A tutor has been the subject of a formal investigation after a student made a claim of harassment at the end of last term.
The student from St. Benet’s Hall, who Cherwell has decided not to name, made a formal complaint about Father Bernard Green, who is a fellow and tutor in Theology, as well as being the chaplain and in charge of student welfare at the Hall.
The complaint related to an incident that took place at the JCR’s picnic in Port Meadow during 7th week of Trinity term 2005, and was supported by other students. Father Green has since apologised and will continue with his normal duties this term.
Father Leo Chamberlain, Master of St. Benet’s Hall, confirmed that “a complaint about harassment at the picnic was made on Thursday 9 June 2005 and investigated immediately” adding, “the Proctors were informed at an early stage”.
“A panel was convened in line with procedures usual in the University. It had three members, two unconnected with the Hall and the third a non-tutorial fellow,” he said.
“Procedures of this kind are always pursued maintaining the rights of all concerned to confidentiality. The matter has been settled and there are no changes in personnel or duties consequent upon it.”
He added, “No other complaints have been made against Father Bernard to my knowledge while he has been at the University and nothing is held on file.”
Father Bernard Green said, “The incident … was dealt with in a process that is now completed. Everyone has accepted its outcome but as it was a confidential process there is no more that I can say.”
The student who made the complaint did not wish to comment on the investigation.
Further investigations made by Cherwell have found that Father Green pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting a 13 year old student in 1996 while he was employed at Ampleforth College. At the time he was a housemaster and, after fully cooperating with an investigation by the local police and social services, he was sentenced to two years’ probation and 50 hours’ community service.
A statement released in 1996 said, “Father Bernard will remain a Benedictine monk under the direct authority of the Abbot of Ampleforth. The Abbot will ensure that in future his work will not include any contact with or responsibility for children.”
A spokesman for Ampleforth at the time added, “Father Bernard, in the light of his repentance and co-operation, will continue to live as a monk. Following the provisions of Church Law, any future exercise of his priesthood will be subject to canonical restrictions imposed by the Abbot of Ampleforth in Council. The restrictions will be designed to avoid any further problems with the young.”
Father Bernard left Ampleforth in 1998, the same year that he became a member of St. Benet’s Hall where he finished his D.Phil before taking up teaching responsibilities.
The Hall has direct links to Ampleforth, and was originally founded as a Catholic house for the monks of Ampleforth’s abbey by an ex-headmaster of the college, Edmund Matthews.
Father Chamberlain was appointed headmaster of Ampleforth in 1992, and retired in 2003 before being appointed Master of St. Benet’s in 2004. The hall’s current tutor in Philosophy, Joseph Shaw, is also an Old Amplefordian.
Students at St. Benet’s have expressed a mixture of anxiety and support regarding Father Green’s current situation. Separate to the investigation, St. Benet’s JCR Treasurer Nick Hanson wrote to the Master of the Hall to express concern and support the student who had initiated the complaint. He later met with Chamberlain and has since said that he is completely happy about the situation.
One undergraduate at St. Benet’s said that the Hall’s authorities had contacted a number of people by e-mail. The undergraduate said the correspondence had enquired as to whether anyone had strong opinions either way about Father Green remaining at the Hall.
He continued to say, “Those who did reply to the email focused very much on Bernard’s success and high regard within the University rather than condoning his very unfortunate actions … nobody at Benet’s would have done that.”
“Leo was trying to gauge the general feeling, as one would expect, but if a handful of people had been significantly upset with Bernard sticking around there could not have been any other option for him but to leave,” but added that “it obviously couldn’t have been the case.”
Finn Carew, a third year Theology student at St. Benet’s, who is taught by Father Green, said he fully supported his tutor and that it was a “private matter that neither he nor the hall wanted publicised.”
Carew said, “It was dealt with internally and an investigation was carried out, and was not something that was taken lightly. But the outcome was that it was not considered serious enough for him to be sent away.”
“Father Bernard is a sensitive man, it has been very difficult for him and he is under massive stress. He is a very very good tutor, an incredibly professional, loving, gentle and kind man.”
Andy Grant, St. Benet’s JCR President, also supported Father Bernard and said, “Father Bernard is a very well respected member of the hall, as well as the University.”
He concluded, “The investigation has been dealt with appropriately”.
Although the Proctors and the University do not comment on individual cases, a spokesperson said that employers only have a legal requirement to carry out a police check via the Criminal Records Bureau and sex offenders register when employing staff who work with children or other vulnerable members of society, and that it does not simply allow employers the privilege of a “blanket check”.ARCHIVE: 0th week MT 2005
Benet’s tutor in harassment investigation
