Abuse Royal Commission: Paedophile Priest Raymond Foster Allowed to Keep Teaching Job Despite Complaints

By Thomas Oriti
The 7 News
December 17, 2013

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/20367629/abuse-royal-commission-paedophile-priest-raymond-foster-allowed-to-keep-teaching-job-despite-complaints/



An inquiry into child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church has revealed a paedophile priest was allowed to continue teaching at a Sydney school, despite a number of complaints against him.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse is examining the church's responses to Raymond Foster and his victims.

The inquiry is focusing on the case of a man known to the Commission as DG, who says he was sexually abused by Foster between 1970 and 1973. He provided a statement to police in 1994.

It has heard that although Foster was stood down from the Hunters Hill school in 1994, similar complaints were made against him in relation to events dating back to the 1950s.

He had worked at St Augustine's college in Cairns at the time.

The first complaint was made in an anonymous phone call in 1991, three years before Foster was removed from the school.

Former director of Professional Standards for the Marist Brothers Alexis Turton says he took Foster's word.

"I assume I would've gotten an assurance from him that what was an issue 40 years ago was not an issue now," he said.

Counsel-Assisting the commission Angus Stewart told the hearing he found it "astonishing" Foster was still allowed to work in an environment with children.

Brother Turton said if the situation had happened today, action would have been taken sooner.

"It would be different now, because we have quite a different understanding of abuse," he said.

Victim told to choose

 

The inquiry has been told a victim was made to believe he had to choose between pursuing the matter of his abuse within the church, or through the courts.

A man known only as DG has told the inquiry he was 13 years old when he was first abused in his family home by Foster.

He was studying at a school run by the Marist Brothers in North Queensland.

The abuse continued for three years until 1973 when he left the college.

DG, 55, told the hearing that most of the incidents happened on school grounds, including in a science laboratory and in the store room of the canteen.

A former Provincial of the Marist Brothers, Michael Hill, wrote to DG in early 2000, asking him to either find a solicitor or engage with the Towards Healing process within the church.

Counsel-Assisting the commission Angus Stewart has asked why a victim should be forced to choose.

"The way I interpreted it at the time is that perhaps he does not want to go into a church-sponsored process," Brother Hill said.

"I wanted to respond to him as best as I could, and as soon as possible."

He told the hearing that although there are "certain procedures" to be followed, both the Towards Healing process and legal consultation can happen simultaneously.

The hearing was told DG was "distrustful of church authorities and didn't want to deal with them".

Abuse had 'profound' impact

 

DG's testimony covered the "profound" impact the abuse had on his life.

"It has placed a strain on my long-term sexual relations, contributed to the breakdown of my first marriage, and contributed to me having some sexual dysfunction," he said.

DG also said the abuse prompted him to abuse illegal substances and caused a "destruction" of his religious beliefs and trust in religious institutions.

In 1999, on the day Foster was due to be extradited from New South Wales to face the abuse charges in Queensland, he committed suicide.

He left a note asking for forgiveness, saying DG had "every right" to speak up.

DG says he only became aware of the apology when he was preparing for the Royal Commission.

The victim reacted with disgust when fellow Marist Brothers spoke publicly in the aftermath of Foster's death, saying he died of natural causes and was a "wonderful man".

Brother Michael Hill has told the commission he banned the men involved from talking to the media and called each newspaper to issue a clarification, saying the confirmed cause of death was suicide.

He also apologised to DG for the reporting.

Foster had indicated he would plead guilty to the charges before he took his own life.

DG was paid $36,500 in compensation under Towards Healing, but says he was made to feel as though he was robbing the Catholic Church during the process.

The hearing continues.