I went to Calvert Hall College High School from 1963-1967. We had a few odd teachers, but fortunately I missed the Rev. Lawrence Brett, who was chaplain there for a few years, 1970-1973, of his long career of molesting teenage boys.
He was on the lam from police and living under an assumed name in Martinique. He died on Christmas day after falling down a flight of stairs.
His victims at Calvert Hall remember his modus operandi.
Hired as Calvert Hall’s chaplain and religion teacher in 1970, Brett became known among students and faculty at the school for his sharp mind and hip coolness, former students and colleagues said.
“He would hold court, literally, in his office,” said Charles T. LoPresto, a Calvert Hall graduate who returned there in 1969 as a young teacher and quickly became friends with Brett. “These boys would just clamor to be part of that inner circle with him.”
In his courses, Brett exposed students to a variety of religious doctrines, said Dembeck, who had Brett as a religion teacher for two years.
“He taught us about all the major world religions,” he said. “He taught us a bunch of stuff that was way outside the box of Catholicism that I grew up with.”
Yes, indeed, “out of the box.” What exactly was Brett teaching? – the most advanced doctrines of proportionalism, perhaps, as a prelude to introducing teenage boys to sex.
Molesters use whatever approach works – Maciel used traditionalist Catholicism, Brett hip Catholicism.
It appears that any accusation, however flimsy, is being defined as “abuse” and accepted as proof. It is interesting how these gay-priest fables have been influenced by porno films and political scandals. Decades ago, the stories were all about buggery. Now, when you want to accuse a priest of homosexuality, you portray him as doing a Monica Lewinsky.
Not sure what your point is Sally, but I was there in the early 70s when Brett was there, when Bro. Eugene was there, when Bro. D. James was there and when Bro. Xavier was there and I know what it was like. It was the most ethically twisted environment a young teen could grow up in. It was a school riddled with pederasts, a school where all of the freshman were required to swim naked during Pys. Ed. while a single porthole beneath the pool provided underwater views. Do you want to hear more?
I vouch for that Jerry, I was there as well….all well said…
Marty (class of ’74)
Class of 76. Went camping with bro Eugene
Class of ’75. I remember the rumors, and recall all the instructors referenced above. Eugene and Brett were the worse. Why wasn’t anyone monitoring those creeps? And who hid Brett in the islands for all those years?
Brother Eugene… nicknamed brother mo gene, would pull his blinds down in the typing room, lock both doors, and ask me to unbutton my shirt… then he’d kneel, undo my belt, pull down my pants, and think Monica Lewinsky. There was at least one other boy he did this to, who was on the JV soccer team at the time. He’d come announce it just happened at lunch. I can’t say I hated it or felt molested, and it guaranteed my grade. I actually think the people who sue for this must have other issues or are trying to cash in. I also remember Brother Xavier saying to Brother Joe, on an evening sports night, when we were told we didn’t need bathing suits to go swimming, “let’s go see the bodies.” He saw I overheard and seemed embarrassed.
I was waiting alone for my father to pick me up after practice doing homework. I was jumped by Bro E trying to wrestle with me. He thought it was funny, skinny me trying to push him off, groping me. I went to get his hand off me but grabbed his thumb and rotated it. He groaned in screaming agony let go, and quickly ran out the side door not saying a word. The next day I saw him in class with a cast on his arm. I believe there is a old pic maybe yearbook. After class he held up his cast, looked at me and said, “You did this”. At the time I was quietly real proud of myself. After athletic season was over several of us were admittedly horsing around, like boys do, in a classroom used as a nerd club room after school. Suddenly there was a loud banging at the locked door. One boy unlocked it and the door quickly swung open and Bro E landed a really hard punch like a prize fighter squarely to the kid’s abdominal area that instantly dropped him gasping to catch a breath, remember we’re ‘nerds’. What happened to that kid gave me a sick feeling that hit me hard as I flashed back to athletic, I was lucky to still be alive.
Went there 1972-1973. Brett was an absolute predator. As one of his victims
everything I read I totally believe is true. That school hid it. The teachers hid it.
The church hid him until his death.. Rot in hell.
I hate that school and everyone who ever worked there.