Marists maintain their religious stance accused a year ago of abusing at least 15 children in the 1980s | Community

EL PAÍS launched an investigation into pedophilia in the Spanish Church in 2018 and has a number Database Updated with all known cases. If you know of an unprecedented case, you can write to us at: [email protected]. If it’s a Latin American case, the address is: [email protected].
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EL PAÍS launched an investigation into pedophilia in the Spanish Church in 2018 and has a number Database Updated with all known cases. If you know of an unprecedented case, you can write to us at: [email protected]. If it’s a Latin American case, the address is: [email protected].

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Marist Antonio Tejedor had a lump in his throat on June 16 when it came time to say goodbye as a regional delegate for SED Ibérica, an NGO for the Education of Children in Exclusion. It was a difficult and complicated year. I will not insist so as not to open wounds,” the religious man echoed in a video call in front of dozens of members. The “wound” that Tejidor did not want to delve into is the accusations against him of abusing at least 15 children in a Marist school in Guadalajara, between 1978 and 1984, when he was a teacher. The news broke in December, with the third report of EL PAÍS on pedophilia in the church, which included the testimonies of a victim and two witnesses. Then two more victims joined, which were incorporated into the fourth report of this newspaper, delivered last month. One highlighted that in the spring of 2022 he had already reported the case to Marist, so they could investigate and remove Tejedor from his posts, but nothing came of it.In fact, in August 2022, Tejedor wrote on his blog that he was volunteering in Guatemala, on Contacting minors, he interviewed several students from a professional training center in Chichicastenango, in the northwest of the country.In fact, he remained in office for the remainder of the year: he organized and chaired the annual meeting of the NGO’s regional partners in June.

In December, when this paper reported the case, a spokeswoman for the congregation admitted that they had received a complaint, apologized on behalf of the congregation, and announced that Tegidor would be removed. But it is now clear that this was not the case. The order simply erased the defendant’s name from the NGO’s organizational chart posted on its website, but did not dismiss him and has kept him in office until now. According to what the religious man himself said at the meeting, he would not give up: “I will continue as a volunteer in the organization.”

Marist admits that a new delegate was not formally appointed until June 16, at the meeting at which Teguedore said his “formal farewell”. They only explain: “Since we became aware of the facts denounced, the SED Ibérica delegation has been assigned to posts by the Social Pastoral Team of Marist Ibérica Province.” At any rate, the fact is that Tejedor signed the letter inviting the partners to the annual meeting and was even the person to whom the vote could be delegated if it was not possible to attend. The order repeats his request for amnesty from the victims “because they were unable to protect them.”

Tgedor was known by his students as El Walrus, due to his long mustache. Now he wears it short and gray. After saying his goodbyes during the video call, some of his teammates gave him encouragement. Director Luis Naranjo wrote in the chat: “Thanks Antonio!!! Without you, SED wouldn’t be the same.” SED’s work is mainly focused on the field of education in Spain – especially in Marist schools – but also in 14 countries in Africa and Latin America. Each year, they quote on their website, more than 100 people are part of their volunteer programs. It is divided into four regional delegations: Compostela, Mediterranean, Catalan and Iberian. Of these, Tjidor has been a delegate since 2016. Before taking up this position, he was a national manager for 12 years.

The management of this case by the Marists exemplifies what happens in many cases denounced by the victims: little will to investigate what happened by the ecclesiastical authorities, laxity when it comes to reparations and informing those affected and passivity before the accused, those who, like Tejedor, continue to maintain on their stand. “They are not ashamed. They are less formal than a cat in killing. They have the muscle memory to cover up and do nothing,” asserts Vicente Carrasco, witness to the religious abuses and first complainant. The Marists are the third most members accused of pedophilia, 133 religious who have allegedly abused 315 victims in recent decades. Most of these crimes, such as this religious one, are legitimate.

Tejedor entered the order in 1969 and between the late 1970s and 1980s he was a teacher at the Marist Center in Guadalajara. in the latter, He was a pre-tech, religion, and gymnastics teacher. Carrasco, a student of Tejedor between 1982 and 1983, wrote to EL PAÍS a year ago because of the surprise that this religious’s case had not yet come to light, despite the fact that he had already communicated it months before to the Order. According to him, it was an open secret in the center. Carrasco follows the clergyman sitting behind his desk in the classroom and when the students come to ask him something, he puts his hand behind his pants. “One time I had one on each side, both hands reaching into the pants of two teenagers. I remember all this because they would never be more than four meters away from me. I’ve been silent since 1982 because nothing happened to me, that monster didn’t catch me, but I saw him day after day, ”confirms Carrasco, who assures that the Marists never contacted him again.

Other former students from Guadalajara wrote to this newspaper to corroborate Carrasco’s account. Bautista (not his real name) recounts: “He put his hand inside our shirts during classes. He did it in front of everyone, he didn’t hide. We were always the most boyish. He did it while he was walking between desks and explaining something during pre-tech classes. I don’t know if He had done more serious things in private.” Tejedor also went to other schools of the order, according to several interviews he gave a decade ago in various local media. In addition to being a teacher in Guadalajara, he has worked in Marist centers in Talavera de la Reina (Toledo), San José del Parque, in Madrid, and Collado Villalba, in the Autonomous Community of Madrid.