Sister Ellen Flynn said “horrifying” allegations of historical abuses said to have taken place at Smyllum Park orphanage in Lanark are “totally against” everything that the order stands for.
The sister – who shed tears during her testimony – told the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry her heart was with the survivors, as she vowed the order would engage with them and the probe to “put right what wrongs are found”.
The pledge came as she and another witness admitted a variety of historical failures had taken place at the home, including “weak” governance and record-keeping.
The inquiry, sitting in Edinburgh, has heard evidence over several weeks about the institution, which shut its doors in 1981.
Dozens of former residents have testified they receiving beatings and were mistreated as children at the home, run by the nuns of the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul.
Giving evidence to the inquiry, Sister Ellen, the current head of the order, said: “For those who are in distress, for those whom we have hurt in any way, our deepest and most sincere apologies.
“If we can do something about it, let us know.”
She and safeguarding head Sister Eileen Glancy, who gave evidence at the same time, earlier told the probe they wished to amend a previous apology issued because they realised that there was “more than a possibility that some abuse had occurred” at Smyllum.
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