Andert had a great deal to drink and told the parents that his new assignment was his “perfect dream job.” And it was…“to be a prefect in a college dorm; have his desk across from the door of the showers where he could watch the young tight white asses of the boys going in and out.”
Abbot Kelly Covered Up Misconduct by Fr. Andert
Excerpt from St. John’s Abbey Suffers Relapse
But Ned was finally able to share his concerns with his parents. Once Ned’s parents heard his story they went to see Abbot Timothy. Their experience is still fresh and distasteful. Whether from information at this interview or from other sources, Abbot Timothy agreed to remove Andert from the prep school.
As he assured the parents, he “patted” Ned’s mother on the head and said, “Don’t worry, everything will be OK.” She still shutters at the memory and finds the meeting “condescending.” Ned and his parents felt intimidated and humiliated.
Abbot Kelly appointed Andert prefect in the freshman college dorm.
Ned’s dad, an ardent long-time supporter of St. John’s, was a class ahead of Andert when they were in Prep School. In hope’s of smoothing the edges of the conflict of the demotion from headmaster, Ned’s dad and mother invited Andert to supper at Pirate’s Cove, an up scale restaurant in the area. Andert had a great deal to drink and told the parents that his new assignment was his “perfect dream job.” And it was…“to be a prefect in a college dorm; have his (my) desk across from the door of the showers where he (I) could watch the young tight white asses of the boys going in and out.” The memory of that statement still haunts the parents.
Ned’s father met again with Kelly and told him: “From what I have seen this man is a threat to students.” He meant even college students. Kelly said, “What do you expect me to do?” Kelly in turn chided Ned’s father for talking to me about the situation and continuing concern.
After Kelly’s indifference, his transfer of Andert simply to an older group of potential victims plus the lack of any response to several reports from other parents and even monks who turned to me for the same assistance I felt tremendous pressure. I had talked about all of it to Kelly in private. (Every private report was ignored and put down, even those later acknowledged and settled by the Abbey. No investigation.)
Here I was Chair of a project set up and widely publicized to protect children and help eliminate dangers, first and foremost at St. John’s, but the head of the institution turned a deaf and defiant ear to the information that I was relaying to him. I polled the Executive Committee of the ISTI board for advice. They seemed supportive of my determination to speak with Kelly openly in an Executive Board meeting on September 18, 1995. The reaction of Abbot Timothy Kelly can only be described as verbally violent and rejecting. “I will not be manipulated,” are some of his words I remember.
Source: St. John’s Abbey Suffers Relapse
