Outrage over senior bishops attending funeral of abusive priest Father Tom Laffey

By Tommy Livingston
Stuff Limited
May 6, 2019

https://bit.ly/2DSLdlp

Father Laffey retired from the priesthood after he admitted to sexually abusing a young boy.

Father Tom Laffey pictured when he was serving as a priest.

St Mary of the Angels Church, where Father Tom Laffey once served.

Survivors of sexual abuse at the hands of clergymen are outraged three senior bishops attended a funeral celebrating the life of an abusive priest.

The requiem mass for Father Thomas "Tom" Laffey was held in Ponsonby, Auckland, on Friday and attended by Bishop of Auckland Patrick Dunn, Bishop Emeritus Dennis Browne and former Bishop of Rarotonga Stuart O'Connell, Stuff understands. 

In 2003, Laffey admitted he had sexually assaulted Mike Phillips in the mid 1960s, when Phillips was a 13-year-old altar boy at St Mary of the Angels Church in Wellington.

Laffey's admission came after Phillips went public with his allegations after being diagnosed with terminal cancer aged 50. Laffey had been playfighting with Phillips when he took advantage of the situation and sexually assaulted him, he alleged. 

Laffey retired from his priestly duties after the claims were made public.

In his eulogy on Friday, Father Brian Wysocki  addressed the abuse by saying it was an "accusation".  

"All of this had a devastating effect on him. He withdrew into himself and he ceased ministry.

"... My overall impression of this whole business was that Tom was profoundly sad."

Advocate for survivors of clergy sexual abuse Dr Murray Heasley attended the funeral and said he was "shocked" that Laffey's abuse was addressed as an "accusation" and that no mention was made of his victim.

"My response was nausea," Heasley said. "'Instead of making a public apology making a reference to survivors and victims, it was a celebration of this man's life and made to look like his sexual offending didn't matter."

This was compounded by Father David Kennerley telling those gathered they should "imitate the faithful spirit" Laffey showed throughout his life. 

Heasley told Stuff he had spoken to a number of survivors of clergy abuse who were devastated that senior church leaders had supported Laffey by attending the funeral. 

"You would have thought some great beacon of the church had been sent to his rest given who was there. Instead, this was a self-confessed child abuser who resigned from his ministry."

Anne Hill, who was abused by a member of the clergy, said having three bishops in attendance showed a huge lack of respect for victims. 

"When my abuser died, it was an extremely stressful and emotional experience for me. I feel for any of his survivors confronted with this." 

Hill believed she was sick of clergy making "excuses" for their tone-deaf decisions when it came to dealing with sexual abuse victims.

She called it "ironic" that three bishops were able to attend the funeral, while their attendance was often lacking when it came to dealing with sexual abuse crises. 

 Catholic Bishops Conference spokeswoman Amanda Gregan told Stuff Laffey was not permitted to practice as a priest from the time the complaint was brought.

"The accusation was upheld, and assistance was offered by the church to the complainant in the form of arranging counselling and support," she said.

"The funeral service of Tom Laffey followed established rituals of bringing the deceased to a church to ask forgiveness for sin and to commend them to God's mercy."

Originally from Christchurch, Laffey was ordained in 1957. During his priesthood, he served across New Zealand and also in Fiji. He was 86 at the time of his death.