The Christian Brothers religious order obtained a legal moratorium on civil claims from abuse survivors, halting dozens of pending trials and hundreds of additional cases. The organization stated it faces insolvency and proposes selling remaining property valued at approximately $217 million to compensate survivors.
Court documents filed by Brother Gerard John Brady, head of Christian Brothers Oceania, reveal the order currently includes nine members convicted of child sexual offenses, with one incarcerated. The leadership team has decided to retain these individuals within the congregation rather than expel them. The organization’s rationale, as presented in legal filings, rests on several considerations: canon law obligations to support all members, theological commitments to assisting vulnerable populations, concerns about placing offenders into communities without institutional support, and the belief that internal monitoring better protects society than community placement.
The affidavit indicates the leadership team acknowledges that survivors and community members may perceive such support as prioritizing offender interests over victim interests. The organization contends that maintaining offenders within the congregation allows for behavioral monitoring and facilitation of treatment that might not occur if individuals were unsupported in the wider community.
Documents also reveal that Br Brady met with representatives of the Holy See beginning several months prior to the insolvency declaration, seeking financial assistance to address the organization’s severe financial position. No financial support was received from those discussions or from other Catholic institutions contacted. The Christian Brothers reports that property worth an estimated $540 million has been transferred to Edmund Rice Education Australia over the past decade, though that organization states it will not sell these properties to support the order’s claims process.
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