A catholic priest at the University of Oxford was forced to step down after allegations of gro0ming and misconduct were made against him by a student. Father Damian Howard, who was appointed as a Senior Chaplain at the Oxford University Catholic Chaplaincy (OUCC) in 2023, has left the organisation after the ‘vulnerable’ student came forward with allegations of inappropriate sxual behaviour. He alleged that Howard initiated sxual contact with him while the student was under the influence of alcohol, encouraged him to sleep in his bed, and removed his clothing. They added the priest, who described his role with the chaplaincy as ‘pastoral’, told them not to tell anyone about what was going on because it would ‘ruin’ him. Following an investigation by the Jesuits in Britain the claims made by the student were ‘substantiated’ and Howard was ‘asked to resign’, the OUCC said in a statement. Howard was the Provincial Superior of Jesuits in Britain, the leading role in the organisation, for six years before moving to the OUCC. During that time, he made a personal apology to one of the victims of Peter Orr, a Jesuit priest who was alleged to have sxually abused boys between the 1960s and 2000s. Howard is said to have first met the student in 2023 and went on to invite him on day trips and dinners. The student added: ‘He witnessed the implosion of my faith, my life, and my emotional state; rather than offering the kind of disinterested support a Chaplain would, he used me as a crutch for his loneliness.’ Following an investigation into the complaint, Howard was told to resign in August, but this was not announced by the OUCC or Jesuits in Britain and no publication of his professional misconduct was made. In a statement, a spokesperson for Jesuits in Britain told the Daily Mail: ‘We take every complaint extremely seriously and respond with care and diligence. When this complaint was received, the safeguarding team of Jesuits in Britain carried out an investigation. ‘Based on their conclusions, immediate action was taken: Fr Damian Howard SJ was asked to step down on the grounds of professional misconduct and has not been in ministry since. ‘All complaints are dealt with by following a structured process designed to ensure fairness, protection and care. Initial assessment is followed by appropriate action, and in cases requiring independent oversight, matters are referred for external review. ‘In this case, the safeguarding investigation included interviews with relevant parties, as well as a careful examination of documented interactions between them. This comprehensive approach ensured that the matter was considered fully. ‘We are now awaiting the recommendations from the independent review and stand ready to take any further actions as required. ‘While we cannot comment on individual cases while the review is underway, we are confident that our procedures ensure complaints are addressed with integrity. We remain committed to transparency, accountability, and attending to the wellbeing of all involved.’ Jesuit bosses told the student in an email in October it has not found concrete evidence of ‘grooming’ – but an independent review into the handling of the complaint is now underway by the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CCSA). Addressing his resignation, the OUCC said Howard ‘was asked to step down from this role on the grounds of professional misconduct, following a complaint made by a student, which was investigated by the Jesuits in Britain and found to be substantiated.’ The OUCC has been contacted for further comment. The post Catholic priest steps down after gro0ming and misconduct allegations appeared first on TIME.I.NG.
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