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	This School Building Had Bedrooms for Six Priests! Broken Rites July 8, 2009 http://brokenrites.alphalink.com.au/nletter/page113-denham.html In Sydney in 2000, Catholic priest John Sidney Denham was convicted of child sexual-abuse. Years later, Broken Rites is still receiving occasional emails and phone calls from people talking about Denham. Officially Father Denham is no longer stationed at any particular parish, but in early 2006 a church official admitted that Denham was now in Sydney's pool of "supply" priests (priests who are available to do casual work to relieve priests who are sick or absent). That is, he was still doing priestly work six years after his conviction. Originally, Father John Denham was a priest in the Maitland-Newcastle diocese. In the 1970s, Father Denham was teaching and living at St Pius X College (then a boys-only school) in Adamstown, Newcastle, New South Wales. In the 1979 Directory of Australian Catholic Clergy, six priests (including Father Denham) were listed as teaching - and living - on this school's premises. Yes, not just one priest . . . but SIX of them. A bedroom for even just one priest should have raised some eyebrows. The priests had bedrooms in the same building as the classrooms, as we will explain later in this article. Denham was well known for his habit of "befriending" boys at St Pius X College. His conviction in 2000 involved offences against a boy, "Tim" (not his real name), at this college in 1978-9. Tim's mother overheard 14-year-old Tim telling another boy that it was "not safe to be with Father Denham". After quizzing Tim, the mother decided that her son should leave this school. Tim moved to a state high school, which he found to be educationally excellent. Tim's mother had learned of Denham's child-abuse only by chance. If she had not overheard her son's conversation, the offences against Tim would have remained secret (as normally happens in church abuse cases) and Denham would probably have been allowed to remain at the school. When the school administration learned the reason for Tim leaving, it promised to "deal with the matter". However, the only outcome was that Denham was transferred from this school to a new location. That is, the church authorities "solved" the problem by transferring the priest to continue working in other parishes and schools, where parents would be unaware of the problem. About 1980, Denham was an assistant priest at the Mary Immaculate parish in Charlestown in Newcastle. The 1986 edition of the directory of the National Council of Priests had him at "Our Lady of the Rosary" parish in Taree, a coastal town in the same diocese. In these parishes, Denham worked with altar boys. In 1987, Maitland-Newcastle diocese arranged for him to transfer "on loan" to Waverley College (Christian Brothers), 131 Birrell Street, Waverley, in Sydney's east, where he was a chaplain until 1994. Throughout 1987-94, the Maitland-Newcastle diocese still listed him as belonging to that diocese, although working at Waverley College. Denham took a great interest in the boys at Waverley CBC. But from 1995 onwards, he was no longer listed at Waverley CBC but was listed merely as "on leave from the Maitland-Newcastle diocese". His forwarding address was care of the Maitland-Newcastle diocesan office. In 1997, Tim (the above-mentioned victim from St Pius X College) phoned Broken Rites, seeking advice about obtaining justice. Broken Rites referred Tim to the Newcastle police, where he made a signed statement. Tim's complaint was investigated by a senior Newcastle detective, Mark Dixon. When the Newcastle police began investigating John Denham regarding Tim's complaint, they learned that the priest had also faced similar charges relating to Waverley Christian Brothers College but he successfully contested the Waverley CBC charges. John Denham was charged regarding Tim's complaint and underwent committal proceedings in court in 1999. Eventually, in Sydney's Downing Centre court in 2000, Father John Sidney Denham was convicted on two incidents of indecent assault against Tim (case number 99111180). Denham, then aged in his late fifties, was given a two-years jail sentence, which was suspended. His solicitor was prominent Sydney lawyer John Marsden. Denham's movements after his conviction are unclear. In the 2001 Directory of Australian Catholic Clergy, Denham was listed as "on leave" from the Maitland diocese, with a PO box at Oatley in Sydney's south. But his name was deleted from the 2002 edition and subsequent editions. Unfortunately, there was no media coverage of Denham's 2000 conviction. Therefore, the New South Wales Catholic community in general was not aware of the conviction. So, if Denham was doing any casual or relieving work as a priest, no "alarm bells" would ring to warn parents and children about Denham's past. In early 2006, when Denham was aged about 63, Broken Rites ascertained that he was then working on week-days in the Sydney library of a religous order of priests. But what was he doing at weekends, when there was often a need for a relieving priest to do church services? Tim says he was appalled when a church official admitted to him in early 2006 that Denham was currently in Sydney's "supply" pool of priests who were available to do casual work as a relieving priest. Tim told Broken Rites: "This is an alarming situation." Tim and other ex-students or ex-parishioners of Denham believe that "there are many more people out there somewhere" who have interesting information about Denham. More about the school with bedrooms A former pupil of Denham at St Pius X College student ("Syd") explained to Broken Rites in March 2006 about the layout of the school in Demham's time: "St Pius X College was fundamentally an old factory that had been converted into a secondary school. Some new buildings had been added. "The main building was long and narrow, with classrooms down the western side and with a hall, science labs and offices down the eastern side. The northern end was mostly occupied by the priests' living quarters, comprising a series of bedrooms, with shared living areas at the furthest end. "In other words, the priests' quarters and the classrooms were on the same floor. Hence, when a boy was sent to the priests' quarters, it was as simple as walking from one room to another room. When I was a student there in the 1970s, it was not unusual for a boy to be sent or taken to the priests' living quarters. "As well as his bedroom in the old building, Denham also had an office in another building. Boys also had occasion to go - or to be sent to -- to Denham's office. "Other members of the clergy must have known that Denham was up to mischief at this school but they turned a blind eye to it and allowed him to continue doing it. "One of Denham's friends in the Maitland-Newcastle diocese in the 1970s was a younger priest who has since gone on to become one of Australia's most prominent Catholic clerics. This cleric must have known something." Another ex-pupil of Denham at St Pius X ("Jerry") told Broken Rites in March 2006 that he agreed with Syd's description of the school layout. Jerry said: "In the main building, you could go from the classrooms area to the priests' living quarters by just going through a door. I never knew this door to be locked. "A priest might simply say 'come with me' and you would be led through this door." Jerry added: "Yes, Denham targeted me. I was frightened and disorientated. It's something that you think is only happening to you because of who you are and the trouble you are in. You feel, or are made to feel, that it's your doing and has to be done to avoid big trouble." However, Jerry says that he has not reported Denham to the police and says he probably will not get around to doing so now because he is pre-occupied with his young family. Jerry said he felt slightly guilty about leaving it to people like Tim to bring Denham to justice. [Tim, Syd and Jerry do not know each other because they were in different years.] Another informant has spoken to Broken Rites about Denham's behaviour at the Taree parish in the mid-1980s, alleging that Denham used to show certain videos and literature to young altar boys in the Taree presbytery. Broken Rites has received inquires from legal firms (one in Sydney and one in Newcastle) whose clients were interested in taking civil action against the Maitland-Newcastle Catholic diocese in relation to Denham. Denham's conviction in 2000 finally received a mention in the Newcastle Herald on 10June 2006. Tim told Broken Rites: "Maybe, after this exposure, the church will find it harder to use Denham as a relieving priest. They have been getting away with this for too long."
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