Church Backflips on Predator Priest

By Nick McKenzie, Richard Baker
The Age
February 23, 2013

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/church-backflips-on-predator-priest-20130223-2eyef.html

Father Tom Knowles.

THE Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne has removed a leading Australian priest who sexually preyed on a disabled and vulnerable woman.

In an embarrassing backflip, the Melbourne Archdiocese has removed Father Tom Knowles from one of the nation's busiest churches just weeks after reinstating him.

The move comes after revelations in Fairfax Media last month that a confidential church inquiry had found he had an improper sexual relationship with disabled woman Jennifer Herrick over a 14-year period in New South Wales.

As a result of this inquiry, Father Knowles was put on administrative leave for 16 months but was returned to active ministry in January this year.

His reinstatement was criticised last month by Ms Herrick and victims' groups, especially in light of the confidential letter sent by the church to Ms Herrick acknowledging ''the harm that can be caused to vulnerable people in such a case.''

Last month, senior church official Father Graeme Duro defended Father Knowles' return to active ministry at St Francis' Church in Melbourne's CBD, stating that the priest had taken ''responsibility for his actions and it is appropriate for him to return to public ministry''.

But in the last fortnight, other senior church officials intervened in the case to have Father Knowles removed.

Church documents obtained by Fairfax Media this week reveal that Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart has formally withdrawn Father Knowles ''faculties to engage in any public ministry within the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Melbourne''. Archbishop Hart is believed to have received letters from concerned Catholic parishioners after Father Knowles' reinstatement was made public.

Ms Herrick said on Saturday that, while she ''believed it was just'' that Father Knowles had been stood down, she was ''still incredulous'' that she had not been told about it immediately by the church. She was only informed after seeking confirmation from Church authorities after hearing a rumour about his removal.

Ms Herrick was 19 years old and suffering from bilateral congenital hip dysplasia - which caused her to walk with an highly abnormal gait - when Father Knowles, who was her family priest, began cultivating a relationship with her and her extended family.

Three years later, the priest initiated sexual intercourse with Ms Herrick, who had not had sex before. The sexual relationship continued for 14 years and Ms Herrick later described it to church investigators as abusive and exploitative conduct.

She said last month that the sex was often hurried, due to the need for secrecy, at times aggressive and often painful, due to factors related to her disability.

Psychologists say a relationship between a priest - who, in the Catholic Church, are meant to be celibate - and a parishioner may be compared to a doctor who has sex with a vulnerable patient.

Father Duro said that it was the responsibility of the bishop to grant ''faculties'' to a priest to undertake public ministry within his diocese. These faculties lapse when a priest is transferred to another diocese, he said. ''Archbishop Hart was overseas when I formally communicated to him in early January the decision to return Father Knowles to ministry,'' Father Duro said.

''On the return of the Archbishop, I met with him and he advised me of his decision to remove the faculties from Father Knowles from public ministry. The Archbishop acted having received my letter and taken note of the actions of Father Knowles that resulted in the complaint being made against him. There is no present intention for Father Knowles to engage in public ministry.''

Ms Herrick made it clear that she only made the case public when, after 18 months of dealing with church authorities, the church's Towards Healing process did not bring about a just end to the matter.

Ms Herrick has received no payment for media contact regarding this issue.

She hopes other women will have the courage to tell their own stories.