Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word: No Catholic Church Apology to Sex Abuse Victims
By Jennifer Sexton
THE Catholic Church ran its insurance company as a charity at law but treated sexual abuse claims in much the same way as any other insurance claim - make no admissions of liability and be wary of apologising. The royal commission yesterday heard that lawyers and insurers were dictating the terms of mediations with the Catholic Church's victims of sexual abuse. HUSH FUND: CATHOLIC CHURCH PAID $43M TO KEEP ABUSE SECRET CATHOLIC PRIEST RAN 'CHARLIE BROWN'-LIKE CULT The church's insurance representative Laurie Rolls warned priests the victims would forfeit the right to pastoral care if they engaged a lawyer. Mr Rolls told the commission in a statement that liability was at all times reduced. Representing Catholic Church Insurances Limited, he said the sexual abuse claims were treated in much the same way as any other insurance claim, "to make no admission of liability", be wary of apologies and use technical defences and limitations where ever possible. Rev Dr Adrian Farrelly, Chancellor of the Catholic archdiocese of Brisbane, said that before saying sorry in writing to victim Joan Isaacs, he sent a draft letter to Mr Rolls. Letters show Mr Rolls ordered the removal of a crucial sentence: "I am sorry that you were not believed when you told other priests what had happened to you." Mrs Isaacs told the commission she was 14 and 15 when she was abused by Brisbane priest Father Frank Derriman. The woman charged by the Catholic Church with facilitating negotiations with victims, Mary Bernadette Rogers - now director of professional standards for the church in Brisbane - admitted to routinely destroying her records in relation to the mediations under the church's controversial Towards Healing process, set up in 1996 to deal with abuse. She said protracted negotiations after mediation would have had the effect of reabusing victim Mrs Isaacs, and said it was standard to offer to give victims 10 counselling sessions. Mrs Isaacs endured two years of protracted negotiations and received just $30,000 in compensation. Retired priest Dr James Spence was also involved in Mrs Isaacs' case and said even after Derriman was sent to jail he was reluctant for the church to admit the abuse. "My advice from the lawyers was to offer an apology was to admit responsibility for damages," Dr Spence said. Yesterday he said there should have been an apology
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