Warning: This post is based on an episode of Four Corners that aired on the ABC on Monday night and exposed coverups of sexual abuse by the Catholic Church. Parts of the show were extremely confronting, as are sections of this post.
Daniel Powell was only 11 years old when Father F, a priest at the church where he was an altar boy, performed oral sex on him.
He was not the only one abused. Damien Jurd was also just a child when he was sodomised by Father F.
In 2001 Damien took his own life. In 2007 Daniel did the same.
Damien’s brother has said: “It would have been no different if he [the priest] would have taken a gun and shot him – it just took longer. But it’s not just Damien – it’s so many other people and it’s the same circumstance.”
“If someone would have gone out and been responsible for the deaths and suicides of that amount of people it would be front page news. But because this was a catholic priest and because it was brushed under the table he’s still out there; he’s never been brought to justice.”
Last night the ABC’s Four Corners program revealed that Father F not only abused these two children but that he admitted as much to the Church. And that it was deliberately covered up.
The ABC reports today that:
…The church failed to pass on abuse admissions by a priest to police.
Four Corners obtained documents showing a New South Wales priest, from the parishes of Moree and later Parramatta, who is accused of abusing young boys, made clear admissions during a meeting with three senior priests, but they never referred the matter to police.
The program also detailed several cases in which priests were merely moved on, when the church was made aware of sexual abuse claims against them.
Father F worked at the NSW parishes of Moree and later Parramatta, in the 1980s.
Four Corners allege that Father F told three senior priests during a 2003 Church investigation, that he did sexually abuse five altar boys during that time. But that information was never passed onto police.
When Archbishop Cardinal George Pell was questioned about Father F’s admissions and the alleged cover up, he responded: “I certainly didn’t know that, I’m surprised at that. I would take the word of three priests against that allegation.”
Here’s what was being said on Twitter as the episode went to air:
You can watch the full Four Corners episode here.
If you or someone you know needs support, contact Lifelife on 13 11 14.
Were you watching last night? What were your thoughts on the episode? Do you think we are becoming immune because so much abuse is being uncovered? How do stories such as these influence your views on the Catholic Church?
Top Comments
Do you realise this is the religion that Katie wants Suri to be indoctrinated into? They believe in drinking fake human blood and fake human flesh. Their God is an absolute arsehole. If you don't obey his rules to the letter you spend eternity in Hell. If you are bad enough to him he will kill you. He killed every living thing on this planet in a flood except for those few on a boat. He's turned people to stone. He's turned people into pillars of salt. Disgusting really.
The true story of a nine year old girl who was viciously attacked by a Catholic Priest in 1946 in the country township of Cootamundra, is featured in her published memoir. This act was so shameful that it was never reported to any authority of medical or lawful nature,for fear of reprisals from the all powerful De La Salle Order in that Roman Catholic orientated community of that small town.
Who was going to believe a small child's story against the word of a highly respected ' man of the cloth', who had given so much comfort to the congregation of that church, during and after the horror of the war years? Absolutely nobody would have listened! This little child was physically and psychologically damaged for the rest of her life, while the perpetrator went scot free. That's the way things were back then,and the cover- ups still go on to this day. Shame on the Roman Catholic empire that would shield such abhorrent Behaviour. Brother Brendan Carroll who died during the 1980's was the much disgraced priest who should have languished in a prison cell instead of leading the charmed life of a priest.