The Jesuits, Kevin Laheen, and the Unfolding Scandal: Why Immediate Action Is Needed

On Thursday, 28th March 2019, from 2 PM to 4 PM, senior members of the Irish Jesuit Order were present as Kevin Laheen SJ lay reposing at Cherryfield Lodge, Milltown Park. Among them was Father Leonard Moloney SJ, then head of the Irish Jesuits. His presence, and his direct interception of victims at the door, was no pastoral act—it was damage control. He was there. He knew.

To this day, neither Moloney nor the current Provincial, Shane Daly SJ, have been held accountable for the role they played in covering up decades of abuse committed by Father Kevin Laheen, a known predator and trafficker of children. His death notice, published on RIP.ie on 27th March 2019, described his passing as “deeply regretted by his Jesuit Community at Leeson Street.”

That line is not only inappropriate—it is an affront to survivors. This "deep regret" from the Jesuits rings hollow in the face of what Laheen did to children and the protection he received from the highest ranks of the Church. In fact, it was known as early as 1962 that Laheen had been harming minors. One documented victim was a little girl on a Jesuit retreat in 1967. And yet, he was allowed to continue for decades—with access to vehicles, schools, children, and silence.

Remove the Books. Remove the Praise.

All publications and writings by Kevin Laheen must be immediately removed from circulation. Any public homage—including the aforementioned death notice—should be taken down as a matter of respect and justice. The Irish public should not be subjected to the glorification of a man who used his position to traffic and abuse children, aided by a clerical network that remains active today.

This Is Not Historic—It Is Active

The Jesuit Order in Ireland continues to shield itself through carefully worded PDFs, internal "investigations" led by those with direct ties to the abusers, and persistent efforts to control where and how victims report their trauma. Victims are being encouraged to speak directly to the Jesuits rather than to An Garda Síochána, an outrageous and deeply unethical approach that undermines justice.

Make no mistake: this is not a historical reckoning. This is an active criminal conspiracy. The transportation of minors by Kevin Laheen—in Jesuit vehicles, across county lines, often to secluded retreats with private pools—fits the legal definition of child trafficking under both Irish law and international human rights law.

“In cases involving children, no force is required. The act of transporting a child for the purpose of exploitation is trafficking.”

Arrests Must Be Made—Now

It is time for immediate arrests of those responsible for shielding Kevin Laheen and suppressing evidence of his crimes. This includes:

• Father Leonard Moloney SJ, former Provincial, present during Laheen’s repose

• Father Shane Daly SJ, current head of the Jesuits in Ireland and overseer of an internal review riddled with conflicts of interest

These individuals must be investigated by An Garda Síochána, not the Jesuit Order. Additionally, international oversight from the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the European Court of Justice (ECJ) should be sought if the Irish State fails to act.

Human Trafficking Charges Should Apply

The crimes committed by Laheen and those who enabled him meet the threshold for human trafficking:

• He transported children in Jesuit vehicles.

• He used religious authority and institutional access to exploit minors.

• He operated under the protection of an organized clerical structure based at 35–36 Leeson Street, Dublin 2.

If these facts applied to a layperson, human trafficking and conspiracy charges would already be filed. The law must not falter simply because the perpetrators wore cassocks and collars.

Financial Redress Is Not Optional

A legal task force must be assembled to:

• Secure damages and reparations for victims of Laheen and the Jesuit Order.

• Freeze Jesuit assets if necessary to fund survivor support programs.

• Create a public victims’ fund to provide immediate access to therapy, legal aid, housing, and trauma recovery services.

This is not just about justice. It is about healing—and that process begins with real accountability.

Summary

• Kevin Laheen SJ was a child abuser and trafficker shielded by the Irish Jesuits.

• Father Leonard Moloney SJ and Shane Daly SJ were directly involved in damage control and obstruction.

• The Jesuit Order must be criminally investigated—not internally reviewed.

• An Garda Síochána must take action now. The ICC and ECJ should step in if they fail.

• This is an active cover-up—not a closed chapter.

• Financial compensation must be delivered, not just words.

Justice begins when silence ends.
We will not stop until every person involved in this cover-up is held to account.