Woman Tells Catholic Abuse Inquiry of Ostracism for Speaking out

By Dan Cox
ABC News
July 26, 2013

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-26/woman-tells-catholic-abuse-inquiry-of-ostracism-for-speaking-out/4846966?section=nsw

A woman whose son was sexually abused by a Catholic priest has told a NSW inquiry she was ostracised for speaking out. (ABC News: Dan Cox)

A woman whose son was sexually abused by a Catholic priest has told an inquiry into clerical abuse in the Hunter Valley that she was ostracised for speaking out.

The special commission of inquiry has been examining claims the church covered up abuse by two priests in the Maitland-Newcastle Diocese, James Fletcher and Denis McAlinden.

Fletcher died in jail two years into a 10-year sentence for abusing a boy know to the inquiry as AH.

AH's mother today told the inquiry she was subjected the prank phone calls, had eggs thrown at her house and was shunned in the street after the allegations were raised.

She described an altercation in a supermarket where a man rammed a shopping trolley into her leg because he was upset at the allegations levelled at Fletcher.

The woman told the hearing her family received no support from the clergy during Fletcher's trial and she felt estranged from the church.

"They didn't pray for us but they were certainly praying for him," she said.

Outside the inquiry, she said people character assassinated her family for speaking out during Fletcher's trial, and some continued to do so.

"It's probably made our family closer," she said.

"It was something that was unexpected, and particularly because it was the church it was horrifying.

"I would like to say that it has surprised me through this whole inquiry that clergy, and other witnesses, are having trouble trying to remember, and I can tell you for sure that victims have a lot of trouble trying to forget."

Earlier in the day one of the country's most senior Catholics, Father Brian Lucas, continued his evidence, which began on Wednesday.

Father Lucas is the general secretary of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and in the 1990s was called in to deal with paedophile priests.

His barrister, Peter Skinner, put to him today that while things are not perfect, they have improved in regards to how the church deals with abuse claims.

"Precisely," Father Lucas replied.

In a statement he accepted that "mistakes were made" and that "the Church did not appreciate the full impact on victims".

The public hearings resume on Monday when other senior clergy are expected to give evidence.