AUSTRALIA
The Age
August 18, 2014
Jane Lee and Cameron Houston
Victims have called for all 351 compensation claims to the Catholic Church’s Melbourne Response to be reviewed and have accused the process as lacking compassion and transparency on the opening day of the Royal Commission.
Paul Hersbach told the Commission on Monday that his father, uncle, brother and himself had been abused by Father Victor Rubeo, who the family had referred to as ‘Gramps’ which had been embroidered on his hat.
“I do not need or want a personal apology. I do not want the church burned down,” he said. “All I want is for someone from the Catholic Church to show compassion and give me a call one day and say ‘Hi Paul how are you going these days?..Can I do anything to help?'”
When Mr Hersbach sought compensation from the church, he said that he was discouraged by independent commissioner Peter O’Callaghan, QC, from reporting his abuse to police because he “didn’t think anything would happen”. Six weeks later he received a letter from Mr O’Callaghan saying “with respect to the unsurprising haziness of your memory there would not appear to be much point in your taking the matter to the Police”.
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