'Andrew' was sexually abused by an Irish priest ordained in Brisbane. The abuse occured in the Cloyne Diocese.
An Australian man who was sexually abused by an Irish priest in Cloyne in the 1970s has urged other abuse victims “not to be afraid, as you are the innocent ones”.
Last month, the Cloyne Report revealed that the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane paid $20,000 to ‘Andrew’. He was sexually abused by an Irish priest in Cloyne. The priest was ordained in Brisbane but had retired in Ireland.
The priest, given the pseudonym Fr Rion, spent much of his life in the Brisbane Archdiocese after being ordained there in 1933, but retired in the Diocese of Cloyne in 1971 owing to ill-health. It was in the priest’s own home that the abuse of Andrew took place. Fr Rion died in 1976.
This newspaper subsequently learned the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane re-established contact with three child sexual abuse victims of Fr Rion’s and made payments of $20,000 to them, after it learned he had abused Andrew.
The most recent payment was made in January of this year.
Andrew has now urged other clerical child sex abuse victims to come forward.
He told the Irish Echo that victims should “not to be afraid, as you are the innocent ones”.
“It is a hard process to go through but it is well worth coming forward as internally, you feel relieved to let out the pain which you have endured throughout the years,” Andrew said.
Andrew added that the abuse he suffered has damaged him internally.
Replying by email, he said he suffers from trust issues, deteriorating self-esteem and “a lack of caring of own self”.
He has struggled with migraines, developed obsessive-compulsive disorder, and used alcohol as a coping mechanism.
He also wrote that he has, in the past, had “thoughts of self-harm which, thankfully, I didn’t go through as I didn’t want to put my family through that”.
Andrew’s wife told the Irish Echo that it was the lack of openness by the Archdiocese of Brisbane that was “the hardest thing for [Andrew]”.
He wants the archdiocese to take more responsibility.
“[They should] acknowledge their role in not disclosing that there had been previous victims (which came out in The Cloyne Report), advise how many others and when, and acknowledge how this information could have benefited the recovery process instead of setting everything back to day one,” he wrote.
Andrew added that he wants a better process where the victim’s need comes first and the church’s reputation second.
.JPG "Liam Markey, Catherine Hefferon and James Maguire from Tipperary at the Tommy Tiernan concert in the Enmore in Sydney on April 24.")
August 15th, 2011 at 4:51 pm
I applaud Andrew’s bravery in coming forward and providing the first evidence to counter the Australian Catholic Church’s lies about this issue.
Most victims, including myself, absolutely agree with Andrew’s statements.
The harm inflicted on us by the monsters hiding behind the unquestioning and undeserved respect conferred on them by their Church positions is made so much worse by the Church’s criminal mishandling of this issue.
Australian victims deserve a judicial inquiry like the Cloyne report to expose once and for all the callous and complete disregard for child safety in Church leaders’ unseemly haste to protect themselves – which continues to this day.
And the thousands upon thousands of innocent victims deserve the ability to speak about their experience without being called liars, to see criminals brought to justice, and to know the Catholic Church will never again be able to endanger another child.
The silence of victims bullied, threatened, abused and neglected into keeping the Church’s evil secrets only helps the criminals escape justice and ruin more lives. For your own sake to regain control of what is left of your life, and for the sake of children like you who are still being sacrificed today to protect priestly predators, it is time to consider coming forward, seeking help, and no longer being a silent victim.
Organisations like SNAP Australia (Survivors Network of those abused by Priests) are run by victims for victims to help you on your journey to recovery and healing. http://www.snapaustralia.org
August 15th, 2011 at 6:30 pm
I am so glad to see that Andrew is reaching out to other survivors. Please, if you were abused in an Anglican institution, read the story on SNAPAustralia: Victim’s Stories. It’s not only the Catholic Church. The paedophile illness infests all elite groups in society. Elite deviance seems to occur simply because it can.
August 16th, 2011 at 10:18 am
Andrew is right: “not to be afraid, as you are the innocent ones”.
We urge anyone, who may have knowledge or may have been harmed by any clergy in the Brisbane Archdiocese, to contact police, not church officials.
Keep in mind your silence only hurts, and by speaking up there is a chance for healing, exposing the truth, and therefore protecting others.
Judy Jones, SNAP Midwest Associate Director, +1-636-433-2511
snapjudy@gmail.com
“Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests” and all Clergy
http://www.snapnetwork.org/
August 16th, 2011 at 4:00 pm
Andrew is the champion of all Catholic clergy sex abuse victims. His courage and devotion to truth are the battle cry of all victims and supporters of victims. There is no way to go back to the shame and subservience of victimization. There is only the path to healing and justice. Andrew is a name that stands for survival and redemption. Redemption of a whole and pure person who has their power and personhood restored. Redemption of a faith and spirit that is true to the goodness of man and mankind.
Thank you Andrew for leading the way.
Steven Spaner
SNAP Australia Coordinator
snapspaner@gmail.com
http://www.snapaustralia.org