AUSTRALIA
Broken Rites
By a Broken Rites researcher (article posted 15 April 2014)
Two West Australian women have prompted a Catholic priest to admit in court that he committed sexual offences against each of them when they were young girls living in different parishes many years ago. This demonstrates why it is always worthwhile for a church-victim to have a chat with specialist police in the Child Abuse Squad.
This priest, Father Patrick Holmes, is a member of a Catholic religious order called the Camillian Fathers (or Ministers to the Sick). This order specialises in providing chaplains for hospitals as well as working in parishes.
On 15 April 2014, Father Holmes (aged 79) appeared in Perth Magistrates Court, Western Australia, where he pleaded guilty to six charges relating to indecently dealing with two young girls.
In two different parishes, the offences occurred (in different years) in the presbytery (the house where priests live).
Father Holmes admitted that:
1. In 1969, he dealt indecently towards a girl, who was six to seven years old, at the Holy Name parish in Carlisle, a Perth suburb.
2. In 1980, he dealt indecently towards a girl, who was 10 to 12 years old, at St Aloyius parish in Shenton Park, a Perth suburb.
A magistrate ordered Holmes to appear next in Perth District Court in June 2014. when a judge will hold pre-sentence proceedings, followed by a sentencing.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.