagei and Bro Michel. Maybe they think it will go away? What are they covering up?
Word has it that the School in Shizuoka is next to be exposed.
We still don’t know which koban (police Station) to report incidents to.
And the Archbishop of Tokyo doesn’t want to know either.
Oh well the Nuncio is now involved.
I have to applaud Simon on an article well written in the Japan Times. Good job Simon. If there are any other victims, please speak up and contact Simon. There is always room for a follow up story.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2014/09/01/issues/st-marys-international-school-tokyo-rocked-sexual-abuse-claims/
Boys at SMIS are already sneering and making comments about headmaster Kagei and discussing what may have been done to him by Lessard when he was a student at SMIS..
This is what I heard some older SMIS boys saying recently. “He was made to put on a floor show like the TAKARAZUKU dance troupe”, and then they all doubled over in laughter. .
For those of you out of Japan Google this Takarazuku dance group.
Kagei has lost his credibility with students, to ATTEMPT to regain it he needs to make public statements.
Students and parents were already laughing “at him” with his antics at drop off and fake Boston accent before the Japan Times published this scandal.
It is just sad that older students have read the Japan Times and this blog together with the Canadian Sylvia’s site. Yes, there can be no censorship but SMIS empathy should include communication to students, parents and the school body. However the school decided on “no comment”.
Kagei can not last long now. I am sure after a few more details emerge that he will be gone, either resign as he should, or appropriately dismissed.
If only there was evidence about Brother Lawrence’s.allegations for Simon to be able to write another excellent piece exposing SMIS in the Japan Times. .If there is a brave person out there …………
Not all of Br. Lessard’s students were molested. In fact, many were not.
I did hear of one case where a boy went in for his interview and was asked, “What do you know about sexual pleasure?” The boy replied, “I know all about it.” Br. Lessard dismissed the boy immediately.
Another case was where Br. Lessard interviewed a boy who barely knew English. That boy was not molested. However, he knew what Br. Lessard was talking about based on where he had pointed his finger during the interview. That alumnus later said that this was the only negative memory he had about St. Mary’s. He later said that the boys used to nickname Br. Lessard “sukkebbe na oyaji.”
There is no proof that Br. Lessard ever molested Sab Kagei.
Well, Kagei has yet to comment, so the Jury is out on this. In fact he has kept silent over the entire matter which only makes it worse for him, but I am sure he won’t last much longer so it maybe doesn’t matter in the short term.
Yes Lessard no doubt didn’t molest all of the several hundred he taught. But one hundred or one, it is still one too many.
What does “sukkebbe na oyaji” mean?
Let us hope that the victim of Brother Lawrence’s allegations speaks out so that the allegations can be shown to have substance or otherwise. If you are the victim Kagei refers to please contact Simon from the Japan Times. His address is on this site.
Until this sex scandal is totally resolved SMIS can only continue flounder..
Kagei is merely a cog in the wheel. He takes his orders and a pay check from higher ups. The only way to get Kagei to respond is in a courthouse. The Catholic church has vast amounts of money in their arsenal, and very experienced in dealing with pedophiles and perverts. SMIS will not respond unless a lawsuit is brought upon them. Those who have been abused by the hands of Lessard and others need to come forward, get a top class law firm to represent them and go after these perverted creeps. This forum is good for each to express their thots and opinions, but will not bring Kagei to admit to anything, unless he should turn against Smis in return for clemency. And by the way, the meaning of sukkebe na oyaji is dirty old man.
A very clear headed comment. The only way to get anyone to respond is in a courthouse.
Mrs. L, Sukkebbe na oyajii means perverted old man in Japanese.
Mr. S,. St. Marys is not obedient to the Catholic Church at all. There was an alumnus who, while a student, wanted so much to become a Catholic. The administrators had the student undergo psychological treatment because they felt that he was abnormal because teenagers are supposed to be interested in sex and drinking and rock music. That alumnus later went on to become a Catholic, and then to the seminary to study for the priesthood; several administrators cold shouldered the same alumnus for wasting his time and his talents on the priesthood.
In short, St. Mary’s is not obedient to any authority at all, even Catholic Church authority. That school is no longer Catholic, it is secular; many good teachers from the past will even admit this to be true. Yes, SMIS needs to take responsibility for the sex abuse.
Brother John Paradis I suggest was sent back to Canada after the ADVISORY COUNCIL of SMIS in Tokyo suggested he leave after it was confronted with sexual allegations involving a mother of a SMIS boy. It is unknown whether a mother complained about treatment her son received from him, or whether the actions were against her. The cause was sexual.
Never the less, the records of the ADVISORY COUNCIL just before he left Japan will reveal the truth, and support this..
It is then believed he later returned to SMIS and Japan after some years but not in his position of power as principal. No doubt the mother and her son had left Japan.. But the demotion is interesting in its self..
Is there any record of him returning in a ‘lesser role’ ????
Yes this is a long time ago, but Sab Kagei’s letter related to 1965 too and he saw fit to write to parents in 2014. And Bro Lessard related to the distant past as well. So maybe not too late to bring it up. He may well still be alive? If he is alive he needs to deal with this. Or, as SMIS said to the Japan Times “no comment”, this retort probably more likely knowing SMIS.
All SMIS has to do to refute this, is reveal the ADVISORY COUNCIL notes from just before he left Japan.
Nice innuendo. The principal’s job when I was there was with Br. Isidore. It was a rotating basis. Br John had it one year and didn’t like it. He let Br. Andrew take over who was probably the most business like of all the brothers. SM made a lot of money and invested it well. Br John was a teacher at SM after he resigned or told the brothers he didn’t like the job for years until I graduated and longer. He’s retired in Quebec.
Mr. Andrew is no longer a Brother. And from what I have heard, completely bankrupt and dragged down a whole bunch of others that signed for him as a guarantor. 🙂
Who is Mr Andrew? What did they sign as guarantor for?
Mr. Andrew Boisvert was Br. Andrew, the headmaster before Br. Michel. He left the order to marry a mother of 2 alumni who graduated from SMIS in the late 70s/early 80s. I will not say anymore!
OMG, another with perverted sexuality. And having an affair with a parent, what a sick twisted web the Brothers of Christian Instruction weave. It goes from bad to worse.
Br. John Paradis is now Br. Paul Paradis. He returned to SMIS in 1985 and taught French and religion. He later retired.
Br. Lessard is long dead for over 30 years. He died of cancer while at SMIS. It was mid year when he died.
Click to access Lambert-Kagei-letter-Alumni-Letter-Final-Sept-11-14.pdf
Sylvia has done it again.
This time there is NO allegation. Brother Lawrence has admitted sexual assault. He is a child sex offender according to the headmaster Sab Kagei.
But what Police action will there be against Brother Lawrence, Kagei has said he apologised. This is GUILT. What action did Police in Tokyo take? Is he on a sex offender register in Canada (if that is where he went).
And the Order have not said what they are doing for this victim.
Wasn’t Bro Lawrence in charge of the elementary school for 32 years? How old was THIS victim
Parents need to know.
Dear Sab Kagei,
i wish to communicate with the Japan National Police in relation to sexual assault at SMIS as per your letter.
Would you please provide the Police email contact for this. I would also like the Archdiocese contact email for the same (although the Police and Archdiocese will be separate of course in their investigations)..
You will appreciate it is improper to do this via the school which will want to keep its distance from the investigation, no doubt with lawyers hovering.
I am intrigued how Brother Lawrence was permitted to leave Japan without charges, I assume you had him sent out quckly at the 11th hour. I assume that he will be made available to Japan Police when required.
Your letter also made NO mention of the welfare of his victim and how he is being supported. A very compassionate letter from you.
Why post my letter here? Well you don’t reply to emails you don’t like, or are never in for phone calls.
Alumni in Singapore have now had their fears confirmed. And one of our members has died without knowing that his allegations were established as fact. He died after drinking himself to death and being unable to have SMIS listen to his claims.
How will the school deal with this? They will try and hope it goes away, and in another 7 month write another 7 monthly letter.. The time lines in Sab Kagei’s letter .are not consistent with his letter of January 31st 2014. In this letter he wrote of an allegation against Brother Lawrence. Now we read how he knew it to be fact at the time.
Why did he write the letter he knew to be untrue in January?
We also knew the Police investigation he referred to in January was as mythical as the “Titans”, he has had the audacity to refer to once again.
Stop smoking the gunga, Kagei, lets have the truth, and contact details for Police, that is after, and if, you decide to report it..
“I have a very important request. If you have information about any person associated with SMIS harming any members of the school community, please share that information with me or with the authorities. I cannot stress enough how important this is, as we can only address concerns if we are
made aware of them”.
Sab Kagei we need to know who the authorities you refer to are? You referred to the Police in January in your now proven untrue letter when you referred to allegations against Brother Lawrence. At the time you wrote to parent in January, you wrote of allegations against Brother Lawrence. You NOW have said you were aware of Brother Lawrence apologizing to the student. How then could you mislead the school in January when you could have avised of the reality then, over 7 moths ago when you knew it was not an allegation.
Who will investigate YOU. You can not be headmaster and LIE to parents on any matter. But to lie about sexual abuse is scandalous.
Get on a plane to where ever Brother Lawrence has gone,. your days at SMIS are numbered in the single digits.
No wonder the older boys are now making fun of you. and your new name among the boy is TAKARAZUKA. referring to what they believe you were made to do for Brother Lessard. “DANCE WITH YOUR LEGS AS HIGH AS A TAKARAZUKA DANCER”..
This shameful episode at SMIS only deepens. The hurt and damage that child molestation causes not just to one victim but those around them is not able to be measured. iT GOES ON UNTIL ALL CONCERNED ARE LONG DEAD.
What is SMIS doing for the victims? What support did SMIS offer to the two brave men mentioned by Simon Scott in the Japan Times, and the latest, Brother Lawrence’s victim, Most probably they will reject any off of support, but regardless support must be made available. AND, THE SCHOOL BODY NEED TO KNOW OF THE OFFER.
Kagei wrote: “I will update the SMIS community on this issue as we continue to learn more. In the meantime, please let me know your thoughts and concerns. You can call (81-3-3709-3411) or email me (headmaster@smis.ac.jp) to set up an appointment.”. What a load of crap, you have not even given your personal email address at SMIS, you gave one which goes to your secretary first for vetting. . Your personal email address. is: (kageis@smis.ac.jp). Why didn’t you give out this if you are so (NOT) concerned about student welfare..
Brother Michel, the current Chairman of SMIS and Sab Kagei’s predecessor remains silent. The Chairman should also be issuing statements or joint statements. .
OMG Brother Lawrence was in charge of the elementary school for three decades or more.
a). We need to know what that scum has apologized for.
b). We need to know how old the victim was at the time.
c). We need to know what steps are being taken to speak to potential victims who are current students to ascertain what help they may need.
d). We need to know that SMIS is reaching out to possible victims who are not associated with Alumni. Have Alumni groups world wide been notified?
e). The up coming 60th Alumni event in October needs to either be cancelled due to sympathy for the victims, or ALL participants to wear black arm bands in respect of the victims.
Yes, we have been lied to again. Why is it Sab Kagei can’t get it right. No one should ever, never lie about child abuse. You will get caught out just as OPEN LETTER TO SAB KAGEI pointed out. He has been caught.
Do the honorable thing and resign.
But, there is more when Mr Lawrence Lambert (I assume he has been kicked out of the community) left SMIS in Tokyo he moved for a few months at least to another of the Brother’s schools in Shizuoka. The Brothers don’t get it. Pedophiles and child sex offenders should never be around children. Yet he was housed in a school.
I hope the Brothers now alert Japanese parents at Shizuoka that he was living among their children in a boarding school….Own up to it now.
Headmaster Saburo: Kagei in his recent open letter to Alumni said on September 11th 2014:: “In the spirit of transparency, I want to tell you what we know”.
There was no transparency when Simon Scott from the Japan Times called. No doubt his inadequate lawyer or legal advisers told him to say “no comment”. that was a f..king excellent thing to say. Yes, just bring down the school a bit more. Who needs a group of child molesters to drag SMIS down when their is Saburo Kagei the headmaster … aka Takarazuska?
There was no transparency when we now see in Kagei’s own words that he knew Brother Lawrence (or is it Mr Lambert now) was a f..king child molester and kept it from parents..
So why is now going to be any different. The next yarn he will try and spin may be something along the lines of “Brother Lawrence is suffering from dementia and didn’t mean to apologize, so I take it all back”.
Now Kagei has just given Simon Scott more ammunition to sink the knife into SMIS a little bit further with a fresh Japan Times saga. Will there be a book? Or, a mini series?
SMIS can’t survive with these lies, and lack of trust and transparency.
When will Kagei’s lies stop. It is quite disgusting how he is now established as trying albeit without success to lie yet again to us.
Imagine what the boys think?
Let us have an independent inquiry. SMIS can not be trusted.
Save SMIS don’t let it flounder more
“Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead” is the centrepiece of several songs.
SMIS is dead. At least dead as long as the Brothers are in Japan.
But Kagei must be head witch.
There is still a lot of innuendo as nobody has come forward except the person who said Br Lawrence abused him. The rest of the supposed abuse cases noted in Sylvia’s log and here have no proof. Come forward with your real name and state what happened. That is what ASIJ alums did with their molesting teacher. Heck SUE SM if you think you have a case. Otherwise its all hot air.
Teja Arboleda came out in the Japan Times with his full name and stated what happened.
You’re right, until people do, the school is not obligated to respond. The school has now responded because real people have come forward. They should not wait for a lawsuit to happen in order to take responsibility.
You are very correct on that on stmaryslabor dispute. Let us hope that more speak out.
Child abuse has life-long devastating effects on its victims with catastrophic consequences. For victims it will change their lives for ever with suicide, alcohol and substance abuse being all too common a result. We heard here of one tragic victim in Singapore, he died of alcohol related illness; he was never able to get relief from SMIS to address his child abuse.
But now we have something as bad as child abuse: an attempted cover up by the headmaster KAGEI at SMIS. Instead of being transparent and establishing a dependable framework to identify past, and hopefully prevent future child abuse, KAGEI lied. Instead of telling parents in his January 31 2014 letter that LAMBET had admitted to committing child sex offences, KAGEI lied. KAGEI decided to call them allegations when he knew otherwise.
Obviously as KAGEI revealed the allegations were made in May 2013, his predecessor knew, and on January 31 2014 his predecessor was none other than Brother Michel JUTRAS. By January 31 2014, JUTRAS was elevated to the position of Chairman of St Marys School Corporation. And what did JUTRAS do? Nothing JUTRAS let KAGEI’S lies continue, as if it would go away like common cold.
What now? The board of St Marys School Corporation will have no option to request the Chairman JUTRAS stand down. And, of course KAGEI must be dismissed. Lying and deceiving to cover up child abuse can never be tolerated. It is not a trivial matter such as faking an expense account item.
The only way forward is a thorough and independent inquiry. An inquiry to investigate claims and to play jury and decide consequences, including any financial payments to victims. Who should this committee comprise of? A difficult question. It would be easier to say who should not be on it: any Brothers of Christian Instruction, any employee of SMIS, any representative of the Archdiocese of Tokyo, and current or past member of the St Marys School Corporation. At least one person should be a lawyer, at least one should be a psychologist with expertise in child abuse.
There should be at least one person with vast expertise in child sexual abuse area consequences and the criminal justice system and expertise with cover-ups. I can think no further than a former Police Officer in Canada, Perry DUNLOP. He blew the whistle in 1994 in Canada on a massive sex abuse scandal and “Church” cover-up. He presently lives in British Columbia in Canada having retired from the Royal Candain Mounted Police. What more perfect qualifications could there be for a respected expert to be chairman of the inquiry?
Br. Michel Jutras was fired by the Provincial for covering up for Br. Lawrence. He is no longer allowed to even visit St. Mary’s. I heard that Br. Michel was called back to Quebec for good.
About covering up for child abuse, one alumnus told a certain lay administrator (who used to live in a house on school property) that his father was beating him up. That corrupt administrator told him, “Your Dad loves you and cares for you and is doing all that for your own good. Therefore, submit to him.” When that alumnus returned to the US, he went to counseling and was diagnosed as an adult survivor of child physical abuse and beating. Now that is a cover up of abuse for you.
Well, well, well. It gets better by the blog. If Brother Gabriel in Quebec did do this he too has of course covered up child sex abuse. A cover up at the highest level (apart from Yannick in Rome)…
If this did happen and I sincerely hope it did, then Brother Gabriel will have to go to. If he became aware of the Kagei and Brother Michel cover up and did nothing himself to disclose the reality of the child abuse, he is as guilty as Brother LAwrence. He should have immediately written to parents advising them of the truth behind Brother Lawrence.’s non allegation. But he did apparently did a Kagei, and danced a TAKARAZUKA as he let the lies of Kagei’s January 31 letter perpetuate and fester.
This inquiry will be massive.
Any news out there as to when Brother Lawrence left Japan?.
Any news on whether he will be removed from the Order, or has it happened?
Concerned alumnus: I accept what you are saying is the truth. BUT on Tuesday morning at around 10:30 I phoned SMIS to attempt to speak to Kagei. I was connected to his secretary. She said he was in a meeting on campus and could not be disturbed. I asked could she call him to the phone as I wished to discuss child sexual abuse. she said “no”. I asked to speak to Brother Michel Jutras. She said “he is away on a business meeting”.
So there is a question which needs to be answered in relation to her answer. Was she following Kagei’s lead or instruction and lying; or secondly have the lies extended to not telling staff he has been removed. I’d hazard a guess it is the case of she has been told to lie. He’s been away for a mighty long business meeting .., several months.
Kagei when wil lthe lies stop? Clearly not while you are around SMIS.
Michael, that school is known for cover up. That one is hard to tell. The school is covering up Br. Michel’s dismissal. I was told that he was dismissed back in March. I learned about this from a former teacher of SMIS, who was never in the inner circle and could also tell you about what a dysfunctional school SMIS is.
Regardless, you will never get ahold of Br. Michel at St. Mary’s again as he is on his eternally long and extended “business trip.”
Michel? He is not ona business trip at all. We saw him around campus this week when dropping off the children.
And Kagei does not have a secretary. Walk down the North Campus first floor. His office is down there. No secretary at all. Main office has secretaries, and I guess with the tuition we pay, they sure can afford a haram of them!
yes bring on the inquiry. Archbishop Okada will surely welcome it. Of course Brother Lawrence will need to participate and hence come back to Japan (it is too late to charge him, so he will be safe from police).
I’d argue since there is at least a warrant out for Frank Selas, add him to Br. Lawrence as a SM teacher who molested children. I was at SM when he was there but being in HS never had any contact with him.
Lies, deceits and misrepresentations seem to be all SMIS headmaster is capable of..
In January we hear of ALLEGATIONS about LAMBERT, now we hear that he new Lambert had admitted that he molested a student when he wrote that letter to parents 8 months ago. In the interests of transparency will he tell why he lied and misrepresented the truth?.
He again talks about police. But he talked about Police in January too. Several have posted on this site that they have been unsuccessful in making any contact with police who knew ANYTHING. Several people have asked for details of which police station or koban in Japan they should report matters to. But silence from headmaster and his leaders.
We hear from his that LAMBERT has ‘moved and left Japan’. When did he flee Japan? What police action was there? Clearly it was not reported, The Japanese press would have had a field day reporting his arrest. We also have a right to know where he is living. Is it AGAIN in another Mennais school grounds or is he no where near children, this is where he has been living in the grounds of a school in Japan. After his apology was he permitted to walk around the streets and shops alone with the potential to further disrupt lives? Is there going to be a letter box drop to neighbors of SMIS to advise them that there was a child molester active at SMIS for decades.
Police would have posted on this site that they were wanting people to come forward and how to contact them. Or that other Canadian site would have allowed a police post too. Both sites allowed Simon Scott and the Japan Times to publish.
What is true? Did he apologize? Or, is this another of the headmaster’s very rare letters out to disseminate more fantasies.
.
KAGEI loves the school, but must realise that his lies to the community have hit a wall and have caught him in lie after lie. His devout Catholicism allows for him to lie, as he can go to a priest for confession, admit he lied and believes that the priest will directly talk with G_D and forgive him.
Disney Religion 101 is done Mr. Kagei. You are rich. You have lots of money from your family and your wife’s family. Take an early retirement and go to Boston or where ever else that you portray that fake accent from.
No one will miss you. The school, with its strong teachers and commitment to quality education will move forward. But if you stay, you will bring down the house. Please do it for the school. No one wants to see this wonderful place close down due to your lies and arrogance.
Step up to the plate little man.
Do the Taka….no more
Very well said “Brandy 2001”. No one wants to see the school close down. But the school can not keep going with ONLY Kagei leaving. Many more MUST go. The slate needs wiping clean.
Clearly the elderly brothers who have lived the SMIS gravy train for so long MUST leave all three schools in Japan too. They will drag the other two sister “Seiko” schools down if they stay. We hear that Brother Michel in his role as headmaster prior to Kagei was aware of LAMBERT and let him stay among our children. The trust needed by parents for the school to survive has gone. He must go back to where ever he came from.
As Brother Michel went on to be chairman over a year ago, the school board too has a huge part to play in this scandal of lies which runs parallel to the scandal of molesting. They knowingly allowed Kagei’s lies to perpetuate. So too must the school board resign, they have not been in control. Trust has gone.
As for Disney Religion 101, it is practiced big time at SMIS. And to use the words from the old Disney song “whose the leader of the pack” it is none other than Brother Houssay Yannick in Rome, a frequent visitor to Japan. He too shows he is not in control of the Brothers. Most of us learnt the “Lord’s Prayer which goes in part “lead us not into temptation”. It is blatantly obvious that the brothers practice Disney 101 Religion, they have permitted the molester Lambert to live at SMIS, then tempt him more with children at Seiko. When the parents and Japanese media find out what potential harm they have done to these children in Shizuoka there will be outrage even with the traditionally mild mannered Japanese culture.
As the buffoons leave Japan, an inquiry is the only way forward. In the west the Catholic Church has published procedures for investigating priests who are alleged to have molested.children or adults. When the Archdiocese became aware of LAMBERT it should have adopted a similar inquiry. But as we have seen they have done nothing. Just because the Catholic Church in Japan has no policy for this within its brand of Disney Religion 101, doesn’t mean they can not adopt policies from say Canada or the USA. Tokyo Archbishop Peter Okada too must stand down and take responsibility for allowing this sad state of affairs to happen around him. He can not even say outrageously to his congregations that it is the only foreigners/gaigins, and their children, as Japanese children were equally at risk.
Somewhere on this site i read another ‘alleged’ molester is at the Seiko Yokohama school. is this a case of more Disney Religion 101 and leading him into fresh pastures of temptation?
Let us hope the Police bring LAMBERT back to Japan to face court. It will be so cathartic for parents to see him being led off his flight at Narita in handcuffs and wearing the yellow straight jacket Japanese police put on and make all molesters.wear. LAMBERT must however now see at least Brother Michel Jutras join him in prison after being convicted of dangerous and wreckless behavior endangering children.
We see the damage LAMBERT has caused is catastrophic for SMIS, but no where near as catastrophic as it has been for the victims who will continue to relive this fort he rest of their lives.. And as we read these blogs we wonder what properties around the world the Brothers will now sell to pay compensation to those who may now surface, victims of LAMBERT, LESSARD, PARADIS ….and ??????. There is one very nice property in Rome which the “leader of the pack” lives in which comes to mind for starters. His leadership has now cost him personally. The Brothers don’t need palatial homes in Rome, but then Disney Religion 101 does not have an oath of either poverty, chastisty or obedience as the brothers in Japan know so well..
Archbishop Okada did take responsibility for the molestation of an alumnus by his peers and the cover up by certain lay administrators, one of them being Mr. Peter Gaskin. Mr. Gaskin suspended that student, while he was in the 8th grade, for a day. The reason was that the student, who had been previously molested by his classmate, spat at the same classmate who tried to molest him again. Mr. Gaskin, then middle school principal of St. Mary’s, refused to believe the victim and told him, “You brought it all on yourself by your reaction. If you ignore it, it will all stop.” Mr. Gaskin covered up bullying and sexual abuse. Archbishop Okada did help out the victim.
The victim became a Catholic as a result of the few good brothers at St. Mary’s. He became more interested in the Catholic faith because he went to the Franciscan Chapel Center and the Franciscans from New York reached out to welcome him and introduced him to new friends from other superb international schools.
Sexual abuse and bullying by peers is very different from what Brother Lawrence did. Not only is it abuse by an adult, but by a teacher, and a member of a religious order. Both are terrible, but one is much worse.
that Certain Alumnus will beg to differ from you, Catholicism SMIS style. He had been subject to temper tantrums, like other sex abuse victims, for much of his life. He struggles with low self-confidence. He is only beginning to re-build his life. In addition to that, this certain alumnus is no longer speaking with his parents; the parents believed the administration that he was at fault for the bullying. The parents eventually disowned him for becoming a Catholic Christian. See what the school does to wreck lives of alumni and former teachers!
Archbishop Okada if he did take responsibility for the molestation of an alumnus by his peers is totally different to LAMBERT molesting a student. But I wonder, did Okada call Police? Probably not, despite this being a Police notifiable event.
As elementary school principal for 30 plus years, and as he only taught elementary school, one can assume his victim was very young. The younger the victim the more likely the long term damage will be severe, and the younger the victim the more challenging it would be to report the molesting.
But what we can be sure of there must have been rather compelling evidence for LAMBERT to apologize. This makes the earlier suggestion of a blogger that communication was uncovered during the move from the old to the new campus interestingly plausible.
As a foot note, I have just spoken to a Japanese parent who is quasi struggling to read this and Sylvia’s blog with limited English. She now knows how to read it using ‘Google translate’. It was fantastic to know there are Japanese parents without a wonderful command of English keeping themselves informed of the sex scandal. It will be parents like this who filter the ‘added’ scandal of LAMBERT holed up in the Shizuoka Seiko school to parents there.
However reading these comments there appears one person forgotten. wasn’t/Isn’t Brother Raymond Duchane the Brother in charge of Asia and Japan? Michel is/was in charge of only the School Corporation, but he answers to Duchane. If Duchane was a competent person he would be up to speed with the May 2013, or was it January 2014, or was it August 2013 discovery of LAMBERT’S apology and have acted appropriately. But he did nothing. However this could be worse than it seems. My birdies tell me while LAMBERT was holed up like a prisoner on the run at Seiko in Shizuoka Brother Duchane actually lived there too. So Duchane knowingly placed molester in the very school he is headmaster of and lives in. He can’t say he didn’t know! Couldn’t Duchane have placed LAMBERT somewhere in Japan away from children until such time as Police did their part? Perhaps he did the appropriate by leaving him in Japan pending Police action, but in a school again. I think not. Competence is seemingly not Duchane’s forte, however there is a healthy dose of negligence. .Was it Duchane who permitted LAMBERT to move back to Canada? My birdies tell me he is living in the Mother House in Quebec, itself in the grounds of a school once operated by the Brothers. (Oh, that same school has a cemetery in the grounds for Brothers in Quebec when they die, please don’t tell me he will be permitted to be buried in a school). When will it end? Blog by blog it gets worse.
The apologists will struggle. SMIS will struggle to stay afloat unless we see qualitative and quantitative changes immediately. By this I refer to as other bloggers have suggested a total replacement of admin. SMIS has wonderful teachers eager to step into taking control of the school and making it glow like it did and still should.
Bring on the inquiry. Please excuse my English grammar.
Most of the administrators are not devout Catholics at all. They do not go to Mass every Sunday. In fact, they would royally mistreat students who are devout Catholics. One student was royally mistreated for wanting to become a Catholic. The administrators had him undergo psychiatric evaluation and psychological counseling to flush the Catholic faith out of him. So long to the right to the freedom of religion at that school!!
Beyond the SMIS campus, there is supposedly an all girls Japanese school. SMIS teachers supposedly had girlfriends and enjoyed extra curricular activites with the students of the Japanese Girl School. This supposedly happened around 1973 onwards. Is anybody aware of this ? Is there a Japanese girls’ school near SMIS ? Perhaps the Japanese police might start there and work their way back.
What did the school do to bring this crime to justice?
What action has the Japanese Education Office taken in relation to the child molester LAMBERT being moved to a sister school in Shizuoka?
What action has the school taken to ensure the well being of LAMBERT’S victim/s?
What action is the Japanese Education Office taking in relation to LAMBERT being permitted to “live” at SMIS from May 2013 when allegations were first made?
When will the neighbors of SMIS be notified that LAMBERT was living among their children fo over 30 years?
When will the Alumni announce the 60th anniversary plans will be cancelled?
When will SMIS admin be replaced?
Are there allegations pending against any other current staff member that the school are aware of?
Don’t forget October 5th International School Fair at the American Club.
Be there, and if Kagei has not resigned and has the gaul to be there question him about his lies and the SMIS sex scandal he attempted to cover.
I wonder if any of the Brothers will be there?
Ms. L, Looking Forward To This Week, and Others ,
Specifically, what are the lies that Headmaster has made? This is not in defence of anyone, I just want to know. I read the Headmasters statements in the letters posted but do not see anything that is a contradiction between them. The only reference is to an apology, which is a huge new piece of information but not a lie, that wasn’t included in the original January letter.
Since the content of that apology isn`t available there is no knowing of how the apology was made. Was it a direct apology for molestation and harm or a apology of general sympathy for hurt? Unfortunately, there is a big difference between the two legally.
If they are lies then the victim/s affected are free to and should (or must) file lawsuits in Japanese courts. They need to make a criminal complaint to the police. Has that been done? Again, it is not to defend anyone, I just want to know if I am missing something in previous postings.
From what I
ve read on this site concerning legal action costs are not nearly as prohibitive as in other countries. Which leads me to ask again, is the victim/accuser for Brother Lawrence filing anything? Ive read everything here and cannot find a single reference to him pursuing anything legal, either civil or criminally. It seems strange…. Why wouldn`t he?You’re right D Grant M, lawsuits are not expensive in Japan. If the victims are serious about these accusations, they will organize. If they want a proper response from the school, the help of legal professionals and the justice system is the way to go. People need to realize that that’s what the courts are set up for. People in less fortunate countries die to have this civilized way of resolving matters. Japan, for all its issues, is a very civilized place. Courts are the only place individuals and institutions have equal footing. It is what this blog hopes to promote.
If one teacher can use the court system to resolve administrative matters, surely a larger grievance concerning morality, child safety and psychological damage would find resolution.
This is not to say that the school shouldn’t proactively accept responsibility–it would strengthen their position within the community and in court, even. Restitution is unavoidable. How the school chooses to re-offend by piece-mealing accountability is.
As well, this blog doesn’t at all capture the organization that goes on behind the scenes. Rest assured, people are serious.
“piece mealng accountability” Like the phrase.
Seems crazy that the school does not just settle so SMIS can continue without dramatizations. But that would not be Sab’s way
There is a statute of limitations in Japan as in many countries, the time has long passed. A law suit in a Japanese Court would be a waster of time and not be able to proceed.
The issues are clear cut, morality, child safety and psychological damage find no resolution.in a Japanese law suit with these strict time limits. The court has tied hands. This leaves us with the reason why Japanese police are seen to be doing nothing. Simply they have no power to investigate an historical crime. We have the situation where historical sex offenders get away with it. If someone robbed the Bank of Tokyo for hundreds of billions of yen in 1965, they too would now no longer be able to be charged if they were only recently found out. SMIS one, victims nil.
That leaves the victim unable to do anything in the court. It comes down to morals and ethics of the school to settle this. Did I say morals and ethics?
Any comments from lawyers in Japan are of course most welcome here.
exactly, that is why there needs to be an inquiry.
We are set for a very curious week. What now? We sre now in waiting game mode. Some things are certain. KAGEI must either resign or be stood down. The school cannot accept a headmaster who has been caught out telling lies about childrenbeing molested. Parents can’t tolerate this,
the International school expo at the American Club on 5 October will come a bad time for SMIS. The KAGEI lies, Brother Lawrence, the Japan Tunes, the forced upcoming sackings and resignations, how Brother Lawrence waspermitted
Alumni are divided about Kagei’s letter. Many think that its a step on the right direction and even applaud him. The victims are not happy and see it as being written in panic and not going far enough. Many ask, “Where is the apology from the school for what happened?”
The alumnus who was molested by his peers takes a moderate approach to that letter.
Oh, dear. It is not a case of a step in the right direction. It shows nothing else apart from the fact that Kagei lied about child sexual abuse, and that he can not ever be trusted again. It shows he must go. Applaud him, i don’t think so. He still even doesn’t take phone calls, with or without his fake Boston accent..
But yes “where is the apology written by Brother Lawrence”, and where is the apology from the school for what happened”?. But wait on what happened in 1965? We have not heard fro the alumnus either.
With Brother Michel on an extended business trip. Kagei an established liar, Brother Ducharn hiding Brother Lawrence in his school, and the Canadian arm doing nothing, WHO should issue the apology? Obviously this means Brother Houssay in Rome is the only one appropriate. When do we read it?
But what about the police Kagei refers to for the second time? We have not heard what they have decided to do either. Or, for that matter where is Brother Lawrence?
But in terms of compensation, what has transpired? Brother Lawrence provided almost five decade of teaching saving SMIS from employing a lay teacher (there were never enough Brothers).. SMIS has had almost 50 years of profit from the sexual assault by virtue of not having to employ another teacher. 50 years of salary, plus benefits adds up to a huge profit SMIS has made from Brother Lawrence’s assault not being addressed in 1965. A huge but very real sum of money. If the rumor of the leaked letters from the campus change over are true, then the compensation would be huge, far beyond this profit from not paying a salary if the administration knew and did nothing..
Kagei’s letter has just led to more questions. But who will answer them, not Kagei, he is always at meetings. Yes, it needs a inquiry.
Never thought of themoney issue asfaras saved salary portends. Yikes.
What happened to all the under the table monies given to Lawrence and Haku to accept their precious luvly looking innocent little boys?
How can the school apologize? The school can not apologize for something it has not done itself. All the school can do is compensate or attempt to compensate.
If it was written in panic, this does not excuse him. To say this suggests he was in a state of panic and accidentally told the truth. This only makes the lies worse, so do we have a case of applauding his lies, I think not..
Does anyone know who the board of the school corporation are? There are no names on the web site. Most strange!
And the elusive Archbishop remains silent with no inquiry of course … “Religion Disney 101”.
Dear Concerned Alumnus: In many of your messages there is mention or more about an “alum” that was molested by his peers, how it has distanced him from his family, caused self-doubt, created insecurities, inability to have normal social interaction, an ongoing struggle in dealing with the effects of rejection by previous faculty and administrators, questioned or failed religious ambitions, has sought on-going professional help, and received a modicum of support from a few of the Brothers and Tokyo’s Catholic clergy. Along with that and your posted contacts of where those affected could seek support for actions against them, as counsellor living abroad and looking from the outside, your words seem very ‘close to home’, so to speak, and extremely personal. Is the “alum” you? If so, know that you are supported here and there is a community of comfort within this forum.
Yes, listening from abroad this makes complete sense.
I appreciate the remarks you made listening from abroad. However, in light of what another concerned alumnus just posted, I now know that there are people in this site who are as guilty as my peers who used to bully me. They are as guilty as the administration that refused to believe me. I lost all trust in this site.
How could any sane person applaud a liar?
As for the first step, he has written a letter, but not answered ANY questions raised here in the course of 2014. Once again Kagei does not provide police details. What type of fool would make a police complaint via the aggressor? Would a rape victim make a police complaint via the rapist? Even the Archbishop’s office which he again mentions does not answer any emails. There is NO first step. Or maybe there is RESIGN..
The 60th Anniversary Dinner will be an insult to child sexual assault victims if Kagei has the audacity to turn up, either as a headmaster, or if he has been sacked by then as a alumni. Perhaps the alumni who think it is a step in the right direction would like Brother Lawrence to be there too? Perhaps those misguided alumni would like to have the pair of them dance the Takarazuka dance together?
Meanwhile Sab Kagei writes to “some” alumni, as parents are kept in the dark. Nothing changes. SMIS has no accountability, no lines of communication..
Even the School Corporation members’ names are kept secret. Is brother Lawrence a part of it, we wouldn’t know. If any alumni know who comprises this mystery board, please tell us in detail. All we hear is Brother Michel may or may not be the chairman?
Addressing sexual abuse of children is complex.
It is time SMIS reclaimed its voice and power and committed itself to the safety and well being of children.
If SMIS continues to refuse to act,and turn a blind eye to past and present sexual abuse, then it is also responsible for the resultant tragedies and must be held to account.
There are few things in this world that we ALL categorise immediately and definitively as right or wrong, but the sexual abuse of a child is not acceptable within any context.
As individuals such as headmaster Kagei and the SMIS board are too afraid to deal swiftly with perpetrators they should stand down. I need think no further than Brother Lawrence who was permitted to live in two schools after he admitted he molested at least one child. These decision makers clearly do not have a ZERO tolerance for child sexual abuse
The literature is clear.
Child sex offenders NEVER limit their abuse to one child except in very rare circumstances, usually something such as being arrested after the first abuse.
This is indicative that in the half century he was at SMIS Brother Lawrence “would” have abused far more than one child.
How many has he apologised for abusing over the years? 10, 50, or Hundreds?
About the alumnus who was molested by his peers. It was later determined by his counselor that the boys who molested him were, in turn molested by an adult authority figure. It turned out that the boys, themselves, were molested by Br. Lessard, and took their hurts out on him. That alumnus was able to bring himself to forgive the peers who hurt him once he learned that they were, themselves, hurt by Br. Lessard. That alumnus does feel very bad that he had so much anger against the boys who molested him, and had forgiven them once he got the letters of apology from Archbishop Okada and Br. Guy (and the settlement which he is not allowed to discuss according to the legal agreement).
He does admire St. Maria Goretti, the patron saint of sex abuse victims. She refused to have sex with an older boy named Alessandro and was stabbed many times. As she was dying, she forgave the boy who stabbed her.
Most interesting, another instance of a molester impacting on a life for decades. Further legacy of Lessard, and, these are only the ones we know about..
I hope the peers who abused him also were given an apology and requisite compensation from Okada as well.
Interesting about the confidentiality of the settlement, I wonder if Lambert’s victims were subject to this restraint too and this is why we have not heard from them?
But this is still no excuse for Kagei not answering any questions or emails.
Dear Concerned Alumnus: I am sorry to hear about the other boys but grateful to know there is a sense of personal healing for the alumnus and forgiveness, as well as legal redress for terrible actions. I wish you well.
IF Kagei is attempting to be honest and transparent, and as he is never available via telephoning SMIS, he needs to provide his cell phone number.
Yesterday I tried to call him and he also wasn’t available to discuss another unrelated but very urgent issue. Clearly he does not want to be available. He wants time to formulate a reply in writing, spontaneous thinking is not his forte.
But if he does, then provide a cell phone number.
If anyone looks back at the newsletter it appears” Caterina M. Tanaka”, is the President of the Board. If this is her, then surely then if she is reading this blog, she needs to reach out beyond what we are not hearing from Kagei. To date the board is silent
I am concerned about the boys at Shizuoka. Bro Lambert was living there after he was booted out of smis by Kagei.
What action is being taken there?
Have parents been notified ???
Is there counselling available for the boys if they need it?
Who authorized him to live there?
Are police making inquiries there ? If not, why not?
Child Sex Offenders on mass scale. Bros. Lessard, Lawrence, John, Marcel, Alban Cyr & Frank Selas.. Who else ? It’s not “All Hail to thee St. Mary’s.” All hell breaks loose at St. Mary’s !
Time for SMIS to shut their doors and turn the lights out for good. Program GPS on those creepy perverted brothers in Canada to the nearest prison, lock their doors and throw away the keys. The hurt, scars and fear never goes away.
Really AHBL? That’s more than a bit of “torch and pitchfork mentality” on your part. Why should the whole school close? There are, like all schools around the world, good, professional, and dedicated teachers doing their utmost to provide the best they can in quality education. Is it really reasonable terminate innocent people’s present jobs and disrupt the educational lives of the students because of bad people and their abhorrent actions made decades ago? I believe fairness in employment coupled with educational excellence is the hallmark posit of this site and anything less degrades its purpose.
The parents who are sending their sons to the school wouldn’t excuse abhorrent actions, they are probably happy with the education theIr children are receiving and see beyond the very few that behaved unspeakably and criminally. A quick Google search shows there are at least six or seven other International Schools available in Tokyo, with similar tuition rates and yet, despite the bad press and often raw hysteria displayed in some comments on this forum, enrolment at SMIs is up substantially this school year. Why? Administration angst aside, it is probably because it’s a good school offering a great education with a dedicated staff.
With one broad stroke you imply all the Brothers are in some way criminal. Anytime all of one group is summarily labeled by the actions of a few, it is injustice in itself. Factually, there has been one confirmed identified accuser to Brother Lessard (and with frightening substantial too many from others to ignore) and one unidentified accuser of Brother Lawrence. Unfortunate or not, regardless of apologies, and what may appear unjust, they are still accusations and need to be set in legal motion by those aggrieved. Nearly all the other accusations or supposed accusations posted here would be worthless if they do not go forward and press charges. Frankly, after reading many of the accusatory postings here, some seem less than credible and near pornographic in nature which wouldn’t hold up in a court of law.
AHBL, take a deep breath and focus your outrage and deserved vitriol on the real bad guys and not on innocent students, teachers, and workers wherever they may be.
校長は完全に記述する彼の手紙のコンテキストを変更する際に認められた性的虐待があった、彼は、これは非常に真実であると知っている疑惑があったと述べた。証明されていないです疑惑間の広大な違い、及び第二中の仲間ローレンスによる犯罪の入場料があります。最初の文字が書かれた時の透明性は、この入場ヶ月前に明らかになっていただろう。
私は学校のための弁護士は、これを解決するために熱心だっただろうと想像しているだろうので、それのために裁判所に進むことはない。彼の場合のない追求がなかった理由をおそらくこれはある。そして、おそらく警察は彼らの仕事を終えた後、日本から移動するために仲間ローレンスを可能にした？
I missed something. One unidentified accuser of Bro Lawrence AND the person he apologizes to. So what is this I read.
The fact is the person Bro Lawrence apologised “to”does not have to accuse unless he accuses Bro Lawrence of something else he didn’t apologise for.
So how many are there?
What is the bet that Lawrence is in Canada living in a school, Sylvia suggests he is holed up in Quebec in a school the creepy perverted brothers used to run in Quebec, she suggests that brother john is there too.
Yes, AHBL, the buck stops with the Canadian masters. I bet Lawrence has not even been given the flick from the perverted order. If he evades a Japanese jail cell, then a dumpster is all he deserves in Canada.
Bro Lawrence probably had legal advice that Japan has a statute of limitations which means he can’t be charged. BUT there is a loop hole the legal advice was floored. He has apologised in writing. The reason for the statute is the difficulty of proof after long periods of time.
But if the victim comes from a country which will prosecute anyone who molests their children he may not be safe. Let us hope the victim is from one of these.
However an apology must surely mean he is already kicked out of the order. Or are the brothers so fucked in their minds in Canada that they welcome molesterers with open arms. Isn’t the king brother molester bro Gabriel ? Or is it Yussack in Rome.?
Now will Japanese parents explode? They should of course unless they support a molesterer
Hey AHBL, Didn’t Sylvia find allegations about another too? Another lay teacher?
We know Lessard is dead, Lawrence is not in Japan, John is in Canada. But what about Marcel and Alban Cyr? Are they still holed up in one of the schools in Japan?
In the USA and Canada when there is an allegation the person is moved somewhere appropriate pending in investigation.. But SMIS the bros just put them away from expat children. How sick and racist is that? As long as the expat children don’t get touched it doesn’t matter. Does this mean only as long as European children don’t get touched, it’s ok?
Br. Alban Cyr is in Quebec. Br. Marcel is still in Japan.
Where. Anything more precise as to where.
Br. Alban is at the mother house in La Prairie, QC. Br. Claude (Marcel) is at Seiko Gakuin community in Yokohama).
AHBL
You forgot Donald Andrews, not a Brother for sure but still identified as a pedophile just like Selas.
So we wonder how many more will come to light?
Yes those creepy perverted brothers in Canada.for sure, but what is more to the point the brothers as a whole must have all, yes all known about it. Far too many not to know. So where there any good brothers? Most probably not, a good brother would have spoken out.
Looks like the 60th will be a fizzer! Maybe the organizers of the ball can have a Takarakuke dance show? Kagei would look a glamour in a tutu and g string. And brother lawrence could conduct an all pedophile choir of brothers.
Don Andrews was a youngster. He was very affectionate towards some of his students. He had an airplane cabin type chair in his classroom. He would seat a student on that chair when he wanted to give him counseling. He would put his hands on the student’s shoulders in a suspicious way. He seemed to want to be around boys. He was even the scout master of the boys scout troop at St. Mary’s. Many students and even some teachers thought that he acted suspiciously. Many times I was told that it was a good thing that I had nothing to do with him; I see why.
Don Andrews used to discipline kids for little things by having them stand outside in the hot sun for a long time. He was not always the brightest bulb on the tree. At times, he came across as being immature.
Mrs L, could not agree more. Yes the supposed good brothers had to know. In such closed quarters of the Sengakuji campus, and in those days(1960’s), 90% of teachers were brothers. They all lived on campus. It is inconceivable the brothers did not know. We need find and call on the brothers who were there from the early years and if still alive. That includes John, Andrew, Julian, Lawrence, Marcel, Allan, Auger, Roger, Maurice, Boisvert, Gervais, Raymond, Trudel, Renee,Joseph,Michael……..
Do we know where these brother are ? Otherwise are they still alive ?
We know some answers from the sites, at least four are alive:
John in Quebec
Lawrence: alive who knows, maybe Quebec. Sylvia thinks he is with John
Marcel:Yokohma school
Raymond: Shizuoka school
The others? Does anyone know?
Br. Julien is still alive and in Quebec. Brs. Trudel and Gervais are long dead. Br. Andrew Boisvert has left the order to get married, and so has Brs. Allan, Renee and Charles Milot. Br. John is also in Quebec.
Here is a directory of all the places the Brothers are in the world.
http://www.ficbrothers.org/Presence.html
Thanks AHBL and Mrs. L. I am always happy to help out with info
グレートたちがここより日本ポスティングてみましょう。
静岡の学校の両親は司祭ローレンスがその学校で非表示にするには許可を与えたかを読み取ることができるようにする必要があります。カナダの司祭は彼が外国人の少年を傷つけるが、彼は日本語を傷つけた場合に気にしませんでしたしたくなかった。この学校では親が叫んでされるべきである。
なぜ、この学校で保護者はそれ以上の司祭を信頼する必要があります。プリーストレイモンドがあり担当している彼は、子乱用者が少年たちと一緒に暮らすように言われたことが知られていただろう。
プリーストマルセルは、日本に住んでいる。これはひどいです。彼は今、横浜に住んでいる場所から採取され、子供がいないとどこかに移動する必要があります。大司教は、調査が行われるまで、彼を除去するために行動しなければならない。彼は学校から離れ生活する必要があります。だった彼はなぜ日本の少年たちにさらされる。なぜ彼は無い外国人と学校で生活することが許されたのですか？
Yes. Ignoring the impact to Japanese children is deeply troubling. This disrespect to Japan, its law and its children has not been addressed. Brother Marcel was also known as “Br. Claude Villemeur”. If he is still in Japan, this is a problem for the Japanese community and the authorities should be notified. The school / Brothers need to address their role in having brought all these potentially dangerous men to Japan. Sylvia’s Site gives more information on this man: http://www.theinquiry.ca/wordpress/charged/villemure-brother-marcel-villemure-fic/
How can the authorities be notified? How can we report that the abusive Brothers are still living at schools, in Japan?
I attempted to speak to a koban police station to urge them to investigate. The koban was not interest in gaijin (foreigners). The police probably do not want to have knowledge of Brother Lawrence having lived at Seiko in Shizuoka either.
There is no one who will claim responsibility for moving him there to abuse Japanese boys.
Brother Raymond has lived at the school, but no one seems to care at all. Br. Raymond must be living at Seiko in Yokohama as he is not living at the Shizuoka school. Or is he now at the Tokyo campus?
I smell a rat.
Why are Japanese boys being treated like disposable diapers?
No doubt by now they have “moved him from Japan” as we were told Lawrence Lambert was moved. But why did they spend one more night at a school after the allegations surfaced? A hotel would have been more appropriate?
But Michel Jutras had a hand in this too. He knew in May according to Kagei’s latest, but he didn’t allow Kagei to find out until January? Wouldn’t something so criminal be a part of ANY handover in August? This doesn’t add up. Maybe is Kagei spills the beans he will be saved? Is Jutras the rat?
Who decided to allow a molester to live in a school and not be escorted off the property as soon as he admitted what he had done? This is grossly inappropriate behavior.
As the Labor Dispute just posted, this needs reported to the local authorities. I presume they mean education authorities, but WHO specifically. Boys need to be seen to be kept safe, not just safe.. There is no duty of care shown.
A plague of rats.
Br. Michel is a case of a cover up expert. His philosophy is “if you ignore your problems, they will go away.”
He tried to play cover up with the alumnus who complained to him about Lessard, the same alumnus who died last year of cirrhosis of the liver.
Concerned Alumnus:
Have you referred the alumnus who died in Singapore to the police? If not why bother posting here?
What did Mr. Peter Gaskin cover up? If nothing in the sexual abuse why mention him here?
You have mentioned Br. Michel was recently sacked and is in Canada? Then you said the Archbishop compensated another alumnus. This does not make sense and is inconsistent. But then your posts are full of inconsistencies. Are you sure you are not Kagei writing under a pseudo nom?
The alumnus who died last year was not in Singapore. He was in California in the Bay Area. We tried so many times to get him to report the abuse. He would tell his close friends about it many times. He finally tried to report the abuse to Br. Michel, but Br Michel told him that he may have misunderstood Br. Lessard. When the former student insisted, Br. Michel accused him of having a bad attitude.
Mr. Gaskin did receive a complaint from a certain alumnus about being molested by his peers. Mr. Gaskin told him that he brought it on himself by the way he reacted and if he ignored it, it will stop. Mr. Gaskin suspended the alumnus for a day because he spat at a classmate who tried to molest him. Br. Guy and the Archbishop did apologize to the alumnus who was molested by his peers. I was very consistent in my posts.
I myself was an alumnus who was bullied and mistreated by my peers. I am not Kagei writing under a pseudonym. After all that I suffered at St. Mary’s,,,, being suspended once and almost expelled twice, I take your remarks, another concerned alumnus, as an insult.. You are the one who should not be posting here. You do owe me an apology. You are guilty of dividing the opposition to the administration
by the way, Kagei is 9 years older than I am.
I agree, you do owe Concerned Alumnus an apology. You did royally insult him.
I recall that Mr. Peter Gaskin, the long time Middle School Principal, is from Australia. He was also a cover up expert.
it is that long ago who cares, the school don’t.
If it is not happening now why worry.
The Alumni don’t care. If they cared they would post and they are not.
Pertro has almost hit the nail on the head. Sadly but clearly so many alumnus have been molested during their time at SMIS by Brothers and lay teachers a like that they see it as necessary to deal with the SMIS experience as a right of passage and initiation to manhood. Let us hope this initiation has ceased.
You sad it twisted initiation. About 8 years ago, one alumnus sent an e-mail blast to his classmates declaring that his molestation by Lessard was a rite of passage to manhood. Of course, some were offended by the email. That alumnus ridicules anyone who wants the abuse reported or the school charged. That same alumnus still acts like he has a maturity of someone who is in high school.
Concerned Alumnus and others. Quite a few people have asked for details of police to report abuse to. But no one has responded. Seems strange.
We were told Br. Alban Cyr is in Quebec and Br. Marcel is still in Japan. But no more details.
Does anyone have Sab Kagei’s cell phone number?
I know that Br. Alban is at the home where the retired brothers live. A few years ago, on the alumni website, there was a picture of the Striegls (Mr. and Mrs. Striegl) visiting the brothers in Quebec who were retired and had taught at SMIS. Br. Alban Cyr was in that picture along with Br. Isidore and Br. Julien.
Yes, I know where t hat it. The “Infirmary” at the Mother House in Quebec. AND, this is in the grounds of a school that was once operated by the Brothers. Yes they put child molesters in a SCHOOL.
who are the members of the board of the school corporation. The school will not supply contact details.
If you want to you can go to Sylvia’s website
http://www.theinquiry.ca/wordpress/charged/cyr-brother-alban-cyr-fic/
You can then click the link next to 2011 and 2008. You will see the directory. Scroll down to La Prairie and you will see him listed with other retired brothers.
sorry, in my above remarks, I refer to Br. Alban Cyr.
let us hope the Japan Times Simon Scott can assist to stir the pot for an inquiry. But maybe one story per issue is all that will happen, eg one for AMSIJ and one for SMIS?
23 September 2014: The Vatican put its former ambassador to the Dominican Republic under house arrest Tuesday after opening a criminal trial against him, the first time a high-ranking Vatican official has ever faced criminal charges for sexually abusing youngsters.
Josef Wesolowski had already been defrocked in June after the Vatican’s canon law court found him guilty of abuse and imposed its toughest penalty under church law: laicization, or returning to life as a layman.
Has Lawrence LAMBERT been laicized yet? If not why? If not is says a lot about ANY and ALL of the Brothers who are not jumping up and down demanding that he be laicized.
He is not an alleged abuser, he has confessed. Shame SMIS for not telling us.
penalty. Here is a related story. I have to say that its about time.
http://news.yahoo.com/pope-sacks-paraguay-bishop-sex-abuse-scandal-004526426.html
Well sure Kagei is not responsible for the abuse. But it appears so much like he is an enabler by his silence and obvious cover up. If this is proven morally and ethically he is finished.
He issued a recent letter about accountability but he has not lived up to it. We don’t see him openly saying that brother Lawrence should be removed from the order, or that he should have any sanction. We don’t hear how vile and racially repulsive it was that he lived amongst non expat boys at Shizuoka. In fact all Kagei says is that he has moved and is no longer in Japan. Yes an enabler in the truest SMIS tradition.
Isn’t there a Catholic ritual where they ask priests to talk to god and they get forgiven? Can it be that Mr. Kagei now feels forgiven?
Well with the Disney brand of Catholicism at SMIS anything is possible, And, nothing would be surprising, nothing would be beyond those sick minds, especially those with fake Boston accents.
What is Archbishop Peter of Tokyo doing about this mandatory laicization.
If it is happening tell us.
Make a pastoral statement.on Sunday at Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral.
Br. Lawrence is not a priest, he is only a brother. He cannot be laicized. His obedience is to his order. The order can have him ousted from the order. That can only be done by his superior. Maybe the alumni should push for the pedophile brothers to be removed from the order… good idea.
It shouldn’t need a push, should it?
The guilty, and we know of Lawrence Labert [thank you Kagei] , should be ousted, laicized, or otherwise removed from the order. To not do this reflects badly on the order, and by default makes those who have this power apologists for molesters and no doubt molesters themselves.
So far there is a lot of fluff and no where near the information on ASIJ. Studernts put their names to a complaint. All that is here is innuendo.
The Alumnus need the balls to start a petition. They won’t even let members post anythng on Facebook, any comment about the sex scandal is removed. Even a copy of Kagei’s letter saying he apologized is removed. The Alumni don’t want others to know
After all that the boys had to go through (moving overseas, culture shock, the on set of adolescence which is said to be the hardest time to adjust to change, etc), it is not fair that the boys had to go through sexual abuse on top of all that. There can be no justification of any type of sexual abuse, done by an adult or peer.
Brice Royer, of tckid (webpage http://www.tckid.com), did once post on facebook that sex abuse does happen to third culture kids on many occasions because in such cross cultural situations, such as an international school, personal boundaries are blurred and not clear. That is so true at St. Mary’s.
Concerned Alumnus:
You have hit the nail on the head by an adult or a peer. You refer to “boys”. Obviously abuse by a peer (another boy in this case ) is wrong. But abuse of a boy by an adult, especially an adult in a position of trust such as a teacher or Brother is a far greater sin.
This site was set up around the allegations by Brother (is he still a Brother?) Lawrence. It was and is about adults. I suggest if you want to post about boy on boy assault you ask the site owner for another site. You are distracting from the issue of ADULT abusers.
This does not lessen your plight, but please not here. You are in fact helping the Brothers who have abused by distracting from them.
in this case, it is relevant. It was established that the boys who molested another student were themselves, victims of Br. Lessard. It is relevant. You are also guilty of dividing the opposition. We can only win if we cooperate and work together as a coalition. You are yourself, guilty of dividing the opposition to the administration and breaking up the coalition. The administration rejoices is people like you who divide up.
really SMIS smothering, I have been observing the blog. People like you actually discourage alumni from speaking out because you and another concerned alumnus actually give alumni who were victims the impression that the opposition is divided. Please, unite and form a coalition. Encourage and help each other out, not throw accusations of distraction, etc. Once you can stop attacking each other, more alumni can see that the opposition is worth supporting. Otherwise, many will remain quiet.
Also concerned: Good point. How do you suggest this. How can alumni unite and fix this scurge? We all know it is being covered up, so how do we move forward? The school needs to recover and bounce back.
However it is difficult with Sab Kagei not responding to phone calls etc. Even a simple question as to who to contact, and who will respond in the Archbishop’s Office is not possible, Who is this secret person investigating? Or, which Koban to contact etc. His letters need to say this, and his phone calls answered.
Michael Q,
Alumni should unite. Please, welcome all victims to this blog. Please, also welcome those who were bullied, and even former teachers and principals who were mistreated. That will be a powerful coalition. Alumni who know about the problems need to unite and discuss among themselves what the problems are and how to deal with them. Can the school recover and bounce back? I cannot tell. Maybe some alumni can talk to former teachers who have been able to figure out the problems and get some feedback from them. I know that there were good teachers at St. Mary’s also.
Concerned Alumnus: Your information about Brother Michel is 100% incorrect. He appears on the SMIS Facebook page with a July media interview.
Actually, I just verified with a former faculty member that Br. Michel is still in Japan. He is not allowed on the grounds of St. Mary’s and is no longer on the school board nor is the chair of the school board.
So who is chair of the board (more secrecy), and who is on it (more secrecy).
So who is chair of the board (more secrecy), and who is on it (more secrecy).
But phone Yokohama and Shizuoka and he is not there either, so something is wrong.
Kanto Plains Schools still list him as chair?
The 60th needs to go ahead without fear of disruption. Kagei has this in his power. He just needs to be honest and let the truth about the small group of brothers who are evil be seen by all.
Michel and Kagei are expected to show up at the 60th. If you think Kagei will admit to anything much less Michel, it is not happening. SMIS administration has covered up for close to 60 years successfully. Why would those sexual predators ever admit to anything now ? Just because there are bunch of ex alumni complaining on this Forum and making all kinds of innuendo aint gonna do s–t !
Too many brothers had to know, too many alumni were molested. If all the cases were brought about and tallied, it would be a monstrosity and will nail the coffin on St. Mary’s. It is in the interest of Kagei and the Brotherhood to continue to deny, coverup or come to an out of court settlement with each of the victims if they are brave enough to come forward.
Why not start a fund to be used to make a lawsuit against the school, against all the brothers,past and present, evil and and not evil, lay teachers, etc, Once you haul their a–es into court, the brothers who were not evil and in good conscience should reveal the truth.
非常に非常に今うまくいけば”ミスター”ローレンスランバートはTRIAL前に日本を離れることが許されたか、に関して興味をそそら。 Kageiは謝罪、子供に対する犯罪行為のためのための1があったと述べたように。誰が去るために彼を許可？
私たちは、彼は司祭ではないので、おそらく彼はLAYパーソンに変えることができないことを聞いたことがある。しかし、私たちは優れた彼を削除することができます聞いたことがある。それが蒸散している場合私たちは聞いたことがない。
しかし、また、東京岡田大司教の役割を点灯することが特にジャパンタイムズの記事の後に、彼はランバートの知識や兄弟の多くのSMISセックスfrolicsを装うことはできませんもたらしている。岡田は、デフォルトではカバーアップでの付属品であれば、私はKageiは現在、彼の矛盾する月の文字と9月でなければならないのと同じような？
In case anyone missed it, there is another section here about the Japan Times article …. they have different sections.
This one is important and I would like to repost in-case anyone has missed it.
It reads as can be seen:
“Professor Arboleda, M.Ed.
September 25, 2014 at 1:29 pm
I was featured in the Japan Times article. I am an abuse victim, survivor, and committed to opening the investigation further, revealing the coverups and bringing the criminals to trial. Power in numbers – the only way to manage and defeat the system. Connect with me please. tejaarboleda(at)gmail.com
Look back or up at the Japan Times section and you can see the original.
That ALL covered up is why my generation of alumni don'[t believe you.
what don’t your generation of alumni believe? please be specific.
Wow, these are very interesting: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/standingonmyhead/2010/03/the-myth-of-pedophile-priests.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/01/protestant-sex-abuse-boz-tchividijian_n_4019347.html
I thought that this was a good one also. I just said, “Why could they all had not been so ahead of the times?”
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/religion/2006-05-16-archbishop_x.htm
Nobody was abused. They all have had the brothers you accuse in this page and Sophie’s list. Some accusations seem to be pipe dreams. Unlike ASIJ nobody has come forward. Quit posting anonymously and maybe they’ll believe you. ASIJ had dozens and dozens come forward. You have at most two.
Well well Frank. We hear from you “no one was abused”, then we hear “you have at most two”.
As for the ASIJ “dozens and dozens” stop dreaming.
Has it ever occurred to you some people who have been abused do not wish to be named?
Has it ever occurred to you that sexual assault victims have the legal right not to be identified?.
Has it ever occurred to you that those who were abused may not even be aware of the blog?
Has it ever occurred to you that the Archdiocese may have paid out victims with a secrecy clause?
We don’t hear you commenting on facts such as Kagei not being aware of anything but an accusation in January, and hello hello, just two weeks ago admitting he knew it was admission of a criminal act. What an amazing turn around. But despite police being handed all materials and hence a copy of his admission Lambert was permitted to leave Japan? Does this ring true? No
We don’t hear from you that calls to the school until September’s letter were met with “it is not correct, police investigated and there was no sexual assault”.
As for anonymous, what details have you posted about you? SFA !
Were you abused and in denial?
Stay tuned for the Shizuoka Shimbun (Shizuoka newspaper).
It will be re posted here in English.
So Frank you are concerned about anonymous posts. Well let’s hear about you.
Who are you ??,
All we know is you are an apologist for child molesters. So let’s hear it from you
This is just a clarification. It is about the alumnus who died on April 30, 2014 of cirrhosis of the liver. He was at SMIS from grades 5 through 7. He was classmates with me, the alumnus who was molested by 4 of his peers (the one who died was his friend and never hurt him), and the alumnus in Singapore who posted on the internet about the passing away of our classmate.
After grade 7 was over, he returned to the US. He returned to Japan for grades 11 and 12 and went to Canadian Academy in Kobe, where he graduated. When he was in college, the hurt came out about Br. Lessard molesting him. He turned to heavy drinking and drugs as a result. The hurt completely changed him and he was subject to very bad temper tantrums. He settled with his parents just north of San Francisco. He never completed college nor had a job. He lived off of his parents. It was about 2 years ago that he moved back to Kobe. He did not die sober. His friends would sneak beer into his hospital room and hold it up to his mouth to drink.
I tried so hard to comfort him, as did our classmate who had been molested by his peers. Several of his adulthood friends tried to reach out to him. We are all mad at Br. Lessard for what he did to this friend of ours.
When the alumnus in Singapore sent out the e-mail blast about how his molestation by Br. Lessard mad a man out of him, the alumnus who died took grave offense. He told me and the classmate who was molested by his classmates about what Br. Lessard did to him. We can be a voice for him. He would have loved to see this day when people spoke up.
We tried also to comfort him when his report was rejected by Br. Michel. We recall how angry he was over Br. Michel’s attempt to cover up for Br. Lessard.
Kagei just told us he is seeking transparency. but Kagei is not being open and transparent. He is not returning phone calls, he does not answer emails unlike what he says in his latest letter.
To phone his office means the standard response is that he is in a meeting.
To email is silence and no reply.
Yes go back to the rock you came from Kagei and take your fake Boston accent. SMIS students and parents deserve honesty in a headmaster and administrators. You can not provide either.
What is that dance the boys now say you do?
.
I graduated after 12 years at SM. Unlike everybody else, I use my real name.
Would you use your real name if you had kids in the school now like many of us do?
Yes, we want Kagei to leave. We would like to see a change in all administrators actually. Put them back in the classroom if they really are educators. I bet they would quit in an instant. Those who cannot teach move into administration. Why, because they do not have to deal with the real aspect of teaching. Engage students to become adult thinkers.
By the way, what has happened to the High School? There is a dark office with Mrs. Yamaguchi sitting in the middle. The other rooms have curtains closed, and no students around. Do they dislike students too?
What is going on?
You think the Japanese police are going to investigate after this much time is passed, you’re delusional. There is a statute of limitations for crimes except murder. Kagei is not responsible for the abuse., Nor can he fire a brother., That’s up to the order. I have no idea why they put Saburo in charge. There are people in the US who have and are still coming out about being abused by the Church. SM have anybody after all these cases? Selas has a warrant out. He did something. Br Lawreence admitted it. EVERYTHING ELSE is unsubstantiated.
Curious over one thousand people look at this site each week. Very few of these post. Why not hear from as many as possible to listen to opinions as to how to move forward.
The school’s headmaster will not answer his emails or accept calls. This is why it is up to people like Simon from the Japan Times to allow SMIS to moved forward again. Of course this means full disclosure and an independent person examining the school sex scandal which headmaster Kagei has admitted is not an allegation.
Child sexual abuse is a crime against humanity, no less that those committed in recent times by ISIS. The guilty (which may only be former (hopefully former) Brother Lawrence Lambert need to be brought to account. And the guilty will include and person who protected him or perhaps them, over the years.
Headmaster Kagei advised that new protocols are in place at the school. But these come to naught if those in power do not start to be open (so far they have not been open), commence an independent inquiry, and let justice be seen to be done by advising what has happened to any guilty. If former Brother Lawrence has been removed from the order we need to hear this, if he has escaped Japanese courts due to statute of limitations we need to hear this, If the order have removed him from the order we need to hear he is not being supported financially in any way any longer. Perhaps it would be cathartic to hear that any brother who has escaped jail due to statute of limitations, has been left to fend for himself at a homeless mens’ shelter.
Old age or infirmity should not protect any brother from sanctions if established guilty of child sex crimes. Remember guards at concentration camps from WW2 are STILL being prosecuted in the quest for justice. Many others convicted have been released from prison after being dealt with by the courts, but justice has been served. We have not SEEN justice for former Brother Lawrence, or any others found guilty.
Child sex crimes are abhorrent. They have life long impact on victims and those around them just as a rape will have life long impact on an adult female. However while child sex crimes are so unacceptable in every society, They are more more serious when those who commit these crimes are in trusted positions of power over a child such as a teacher or a member of a religious order be that a priest or a brother.
Does anyone have an email for alumni that will respond? smaa.japan[at]gmail.com does not respond.
Is this a Japan based email address or not? Maybe it is tied to Kagei’s email and that is why it will not respond to queries?
So Frank, I use my real name too. What do you think should happen to Brother Lawrence the self confessed child molester.
I believe an independent inquiry is in order to examine the allegations..
If any child molesters are established, or any brother has been found protecting another brother, then I think not being expelled from the order is not an option. The order must also cut off all financial support to the former brothers. Canada has one of the best social security systems in the world, let them survive on that..
Yes, Frank we only know of child sex offender for sure: Lawrence LAmbert. But we don’t know the nature of the molesting. It is up to the victim to release this information and the written apology. Sadly the literature establishes child molesters do not stop at one victim. It would be appropriate for Lawrence Lambert to advise of the names of any other victims he may have not apologized to. Sadly he was at SMIS for too long with young boys, his victims may number into the ……. “shudder t he thought”. He would have noting to loose due to the statute of limitations Frank and others have advised us of..
The order should also be guided by the inquiry as to what compensation is to be paid to any victim.and what other supports such as counselling are to be paid for if needed.
Most child sex offenders from the clergy and religious plead not guilty in courts. Most who proceed to trial are found guilty by a jury. Then the denial continues after sentencing, usually admitting it to get parole, but sometimes not. The literature reveals that repeat child sex offenders never admit their crimes DESPITE the tenacity of the evidence. I know I have prosecuted many.
So we have one child sex monster for sure Lawrence LAMBERT.. WE HAVE MANY ACCUSED. But a common thread seems to be LESSARD. Clearly there needs to be an investigation into the allegations surrounding LESSARD. Naturally those around him at the time will need to be spoken to, some are still alive. It defies logic that at the time of these allegations others brothers did not know, after all they were living in very cloistered confines.
This is all the more reason as to why there needs to be an investigation by a qualified independent group, led by an experienced person with expertise in child sexual abuse and cover ups. I have seen elsewhere in this blog there is one such person who is actually a Canadian citizen Perry Dunlop, a former Canadian Mountie who exposed wide spread sexual abuse. If we can’t trust a Mountie who can we trust? (he is able to be Googled, and SMIS should be able to trust the impartiality of a Mountie, albeit a retired Mountie.
Steve Van Nostrad (a real name, you can email me at svannostrad (at) mail.com..
Frank, please provide your email address
The only possible thing would be remove him from the order. With his age that might not happen. Though he should stay the rest of his life in a monastery. Close enough to jail we can get. The victim could file a lawsuit against SM or FIC. In the US the diocese claims bankruptcy. Happened in Seattle. If nothing else a lawsuit would shed a lot of light about what has gone on. Though a lot of teachers are now out of the FIC or if secular either dead or in their home countries. Has anybody talked to the Papal nuncio in Tokyo?
The Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon also declared bankruptcy. They had a priest named Fr. Maurice Grammond who was a serial pedophile. I understand that there were many lawsuits.
Frank interesting comments about removing him from the order. The order have moved Lambert to Quebec. Not a monastery, but rather the Mother House in the grounds of a school the order used to operate. As for close enough to a jail cell, Google the address and you will see a very pleasant house on the banks of the St Lawrence River in a very upmarket part of town. Large numbers of Canada’s elderly would love to live in such surrounds in lieu of their age care facility.
The Papal nuncio in Tokyo could be approached, but from the Japan Times article it is apparent that the Archdiocese would not comment, I presume the Papal nuncio could be similar in his silence. What the SMIS sex scandal needs is a lawyer to take it up outside of Japan as in Japan limitations of 15 years apply charges for any child sexual assault, and 10 years for law suits for damages. What is needed is a recent victim to come forward, a victim of any of the brothers or lay teachers and file a law suit.
It is still quite amazing that parents don’t give a f..k if their boys are assaulted in the order’s schools in Japan. Maybe this is due to sexual assault being such a taboo topic in Japan, a country where police refrain from investigating .adult victims sex crimes such as rape. If you look at some of the Japanese women’s sites there is much evidence that rape of women is largely ignored by police.
Can you let us know the address you have in Quebec for Br. Lawrence? We won’t publish it (unless you would like us to).
Here is the link to the story about Portland Archdiocese. That archdiocese declared bankruptcy.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=95443
Kagei is having another investigation. What happened to the letter to parents in January?
This time he is establishing a panel. I wonder if he will be on it? After all in January he wrote of investigations which never happened. Why will the next one announced be any different? AMIS have a legal firm conducting their inquiry, SMIS will no doubt have Kagei, Brothers Lawrence and Gabriel on their panel. And we will never see a term of reference for the group.
Let us hope Education authorities cancel the school license
No.
No What Frank?
I just heard that the registration deadline for the SMIS 60th anniversary deadline has been extended to October 22nd. One can wonder why!!
I also heard that several alumni cancelled out of the 60th anniversary celebration out of protest over the way the sex abuse complaints were handled to date.
I just love it. Maybe they are aware TV crews will be at the American Club filming the supporters of child molesters as they arrive to party.
Wait until the next newspaper article arrives.
And wait until the local media in Shizuooka lash out over the treatment of Japanese boys being fed as fodder for Br Lambert. Watch enrollments plummet.
Handled … shouldn’t the word be FONDLED, after all many SMIS staff have confused sexuality issues.
And to think we trusted Lambert, that kind elderly man was a major deviate. How many boys were in his office with the door closed? He makes me feel ill.
Just fyi, I would not go to that event either for the same reason that several other alumni are cancelling out; even if you paid me well to go, I will not go. Teja has done a good job at leading the charge.
I just received word that an alumni chapter was scheduled to have a gathering of area alumni on the same date as the 60th anniversary celebration. That chapter cancelled the gathering out of solidarity with the abuse victims. Teja, you did a good job for sure, of leading the charge!!!
That is great to hear. But please advise which area chapter. We need to know which chapter is supportive. So far no chapter I have found has put the sex abuse on their web sites eg Facebook or Twitter.
It would be nice to think the American Club reception was canned too. But there will be people who wish that they did not attend when they are photographed and questioned on their knowledge of the scandal by the press as they arrive etc..
If the chapters remain silent there will be victims out there who may need to know they are not alone. Areas who ignore the sex abuse scandal are acting as if it will go away like Brother Lawrence in Kagei’s letter. This says a lot about these chapterps, who by saying nothing are enablers themselves, no better than the sick twisted molesters.
“fan of the 60th anniversary”, get real! There won
t be any press at the door of the American Club! Dream on. If there is, Ill be the first one confirm it with you! I`m proud to be attending the event, supporting the school, students, and its community!! I’m even more proud to have my children enrolled, they love the school! Last night’s Bingo was one of the biggest and best ever!Forgot! Bingo was open to ANYONE who wanted to attend NO RESERVATION REQUIRED. Over a thousand came!! Not a single reporter, press photographer, or single-issue oriented union cadre was in site. Just hundreds of of excited parents, students and members of the international community. A perfectly civil and happy activity!!!
It’s great that Bingo is still a happy occasion–as it should be. People forget that there are SMIS students here and now who don’t have the wherewithal to show solidarity with sexually abused alumni. The students have to chug along with their learning and their youth. This is a matter for the admin, the alumni and parents to sort out re: the reputation of the school. It just happens to be convenient for the admin to use the excuse of being too preoccupied to deal with the sexual abuse issue. But the truth of the matter is, the admin are stewards of the school and its reputation: past, present and future. There is no using the excuse that they have a current school year to run, too. Surprise: their job is huger.
For those expecting press, photographers etc.: if Japan is not being updated about the progress of the radiation containment issue affecting untold millions, the J-news outlets are definitely not the type to be able to pick up on narrower stories like this one, being told mostly in English, and by foreign nationals, let alone dedicate resources like journalists and photographers to research them. The Japan Times is therefore phenomenal for picking up on the issue, with such detailed research. But it doesn’t matter how much or how little press there is: this story has already been documented for posterity, with surely more to come and we will soon learn what sordid details the school has hidden.
Saburo Kagei has at last announced that there will be in inquiry into the SMIS sex scandal. This is impressive news, however some questions need to be answered:
1. Who is commissioning the panel ? The Archdiocese, SMIS administration, himself, or ??? What happened to the January Police investigation ?
2. Where will the panel sit for hearings ? Where will it be based ? SMIS campus is clearly inappropriate.
3. Will the victims be brought to Japan for the hearings, or will the panel travel the world for hearings? With the sensitive nature of child sex abuse this is NOT a situation to teleconference.
4. Will the LAWRENCE LAMBERT be brought back to Japan to appear before the panel ? Or, will the panel travel to him ?
5. Will the panel examine the current administration which had a duty to act by enacting criminal proceedings, but just let him escape ? Clearly none of the administration can be panel members.
6. Will it only want to examine stories of Lessard, where the statutes of limitations are over and the villain is dead, and the other cases where guilt is not yet established ?
7. Will it be adequately resourced to undertake the task ?
8. Who will pay for the panel and its expenses ? Will this be paid by the Archdiocese or by the Canadian masters in Quebec, or will it come from school fees. ?
For this announcement to be truly impressive we need more answers. After all on January 31st Kagei told us of the Police and Archdiocese investigations which have not eventuated. With Kagei in charge perhaps we will need another nine months before his next announcement..
svan: emails bounce
We need to know who will be paying for the panel ??? To be independent no member can be associated with SMIS, and no stranger is likely to devote hundreds of hours with no fee.
And yes, will it will need include investigating how Brother Lawrence Lambert was permitted to leave SMIS after admitting sexual assault of a child and let loose on Japanese boys in Shizuoka?
Then there is the aspect as to what Kagei’s police investigation revealed or didn’t it happen? If this was the truth what do the police think about a panel?
Many things to think about Kagei, you are out of your depth.. Will you pay for expenses from your retirement fund ? Or your wife’s family is quite wealthy, maybe they will pay for it ? But then there is your rather prosperous family who may come to your aid?
I just heard that they are giving away signed autographed pictures of brother lawrence shaking hands with a pope at the vatican for a bingo prize. So precious.
Anyone can be pictured with the Pope shaking his hand. That says nothing about the person shaking the Pope’s hand. In fact, Fr. Macial Maciel, the founder of the Legionaries of Christ was pictured with quite a few Popes. Fr. Maciel molested several boys, including seminary students. He also had relations with women and fathered up to 6 children. He was removed from ministry as a priest by Pope Benedict XVI (just after becoming Pope); thank God.
That priest was one serious Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus Christ by doing what he did to children. I think that he may have molested more children than Br Lessard did.
Well what about a relic of Lessard for another bingo prize ?
Surely he can be canonized ? After all he has performed miracles with the minds of those he tormented, twisted some minds quite badly.
Is Kagei doing the Takurazuka dance at bingo too?
Kagei are we going to hear what SMIS has done and is doing for Lambert’s victim?
Or is there no compassion at SMIS? We know there is none, but can’t SMIS pretend?
Ikanai yoh ! Ashamed to admit having attended, graduated from SMIS. The Asahi Shimbun, Japan Times, Yomouri Shimbun, will all be eagerly attending to interview “bakasaburo” so he can explain himself in his “hazu reiteru” Boston accent.
Why doesn’t Kagei just resign ?
Does anyone actually believe there will be in inquiry, we are still awaiting his January inquiry, meanwhile 8 months later, no inquiry and he announces another.
And what of the police inquiry ? Does anyone think for one minute they would let HIM conduct his won inquiry ? If there was a police inquiry the Police would have asked this Forum web master to post and advise of contact details.
Yes ashamed, people will now need to think about putting SMIS on their resumes. .
And the kind compassionate soul that he is has not mentioned one iota of the victims.
After Saburo Kagei’s letter of January I emailed to advise I was a sex assault victim at SMIS and sought contact with the Archdiocese and Japan police inquiries. After one week when there was no response I re sent my email. No response. Sent again no response.
After his latest advising on a panel to investigate the inquiry I have re emailed my desire to share with the panel. And again no response.
He is hardly genuine.
A victim ignored, but we can assume all victims are.
Kagei’s behavior is not only disturbing but upsetting. Hey Kagei, it is evident this is beyond your capability. The more you ignore, fake, and circumvent, the more you do harm to the reputation of SMIS or whatever is left of it. If you have any respect for yourself for even an iota of concern for the victims, you should resign immediately. Go to Canada or wherever those pedophiles are hiding out. Stay there. Don’t bother coming back.
I wonder if any of those attending the reception at the American Club care about the fact that they are supporting an administration that is doing nothing about child sexual abuse.
Kagei announced an inquiry in January. He has yet to establish a panel. Yes, ignore, fake and circumvent. Looks like Penn State revisited.
Hey Another,
Got to assume the alumni who are attending are more interested in reconnecting with classmates and having fun. Solidarity with the victims takes a back seat. Moreover, where is the outrage & condemnation against the perverted teachers who molested ? Otherwise Kagei’s double talk, posture of SMIS to dodge, ignore and cover-up ? Even SMIS Alumni website continues not to publish anything and everything pertaining to this scandalous affair. What does that tell you ?
You’re seen as fringe groupies.
Frank Schiffel, with your comment, you have motivated us to take this further. This message is indeed too important to stay “fringe”.
You’re right about some things Frank Schiffel. Pedophiles are only about 2-4% of any population. But all it takes to ruin the lives of many is for these people to go undetected or enabled among children. SMIS has had at least 2, some say as many as 8 in its history and clearly, a culture of enabling. We are not concerned about the few pedophiles, we are concerned about possibly the hundreds they have affected.
You certainly don’t have to join in our concern. Perhaps you’re not among the affected. You should go to your balls then (parties). We’ll take it from here. Unless you like haunting us as Frank Schiffel. Then, by all means.
Hey ashamed, yes more interesting in having fun, and that is more or less ok.
BUT what shows true colors is the fact that the Alumni websites (I have just checked quite a few around the world) have not one word about the sex abuse scandal. NOT ONE WORD
Locals guys who are in touch with SMIS may have heard about this web site and the Canadian, but most alumnus are scattered around the world and would not have heard one ounce.
I would have thought that a caring and compassionate headmaster would have contacted ALL alumni and asked them to post. details. There is no doubt some poor guy out there whose suffering could be allayed if Kangei was not the a’hole we know him to be.
The web sites lack of posting is very revealing. Yes very very sad. So yes, they don’t deserve to party.
Frank this site and Sylvia’s in Canada are not primarily about the abusers and enablers, they are about victims. Perhaps one victim’s hurt will be partially soothed AND that mechanisms are put in place which will prevent future abuse. Why do you think there was outrage at one molester (Lawrence Lambert) being moved by enablers from SMIS to Seiko sister school ?? This was the same as leaving him at SMIS and not harm minimization and defiantly not in keeping with a duty of care.
As far as the class of 73, we discussed it and nobody had anything to say. I think we might have one of the first classes with Br Lessard. I didn’t have him as homeroom, would have been 66-67 I think. Now for some reason he could have starting abusing later but that doesn’t fit a profile. Most start in their 20s and go until they’re caught. Cardiac problems have been known to trigger personality changes, usually anger due to pain. Don’t know about cancer. Anybody know what type?
Frank, I attended SMIS from 1960 thru 1972. Was a year ahead of you. I had Lessard as my homeroom teacher in 1966. Lessard tried but I I would not let him. He pulled each of my classmates into his office privately(like I was) on the top landing of the school building. His MO was showing us a film of how birds and bees, fish would replicate. Then he started preying on us. We spoke about it to each other, but many were afraid. Remember we were 12 year olds. Lessard certainly got to more than just 1 or 2, closer to dozens of kids . When Lessard could not get his way with me, he tried entrapment. He tried to get me on the defensive, picked on me to the point of a breakdown of uncontrollable crying. To this day, I still carry very distasteful memories of Lessard. Feelings of fright. Nevertheless, SMIS had to know about Lessard. I know of parents who complained, but the cover-up was chronic, and until this day, the cover-up continues and is consistent as demonstrated by Kagei’s behavior. Indeed one bad apple here or there is understandable. But the entire school administration had to know. Nobody spoke up. Am glad to know, you were spared of such abuses. Any way you slice it, it is plain WRONG ! Abuse of any kind against innocent children is WRONG ! Covering up is WRONG ! Denying the victims, and enabling future generations to be subjected to abuse is WRONG ! The administration failed utterly and completely in screening the teachers. They allowed the abuse to continue unabated for decades. I join those who are ashamed and feel wronged by SMIS.
I am sorry to hear about this R-1972. Wow, this is sad. I did hear that complaints against Lessard, back then, were covered up by Br. Isidore, and maybe even Br. Andrew.
Now, I am glad that I did not arrive at SM until grade 7. Thanks so much for sharing your story and I applaud you for your courage to speak up.
Thank you for sharing your story. The more these stories come to light, we will collectively have enough evidence to dismantle the cover-up, and bring the criminals and accomplices to justice. Just so you all know, I am the one of those featured in the Japan Times article – my name and information is out there in the world. I’m also the one producing the documentary on these issues, around the world. Please contact me if you’re interested in telling your story. tejaarboleda (at) gmail (dot) com.
Any news on the inquiry?
SMIS parents need to know.
Saburo Kagei is unapproachable.
Hey Frank, don’t know where your are getting your profiling information from but I wish it were that simple. Who knows when Lessard commenced?.. Who knows why ? He could have been accessing sex in toilets or tea rooms until later in life ? He could well have accessed boys in your year, most victims male and female take the abuse to their grave.
If profiling were so simple child molesters could be easily screen from at risk jobs. But is is not simple, it is not precise.
And who knows (well it is not published yet) the circumstances behind why Lawrence, Lessard and Marcel all left England together for Japan. When the BBC story comes out we will have more to go by. We will know more about this trilogy. When the boys of the English school have their stories published we will see it goes beyond SMIS, and so does the cover up.
Will Kagei enter the American Club with his wife via the back door to avoid cameras from media?
Maybe he will email a new plan, or tell people wear a mask and pretend it is a masked ball to avoid the cameras as they arrive. . So who will the lucky people be who get their photos in print? Supporters of an evil administration for sure, but we will see how they answer questions when the media ask if they were abused, or if they feel comfortable being at the reception.
Just a few more days to wait.
I for one have no intention of saying one word about Lessard and what he did. Before I could speak I’d need iron clad assurances of quality counselling paid for including alied expenses.
We can’t even get the headmaster to have an inquiry. Let alone can we get him to show any compassion to victims.
One week down the track and we don’t have any idea as to what the terms of reference are, will the panel be totally independent from SMIS and the Archdiocese, what timeline is there, whether alleged abusers will be forced to appear, will victims be flown to Japan with a support person or will the panel travel to victims, will the findings be made public, who will pay for it.
It will be interesting to know the circumstances and location of the place where Brother Lawrence did his molesting. As it was a student, as he admitted, has he said where he did it? Maybe there were places on campus where this activity took place not needing KEEP.
WILL KAGEI TELL US MORE ABOUT AND THE CIRCUMSTANES OF THE APOLOGY.
Which area. Without this knowledge this is meaningless. And have this chapter put the sex scandal on their Facebook site?
This is great news if we have this proof.
It wasn’t on our class Facebook, but we have a closed email list of everybody and some faculty and staff (all retired).
I agree its despicable. I don’t think the non-brother faculty knew. Seems keeping it quiet after complaining and not getting answers was a problem also. I remember the small office on the landing to the roof. I seem to remember it built in late 60s when they started almost getting serious about getting you into a college besides Pepperdine. It had a window looking down the stairs and usually was locked. Was it only his homeroom class he went after as a molester? We only had him for the usual memorize the Baltimore Catechism religion class. And a lame lecture about how salmon spawned.
I remember all the years at the old campus we were told not to go to the Brother’s quarters. They used to stick confessionals in every nook and cranny in the old building before First Friday. I remember there were a dozen or so boarders on the top floor of the old building where the later did Britannica movies and filmstrips.
Is there a site ANYWHWRE where alumini have been sufficiently ethical that they have posted any information about the sex abuse scandal or Kagie’s letters.
It says a great deal about the alumni. But it begs the question. How many need help after being molested.
There is more evidence that lawrence Lambert has more than one victim. We wonder if his victims run to the hundreds like the germ Lessard.
Greg.
I presume you are not proud of the Japan Times article.
And you would not be proud of a headmaster covering an admission of child sex abuse as an allegation.
And you would not be poud of Lessard’s sexual assaults.
You would not be proud of sending you boys to a school with a self confessed child molester and headmaster of the elementary school.
Are you proud of Kagei for dispatching a child molester from SMIS but sending him to potentially abuse Japanese boys.
Are you proud of Alumni Chapters not sharing the knowledge of SMIS sexual abuse. There might be ONE victim out there that this knowledge that they are not alone may help.
Are you proud of SMIS Kagei announcing an Archdiocese and Japan Police inquiry and with no action after 8 months “RE announcing” an inquiry.
The list goes on.
What is needed is a full and transparent independent inquiry so that the school is one you can be TOTALLY proud if. And you can be proud that SMIS has done all it can to support any victims AND to push for sanctions against the molesters and their enablers. It is important to go hard on the enablers to prevent any future abuse from not being reported to police at first instance.
And there is nothing wrong with enjoying the Bingo or going to the reception. But the media will be wanting a cross section of comments.
Remember the Alumni have been totally uncaring by their silence. You can not be proud of the Alumni.
Dear “Pride and prejudice” who is also “curious about alumni sites”, “fan of 60th anniversary”, and “yet another ashamed”…
Yes, I`m proud that the present Headmaster brought forward the allegations, banished one of his own former administrative team members (for all the right reasons) from any contact with anyone associated with the school, informed the authorities, removed him from the properties, and opened him up to court of public opinion.
As for you, however, it seems there is only and axe to grind against the school, which is less coherent, accusatory, and at the very least, uniformed. Do you know what is in the apology, it’s content, or what was actually stated? No one does and for legality and privacy reasons probably no one will know. An apology of one’s action is quite different from an apoloty of sorrow for another’s experience. None of the content has been stated so how can you quickly lay claim to another’s guilt? (please notice the question mark–they are often used in English at the end of sentences that are meant to question).
Therefore, you chose to equate only your imagination to the text rather than what may actually be fact. It would be far more useful if the context and content of the apology was known. Then I certainly would be far closer to your mindset.
One request though….would you please put question marks at the end of your sentences when they are questions (note the second paragraph)? It would make you look less like a blabbering synchophant with a bit more of an intelligent argument to offer. Didn`t they teach you that in school?
Again, I am proud to be part of the St. Mary’s community and have my son educated there regardless of the very few miscreants or alleged decades ago. The school is on the right track and committed to an excellent education.
I speak English as a second language. Since when are blogs in any case meant to be edited epistles?
Read Kagei’s letter again, it is not an allegation.
.
Anybody know if there were reports in the UK? I know Ireland has their own share of scandals to work through.
Well well well. Once upon a time there were three Brothers, Marcel, Lawrence and Lessard. All three were in an fic school in England. One day out of the blue, the three were suddenly sent to Japan. What did they do in England to be banished ? We don’t know, but what we do know is they later all molested in Japan.
So when the BBC finished investigating we might know what they have been up to there.to cause them to be moved.
Good question Frank
Does not fit in with Japanese culture to talk about child sex abuse, however it was a taboo world wide until recently
Don’t you think in the interests of honesty and morals that those controlling SMIS Alumni sites around the world that SMIS issue an apogy to any student molested at SMIS.
The days of hiding are long gone. Is an apology too much.
Sure well said, but announcing that this site and Sylvia’s exist would be a nice start.
Interesting no alumni chapter has the morals to notify members of the sex scandal.
There must be guys out there both Alumni members and those who are not who could benefit from the knowledge they are not alone.
So how many will take the assault to their grave. We know of one ….. how many don’t we know of ? How many more may there be ?
Kagei must feel so proud of his cover up. Clearly there must be far more than a couple of victims.
As Japan has a very tight 3 year Statute of Limiations which can in rare circumstances stretch to 20 years the historic abuse legally results in no legal liability (moral liability aside), we can assume Kagei must know of more recent abuse. Perhaps abuse as recently at 2012 for the 3 year limit, or for a very young child molested a claim may be entertained by the Japan High Court if they allow up to 20 years (but this is very very rare).
One big question is how did Lambert get out of Japan without being charged for a criminal act ? Thanks Kagei for alerting us.
Bets are on that Kagei had him exit quickly before the Japan police could nab him. Or maybe the Bros in Canada wanted him out before he was arrested?. Either way they probably knew charges against a geriatric old man are challenging, how ever Nazi WWII war criminals are still being charged in their 90s. Child crimes are in that league.
Great 60th Celebration last night at the Tokyo American Club! The event more than met expectations with well over 400 in attendance! Alumni, parents, and friends from1950s to present enjoyed reconnecting in support of the school. Again, sadly for the critics, no press….not a single reporter.
Well, Greg C, it looks like “you win” (exclamation mark).
It’s understandable that people can’t handle the possibility of a nuanced take on this issue because of how emotional it is. But perhaps it’s good to wonder: is it possible to be respectful of the survivors AND support the school’s activities? Is it possible to criticize the school’s stewardship of past students, yet support the students of today? Is nuance possible? If you’re not a victim yourself, at least show how well-educated an SMIS Alum you are by invoking the intellectual and moral duty of compassion. If you are a victim, you should seek justice.
Stmaryslabordispute. It is certainly possible. Can you do the same as all your questions?–is there a nuanced possibility for you to understand there IS compassion, though not to your own definition or liking? There is a time and place for everything. A celebration of the 60th is neither the time or the place for the action you`re pushing. The school is handling the situation appropriately, even though it may not be to your designs or desires.
although this forum has published comments from those who didn’t agree with the 60th, as from those who do (not sure you noticed…) don’t confuse it with any “actions being pushed”.
yes, media attention, the courts, documenting for posterity are all positive actions we agree with–and will be in done (or have been done). but here at the blog, we have long acknowledged the lack of interest that J news outlets, J police and J courts have for the foreign community. so not sure why EITHER side believed anybody in larger J society would care about a drinking party in azabu juban.
as for my call for “compassion”, i hope you don’t equate caring about your party with being respectful to survivors, Mr. Exclamation Mark.
Interesting that you debase the celebration it to a “drinking party”, which is wasn’t. That in itself shows your pervasive agenda for this forum. The school community, at large, does have compassion but doesn’t share your agenda. “Mr. Exclamation Mark”, how trite is that?!
Greg C,
Remember these words “Yes, I`m proud that the present Headmaster [who] brought forward the allegations” How good was Kagei with his January lies now? He clearly knew it was rape, yet he reported “alleged sexual assault”. How very different, totally polarized. .
Let us see him now say that there was a police inquiry from January. Greg C, there could have been no reporting to authorities, Child rape would have been a major investigation and police would have sought assistance using this site to track victims.. I see no requests.
Recall “banished one of his own former administrative team members (for all the right reasons) from any contact with anyone associated with the school, informed the authorities, removed him from the properties” Kagei merely moved a child rapist to another school , Are you proud now Greg? .
Hopefully Kage now resigns.
Greg C, have you explained this child rape to your son at SMIS ?
Have SMIS put a team of counselors in place now? Boys who know the child rapist Lawrence Lambert will no doubt need expert counselling to prevent trauma. Will the school council borrow additional counselors from other schools ? .
The school is handling the situation appropriately ? ? ?
Kagei announced a Japan police and an Archdiocese investigation on January 31st. Eight months later after he announces a panel to investigate would be established. What happened to the police investigation, or that of the Archdiocese ?
This entire sex scandal should have been dealt months ago if handled appropriately. Maybe your concept is to do nothing in the 60th year and perhaps begin an inquiry next year ?
I hope everyone who attended the reception had a nice time and also interrogated Kagei about his mystery sex panel. After all, your kids could be one the agenda for a pedophile if it is not fully investigated, and it is not only the brothers who have molested at SMIS.
You want anybody to care, those abused need to step forward. That’s what had to happen for anything to get done in the priest abuse scandals.
You want reporters to care, you need a press release. They’re generally lazy.
Simon Scott and the Japan Times has done it again. Brother Lawrence Lambert former elementary headmaster admits to RAPE of an SMIS student.
Read the JT.
Kagei has been well and truly caught out. . His letter of 31 January refers to an allegation. Yet Brother Raymond Ducharme (the Brother in charge of Japan) wrote an apology to Lambert’s victim a week earlier. This means either the Brothers don’t trust Kagei and did not tell him (therefore he is unfit to be headmaster as he does not have their trust) or he knew and lied. Either way he must go.
Raymond Ducharme says in his letter “our congregation bears responsibilities concerning the evil that was done to you …..I am sorry” The panel must now look at this carefully, and look at what damage has been done, and address it. Clearly Lambert will need to be brought back to Japan.for the panel to investigate, this type of analysis can not be via video link..
But is now is fact Kagei had Lambert removed from SMIS knowing he raped a student at SMIS, and had him placed among Japanese boys at Shizuoka. Well, well, well it is clear that Kagei is unfit to hold a teaching license. This act of omission alone means he can not be permitted to teach or administer..
But will the panel eventuate? Well with Kagei in charge it is doubtful. His track record from January is abysmal, an inquiry would have to recommend either his removal, or that of the brothers, or both.
There are perhaps hundreds of current SMIS students who have been
in Lamberts office withthe door closed. … it is now unlikely that at least a few were not raped or molested by him.
Now we need to hear what is being done for the boy Lambert raped ? Kagei don’t have the gall to say nothing before you resign.
Wow,
Kagei your lies have come undone. Allegations are not rape, there is a huge difference..
Who is going to pay for the damages ? Canada, the Archdiocese, parents at SMIS ?
And when will we hear Lambert has been removed from the Order ?, He can’t remain a Brother ?
Criminal liability in the extreme.?
The Japan Times says Kagei will have an inquiry. Well what happened to the January inquiry? Kaegei is in, up to his neck now.
Let us hope the panel is resourced to travel the world to speak to victims.
Investigations are slower than molasses. I bet the Japanese sit on this until hell freezes over. As far as the diocese, they’ve never done much anywhere else in the world until you get a lot of victims to stand up and either picket them or put dozens and dozens of people on a list of charges. FIC is who you have to go after. And they’re around the world., Everybody needs to stand up and be counted. That’s what works in every country in the world that has had a sexual abuse problem. That’s what the girls at ASIJ did. They signed an indictment of what that teacher did. Until that happens, this blog will be just people hoping that something happens or they get listened to. Won’t happen. Most people don’t sign their names. You’re just trolls in the blogosphere.
Rape by a teacher: the ultimate betrayal of trust. When will Lawrence LAMBERT’S teaching licence be revoked ?
Rape by a member of a religious order: the ultimate betrayal of trust. When will Lawrence LAMBERT be removed as a Brother ?
Why have we had to wait for 9 months and still no inquiry ?
Why was Lawrence LAMBERT removed by Kagei from SMIS when it was known he raped a boy and was placed in a sister school ? When will Kagei be brought to account ? When will Brother Raymond be brought to account for placing Japanese boys at risk? Neither of these two men exercised any duty of care..
Kagei told us that new procedures are in place to stop child abuse happening again. However he is clearly has out of his depth.
The Japan Times speaks of an internal inquiry. What an affront to victims after reading the latest Simon Scott article…. INTERNAL
THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE LAMBERT RAPED COULD BE HUGE. HE WAS STILL TEACHING IN 2013. Many parents should be concerned.
After Simon Scott and the Japan Times today the SMIS sex scandal has exploded.
We now know Kagei’s letter of 31 January was a fraud. A week earlier Kagei and Bro Raymond, the top brother in Asia knew a child had been raped. Yet Kagei called it an allegation.
Covering up child rape goes against all mores. Anyone covering up child rape is no better than the molester. Kagei in this cover up saga can take a bow.
Kagei must resign. Or, to save SMIS the school council need to sack him. He has lost trust of the school family.
As for telling us he removed Lambert and then allowed him to go to sister school Seiko in Shizuoka …. I am dumb struck. Don’t Japanese boys matter?
Kagei told us the school is establishing new policies, now we know these will be policies of denial and cover up. Time for the broom. SMIS should not be the titanic. Kagei ‘man up’. RESIGN. There is no room for you. Had you been honest in January this could have been dealt with in a dignified manner without unnecessary further hurt to victims.
You had your fun on Saturday night at Azabu. Bow out now.
there were some broken links:
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2014/10/27/issues/st-marys-school-tokyo-investigate-child-sex-abuse-teachers-rape-confession/#.VE7pWldS6R8
and
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2014/10/27/issues/former-st-marys-teachers-faced-child-sex-abuse-charges-u-s/#.VE7qVldS6R8
I’m not sure SM has the expertise to do an investigation. At least we need a lawyer and law enforcement with a background in sex crimes.
I forwarded the article information to some in my class (73).
What ever happened to Grant and his protest last year?
Maybe my big old hairy ears heard wrong while at the office filing a report, but think I am correct.
Historical complaints are impossibly difficult to establish or refute. But along comes this exception to the norm. However is it only historical ? It could also be a contemporary issue for SMIS. After all Bro Lawrence was headmaster of the elementary school less than just one year ago. Perhaps he was still an active molester up to the end.?
There could very well be many current SMIS students who have been sexually traumatized by him. Hopefully the school can put counseling measures into place and devise a mechanism to nurture current students in their hour of need.
Alumni too have a vital role, they must put the message out that help is available and SMIS must agree to pay for any counselling costs without question no matter where in the world. SMIS needs to rise from this with dignity, and accept that feral brothers were on the loose. Denial and excuses will not help recovery.
Kagei must step up the the fact he has misled the school body and badly let them down. He needs to resign to enable the school to be able to rise from this low. The huge blot on the 60th could have been prevented had he stated what he knew in February instead of false and misleading statements.
October 4th Kagei advised that a panel was being set up to investigate the sex scandal. Over three weeks later we have heard nothing from him about his panel. But did anyone expect any more ? However after today’s revelation he is not fit to play a part in any investigation. The panel will have to also clearly investigate him, so at the very least he will need to stand down if he does not resign.
As this has been over three weeks in the making, it is very unlikely anything will eventuate with it. He advised parents of not one, but two investigations in January. We all know what happened to these, not a further word as if it would go away.
What is the Archbishop doing?
If that letter from January was honest this whole sordid mess could have been avoided. Honesty would have gone a long way to keeping the sexual scandal under control.
Had the letter admitted rape and had there have been investigations as advised, then the issues would have been kept under control. But the school community had to wait 9!months for the sad truth. The community would have embraced an early inquiry, however they were let down.
Almost 4 weeks have passed since Kagei announced his panel of inquiry. There is no needs to expect anything soon. The two investigations announced in January are still in the too hard box.
Being headmaster is too much for Saburo Kagei. He can’t handle the task.
Once the January letter was posted, its hard to put things back in the bottle. What is needed is for people to come forward. That will cause the FIC in Quebec to do something. Anybody want to write a letter to a Quebec paper? My French is horrible even after 6 or more years of it…..
Rape can’t be put back in a bottle either (this is with utmost respect to the victims). Do you really think the FIC in Quebec do not know? The apology on behalf of the congregation would have cleared by Quebec before it was written. I am sure Br Lawrence would have had the school lawyer clear his apology too. It appears the FIC think there is no harm in apologizing, Japanese police will not and can not do anything, it is too long ago for this. Going to confession and then it is over, no doubt !
I read in one of the blogs that some documents were found during the school campus move and passed on. Perhaps this was the damaging evidence that was the catalyst for apologies? What ever it was must have been very explosive. I can’t believe that they did what they did just to be nice. Imagine the damage that is yet to come if this paper work reveals that the buffoons in Quebec have known about Br Lawrence for years? To know that he was elementary school headmaster turns my stomach.
As others have said here the real damage (again with no offence intended to the victims) is that Kagei now knew and kept it hidden. Kagei by his own admission delivered Br Lawrence to Seiko our sister school. If he touched a boy there he will be caught and extradited back to a cell in Fuchu prison. As he is in his 80s now he would surely die in Fuchu.
I could be wrong, but I recall the Pope saying he would excommunicate sex offenders. As there is no doubt about Lawrence Lambert being a sex offender (he admitted child rape), he should be removed from the FIC. He looks like he has escaped any penalty.
By the 1983 Code of Canon Law, any clergy or religious order brother/sister who commits a sexual crime of that sort is supposed to be removed from ministry for good. Yes, removal from the order is also an option; for a priest removal from the priesthood is an option too. Wondering brought up an good point. However, excommunication is not an option.
Concerned alumnus: what is the difference between removed from the ministry, and removal from the order ?
And, “supposed to be removed”, what do yuu mean ? Do you know if it happens often, it doesn’t always happen. Would the bishop be the one who does the removal?
A priest can be removed from public ministry and still remain a priest; he cannot function anymore in public. A priest can also be removed from the priesthood and order and returned to the state of being a layman. Many pedophile priests have been forcibly removed from the priesthood, put through the laicization process and released from their vows as a punishment. Yes, the bishop of superior of the order has to start the removal process called laicization.
The priest or brother or sister can be ordered to stop ministry and stay away from public and still remain a priest/brother/sister. However, no public ministry or interaction with minors will be allowed.
I wonder how Sylvia got ahold of the documents in the links below. What a woman!!!!
http://www.theinquiry.ca/wordpress/2014/10/29/more-on-smis-sex-abuse-scandal/
priests can be removed from a parish. Ban them to a monastery. In the US pedophile priests went to a monastery in New Mexico. Unfortunately they went back to parishes. Now they’re supposed to be laiacized where they have no orders of a priest.
Brothers are lesser orders. I think the Provincial can turn them into civilians.
In any case Vatican gets a memo. In the US getting Vatican files is blocked as the Vatican is a nation state. May take the head of the order to fire them.
Unfortunately not easy.
From the letters about Br Lawrence, the head of Japan and Philippines FIC banned him from working with children. Bishop also knows, so powers that be are letting him stay as a brother.
once a child molester, always a child molester. And child molesters will naturally support their peers. So, the FIC as enablers will support Lawrence Lambert, as they would Lessard if he were still alive. No one molests and covers up .child sexual abuse like the Mennais,
THE THE SAME COULD BE SAID FOR OTHER .ORDERS.
.
Why do you think the Bishop knows? Surely if he did he would have issued a public or pulpit statement. This would have been reported. If he knew he would have launched Kagei’s February inquiry, but we have heard nothing.
Yes Catholicism 101 is alive in Tokyo, or is it Catholicism Disney style 101 ?,
As for the fic bishop in Quebec ??
Interesting.
What is most likely is Kagei gets a pay rise, Bro Lawrence has no sanction, and the Bishop gets elevated. True Catholic style and pamper them.
Wow, just saw the criminal act confession. While Japan has a statute for civil damages which would have expired, there is no such limitation on criminal charges. The brothers in Canada need to send him back for criminal charges. But whose betting they won’t do f … all. They no doubt won’t even turf him out of the FIC. Yep, no one molests children as well as the Roman Catholics, and then they does a Kagei and covers it up.
No doubt the education authorities will do something with SMIS. They including Kagei can not get away with this. I’ll be there seeking to have SMIS put under administration, those in charge now are clearly not fit.
But as others have said Kagei is clearly negligent in having him put in another school. What a pathetic attempt of a man and educator to do this. .
4 weeks and no panel ……phone write or email the Papal Nuncio:
The more phone calls and email he gets the more likely something will happen.
Joseph Chennoth, Apostolic Nuncio
Vatican Apostolic
9-2 Sanban-cho
Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo 102-0075
Japan
Telephone (+81) (3) 3263-6851
E-mail nu_office_tokyo@yahoo.co.jp
Morals: delay diminishes the quality of justice. Kagei announced two inquiries in very early 2014, in early September he announces another. So far there has been nothing. The victims of these sexual assaults whether by lay or religious need this panel of inquiry to assist closure.
There is no mechanism in place to prevent abuse from happening in the future. Parents beware. The current administration have demonstrated they are no fit to launch a program of new safeguards and checks.
Catholicism Disney 101 is alive and well, Education Disney 101 seems to be the norm for SMIS; a school with no morals. Without Kagei launching an inquiry to deal with not just the molesters named here, but calling for submissions from any SMIS student who has knowledge of sexual abuse, the school will be, and be known as a play ground for pedophiles.
We must not forget some current students were taught and possibly raped by Lambert before he was removed from the school.
Brother Lawrence lesson in washing penis for- skin,
Child molesting in recent years.
Who will act.
Just found this site. Very keen to spill my beans on an assault by Lessard.
Yes he is dead. But victims need to be hard.
I welcome an announcement of an inquiry.
Yes. I need to report Lessard and his activities just before he died too.
..
Seems irregular that nothing has been reported here abiut the who and how to contact. If anyone knows please share.
Hi KEEP victim, what is the point in reporting ? Who to ? Kagei and the SMIS administration don’t intend to do anything. They would be more likely to have a new building dedicated to his memory than investigate.
The Japan Police are out of time to report to.
Perhaps handing out flyers on the pavement outside St Mary’s cathedral or Seiko in Shizuoka ? No point in doing so at SMIS, parents don’t seem to object to a pedophile at SMIS.
If you have a suggestion please tell us.
SMIS have removed Kagei’s letters to parents from the Facebook site.
I guess it will all go away … like Kagei’s inquiries … I can but wonder what he is hiding…. what the school are hiding …. what the school council are hiding.
Because Kagei incriminated him himself with his dates of alledged, and reality of said sent apology notes. He knew the facts. Liar as usual.
yesterday was the birthday of the alumnus who died last year of cirrhosis of the liver, the same victim of Br. Lessard who turned to drinking and drugs once the hurt came out. In the October 27th article in the Japan Times, he is referred to as Joe Adams. It was very sad that he had to die that way.
I just heard that some alumni are upset at St. Mary’s because of the abuse and the cover up. They do not want to be associated with St. Mary’s, and prefer to be known as alumni of the colleges they graduated from instead. Who wants to be associated with such a school????
I think all of this is a lie. I am a member of St. Mary’s and met Br. Lawerence and he was a good and aking person with a big heart. I think it is wrong to make rumors and judge people.
George Nomura you must be terribly confused. How can it be a lie when the Japan Times published the letters from Br. Lawrence and from the Br. in charge in Japan. Br. Lawrence confessed to rape of a child, a criminal confession. There is no “making rumors and judging of Br. Lawrence”, it is fact.
He had a big heart, yes maybe he did, he was perhaps one of the pedophiles who thought that love of a child in a sexual sense is appropriate. From your name you are Japanese.. Why don’t you go and ask the government Education authorities to investigate?
I have decided to contact the International Baccalaureate Association for Asia and the Pacific. They have a major conference coming up in Macau. When the list of delegates come out I will send EACH DELEGATE the links to the Japan Times and this site so they can make their own judgement.
I have asked the IB to investigate if SMIS is a fit school to be offering this program with Kagei and current administration at the helm. It is not asking them to act on the historical events, but asking them to investigate the contemporary events such as the inquiries from February which did not happen, and the October inquiry which did not happen, and why did a competent headmaster move a confessed pedophile from one school to another. I have also asked them to investigate the administration of SMIS as a whole to establish if they are fit to be contolling a school offering the IB.
Kagei will surely have the audacity to attend.in Macau with his fake Boston accent, after all there will be free booze. But each delegate will have had details of this web site and the JT to read on their plane trip. No rumors George, just fact.
Hey George, you said that you are a member of SMIS, by that I assume you are a student. If you are I think you better talk to someone, sounds like deep down you are a Br Lawrence victim. If you are seek help NOW.
You only want to think it is a lie as you have been hurt too. So please stop the hurt and speak to someone.
Kanto plains schools know about SMIS
Sylvia’s site has exposed Kagei yet again.
Read Kagei’s letter on her site and her amazing exposee of his fresh lies and how the inquiry is flawed from the start.
But could we have expected any less from Kagei after his avalanche of inept behaviour this year.
Rumour has it Sylvia will soon publish the long lost letters between SMIS and the brothers in Quebec Canada dealing with Br Lawrence’s 1960’s child rape cover up. The enablers allowed him unfettered access to boys (fresh meat) for half a century.
Well done Sylvia.
Sylvia just posted an update with her responses.
http://www.theinquiry.ca/wordpress/2014/11/19/making-the-problem-go-away/
As far as an attorney on the panel, at least in the US attorneys deal with sexual abuse problems and commonly are asked to give advice and how to handle sexual abuse problems in the workplace. Somebody from Human Resources may do it also.
Frank:
Please reread Sylvia’s comments again. It would be unusual to say the least that a lawyer has these skills. Kagei talks about his VISIT (singular).
We know nothing of his credentials and background to be able to undertake this mammoth and complex task.
We do not know if he has the cultural awareness to be able to undertake this in Japan out of his comfort zone. Japan is not the USA>
We know nothing of his background and understanding of Japanese law. Remember we are dealing with a very backward legal system that has a Statute of Limitations on child sex crimes, a system that let Brother Lawrence leave the country. Japan has a backward legal system that until July this year permitted child pornography, In fact in Japan people still have until July 2105 to dispose of child pornography. And the backward Japanese legal system still will permit cartoons of child sexual exploitation. The Japanese Diet refused to ban child sexual exploitation cartoons just a few months ago.
Backward Japanese legislators ensured Japan was the only country in Asia, the OECD, APEC, the G20 etc not to have outlawed child pornography. Don’t believe me, the world press all reported this in mid 2014. And Frank, remember backward Japanese laws still allow anyone with hard core child sexual pornography to keep it until mid 2015.
Is this lawyer aware of the constraints on Japan, a country with very distorted mores on child sex..
although i am always impressed and intrigued by Frank Schiffel’s comments, i just cannot have him chime in all by himself. when lawyers are brought in by the defendant, this is to cover their butts. the lawyers are not brought in to ensure safety and welfare of the victims. on that note, it is compldetely inappropriate for victims to call this panel. this seems like a set up to me. why would you disclose information to a panel hired by and representing the plaintiff. they will use all that information to minimize and mitigate the loss for the defendant. these lawyers are experts at mitigating and minimizing damage and are focused on the public relations nightmare the school is going through. as far as Mr. Kagei’s job is concerned, i think he is doing a much better job than the first letter he sent out. he is the school’s administrator. his job is to protect the school. he needs to focus on this as the headmaster. no matter how Mr. Kagei is doing his job, let’s not forget what his job is. he gets paid to protect the school.
i believe a more unbiased independent panel needs to do the investigation. how can any victim feel safe disclosing such sensitive information to a panel hired by the “perpetrator”? what happened to the police inquiry? is the police still involved? this is a criminal case. not sure if a panel hired by the defendant should be doing investigation on a criminal case. this is sort of like asking charles manson to form a panel to prove his innocence.
would like your thoughts on this Frank.
Good call, Walter. It’s understandable that the school would want to save itself from this scandal. What they don’t understand is that the way they have gone about it from fake police investigations, to 8 months of silence, to ignoring calls from the worst-abused victims after publicly pretending to be open and outreaching, makes this 100% disingenuous. This is a matter that can only be solved with 100% sincerity and 100% penance to the victims. But we are dealing with a corporation, headed by a small man. Psychopaths and body-snatched cold-bloods never quite nail the timbre and register of compassion correctly. Though, they do try. Of course they hired and announced the thinly-veiled defence team as they have. It is in their nature not to understand their own tone-deafness.
Bravo Walter,
Well said. One only needs to read Sylvia’s revelation of Brird’s “making the problem disappear for his clients” to know the panel will only have one goal, that is protecting SMIS, there will no doubt be no independence, only bias … and no joy for victims.
http://www.theinquiry.ca/wordpress/2014/11/19/making-the-problem-go-away/
Read Sylvia’s recent comments. where she deals with the Ohara the lawyer, and Bird the trouble shooter and discusses how inappropriate they are.
i don’t agree with the bashing going on here. i am not supporting the way the leadership of the school is handling this. and yet, Mr. Kagei, i believe is doing the best he can to fulfill his duties. until he leaves St. Mary’s as the headmaster, his job is to protect the school. i admire and respect him for hanging in there to do this job. i bet this part of his job sucks. as an alumni of the school, i hope that the individuals who are hired at the school will do their job. for Mr. Kagei, right now, is to protect the school through this public relations nightmare. Mr. Kagei is dealing with this now but the former administrators will have to answer if they knew anything about this going on. i assume that this move to set this panel up came from higher up than the headmaster. most probably the fic is involved. i personally would like to see this forum help the school and Mr. Kagei do the right thing without bashing him and asking for his resignation. and yes, i still believe this panel is a set up and victims reporting to this panel is inappropriate. again, where are the cops when you need them? is there a doghnut shop by kaminoge so that we can get them there?
… I agree, it would be great to support a real leadership effort. When the first letter came out in January, we were surprised, and thankful for the forthrightness. But the long silence that ensued, and the fact that misleading characterization of the school’s knowledge of the culpability of the rapist, really, rilly soured us. The school is only doing any kind of response 11 months AFTER they said an investigation was already happening, because of their exposure in the newspapers. Hence, cynicism. Bashing, sure. But not unwarranted IMHO. These guys are administrators of a corporation, an amoral entity. We’ve all learned the hard way.
Big problem is statute of limitations has run out for a criminal case. Plus this is probably seen as a gaijin problem. With perpetrators dead or out of the country not much can be done. Possibly a civil suit for damages but you’d be dealing with Japanese courts. Unfortunately similar problems have happened in the US. Suits for damages by the victims is the only recourse.
Thanks for the comment on Japanese laws. Looks grimmer than I thought. Looks like the panel has no SM influence, no administrators, ex students, alumni, faculty all that. As for independence and results we’ll have to see. I’d recommend a lawyer contact them if you are a victim. But like a lot of legal matters you’re going to have to jump through their hoops for now. It was forwarded among my class. I can’t say about all the other years.
The Statute may have expired. There is no law preventing ex gratia payments. But we are dealing with a head master and a school with no morals.
They have not had the morals to set up a decent panel. Selecting a person who gloats he makes problems go away. What gaul. But then we have not seen any terms of reference either. Yes all very Kagei.
I believe the point of this panel is to tai-chi as much responsibility away from the current administration as possible. The label of “independent inquiry” is to legitimize this foregone conclusion. Expectedly, Kagei has already tried to disassociate the past cases, past victims, past abusers as having nothing to do with the current school community. But they DO. Brother Lawrence only left campus this past year.
You’re right, what were the terms of reference when taking on this panel?
We have no cv for the majority of the panel. We have no indication as to the expertise of ANY of the panel in dealing with child sexual abuse issues.
We have no terms of reference, clearly this independent panel are seemingly Kagei’s lap dogs. Why else would we have a tame panel, a panel without any intention of doing anything except exonerating the SMIS master. An independent panel would report openly not to Kagei.
.
For those who may not have read Sylvia’s latest analysis of Kagei’s latests letter, I give you here just her comments on Kagei’s first paragraph. Follow the link to read it all as she delves into Kagei’s latest deceipt attempt, and read of the impeccable qualifications of the panel !.
The Artful Dodger seems to be an apt description for Kagei, to borrow from the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist. Both have a rather saturnine disposition, and both are exposed for their deceit. The Artful Dodger was caught out of course by police and banished, just as Kagei has been caught out time and time again. The Artful Dodger was sent to a penal colony in the Dicken’s novel, I wonder what fate is in store for the little man with the fake Boston accent ? He will of course be banished from SMIS.
KAGEI’S LETTER’S FIRST PARAGRAPH:
:
St. Mary’s International School
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Dear Members of the SMIS Community,
As promised, I am writing to provide an update on steps we are taking in response to allegations of sexual misconduct at St. Mary’s International School that recently came to light. The accusations have also been the subject of recent media reports. All of the allegations of abuse that we are aware of – including several we received in response to my letter of September 11, 2014 – date back several decades and involve individuals who are no longer members of the St. Mary’s community.
sYLVIA’S COMMENTRY:
Brother Lawrence Lambert admitted that he sodomised a young boy. Brother Lawrence is a child molester, not an “alleged” child molester. That is a fact known to officials with the school and the Brothers of Christian Instruction: it is not an allegation.
Not all reports of sex abuse at SMIS came to light “recently.” For example, the abuse Brother Lawrence perpetrated on at least one young boy was known by other brothers back in the 60s shortly after the child was so cruelly and savagely molested.
Yes, it is true that the abuse of at least one of Brother Lawrence’s victims dates back “several decades” – and equally true that throughout those several decades there has been a cover-up. Throughout those decades Brother Lawrence has been permitted unfettered access to young boys. In fact, despite the fact that Brother Lawrence is a molester he was permitted to teach catechism in English at Seiko Gakuin, Shizuoka (catechism of all things! what a sacrilege!!), be around boys at summer camps, and from the early 80s until very recently serve on staff at St. Mary’s Elementary school, Tokyo – most of those years in the prestigious and trustworthy position of Principal of the school
Are alumni not considered part of “St. Mary’s community”? I truly don’t know. Those who know please help me out here.
Has any one heard from the panel ? As Kagei is involved we can only assume it will be about July 2015 at the earliest before we do.
Will they post here trying to seek answers ? Will this site’s operators allow them to post a letter seeking information on this blog ? If the Labor Dispute site will permit a letter from the panel to be posted here perhaps the web master could advise ?
In January Saburo Kagei announced not one but two investigations into child sexual assault at SMIS. We are now in December with naught on either inquiry.
Ten months later he announces Mark II , a panel. Weeks later we have not even details of the terms of reference, or details of who commissioned the panel, or who is paying them.
None of these basic details are provided. No doubt Kagei wrote the findings before he commissioned the panel ? Well, based on his track record anything is possible.
It will soon be one year since Kagei wrote to parents. One year since the trail of his lies in relation to the sex scandal came to light.
Almost one year since the lies about allegations. Almost one year since the lies about the. Japan police and the archdiocese inquirieS. And nothing. Now we have the panel. Or, as it seems another lie. Has anyone heard from it? Nil on SMIS Facebook. Maybe Sylvia scared them ?
Maybe Global 360 did a 180 ?
Wow, all I am going to say is that remember, the motto of the St. Mary’s administration is “If you ignore your problems, they will go away.” That is what I am noticing.
As for any student or faculty or parent complains, beware of mistreatment and retaliation by the administration. Mr. Gaskin and a longtime guidance counselor were notorious for implementing these measures.
The problem will not go away if there is a Japan Police complaint made by a victim. The Japan Police will have to investigate.
But consider the over 45,000, no now 46,000 people who have logged into this blog .. over 1,000 per week. These people will want answers, ok some will be people like Kagei, but others will be concerned at having a son at SMIS or being an Alumni etc. Remember Br. Lawrence is not just an historical child molester, he was headmaster of the elementary school until mid 2013. How many current parents have had their sons who are still SMIS students in his closed door office. He is likely to have molested boys who are STILL in the elementary school.
Oh, yes Br. Lawrence, you had a thing about tucking boys shirt tails into their trousers, a fetish for untidy shirts. But this fetish was now after the revelations, a sexual fetish, not about tidiness. When I think back at you doing this to me it makes me feel ill. Was there an erection as you slipped your hands down pants tucking in a shirt tail ? Over the almost half a century you were at SMIS, how many boys did you fondle in this manner alone? Two per year would be 100, one per month 600 boys, one per week 2,600 boys, you did it much more often, in fact on a daily basis, so we have 10,000 times no doubt ? Oh so quick and seemingly innocent. How many sets of genitals did you manage to touch as your hands glided down, to say nothing of the hundreds and even thousands buttocks you fondled. Oh yes, thinking back you liked the expat boys best, and you could not help yourself if there was an Afro American boy to put your hands down his trousers, Japanese boys shirt tails were not of as much concern. How many other boys did you rape ? There are current SMIS boys who will recall your hands gliding down to fondle.
As for Global 360 and Mrs Ohara and her law firm, well they are silent too. Perhaps the Labor Forum and Sylvia in Canada who dissected the panel have forced them to dissipate. Or maybe Byrd is busy negotiating the release of shipping from Somali pirates (much more $ value than SMIS). As for the Psychiatrist, well he has his work cut out with some of the SMIS admin, and the Brothers of Sexual Dysfunction. Has he had had a few sessions with Kagei to discuss what is apparently a pathological liar who ignored fact and continually reported allegations. Oh, Kagei what a twisted web you weave.
Kagei’s lawyer is none other than a litigation expert. So yes, he is no doubt coming to SMIS to instruct on how to turn hard cold evidence of sexual misconduct into allegations at the worst. A lawyer no less, to advise admin and staff !!! Oh, Kagei you tricky devil, but you are headmaster of SMIS devil’s playground, did you see the movie ?
Wolowitz, David Director & Co-chair of Education Law Group
Portsmouth, NH.
Speciality: Education, Labor & Employment, Litigation
See more at: http://www.mclane.com/attorneys/attorneys/default.aspx?search=true&ss=1&r=#W
Kagei you’re amazing. Having one of your independent panel on your table at the American Club.
Are you writing the final report too?
It is almost one year to the day when headmaster Kagei publicly advised parents of a Police AND Archdiocese inquiry into the sex abuse scandal. But as we know there was inquiry it was all imagination.
Late last year he announces a panel “again” nothing.
He spoke once more of the Archdiocese investigation. It this never took place.
Yesterday’s announcement of new Cardinals for the second time in a year ignores Tokyo Archbishop Peter Okada despite the church struggling in Japan. Clearly Pope Francis will not follow the tradition of making the Archbishop of Tokyo a Cardinal with a scandal based church in Japan which ignores child sex abuse. No worse, a church which enables it.
I smell a rat, a rat named Kagei. Not a word over his panel. But then a bigger rat for not having been seen to do anything must be
Tokyo Archbishop Peter Okada, clearly an Arch-enabler..
After a year of being caught lying to parents Kagei is still there. What does it say about the morals of the School Council. But don’t forget the Archbishop.
The Catholic Church is struggling in Japan. With an AB like Peter Okada there is writing on the wall.
The Church is dying in Japan. Lets hope it is quick.
Kagei helped this.happen. Those who support SMIS deserve Kagei and his lies.
Word is out with parents at Shizuoka Seiko.
They know how Br Lawrence was sent there, as if non European boys don’t matter.
One year ago Kagei was having an inquiry.
Since then he has announced lots more false promises.
He needs to go. We can’t have a dishonest headmaster
We all know Kagei will not have an inquiry where the results are open to the public. To do so would establish his credentials as a liar.
it is now over one year. Kagei assured SMIS that there would be not one but two inquiries. But true to his reputation there have been NO inquiries.
Google SMIS and the sex scandal tops the billing. How many alumnus were molested by one of the fic. How many lives ruined ?
Sad but true SMIS has its reputation in tatters.
I remember Bro John Paradis would spend hours in the boys change room spying. The staff both religious and lay knew and did nothing.
This reminds me of Br. Henry, the long time biology teacher at St. Mary’s and Seisen; he was also the tennis coach for both schools. It was common knowledge that Br. Henry would look up the skirts of the girls on the tennis team. It was also common that he would many times walk into the girls’ locker room at Seisen. He would then say, “Fear not because I am the biology teacher.” I am sure that other St. Mary’s alumni can say something about this.
I later learned that Br. Charles Desjarlais became high school Principal, his first act was to have Br. Henry removed from St. Mary’s; one can only wonder why. Br. Charles was then mistreated by the Guidance Counselor for doing all the right things. Br. Charles then resigned and left St. Mary’s. It seems that when someone does something right at the school, they get mistreated by the corrupt powers that be and then chased out of the school. How sad!!!
Vividly recall Saburo Kagei catching me and an other boy masturbating when he was just a teacher. He just watched and laughed. Then he made a joke about sticky rice.
Too many St. Mary’s boys were obsessed with masturbation, as if it were a guy thing and something to be exalted on high. They seemed to believe that it is the only thing in life to do. The boys would shun those who did not get into the jokes. Many times, boys would have circle jerks in the theater room by the library. They joke about it more than its joked about it non-Catholic schools. A friend from ASIJ confirmed this; that friend told me, “Guys from St. Mary’s are very immature and obsessed with masturbation.” That same friend told me that I should have gone to ASIJ instead because I would have been happier there; I think that the friend is correct.
I even heard of a few cases where boys were forcibly masturbated by their peers who were bullies. If the victims complained to certain lay administrators, they were told that they brought it on themselves by their reaction. If they complained more, they would then be referred to psychological therapy, suspended or even expelled.
Phone calls to 360 and the Tokyo law firm are met with “no one is available” and “call SMIS”.
When will Kagei send out another Facebook new story as to what his next game plan is?
Lies from him for over one year to alumni and parents and the SMI S council have left him in place. How can anyone have any faith in the school.
What ever happened to the Mickey Mouse lawyer Kagei was having sent from the States to advise parents and staff on dealing with sexual abuse? Another case of Catholicism Disney 101?
But the Archbishop was having an inquiry too “just one year ago”, and nothing. I guess he is waiting to be made Cardinal first. He wouldn’t want a scandal to stop his elevation in life.
Where is Brother Lawrence ? Is he living in a school in Canada ?
(Another blog says he is.) And where is Brother Raymond Ducharme, the blogs are silent on him..
Well well, Brother LAWRENCE is living in the Mother House on the banks of the St Lawrence River in Montreal, ironically in the grounds of one of Montreal’s best schools. He would spend his days watching children. What a terrible thought.
As for Brother RAYMOND he is the headmaster at Seiko School operated by the Brothers (of Sexual Dysfunction) in Shizuoka in Japan.
Yes the blogs are silent, but then so too is Saburo Kagei, and don’t forget his mystical “panel”. Apart from a short Facebook notice (soon removed) there was no advertising of the panel’s existence or how to contact them. Many former SMIS students would not know about the existence of this and Sylvia’s blogs, or of the sex scandal.
The Alumni groups world wide have been silent. Decent Alumni members would surely have posted details of Brother Lawrence’s admissions that he molested and sodomised boys. But they chose not to. How many former SMIS boys are out there thinking they are alone ? Thank you Alumni (aka enablers).,
Ding dong the witch is dead.
A more recent victim of Brother Lawrence Guy Lambert is about to make a Japanese Police complaint about him. Let us all hope that he is extradited back to Tokyo and Fuchu Prison.
The other guy was a 50 year old event, this in RECENT
We wonder who the victim is.
By the way, many alumni are now ashamed of St. Mary’s and do not want to be known as alumni for that school; they prefer to be known as alumni of the colleges they went through. Who can blame them???
Just love it. SMIS with a contemporary sex charge against Lawrence Lambert, Hope they drop him and leave him tot the Japanese legal system. What a pity it will be a tad late.
Let us hope Sab Kagei is caught up in the web
Click to access smis-letter-2015-03-18.pdf
Kagei has done it again. Issued a letter re the “supposed” panel on a site at SMIS that few would ever see, let alone have access to.
If he were genuine he would ask this site, and the Canadian Sylvia’s site to publish his letter there as well. Similarly he would also ask ALUMNI sites to publish it, But no in true Kagei style he is not open and accountable.
As the months go by Kagei’s inquiry still has not put out any information, I have seen no calls for submissions either in these blogs, the SMIS sites, or of course in the Japan Times and Alumni sites. This all backs up many bloggers assertions that the panel is a sham and a flasehood, but we all know Kagei is good for these fiascoes.
Does anyone know of a brother Theodore de Haan? I can’t remember if he was a brother or a defrocked brother. He taught me in the mid seventies in an very small Annex St. Mary’s Internationals school. There were only four of us in our school. He was not nice… My Dad got his company to fire St Mary’s and Mr.Theordore de Hann due to his abusive ways… He probably taught elementary in Tokyo.
I believe that he was a layman.
Mr. Aseltine was a 6th grade teacher who was also very abusive of the boys. He would grab boys and slam them against a wall, a locker or a desk. He was even seen holding a 6th grade boy out the window of the 3rd story of the grade school wing. He got fired in the end.
Silvia has been active once more in relation to the SMIS child sex abuse scandal. Look at her Canadian site and read how once again she exposes the criminality of the Brothers.
Brother Lawrence LAMBERT. Tried to justify sodomizing an eleven year old SMIS boy saying he only did it to him once. Yes only once. Once makes it better.
As Lambert was still at SMIS in 2013 there are no doubt still done if his sex abuse victims at SMIS today.
I read that post. All I can say is that Sylvia missed her calling to be a detective. She would have helped the Royal Canadian Police solve many crimes.
dennisf@usa.com
Sylvia’s Canadian site uncovers more criminal depravity of the Bros at SMIS.
Kagei where is your inquiry from the Archdiocese promised in February 2014, where is your Japan Police reporting from February 2014. .Where is your Japan Police report from when you first knew of Lawrence Lambert’s sodomy in 2013. where is yuor reporting to the International Baccalaureate body that there was a pedophile in t he school, where is your reporting to the Kanto Plains School body When will you stand down ? There is ample evidence that you need to stand down and take the fake Boston accent with you. As for your sham panel !
One has to wonder if this is the source of the both Saburo Kagei and his wife Ann’s rise to power. He was a student when all of this was going on and was either a victim or knew of these tragedies because students talk. He worked in the classroom for a couple of years, and has consistently risen through the ranks at St. Mary’s by essentially keeping a low profile and protecting the school. His wife works at St. Mary’s sister school Seisen, and mysteriously rose quickly through ranks in a short 5 years to be a middle school principal…with no experience or qualifications! Prior to 2009 she could not gain employment at a proper international school. Much like her husband, once she was hired she put a quick stint in the classroom and was suddenly promoted to management and is currently helping to destroy a school with good reputation built on a history of success. I hope Simon continues to dig and clear up even more of these mysteries. Further kudos to shining light in the dark corners where children are being violated in trusted communities.
In all honesty, Seisen never amounted to much during its years of existence. The saying among many SMIS boys was that “Sacred Heart is better than Seisen.”
I have only just found this site. I am disappointed to find it had re-published, obviously without checking, some of the extraordinary, fanciful inventions of sexual abuse at St Mary’s from Sylvia’s Site and the Japan Times. I became interested in these allegations because my school in Brisbane Australia, has also been taken for a ride by one of the smartest conmen our country has produced. Unfortunately, he is still at large, trying to obtain money is one of the most despicable ways possible – by falsely claiming to be a victim of sexual abuse at the schools 50 years ago. He is able to operate in this way for two reasons: 1) almost all the people involved at that time are dead, and cannot contradict him; and 2) he is protected by the laws granting anonymity to victims of sexual abuse.
Let me tell you that the heart-wrenching story of the little Jewish boy raped by one or two brothers in the St Mary’s chapel is a fraudulent invention. The same boy, who did attend the school to the age of 11, then returned to Australia and was enrolled at the Church of England Grammar School, one of Australian’s leading GPS schools. He was a student there from 1967-69.
In 1981, at the age of 26, he was convicted of the murder of a Filipino woman he lured to Australia on promise of a job. He had taken out a life insurance policy for $400,000 on her life and tried to cash it, but the police found him out from the tangle of lies he had told. The detective described him as the worst conman he had encountered. His parents were stunned. His father was a diplomat – a trade commissioner actually – and he and his wife had been told their son was a pilot and had a job with the U.N. All untrue. His name is [redacted]
A group of old boys of CEGS, known as Churchie, began investigating [redacted] when he appeared a few years ago, first claiming to have been sexually abused at school in the late ’60s. The claims he made against a well-known and highly respected part-time housemaster who was an old boy but not a teacher, were not credible. A number of damaging but highly inventive stories he gave to a Brisbane newspaper reporter were proved to be false. He began and led a campaign to have the name of a respected headmaster removed from the school library. Unfortunately, as seems to have happened in St Mary’s the school panicked and agreed. The pressure of the Royal Commission inquiring into child sexual abuse helped force its hand. [redacted] also tried to get another school to remove the same man’s name, but that school was not an Anglican school, and refused his demand.
A story by Simon Scott appeared in two Australian newspapers in August 2015 telling this fantastic story of rape in the St Mary’s chapel. It smelt of the excessively detailed allegations [redacted] had made here. The story all hung on the statement of his mother who “remembered” in infinite detail events of 50 years earlier. We located the mother, now aged 87 in a Brisbane nursing home, where she has been a patients suffering from dementia for many years, and absolutely incapable of making that detailed statement in 2013.
Here in Australia, [redacted]’s scam is to attempt to share in a compensation payment to “victims” recommended by the Royal Commission. I have no doubt that his pitiful story about abuse in St Mary’s was part of a confidence trick to extort money.
For the record, [redacted] is not, and has never been Jewish. He is a convicted murderer and conman who has not changed his ways since 1981. I don’t know how the school was taken in, but it reflects poorly on Simon Scott of the Japan Times and Sylvia’s Site that they did not make the simplest Google checks before swallowing [redacted]’s story. There is enough child abuse in the world without fraudsters like [redacted] trying to cash in on the tragedy.
I can supply documentary proof of all the above statements.
Dear Geoffrey Luck – I read your comment / letter a few times and I appreciate a few things about it. First, it is entirely possible that this person caused an unnecessary scandal by asking a respected teacher’s name be removed, at your Brisbane school. It is reported that this man you named was convicted of life in prison for murder over an insurance scam. In case you are wondering, we have always known his full name and (speaking for this blog only) have googled the hell out of it. You are concerned that we are all being duped by a scam artist crying wolf, using the sanctity of true victimhood. That is a legitimate concern.
Let me summarize for you how the case at St. Mary’s is different.
1. The man who raped this former student (and untold others) is still alive and wrote and signed an apology for having raped him.
2. There are also unrelated former students at the school who have reported a decades-long culture of rape / sexual assault at this school, who have been sexually assaulted, and who are being public about it.
3. As well, the man you’ve named has not sought compensation from St. Mary’s.
Current leaders of the school have even written suggesting why we might mitigate blame on these celibate Catholic brothers because they may be a bit horny (advent of the internet and all, it’s hard etc.), and have faked a true criminal investigation into it (why lie to the public about something like that–they should have erred on the side of legal compliance and public safety for children. More power to them, if they are exonerated!). If I were you, I would NOT conflate the name of your school (which actually took things very seriously from the sounds of it) with that of St. Mary’s. Don’t let your personal resentment of this man conflate the reputations of two entirely different schools and situations. If you are unconvinced that the cases are different, then at least we should acknowledge that every population suffers from at least 2% of people being sexual predators on children (2 teachers in 100, for example). It is no different in religious schools. So, vigilance is key.
St. Mary’s needs to stand on its own evidence. It does not deserve the credibility that your school and its alumni in Brisbane have fought hard to maintain, just because of similar circumstance. St. Mary’s admitted to having sexual abuse victims and has dodged criminal accountability–do you want to lend them your credibility?
You have been helpful here, I think. Your account of damage that took place after the St. Mary’s rape is indication that a young person’s life and mind was seriously derailed in Japan. All alumni reading this need to know of horrible effects that sexual abuse of children has on communities, as these damaged men/people grow up. Men notoriously suppress emotions, and do not seek help or therapy. It is a combustible formula when these men were abused. It is all the more reason we need to stop sexual abuse, and prevent it.
If this blog / these news reports can stop this school in Japan from harming another child, then it’s all worth it. It’s shedding light in an otherwise very dark corner here in Japan. Don’t worry, we are not confusing issues or evidence at all. Having said that, thank you for bringing in another dimension.
As we all know in Japan for these child sexual assault crimes there is no compensation mechanism. The law does not provide for it.
And as we know in Japan there is no mechanism for charging a person with child sexual assault unless investigated at the time of the assault. The brothers and others who molested children until very recent years could never be charged. When St Marys found out of a case it merely transferred the offending brother to another school. New laws are not retrospective.
The brother who raped him and admitted it is alive and lives in the grounds of a school. He walks through the playground each day on his way to chapel, talking to young boys and patting them on the head and tucking in their shirt tails.
I was not raped. I knew Bro Lawrence as a great guy. His admissions came as a shockwave. No. No. No I thought. A total fabrication. He was my favourite teacher. Then came his admission and saying how he prays daily for the boy whose life he ruined.
But I was the victim of Bro Lessard. Well at the time I thought measuring me and measuring semen volume was acceptable in assisting my development. I thought he was doing me a huge secret favor. No I know I was one of perhaps hundreds over the years. Bro Lessard died. While it was reported as cancer, we know he was electrocuted when hospitalised. Yes he had C, but was it a suicide attempt ?
It’s about time victim like you come forward and hold the school to account. Words on this site will just be words. Seek your justice for real: tejaarboleda@gmail.com is the email of the SMIS alumnus collecting stories / class action plaintiffs (anonymity will be preserved).
“Kevin” it is good to know you were not raped but sorry you supposedly had terrible experience with Brother Lessard.
What makes your post suspect is “measuring semen volume was acceptable in assisting my development.” Really?!! It’s impossible to believe this with any credibility. Were you a budding deviant to be that utterly ignorant?
Then, just as such a jaw-dropping claim is digested, you suddenly bring up an even more ridiculous electrocution event (of a cancer patient) in a hospital. Where did you come up with this information?!!
Unbelievably you top it off with the innuendo of a suicide attempt (hmmmm)…. I just read Geoffrey Luck’s articles–isn’t suicide one of the false accusations our con artist put forward in the Wippell “Churchie” school meme?
Are you the con artist who murdered Teresita Andalis and served time in the Brisbane Gaol?
To those in Australia upset over this felon:
This is not your forum or his forum to dispute an unrelated case no one in this Japan community knows about or can hash out. Use the courts, use the media where you and he live, if you have to. Yes, he has done terribly wrong. Yes, terrible wrong has been done unto him. These concepts are not mutually exclusive. This doesn’t at all confound us. It’s just very sad.
I’m not gonna lie. It’s truly interesting that Brother Lawrence’s victim later himself became a criminal of another sort. A convicted murderer. As awful as that is, it doesn’t change the fact that Brother Lawrence himself admitted, in writing, to the crime of rape of this man as a student at the school. The school also unilaterally, unsolicited, issued a letter announcing the possibility of it, and wrote that they purportedly banished the Brother (just sent him to the next prefecture over actually), reported the crime and were cooperating with investigations (no evidence or outcome of any of that either). Those are the facts of our case.
Brother Lawrence’s accuser is also not the only accuser of the school. There are other St. Mary’s alumni, who have nothing to do with the above accuser, that deserve our support with their difficult accounts of being harmed. This blog will serve as their forum, as there is no other. We can keep that straight.
St. Mary’s still has rape and sexual abuse against child(ren) gone unpunished; perpetrators are still on the payroll. In absence of any action, this vigilance online is just one way to prevent new cases from occurring. That’s what well-read blogs can do.
As we now know the reported police investigation in the headmaster’s letter to parents was false. The school made no complaint. The police have confirmed this. Just a case of SMIS telling more lies to parents about child sexual abuse. And a desire to keep numb about the brothers perversions which have been admitted. One brother blames in a email the brother’s child sexual assaults on their access to child pornography which was legal in Japan until 2015. And cartoons and animations depicting child sex are STILL lawful. The later is the only country in the developed world which permits this child pornography to be made and sold.
Child sexual abuse has devistating life long effects. This is indisputable.
Also indisputable is a significant number of children are continually abused by several adults over their childhood.
There is of course the proof of sodomy at age 11 in Tokyo. The admissions we have seen on this site.
But what proof is there either way about the Australian saga. I’d like to know has the school admitted and apologized. If the school or the church owners have apologized then there is no need to haunt a child sex abuse victim. As for compensation this is a matter for only the courts to decide if the Australian jurisdiction permits it.
And if there is an apology or admission by the church then those at the school have egg on their face. Any compensation would be huge, boosted by the post from Mr Luck of course.