Two graduate from Jesuit Dallas 40 years after priest sex abuse

Jacques DeLira beamed as he accepted his highschool diploma from Jesuit School Preparatory College. He seemed to his household and mates, who cheered and applauded.

The diploma was about 40 years within the making.

At 57, DeLira was honored in a particular commencement ceremony Friday, together with Brendan Higgins, 54. They’d dropped out within the Eighties after monks on the faculty molested them.

“I dreamt of at the present time for a few years,” DeLira stated.

The boys belong to the lessons of 1983 and 1986, respectively.

DeLira’s mom, Jo, cried softly in the course of the intimate ceremony. She stated his grandparents, who’re deceased, had been smiling down on her son.

The household has a protracted legacy within the faculty. DeLira’s grandfather carried out upkeep and custodial work, and his grandmother did laundry. DeLira stated his grandfather was crushed when he left.

“This faculty has produced a lot good in my life. There’s extra good than dangerous,” he stated. “I cherish it and I all the time have.”

DeLira, Higgins and 7 different males lately sued the varsity, the Catholic Diocese of Dallas and the Society of Jesuits’ USA Central and Southern province, which is the non secular order that features Dallas. The lawsuit alleged the lads had been sexually assaulted as boys by monks within the Nineteen Seventies and early Eighties. The events reached a settlement in March. The financial particulars are confidential.

President Mike Earsing stated he believed the commencement ceremony was a cathartic occasion following a traumatic and tense lawsuit that exposed the allegations intimately.

“To have the ability to deliver pleasure in these two males’s lives and form of shut the loop on the reconciliation and therapeutic was my objective,” he stated. “I would like them to be completely happy.”

DeLira walked across the room carrying congratulatory playing cards and cash family had gifted him.

“Isn’t that humorous? I’m 57 years previous and getting highschool commencement playing cards,” DeLira stated.

A number of the males’s former classmates attended, together with a couple of who had been concerned within the lawsuit.

Higgins stated not graduating from Jesuit all the time bothered him. Although he remained mates with classmates, he generally felt like an outsider.

Through the years, a recurring nightmare from his junior yr has haunted him. He had it once more the night time earlier than his commencement.

Within the dream, Higgins is caught in a gathering that occurred simply earlier than Christmas break. His mother and father are disenchanted in him as a result of he’s failing his lessons. Within the room, just some ft away, is the priest Higgins stated molested him.

Tears brimmed in Higgins’ eyes as Earsing positioned a medal depicting St. Ignatius, founding father of the Jesuit order, round his neck.

Higgins stated he didn’t understand he’d be so emotional. Leaving the ceremony, he was optimistic.

“My hope is that this painful recurring dream will probably be changed with one thing extra optimistic and regenerative,” he stated.