By Kath Gannaway
Star
August 7, 2007
http://www.starnewsgroup.com.au/story/46528
IAN Lawther knows what it's like to be in a blind rage.
The Healesville father of five lost the sight in his left eye when blood vessels burst in a moment of uncontrollable anger.
Looking through court documents a few weeks after the conviction of paedophile priest David Daniel in 2000, the realisation hit home that at the time the St Brigid's Parish priest was baptising Ian's baby daughter, Daniel had already molested his school-aged son.
"I got so incredibly angry I really did want to kill. And I could have killed ... would have killed," Ian recalled.
Losing an eye and the repercussions on his personal and work ambitions were terrifying, but the worst part was having to come to terms with the hate he felt.
"I had considered myself a good Christian, someone who believed in the 10 commandments, but I had to face the fact that I could kill," Ian said, talking last week about HEAR (Healesville Education and Awareness Raising).
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| In dealing with the evil of others, Ian Lawther came face to face with his own capacity to do harm. |
When I met up with Ian by chance on Anzac Day about three years ago, he told me about the betrayal which had shattered his family.
Shoulders slumped, hands tightly clasped, he had been sitting alone trying, again, to come to terms with the turmoil.
Ian married into the church and although he was never baptised, he had every right to consider himself a "good Catholic".
He and wife Pam wanted a Catholic education for their children and played a prominent role in church activities.
Fr Daniel was regularly a guest in their home.
Ian still believes in God, but not in the church.
In line with the Melbourne Archdiocese's response to abuse by members of the clergy, Ian and his family had to deal with Peter O'Callaghan QC, the independent commissioner appointed by the church.
"The impression I got from him was what I call the "ho hum, you can't shock me, I've heard it all before" response," Ian said.
"There was no concern shown for my son, what he had been through, or was going through at that stage, and there was no support either during the court case.
"We only ever saw people paid for by the church.
"You go in there thinking they are going to be on your side, but it's all about avoiding litigation," Ian said.
"There is no investigation of how it came about, how they employ priests or how and when they are moved around.
"The process simply deals with the victims and the litigious events before them – the ones that go to trial."
Ian says while St Brigid's School was supportive and a few parish members made an effort to recognise the family's pain, the fact they were kept in the dark by the church hierarchy and their own feelings of confused loyalty put up a barrier.
"The problem for so many people was, and still is, if you put the words 'paedophile' and 'priest' in the same sentence, nobody wants to know," he said.
Ian believes it is the total power and control given to priests which allows those who offend to infiltrate families and 'groom' their victims.
"The priest arrives on the doorstep, without even a reference, and all of a sudden he becomes God," Ian said.
"We are not asking people to question their faith, just the hierarchical system of power which is answerable to no-one.
"HEAR is our way of making change. It's about trying to save our kids pain and suffering."
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