Latest news with #OneVoice
Irish Times
6 days ago
- Irish Times
Spiritans' promise of redress must be ‘substantiated by actions', says abuse survivors group
Redress proposals for abuse survivors by the Spiritan congregation, which runs Blackrock College and other leading schools in Ireland , 'urgently needs to be substantiated by actions', survivors' group Restore Together has said. It represents people who were sexually abused at Spiritan-run schools. Group spokesman Philip Feddis said 'urgent delivery of a victim-centred, non-adversarial redress scheme is critical'. Ongoing delays on the order's part are 'undermining the benefits of what has been delivered to date', he said. READ MORE His comments follow a public commitment by Spiritan Provincial Fr Brendan Carr to pay redress to survivors of abuse in the schools. By last November, 359 survivors of abuse at Spiritan schools had come forward, including the 347 disclosed in the scoping inquiry report on abuse at private fee-paying schools published last September. In an open letter on Monday to survivors of abuse by members and employees of the Spiritans , Fr Carr announced 'a restorative framework which we hope can help all to arrive at a different place in this painful and difficult journey'. This, he said, was prepared 'with the help of Restore Together, One Voice, and other significant advocates and individuals who were abused in our schools and other contexts, who have engaged directly with us'. Fr Carr said the Spiritans have established a 'finance advisory team, with the expertise to lead a strategic restructuring of the Province's assets'. It would 'fast-track the development of sustainable funding streams, including immediate and medium-term provisions for redress'. He hoped that by the end of this summer he could 'provide a further, more detailed update of the progress we are making in forging new paths to create a just redress scheme'. In response, Mr Feddis said 'victims/survivors will judge the statement based on actions and how soon they receive restorative justice in its entirety'. He stated that a redress scheme is the 'most urgent and important element'. Delivery of a full restorative justice programme by the Spiritans is 'already long overdue', Mr Feddis added. The order's 'ongoing delays' undermine what has been delivered to date – an apology and therapy – and 'diminishes the potential for restorative justice to have full effect for victims/ survivors', he said. Victims and survivors must have 'active decision-making input' in determining what is best for their healing, Mr Feddis said, adding that 'justice delayed is justice denied, and that is where we are at'. He said Restore Together will work intensively with the Spiritans to address how the three inactivated elements of the programme can be 'enabled as soon as humanly possible'.
Irish Times
16-06-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Spiritans commit to redress scheme for school abuse survivors in attempt to ‘offer atonement'
The head of the religious congregation behind Blackrock College and other prominent schools has made a public commitment to paying redress to survivors of abuse in the schools. In an open letter to survivors of abuse by members and employees of the Spiritan congregation, Provincial Fr Brendan Carr announced 'a restorative framework which we hope can help all to arrive at a different place in this painful and difficult journey'. This, he said, was prepared 'with the help of Restore Together, One Voice, and other significant advocates and individuals who were abused in our schools and other contexts, who have engaged directly with us'. It 'acknowledges the abuses, failures and omissions of the past, refocuses on the present needs of those who suffered and those carrying pain and allows all to look to and find peace and a different and better future where humanly possible'. READ MORE The Spiritans, he said, had established a 'finance advisory team, with the expertise to lead a strategic restructuring of the Province's assets'. It would 'fast-track the development of sustainable funding streams, including immediate and medium-term provisions for redress'. By last November, 359 survivors of abuse at Spiritan schools had come forward, including the 347 disclosed in the scoping inquiry report on abuse at private fee-paying schools published last September. [ Spiritans accused of putting own interests before those of abuse victims Opens in new window ] In the past when it came to redress, Fr Carr said, the congregation 'engaged through what we understood to be the standard mechanism available – legal negotiations conducted between legal representatives for the Spiritans and the persons making the legal claims'. He acknowledged this 'was not an adequate response for those seeking safe and healing space for victims/survivors'. 'Advocates and victim-led representations have taught us that a different redress scheme was needed – one that was victim-centred, less adversarial and faster.' He added that, notwithstanding the expected Government commission of investigation into abuse in schools and its pledge of redress for survivors, 'we Spiritans believe we have a moral and collective obligation to respond to and offer atonement' to those 'whose lives were severely impacted'. The agreed framework contains four elements which, as well as redress, offers survivors meetings with Spiritan representatives who would acknowledge what happened and apologise, as well as therapy and counselling, and a commitment to memorialise both the suffering of survivors and atonement by Spiritans. [ Spiritans have paid €8.8m in settlements to 125 abuse survivors since 1998 Opens in new window ] Fr Carr said the redress scheme was 'but one part of our sincere endeavour and commitment to be accountable at this time for what happened in another time'. 'Child sexual abuse is a devastating crime. It shatters the lives of victims and causes deep and lasting harm to families and friends,' he said, adding that such abuse 'also profoundly affects school communities'. 'I want to publicly acknowledge this impact and offer apology and empathy to the current principals, staff, students and parents of Spiritan schools,' he said. 'Too often, you have found yourselves having to respond to situations in which you had no involvement and over which you had no control. I, of course, extend this apology to the volunteers and employees of SET [Spiritan Education Trust], the body that runs Spiritan schools.' It was his 'sincere hope', Fr Carr said, that by the end of the summer he could 'provide a further, more detailed update of the progress we are making in forging new paths to create a just redress scheme'.
Scottish Sun
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Britain's Got Talent finalist found NOT guilty of pinning down and raping two women while studying opera
A BRITAIN'S Got Talent finalist has been found not guilty of pinning down and raping two women. Andrew Johnston, 30, allegedly grabbed the women by the throat during sex and refused to wear a condom. 5 Andrew Johnston has been found not guilty of raping two women Credit: PA 5 He appeared on Britain's Got Talent in 2008 Credit: TalkBack The former choirboy was 13 when he finished third on the second series of the ITV talent show in 2008. Johnston received a £1million record deal with Simon Cowell's Syco Music record label and his album 'One Voice' made it to number five in the UK Chart. The alleged offences happened a number of years later while he was studying opera at the Royal Academy of Music. Johnston has now been found not guilty of two charges of rape and one of sexual assault. Southwark Crown Court was told during the first alleged attack, Johnston removed a condom during sex - causing his victim to beg him to stop. Despite her pleas, he was accused of carrying on and grabbing her throat while pinning her down. He also "became more forceful" and slammed the headboard into the wall as the woman began "panicking", jurors were told. During her evidence, she claimed she felt forced to stay over at Johnston's home because she was too scared to leave. She said: "It was difficult to me. I felt frozen and stuck in place. "I felt trapped and like I couldn't move. I felt stuck and anxious." Following the alleged attack, the woman bumped into Johnston on a night out where he groped her bottom and refused to leave, it was said. Jurors were told he then grabbed her by the shoulders and verbally abused her before "forcibly" kissing the woman. The court heard the second woman was allegedly attacked three months later after Johnston took her to a "sex club" in London. She told the singer to wear a condom, which Johnston was accused of removing during intercourse. Maryam Syed, prosecuting, said: "She described how she started to feel the defendant's hands around her neck, and no matter how many times she removed them, she said the defendant Mr Johnston kept on putting his hands back around her throat. "She made, she told police, multiple attempts to remove his hands but he did not remove them." Johnston accused both women of telling "a pack of lies" in his own evidence. The singer described his style of sex as "fast, energetic, maybe a bit passionate" but told the jury he was never aggressive, always used a condom and that the sex was consensual. Johnston also told jurors he has "never sung a note" since the allegations were made against him. 5 Johnston allegedly grabbed the women by the throat 5 He had denied the charges against him Credit: PA
The Irish Sun
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Britain's Got Talent finalist found NOT guilty of pinning down and raping two women while studying opera
A BRITAIN'S Got Talent finalist has been found not guilty of pinning down and raping two women. Andrew Johnston, 30, allegedly Advertisement 5 Andrew Johnston has been found not guilty of raping two women Credit: PA 5 He appeared on Britain's Got Talent in 2008 Credit: TalkBack The former choirboy was 13 when he finished third on the second series of the ITV talent show in 2008. Johnston received a £1million record deal with Simon Cowell's Syco Music record label and his album 'One Voice' made it to number five in the UK Chart. The alleged offences happened a number of years later while he was studying opera at the Royal Academy of Music. Johnston has now been found not guilty of two charges of rape and one of sexual assault. Advertisement Southwark Crown Court was told during the first alleged attack, Johnston removed a condom during sex - causing his victim to beg him to stop. Despite her pleas, he was accused of carrying on and grabbing her throat while pinning her down. He also "became more forceful" and slammed the headboard into the wall as the woman began "panicking", jurors were told. During her evidence, she claimed she felt Advertisement Most read in Showbiz Exclusive Pictured She said: "It was difficult to me. I felt frozen and stuck in place. "I felt trapped and like I couldn't move. I felt stuck and anxious." Following the alleged attack, the woman bumped into Johnston on a night out where he groped her bottom and refused to leave, it was said. Jurors were told he then grabbed her by the shoulders and verbally abused her before "forcibly" kissing the woman. Advertisement The court heard the second woman was allegedly attacked three months later after Johnston took her to a "sex club" in London. She told the singer to wear a condom, which Johnston was accused of removing during intercourse. Maryam Syed, prosecuting, said: "She described how she started to feel the defendant's hands around her neck, and no matter how many times she removed them, she said the defendant Mr Johnston kept on putting his hands back around her throat. "She made, she told police, multiple attempts to remove his hands but he did not remove them." Advertisement Johnston accused both women of telling "a pack of lies" in his own evidence. Read more on the Irish Sun The singer described his style of sex as "fast, energetic, maybe a bit passionate" but told the jury he was never aggressive, always used a condom and that the sex was consensual. Johnston also told jurors he has "never sung a note" since the allegations were made against him. 5 Johnston allegedly grabbed the women by the throat Advertisement 5 He had denied the charges against him Credit: PA 5 Johnston wowed the BGT judges as a youngster
Time of India
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Barbra Streisand teams up with Bob Dylan, Hozier, Ariana Grande, others stars for new duets album
Singer Barbra Streisand will join forces with the legendary singer Bob Dylan , Paul McCartney, Hozier, Ariana Grande and others for a collection of duets, reported Variety. The record is titled "The Secret Of Life: Partners, Volume Two," and is a sequel to her 2014 album "Partners". As per the outlet, the music record will be released on June 27. One of the 11 tracks, "One Heart, One Voice," is not a duet but rather finds Streisand forming a trio with two of the biggest voices in music, Mariah Carey and Ariana Grande, reported Variety. Other singers who have boarded the ship with Barbra Streisand include Sting, James Taylor , Sam Smith , Josh Groban, Tim McGraw and Seal. The first single, a collaboration with Hozier on the classic 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,' has just been released to DSPs. In a statement by Hozier as quoted by Variety, the singer was all praise for Barbra as he collaborates with her for the song. "Barbra Streisand is one of the most enduring and iconic vocalists of our time, and somebody who defined an era with the sheer force of her voice, her talent, charisma and vision. To be asked to join her on a duet was a huge honor and came as a wonderful and welcome surprise." said Hozier as quoted by Variety. The 'Take me to Church' singer believes that his song with Barbra 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' will be a tribute to Roberta Flack's incredible legacy. "Ewan MacColl's 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,' made famous by the stunning Roberta Flack recording, has always mystified me. It is, to me, one of the most beautiful love songs ever written. Like so many, I was deeply saddened to hear of her recent passing. Along with the honour I have to sing on this record with Barbra, I hope this duet offers something of a gesture to Roberta Flack's incredible legacy." added Hozier as quoted by Variety. Dylan has rarely recorded duets over the decades, so fans will be eager for the collaboration between him and Barbra. On her iconic collaborations, the singer Barbra said, "I've always loved singing duets with gifted artists. They inspire me in unique and different make our time in the studio a joy! My new album, 'The Secret Of Life: Partners, Volume Two,' gave me the chance to work and play with some of my old friends, label mates, and new artists too. I admire all of them... and I hope that you'll enjoy listening to our collaborations as much as I enjoyed recording with all of my wonderful partners," as quoted by Variety.
