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	Bishop to Meet with Families By Jim Campbell The Chronicle August 13 2010 http://www.thechronicle.com.au/story/2010/08/13/bishop-offers-to-meet-with-families/ THE families of two young victims of the horrific sexual abuse scandal at a Toowoomba Catholic primary school have supported the family of another victim who say they have been forced out of town. The Chronicle ran a front page story in yesterday’s edition telling the family’s heart-breaking story. The father of the young girl who was repeatedly raped by her teacher, Gerard Vincent Byrnes, explained the anguish his family had been put through and the lack of support they had been shown by the school. A parent of another victim contacted The Chronicle yesterday to show support for the devastated family. “We understand your devastation and hope that you gain some strength from knowing there are people who are willing to stand side by side with you through the most challenging of times,” they wrote. “The families involved have shown incredible courage and resilience in spite of ignorance and ‘blind faith’ being exhibited in a very public way by certain sections of the community. “As a parent of one of the victims, we have also chosen to relocate to try and protect our family from unwanted exposure.” Finally, they wrote: “The pain this one man has caused is unimaginable and will remain with us for the rest of our lives.” Toowoomba Catholic Diocese leader Bishop William Morris also issued a statement in response to the family’s claims, saying the diocese had “maintained a constant flow of communication with the school community and has offered counselling and other pastoral support” over the past two years. “Parents and the diocese place a great deal of trust in teachers to care for children under their supervision and the actions of Gerard Byrnes were a shocking betrayal of that trust,” Bishop Morris said. “I can only begin to imagine the suffering which has been experienced by the victims and their families, including the one referred to in the Toowoomba Chronicle (yesterday). “Although I of course would have preferred to have directly communicated with the victims and their families sooner, the diocese was unable to do so until April this year, due to not wanting to interfere in any way with the police investigation and subsequent criminal court proceedings. “Gerard Byrnes’ guilty plea in the Toowoomba District Court in April meant the diocese was for the first time able to directly communicate with the victim’s parents, which I did so via a letter to each parent. “I believed a letter to the victims offering a face-to-face meeting was a more respectful way of making contact, rather than an unannounced phone call. “. . . I offered a face-to-face meeting and I indicated I would very much like this to occur so that I could apologise personally.” Bishop Morris said that invitation remained open and he would particularly encourage the family who spoke out in The Chronicle to contact him. He said he wrote to the families who had not yet pursued legal claims, inviting them to participate in the mediation process that will follow Bishop Morris’ admission of liability in July. He also said the diocese had comprehensive procedures for dealing with allegations of sexual abuse and that at the beginning of 2010, it appointed a full-time Diocesan Student Protection Officer, who is working with Toowoomba Catholic Education personnel to “heighten their vigilance for child protection surveillance”.
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