Last Night in Newcastle 36 Year Old Daniel Feenan Spoke Publicly for the First Time about How He Was Raped As an Altar Boy by a Catholic Priest and Trusted Family Friend. the Launch Was Held in the Newcastle Cathedral Complex, with Victims of Sexual Abuse Sitting Side by Side with the Policeman Who Triggered a Royal Commission and the Newcastles Bishop., ABC

Last Night in Newcastle 36 Year Old Daniel Feenan Spoke Publicly for the First Time about How He Was Raped As an Altar Boy by a Catholic Priest and Trusted Family Friend. the Launch Was Held in the Newcastle Cathedral Complex, with Victims of Sexual Abuse Sitting Side by Side with the Policeman Who Triggered a Royal Commission and the Newcastle's Bishop.

ABC - AM
December 6, 2012

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-12-07/clergy-abuse-victim-tells-his-story-in-newcastle/4414152?section=nsws

[with audio]

Last night in Newcastle 36 year old Daniel Feenan spoke publicly for the first time about how he was raped as an altar boy by a Catholic priest and trusted family friend. The launch was held in the Newcastle cathedral complex, with victims of sexual abuse sitting side by side with the policeman who triggered a Royal Commission and the Newcastle's bishop.

Philippa McDonald

Transcript

TONY EASTLEY: Last night in Newcastle 36 year old Daniel Feenan spoke publicly for the first time about how he was abused as a child at the hands of a Catholic priest and trusted family friend.

Daniel Feenan's mother Pat Feenan has documented how her son was raped as an altar boy and how the entire family was betrayed by the church that was central to their faith.

What made last night's launch more exceptional was that it was held in the Newcastle cathedral complex and victims of sexual abuse, as well as the policeman who triggered a royal commission and Newcastle's bishop all sat side by side to acknowledge the Feenan family's suffering.

Daniel Feenan spoke to the ABC's Philippa McDonald.

DANIEL FEENAN: The last 10, 20 years have been a struggle. There is no doubt about that. Life is getting better but there is still the memories and the disappointment of where I am in life at the moment, I guess, to where I could have been.

I have three beautiful children and I have a very strong woman in my life as well but it is looking back and the realisation of actually what did happen. And in the last two to three weeks with everything that has been evolving, I guess smiling and thinking 'No I did do the right thing at the end of the day'.