The Christian Brothers Catholic order transferred 26 properties worth over $50 million to Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA) for $1 or $0 each between 2013 and 2024, according to property records obtained by Guardian Australia. The transfers occurred while the order tells a court it is broke and seeks a moratorium on at least 200 civil claims from abuse survivors.
Property transfers for nominal sums
In New South Wales alone, the Christian Brothers transferred multimillion-dollar homes, school buildings, and vacant land to EREA for $1 or $0. The most recent transfer, in November 2024, involved a five-bedroom Strathfield home with a pool, valued at $4.7 million, sold for $1. Many transfers were signed by the order's Oceania leader, Peter Clinch, who died in 2024.
EREA, established in 2007 as a separate legal entity, holds net assets of $2.3 billion and $345 million in cash. An EREA spokesperson said the organization is not responsible for the Christian Brothers' liabilities and that diverting school assets would raise governance issues.
Legal tactic to halt claims
The Christian Brothers applied for a court-ordered moratorium on all remaining civil cases, seeking to halt claims from abuse survivors. The order proposes selling its remaining 36 properties, worth about $216 million, and distributing proceeds among creditors, including survivors, via a scheme run by retired judges. It has admitted the sale will not cover all owed amounts.
Survivors and their lawyers expressed shock and distress. Judy Courtin, a lawyer representing a survivor, said the tactic is designed to destroy victim-survivors. Jason Parkinson of Porters Lawyers called it a variation on the church's historical denial of liability.
Context of abuse
The Christian Brothers had the highest number of child abuse claims against any Catholic order in Australia: 1,015 claims between 1980 and 2015, involving 483 alleged perpetrators across 100 schools. A royal commission found the order was aware of abuse but continued to move offenders through its network.
A Christian Brothers spokesperson said the scheme would allow scrutiny of property transfers to EREA and that no funding from Catholic bodies, including EREA, has been provided. The moratorium is not intended to prevent claims against other institutions, the spokesperson added.
