Catholic Church Lawyer Heckled by Victims of Child Sex Abuse at Public Inquiry

By Thomas Oriti
The ABC News
December 9, 2013

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-09/abuse-royal-commission/5143944

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A lawyer representing the Catholic Church has been heckled by victims of child sexual abuse and their families on the first day of a public inquiry.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse is examining the Towards Healing process established by the Church in 1996.

The process was used to respond to complaints of abuse involving Church personnel.

When the Royal Commission was first announced by the Federal Government, the Catholic Church established the Truth, Justice and Healing Council.

The lawyer representing the Council at the hearing, Peter Gray SC, began his opening remarks by quoting the Gospel of Mark:

"Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such of these that the Kingdom of God belongs."

A group of victims and their relatives in the public gallery began to leave, with one person saying "what a joke".

Some were seen outside the hearing in tears.

Mr Gray told the hearing the passage showed the "sacred place of children" within the Catholic faith.

"The Catholic Church comes before this Royal Commission acutely aware of its failures in this fundamental part of its mission," he said.

Woman abused by priest from the Archdiocese of Brisbane

The inquiry has heard evidence from a woman who was sexually abused by Father Francis Derriman, a priest of the Archdiocese of Brisbane.

The inquiry heard that Joan Isaacs was sexually abused by Father Derriman when she was 14 years old.

The abuse lasted for two years between 1967 and 1968.

Speaking at the public inquiry in Sydney, Mrs Isaacs said the abuse followed a significant period of grooming and manipulation.

"Frank Derriman created a cult-like group, which included myself and three other children," she said.

The priest told her he had a terminal lung condition and needed to have sex with her when she turned 16.

She said she was terrified to the point of being suicidal of turning that age.

The priest fathered a child with one of the other girls in the group when she was 17 years old.

Joan Isaacs said she took her concerns to the parish priest with her mother.

The priest told her he did not think she should go to Holy Communion, because he believed she was committing "awful sins with Frank Derriman".

Mrs Isaacs told the hearing that when they left the meeting, the priest told her "it is time for you to look for someone your own age".

"Up until this point, I had not thought the abuse was my fault," she said.

"But then I started to feel that it was, and I started to feel really ashamed."

After a period of negotiation lasting two years, Joan Isaacs received $30,000 and was required to pay $8,000 in legal fees for Frank Derriman's solicitor, who had launched a civil claim against her.

After paying her legal and medical costs, she was able to buy a sewing machine and a small number of shares.

She said when she expressed concern to the Archbishop that the money was not enough, he responded "that's your problem".

Frank Derriman was sentenced to one year in prison, to be suspended after serving four months.

He is still alive.

Towards Healing process never properly researched

The hearing has been told the majority of complaints of abuse within the Catholic Church involve incidents at schools, colleges or orphanages.

In her opening address, Counsel-Assisting the Commission Gail Furness SC said certain congregations stand out in the list of complaints.

"Over 60 per cent of all Towards Healing complaints detailed the incident location as a school, college or orphanage," she said.

"The church authority with the largest number of complaints was the Christian Brothers, followed by the Marist Brothers, and then the de La Salle Brothers."

The hearing has also been told the Towards Healing process has never been properly researched.

"Despite it being significant in terms of the church's response to sexual abuse, there has been no empirical research published in Australia or internationally, which has systematically evaluated Towards Healing," she said.

"That is a matter that this royal commission may consider."

Since Towards Healing was set up, the church has received 2215 complaints up to 30 September 2013, with 1700 people agreeing to participate in the process.

Seventy-six per cent of complaints relate to child sexual abuse between 1950 and 1980.

"A total of $43 million has been paid by all church authorities," the Counsel-Assisting said.

The highest reparation paid to a Towards Healing participant was about $850,000, after a complaint was made involving a diocesan priest with the Archdiocese of Sydney.

Church asks for 'forgiveness'

The Catholic Church established the Trust, Justice and Healing Council shortly after the Federal Government announced the Royal Commission.

Counsel representing the council, Peter Gray SC, has called the inquiry a "searing and decisive moment in the history of the Catholic Church in Australia".

Mr Gray has spoken of the "sacred place of children" within the Catholic Church and conceded past wrongdoings.

"The Catholic Church comes before this Royal Commission acutely aware of its failures in this fundamental part of its mission," he said.

"For many Catholics, the realisation that some Catholic priests and religious, of all people, had betrayed the trust of children and their parents by abusing them in sexual ways, has been almost unbearable."

Peter Gray told the hearing that Catholic Church leaders across Australia are committed to repairing the wrongs of the past, and quoted a written submission from the council which extends an apology from the church.

"It apologises to all those who have been harmed and betrayed," the submission reads.

"It humbly asks for forgiveness."

'Not ancient history'

Before the inquiry began, a group of victims and supporters gathered outside the building.

Lawyer John Ellis was a victim of child abuse, and says it is still a major issue within the church.

"The idea that all this is ancient history - and I'm sure that the cases that the commission is going to be looking at over the next couple of weeks are going to be cases that occurred some years ago," he said.

"But this is happening today, last week, it will happen next week to people going through the Towards Healing process."

The ABC has been told 40 per cent of people who contact the commission want to discuss issues relating to the Catholic Church.

The hearing continues.