AUSTRALIA
Freethinker (UK)
BY BARRY DUKE – MARCH 4, 2014
LAST January we carried a shocking report about the reinstatement of a Catholic priest who had been put on “administrative leave” for 16 months after he was accused of abusing a young disabled woman in Australia over a period of 14 years.
Father Tom Knowles, to the horror his victim, Jennifer Herrick, and others who had suffered abuse at the hands of priests, was returned to active ministry at St Francis’ Church in Melbourne.
After we reported that the Catholic Church had reinstated Knowles because he was now “committed to a prolonged, regular and very intensive and personally confronting programme of therapy” an unidentified woman posted a comment beneath the report.
It contained information Herrick believed could be of considerable use to her. She contacted me, and asked whether there was any possibility of being put in touch with the woman.
As I had the person’s email address I was able to establish the contact the victim sought, and recently Herrick emailed me to say that she is now “in constant contact with the woman” who wishes to remain anonymous.
She has thus been an immense support to me because she understands his character and has witnessed it over a long period of time. I tell you this so you know how important your website is for, in this instance, affording the victim about whom the article spoke, finding support in unexpected places!
She added:
I also want to tell you, Barry – and I’m sure you will be pleased to know – that I recently have taken out civil court proceedings against Tom Knowles and the trustees and the still-living provincial leaders of his Order (who ought to have been aware of what he was doing, being responsible for him) in the Supreme Court of NSW.
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