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Warning: This post is based on an episode of Four Corners that aired on the ABC on Monday night and exposed coverups of sexual abuse by the Catholic Church. Parts of the show were extremely confronting, as are sections of this post.
Daniel Powell was only 11 years old when Father F, a priest at the church where he was an altar boy, performed oral sex on him.
He was not the only one abused. Damien Jurd was also just a child when he was sodomised by Father F.
In 2001 Damien took his own life. In 2007 Daniel did the same.
Damien’s brother has said: “It would have been no different if he [the priest] would have taken a gun and shot him – it just took longer. But it’s not just Damien – it’s so many other people and it’s the same circumstance.”
“If someone would have gone out and been responsible for the deaths and suicides of that amount of people it would be front page news. But because this was a catholic priest and because it was brushed under the table he’s still out there; he’s never been brought to justice.”
Last night the ABC’s Four Corners program revealed that Father F not only abused these two children but that he admitted as much to the Church. And that it was deliberately covered up.
The ABC reports today that:
…The church failed to pass on abuse admissions by a priest to police.
Four Corners obtained documents showing a New South Wales priest, from the parishes of Moree and later Parramatta, who is accused of abusing young boys, made clear admissions during a meeting with three senior priests, but they never referred the matter to police.
The program also detailed several cases in which priests were merely moved on, when the church was made aware of sexual abuse claims against them.
Father F worked at the NSW parishes of Moree and later Parramatta, in the 1980s.
Four Corners allege that Father F told three senior priests during a 2003 Church investigation, that he did sexually abuse five altar boys during that time. But that information was never passed onto police.
When Archbishop Cardinal George Pell was questioned about Father F’s admissions and the alleged cover up, he responded: “I certainly didn’t know that, I’m surprised at that. I would take the word of three priests against that allegation.”
Here’s what was being said on Twitter as the episode went to air:
You can watch the full Four Corners episode here.
If you or someone you know needs support, contact Lifelife on 13 11 14.
Were you watching last night? What were your thoughts on the episode? Do you think we are becoming immune because so much abuse is being uncovered? How do stories such as these influence your views on the Catholic Church?
Comments
78 Comments so far
Do you realise this is the religion that Katie wants Suri to be indoctrinated into? They believe in drinking fake human blood and fake human flesh. Their God is an absolute arsehole. If you don’t obey his rules to the letter you spend eternity in Hell. If you are bad enough to him he will kill you. He killed every living thing on this planet in a flood except for those few on a boat. He’s turned people to stone. He’s turned people into pillars of salt. Disgusting really.
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The true story of a nine year old girl who was viciously attacked by a Catholic Priest in 1946 in the country township of Cootamundra, is featured in her published memoir. This act was so shameful that it was never reported to any authority of medical or lawful nature,for fear of reprisals from the all powerful De La Salle Order in that Roman Catholic orientated community of that small town.
Who was going to believe a small child’s story against the word of a highly respected ‘ man of the cloth’, who had given so much comfort to the congregation of that church, during and after the horror of the war years? Absolutely nobody would have listened! This little child was physically and psychologically damaged for the rest of her life, while the perpetrator went scot free. That’s the way things were back then,and the cover- ups still go on to this day. Shame on the Roman Catholic empire that would shield such abhorrent Behaviour. Brother Brendan Carroll who died during the 1980′s was the much disgraced priest who should have languished in a prison cell instead of leading the charmed life of a priest.
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Makes you question the fact that so many people live their lives and put all of their faith in religion, what happens when they realise the person they’ve let influence them is a sexual predator?
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My dad who was forced to go to a catholic boys school In the 50′s , told me that not only was sexual abuse rife, but the horrific physical abuse he experienced was so rampant , he thought it was part of the religion. I have nothing but contempt for all religious institutions .
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I sense that my dad experienced this during his boarding school days too. I am the eldest of four children & we grew up with a very “up-down” Dad who has forever wrestled with the pain of his abuse. The intergenerational pain this abuse causes is so destructive – my siblings & I have all wrestled with low self esteem & depression, in large part stemming from that of our Dad’s.
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Read the Broken Rites website. You will see father f’s name there. Or ask anyone from Armidale.
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I don’t believe in god and never have. I believe religion is the root of all evil. I can’t stand how people hide behind religion and say god’s forgiven me ,no matter how heinous the crime they’ve committed. ( my opinion only) What a cop out.
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yeah and you all thought scientology was fucked up
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“in the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends..” Dr Martin Luther King Jr
I am not a catholic but know with all my heart that if child abuse occurred and was so prevellant within my religion’s community I will never set foot there ever again and will do all that I can to ensure that the police, media and the community knows about this. My heart goes out to these poor little souls. So sick of hearing this happening over and over again
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What I don’t understand about all this is why the parents of children who were abused by catholic priests didn’t go to the Police and report it. Instead they made a complaint within the church:/
Four Corners allege that Father F told three senior priests during a 2003 Church investigation, that he did sexually abuse five altar boys during that time. But that information was never passed onto police.
Seeing that their was a church investigation, the boy’s parents must have raised the issue of the abuse with the church, so the parents are also to blame that the police weren’t involved.
My family is catholic and I know that if either of my children had sexually suffered at the hands of a priest, my first port of call would be the police station not the offices of the church.
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Yes! My thoughts exactly!
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Not all parents call the police when they find out their child was sexually abused. Mine didn’t.
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I watched a documentary on ABC 2 a few weeks ago now on the same subject entitled Deliver Us From Evil. Real anger inducing stuff. You can watch it here http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/deliver-us-from-evil/
The part that made me cry the most was when two of the victims wrote to the Pope in an effort to aid their healing. They approached the entrance of the Vatican, told security why they were there and were told no one would see them. Completely Ignored. Invisible.
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I too saw this- it was heart wrenching for those victims to be ignored- I definitely don’t believe in ignoring this…
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So I ask the Catholics who are outraged at this, what are they doing about it? Do they raise the issue when they go to church on a Sunday, do they petition the hierarchy, do they stop donations, do they stop practicing their faith? You can’t be genuinely appalled and outraged yet do nothing.
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I consistently have urged my parish to raise this issue of keeping the confessional seal in matters of extreme urgency… I refuse to go to confession and do not send my children to confession until I can be assured that if someone(not only a priest) confessed a serious crime that it should be conveyed to police and this person should be held accountable. Not donating does not hinder my religion, but my children- those donations go to our parish which supports my childs feeder school and maintains the church staff and facilities that I attend. I do not support priests who abuse children and I would immediately disclose any information I knew if I was to discover any criminal activity in my church, whether it was my priest, or any other person.
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I think also ladybug- stopping the practice of their faith is not
Relevant, as priests are not divine etc – thy are human and come with error, sometimes serious error- stopping the practice of faith does not erase this or stick it to them, if a person has genuine faith, thy will continue to pray and believe etc- I know a devout catholic who does not attend church, but she is very faithful- the priest is not a connector to god, he is more a “preacher” so if he does wrong etc- the issue is that the church are not letting the law deal with them for whatever reason- we need to stop attacking the church and instead fight to change the beaurcracy and roadblocks the church have put up
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Well from where I sit, if action isn’t being taken fom the top ie pope and Vatican then surely this is a sign that it must begin a grassroots level. I understand that you all want to continue to support your local church and your good priest but then this means that there is no action on the issue. I’m not for a minute suggesting that you abandon your faith but sometimes you need to make yourselves heard.
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yes- but it is just like if the community wants to go against a law imposed by govt etc- we can protest and abandon etc but we really do not make the laws, and as much as people think they do, they do not hold the keys to change….i as a catholic have voiced my concerns many times, but i will not abandon my religion just to spite priests who do the wrong thing- i will continue to support change in the way these crimes are dealt with , and continue to try to put in place a different angle by which the church goes about priests or any member of clergy that commits crimes, whilst still practicing and celebrating my faith. For it isn’t the religion that is doing the wrong thing, it is the people who are running it.
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I have left the catholic church, never to return. And so have many other people from my very orthodox catholic school and community. Horrified and disgusted at the treatment of innocent victims.
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I was born and raised Catholic, and I too want nothing more to do with this organization. Disgusting, nepotistic and above the law. I don’t want to know about it.
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I was raised catholic, attended catholic primary school and all girl catholic high school. I never encountered priests or nuns who were anything other than lovely. I loved my school and thought the world of the few remaining nuns that taught us. They taught us feminist ideals and that women could do anything. I even sent my oldest son to a catholic school. Then half way through his second year I started to think about all that I disagreed with about the church. I used contraception, I am a strong supporter of gay marriage and I was sickened by the stories of abuse that were emerging. I didn’t want to be supporting an institution that didn’t support innocent children or my friends who happened to be gay or me because I didn’t want to get pregnant. My son changed schools and I haven’t been to a church since. I can’t listen to George Pell speak without being disappointed. It is not the church for my family and I.
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I am catholic, and this story disgusted and appalled me- those poor children have suffered so much and there has been no justice for them or their families in the refusal to name and charge this priest. I don’t however, feel ashamed to walk into a church or about catholic schools etc – and I find this sweeping generalized statement that all priests are pedophiles and that the whole catholic faith is bad… Small minds will make this statement in anger, but a teacher who actually abuses a student or a doctor who does the same to a patient do not then cast the shadow over the entire profession. There needs to still be respect and restraint shown as these are innocent people you are forcing defamatory remarks and judgements on- stick with the facts and not big accusatory comments about the church, those priests who harmed those children should I believe have the confessional vow broken by the priest they confide in and they should be punished to the full extent of our laws. But I do not believe our catholic church is evil and bad- evil people are everywhere, and they will generally not be discriminated by positions they hold, no matter how traditionally trusted by society they are.
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But unlike priests, teachers and doctors are brought to account.
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There is absolutely no proof that every teacher who has abused a child has come to justice and been named.
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This may be right Stephanie, but I find it very, very difficult to imagine there being a “school investigation” where a teacher admitted to sexual abuse and the school kept quiet about it.
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So I ask the Catholics who are outraged at this, what are they doing about it? Do they raise the issue when they go to church on a Sunday, do they petition the hierarchy, do they stop donations?
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I think Ladybug is right. It’s time parishioners took a stand, actually it’s well overdue. The Catholic church has been extremely remiss in covering up so much abuse over so many years, decades. They have seriously let children and their families down and looked after their own – priests covering up their shocking crimes.
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A teacher or a doctor inflicting abuse on children or patients does not have a huge international organisation behind them, one which is prepared to overlook, condone or even cover up these crimes. The Catholic church brings these sweeping generalisations onto itself by its absolute failure to acknowledge its problems. In my opinion, the Catholic church hierarchy has been extremely “evil and bad” in its dismal failure to act on, and desperate attempts to deny, the rottenness and decay at its very heart, while simultaneously and hypocritically preaching against gay marriage, abortion, and even women as priests. Apologists for the church are part of the problem.
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i am not an apologist for the church, i am merely stating that PEOPLE do the wrong thing. All this covering up and silence is not a reflection of the religion, it is a reflection of the mismanagement through the ranks of the church. I for one believe that there is an immense power hungry presence within the higher ranks of the church, the rule makers, and i don’t want any part of this as they mostly impose restrictions etc in communities that give rise to this horrifying prevalence of covering up abuse in the church. But i do believe in my religion, and i practice my faith with or without the presence of a priest- they are not my religion. I only wanted to put forward that the human element of the church, with anything, is what is going wrong. The parishioners etc of the catholic faith aren’t empathising or sympathising with these criminal priests- they should be treated as like any other sex crime offender. my worry is how the actual religion is being perceived because of this negligence on the vatican and bishop/cardinal level…they are doing the wrong thing, and they need to change.
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Thanks Stephanie for your response. I have read through all of your thoughtful and passionate posts and can see how strongly you feel about the topic. You have made many very good points. I’m not having a go at the religion – I was careful to state that I think it’s the hierarchy of the church at the heart of the problem. So on that we agree, it’s PEOPLE doing the wrong thing; and it’s the parishioners and their children who suffer because of them. I agree with many other points you make including the one about the power hungry at the higher echelons of the church. But they are the people by whom the church is being judged. And judged harshly, with good reason, by behaving as if they can bypass criminal laws, and preaching on certain moral issues while abrogating their own morality internally. Yes, it does indeed need to change. All the best to you.
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The Catholic Church actively supports pedophile priests … George Pell was photographed next to Gerard Risdale as he walked into the Melbourne Magistrates Court in the early 1990′s to plead guilty to child sex abuse charges!! No one from the church supported the victims. The hypocrisy of the church is disgusting the hierachy knew children were raped by priests for decades and they did nothing. Their “Towards Healing” response to this issue just perpetuates the abuse. Go and look at the website “broken rites” for the true story !! I am not a fan of organized religion in any shape or form particularly not one that condones the rape of children.
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Your comment is a Disgrace in itself- I wonder where your values and morals are gotten from, and you seriously need to educate yourself as statements like this are extremely derogatory to any person who is religious. Just because you aren’t religious doesn’t mean you can throw insults and say that I as a catholic support rape of children.
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And I pity your ignorance as to the facts. it is attitudes like this that have the Catholic Church hierarchy to continue to pretend they did not know some of these priests were moved from diocese to diocese for decades whilst young people suicided. Go and read a few of the published criminal cases and get a real understanding !
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Your anger about the issues should be just that- do you think these children who are abused understand hierarchy of the church etc? No, they are tortured, their families broken by this terrible thing- I would never support abuse to children in ANY capacity whether in the church or not- the fact that I am a catholic does not make me a conspirator or activist for the church. I am a catholic person who believes in justice for any abuse, and you vilify people like me just because we are catholic. You need to put a fair fight up and not insult people who are a part of a religion just because your argument needs strength from that insinuation that the entire church supports abuse. I don’t believe turning a blind eye to the abuse, but in every organization there are issues and conflicts that divert from the natural order of the rules and beliefs- and like any organization with these problems- a solution needs to be put into place to fix it- not helped by a vitriol of insults and generalized attacks by people who obviously aren’t in the Buisness of participating in mature and respectful discourse- your entitled to your opinion, but it doesn’t make it right to throw a blanket over every catholic into one group
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Stephanie how can you deny the Church supports these criminals? It happens time and time again and neither the offending priest nor the Church seem to suffer much consequence. I think Kathryn as a balanced view and nowhere was she accusing you personally of supporting sexual abuse of children. But I would like to ask you, as a Catholic and someone of morals, what have you done about this issue through your own church you attend? Does anyone raise this issue and challenge the Church’s stance (or lack of)???? Or do you blindly follow your priest?
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This reminds me of the saying ” bad things happen when good people do nothing.”
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I absolutely do not blindly follow the church- I have faith in the heart of my religion, but I have had many a discussion about the need for more protection of children in the church- I myself was an altar servant as a young girl and my mother always supervised me in every situation with a priest- not because she did not trust our priest but because he was a grown adult man in the company of a child – it was protection she would have maintains even if I was in the presence of a male parent at one of my netball matches etc. I do not believe if a priest confesses assault of a child or anyone for that matter, that this confession should stay private I believe that this confession should be immediately relayed to police and the church body- and I believe that the “well balanced” view you say this reader has is not right- all Catholics don’t hide from this issue, I was merely staring that when things go wrong that should mean that If we don’t all get up and abandon our religion in protest that we are evil and hypocrites intent on turning a blind eye to this. I am a wife, mother, daughter and catholic- it is who I am, I never would condone assault from anyone and I would pursue aggressive justice for a priest, friend, teacher etc alike if this happened to a child of mine – all I asked was that people understand that we are not a part of religion to spite all the naysayers- I truly am a person of faith , and ridiculing me for that, in any manner, doesn’t change my faith-I can still be against child abuse in the church and still attend church to express my faith not to worship a priest. If you remove the priests who do this a persecute them- I still believe my religion is not evil or hiding from the law. We need laws put in place by the Vatican that refuse to shelter the deeds of these priests and that give full control to police in investigation of this matter
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But she’s stating the facts, what happened. George Pell absolutely did this, he supported a pedophile priest that molested children. Knowing full well he was guilty of this. No support or help was given to the victim(s). Absolute disgrace.
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I went to school with a boy who was abused by Risdale. The Bishop of Ballarat Ronald Mulkearns had moved him from previous parishes in Inglewoord & Swan Hill under a cloud and then when was moved to Mortlake , a 14 yo boy was allowed to live with him. Parents went to Mulkearns with complaints and the since denied that he knew anything. I know of at least 5 priest in my parish who have been convicted of sexual abuse. I was bought up to believe I was cherished as a child in the church. George Pell and Ronald Mulkearns have treated all of us like dirt. I feel so sad for the victims but also for the unsuspecting parents who truly believed they were doing the right thing.
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I watched the 4corners episode last night and two things really struck me. First, the amazing courage of the men and their families who spoke up about the abuse. They have lived with this for 30 or 40 years in some cases and to stand up and be able to say ‘What you did to me (or my brother/son) was wrong’, to refuse to play the victims, is just astonishing – what incredible men and women. The second was the pathetic excuse-making by the members of the Catholic church. They knew about this – acknowledging it was happening at the time – and all they can think about is the reputation of the church and the possibility of pay-outs. They should be too ashamed to show their faces. As for Father F, now living in the town where I grew up, someone knows who he is and now people know what he has done. I truly hope he and all those who have protected him are forced to face the consequences.
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Maybe these priests believe, if they confess their sins, then all is forgiven? They make me sick. They don’t believe in abortion, they crucify gays, what does this make them!
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The catholic church is a disgrace & disgusting. Time & time again this happens & it is alway’s brushed under the carpet, they ignore the situation & move priests to another parish. People won’t let their children near a known sex offender, so why in ” hell” let them be anywhere near a catholic priest! They should be made accountable, they are not above the law. I also believe they should be aloud to marry, I’m not saying it would stop all of it, but in ways it would. They are the scum of society. My heart breaks for all the children that have had to go through that nightmare, yes little children, that have so much trust in adults, that have their childhood stolen. Also their families. The only thing I will pray for, is that karma comes back to these filthy men 10 fold.
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“People won’t let their children near a known sex offender, so why in ” hell” let them be anywhere near a catholic priest!”
That is such an awful generalisation! Do you not let your children near men just because some men are abusers? Or women, for that matter.
I agree this is a horrible, disgusting crime. But I just do not approve of statements such as this.
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I quote, ” known sex offender” , that is not a generalization. Also you can never be to careful.
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You did not even understand my comment, to be honest.
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Oh, on the contrary! I understood alright! Click the link, watch the story. & I am not having a go at you, each to their own, so they say.
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This is unbelievably tragic. It is abuse in two forms, firstly the actualy abus and then the secondary abuse of knowing that it was covered uo and the perpetrator was in a position to harm others.
However, it is a long jump to go from here to saying that all priests are evil, or that the Churchbis for that matter. It is wrong, criminally so, what has been allowed to happen, but most people who enter the priesthood (myself included) do so because we love and want to serve God and God’s people. Just as we don’t blame every real estate agent for the Baden-Cowell cases, please don’t blame your average parish priest for what others have done.
Feel free to blame the Church heirachy though, they are as much to blame.
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This is just so sad, and totally devastating. As a Mum to a young boy, I can’t even begin to understand how hard this must be for those boys families. What an absolute disgrace.
I went to an all girls catholic private school and whilst I was never abused, there were certainly strong rumours going around about certain Nuns having their way with some girls. I was raised Catholic but despise everything the Catholic church stands for. I am absolutely appalled at how they can say homosexuality is wrong, and yet be quite okay about their priests and nuns abusing children!!!!!!! And don’t get me started on their stance on abortion.
I hated my Catholic education and there is no way in hell (pardon the pun) that I will be sending my son to a Catholic school. NO. FREAKING. WAY! And hearing stories like this just strengthens my resolve.
What I want to know is why something isn’t being done about the Catholic Church??? Not just here, but I’m sure these abuses are widespread across the world. Why are they allowed to get away with it? Surely in the eyes of their God they have sinned and must be punished, let-alone be charged with criminal offending and brought to justice in our criminal justice system????
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I am from Moree and my husband would have been an altar boy (in Moree I think…) in the 1980s. He has denied that he had any problems with any of the Priests. After seeing this I will be asking again of course.
For the record I have married into a Catholic family and I now choose to go to church and send my children to a Catholic school. Of course the actions of the minority make me sick but I know the amazing people that work at the Moree parish and the school that my children attend, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I was abused by my grandfather so please don’t think I’m saying the Priests should have leniency, I’m just asking you not to crucify all Catholics…
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You do realise that all catholic churches follow the same rules etc, don’t you?
There was a show on a while back on the cover-up of sexual abuse in American catholic churches. It was a policy of the church to cover up abuse. Even re-housing offending priests with families, often with young children.
Catholic churches all stand under the same umbrella, ella ella ella.
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Appears the biggest problem is the entrenched hierarchical values delineating power and the absence of any real comprehension of the exploitation of/over others (which as Four Corners highlights has very real and long-lasting multi-generational effects).
So until the ‘big guns’ at the top are brought to justice for their cover ups (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/13/pope-crimes-humanity-victims-abuse) the Cardinal Pells of the world can’t acknowledge, or refuse to acknowledge, that their own apathy is criminal. Although I have an inkling that they all know it’s criminal behaviour hence the perpetrators being moved elsewhere… ‘out of sight, out of mind, didn’t happen on my watch’ sensibility, all accessories to the fact!
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Oops, sorry ‘Anon for This’ and ‘Ziggy’, I was actually replying to (the other) Jane’s comments above yours – hence my comment being completely out of context to your remarks.
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Are these the same people who tell us that the world will fall apart if gays are allowed to marry?
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I agree with you guest, how the heads of the church can on one hand stand up and say that homosexuals are evil and should not be allowed to legally marry and then stories like this come out and you wonder how they can hold such two morally different thoughts in their heads.
I just don’t get it.
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I don’t get it either.
If a male (ie priest) sodomises another male (ie boy) – is that not homosexual behaviour? As well as (or opposed to?) paedophilia?
Bewildered.
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It seems like it’s OK to be gay if you were a priest already. Go figure. And of course, hypocrisy is a prerequisite.
It’s just so wrong, and so incredibly sad.
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Bingo.
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These stories sicken me intensely and bring tears to my eyes. It is not just inside the church, the same protective influence and reputation-saving goes on in the private religous schools too. I attended 2 private schools, in that time, 3, yes 3, teachers were swept under carpet for sexually abusing students. The worst was the primary schools Vice Principal, who had a thing for young boys. Those boys were in my year level, my class, and the abuse occurred on a school camp. One that I know of commited suicide, one turned to drugs, and I am unsure of the other outcomes. What we as young kids witnessed , was bright young happy kids, become dark and troubled. It ruins lives irrepairably. And the Vice Principal??? Well, a good private religous school cant risk it’s reputation can it?! So he was dealt with… quietly dismissed, with a lovely caring what-a-champ-he-is fairwell, to start a new career as a KINDERGARTEN teacher. And this is true. I am not trying to discriminate private schools in general here, just like all priests are not bad either. But some private schools, like a church, will attract these disturbed individuals, as it is a much safer haven for them to manifest their sickness because the consequences are conveniently covered up. These are the very worst most destructive crimes, so much more needs to be done.
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how any catholic can enter a church in good conscience is beyond me.
if i was a catholic i would not enter a church as a protest. if everyone did it they would have to act.
how many more deaths will be caused by these evil people and the evil people who turn a blind eye? it is utterly disgraceful. i felt sick watching it.
can any catholics answer this- does anyone ever leave their children in the care of priests anymore?
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… this is exactly why I won’t be sending my children to a Catholic school, and why I haven’t been to ‘church’ since my mum’s funeral 7 years ago. The hypocrisy and cover ups make me sick to the stomach. ‘Heaven’ help anyone who touches my babies.
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good on you for taking a stance. once it effects their bottom line it might make them do something.
i am mightily surprised every time i drive past catholic schools that people can leave their children with people who have historically done so much bad to children.
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Whoa whoa whoa, hang on a second here Not Catholic. I happen to work in one of those Catholic schools and object to your broad sweeping generalisation. It’s a big stretch to say that all people associated with the Catholic Church or schools have “done so much bad to children”. I know MANY priests, nuns and brothers who have never harmed a child and believe that they are the majority. And before you ask how do I know for sure? Well how do you know your neighbour/friend/sister/uncle isn’t guilty? You don’t. You believe the inherent good in people you know.
And for the record, my daughter will be going to a Catholic school: primary & secondary.
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you missed my point. i am not saying everyone is guilty of being a pedophile. i am saying i couldn’t support an organisation that has allowed so many people to be abused and damaged. the report last night talked about 40 deaths and suicides linked to this parish. the hierachy knew. they did nothing, allowing more boys to be abused. Father F is a FREE man.
as someone said below, bad things happen when good people do nothing (or something along those lines).
i personally would not support an organisation like the catholic church. i wouldn’t give them my money until they did something about their atrocious history. i don’t need to be at church to pray, i can do it anywhere.
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I don’t think Rach missed your point at all not catholic. What you said was “i am mightily surprised every time i drive past catholic schools that people can leave their children with people who have historically done so much bad to children” and as a parent whose children attend a catholic school and as a friend of teachers who work in catholic schools I take deep offence at your comment. To suggest that parents who send their children to catholic schools are knowingly leaving their children in the care of child abusers is both absurd and insulting.
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A Maori robbed our house, so now we will never go to New Zealand.
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did the new zealand government know what they did and do nothing about it. did they encourage this behaviour by giving them unsupervised access to unlocked houses???
of course not. your statement is absurd. you clearly did not watch the program last night, or you wouldn’t make such a flippant remark.
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Funnily enough, I don’t get emotional charged on the back of current affairs stories {which are very rarely beat ups
}
I thought I’d use an analogy to show that in the simplest of forms you can’t judge an entire organization’s extensions by the actions of a few.
It may be “absurd” to you but then again you’re rude and reductive so I’m sure you’re presence won’t be missed at some of the best educational institutes in the country.
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I should have mentioned, it’s not the only reason they’re not going to a Catholic school, at least, not the ones where I went. I’ve studied religions in school and undergrad and will be happy to send them to a Public school…just an opinion. Oh well, back to the topic: I feel for those children/adults that have had to deal with this, while the perpetrators get off scott free. Anyone that does this to a child should be punished… anyone.
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I agree with you as it implies they’re just apathetic, without conscience nor remorse, all in the name of their faith. To me, these congregations are as equally complicit as those above who have sidelined their priests or feigned ‘lack of knowledge’ later on – accessories to the fact? (of course that’s a circular argument as one can only be an accessory to a crime if one ‘knows’ it’s a crime and knows it’s occurred, and as these crimes are covered up – via their ‘inhouse’ deliberation somewhere up the chain of command – these crimes just ‘didn’t happen’ in their church (although the moving of the priest/s only enhances the argument that the Church and their congregations certainly do know these crimes have been committed but ‘dutifully’ don’t question = just revolting and complicit in my mind!)
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The congregation being complicit?! Are you serious?
This remark is so insulting not only to Catholics, but to human beings who are only trying to go to church – not participating in some secret institution of sex crimes and a hush hush conspiracy… I feel sorry for your opinions that they came out that way- blame the priests who did this and who covered it sure, but the parishioners ? Please- how riduculously outlandish…
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Ignorance or blind acceptance of hierarchy and power, of how it’s attained, and maintained, is just apathetic complacency!
Too much faith-based ‘trust’ is put into these institutions on the basis of “just going to church”, which is precisely how the abuse of power occurs, and further sanctions more abuse layered in many differing forms. And expels and abandons the victims. Don’t you feel lied to, cheated of the real truth, hearing that your Church covers up these heinous crimes against humanity? And why does it appear as systemically inherent in the Catholic Church as is now being uncovered in every corner of the globe?
Christ was just a simple carpenter with a beautiful message of love and acceptance of others, so surely one’s faith is held in one’s heart and doesn’t require sitting in a pew on a certain day and partaking in certain rituals invoked by a specific individual invested with ‘power’. While there’s nothing wrong with spiritual faith, it’s the not questioning – of who’s where they are, how and why they are there. Or of what’s occurring right under their noses. This is simply idealistic to assume power ‘above’ is good hence parishners are complicit as the congregation upholds the covering up ‘don’t ask-don’t tell’ mindset indoctrined in the institution (it’s recently been highlighted in others too, such as the military and sports clubs). Can you not understand that the expulsion of the real victims, often by the congregation themselves (because they invest power in their clergy and their faith) is a double abuse, abandonment. Out of sight out of mind, don’t question anything that’s not my business… And the victims themselves get accused and tried (see today’s SMH – Daniel Powell, tried for extortion, did anyone from his congregation come forward and support him through his ordeal: http://www.smh.com.au/national/calls-for-royal-commission-over-alleged-coverup-of-catholic-abuse-20120703-21flg.html). Surely the bigger picture rings alarm bells for parishners… when they’re “trying to go to church” don’t they question the very idea that such power is just handed over to a hierarchy, based on ‘belief’. Where power’s held clearly has its own skew, which is inherently and persistently faulted, thus it keep parishners utterly powerless. If congregations asked for transparency then your Catholic Church would be accountable today – but they don’t want to give in to the lawfulness of society because centuries ago they were the law. Who knows how many more this has happened to because of parishners not speaking out, not asking more questions, the Catholic Church covering up and dealing with matters quietly ‘inhouse’ (and keeping the perpetrators inhouse and excluding the victims), not giving police evidence (now in both Vic and NSW, the two most populous states, and who knows where else in this country it’s likely to have taken place) and then abandoning and tarnishing the victim. All in the name of ‘faith’?!!!!.
I hope there is a Royal Commission. Many are complicit in enabling crimes against humanity to occur – and many need to ask themselves ‘why do I keep perpetuating this club’s mindset by asking nothing other than being accepted into it. The Catholic Church protects its own power, saves its own arse and its own kind, and pretends these types of crimes against humanity aren’t committed by them. Look at history and who’s done what to whom all in the name of ‘faith’. Pfffttt!
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I am disgusted and I hope that we will never become so immune to these stories that they will cease to be shocking. I am usually not hesitant to admit that I consider myself a Catholic but when things like this happen I am just ashamed.
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This story left me devastated and angry. I have never had such a physical reaction to a news story in my whole life. There is no punishment fit for such an evil man. I hope those men who acted as enablers and concealed these atrocious crimes find the comfort that I do in the fact that we all meet our maker. And Father F, you and all like you have a one way ticket to the firiest corner of hell.
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Perhaps someone who is better acquainted with the process of Royal Commissions can explain why law breaking on this massive scale has not been the subject of a Royal Commission. I am not a Catholic but I feel there is real concern in the entire community for these victims and, as a community, we need to know what happened and what is being done to deal with it.
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This is vile, but not limited to Catholic peddo’s.
Anyone that works with children and abuses that trust should get triple the punishment.
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I’m catholic and find these findings to be disgusting and vile. These priests should be punished severely.
Reading stories like this makes me ashamed to be catholic, but then I don’t believe in the priests, noah’s ark, parting of the red sea etc. I just believe that there is a God and that the other nonsense is made up by humans……..
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Amen!
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