Clare Linane on GoFundMe Contributors

Description: Two contributors to the gofundme page put a couple of points out there that were reasonable perspectives, and worth answering.

Article originally prepared on : 28 February 2016

Two contributors to the gofundme page put a couple of points out there that were reasonable perspectives, and worth answering.

One was basically saying (and I'm paraphrasing here), why spend this money on going to Rome; what about all the children in under-developed countries who must be getting exploited by 'men of the cloth'; you could do so much more (with the money); think big picture instead of gratifying your needs.

The other was saying, this money could feed and cloth and immunise 40 children; but yeah use it to go to Rome to scream at a man about something that happened 30 years ago; great way to care about children.

I'm sharing my response because you might get asked/hear these same viewpoints.

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Hi Rhonda and Allan, thanks for your views, I think the points you are both making are reasonable and very important.

Rhonda, yes we are facing a big machine. Sometimes it feels like we're ants taking on an elephant. I do agree with your point about children in least developed nations and this is something I think and worry about also. It horrifies me to think what kind of exploitation is likely going on. For me, saying the survivors are trying to "gratify their needs" is simplifying it a bit though. For some, it is indeed a personal need to go and face Pell, because all their lives they've felt powerless, and if he gets to testify behind a video link, they feel powerless yet again. But I guess we differ in our outlook, because I don't think they should be criticized for ‘needing' to do that. Unless we've walked in their shoes, who are we to tell them what they should and shouldn't need? For others, it is purely the big picture that is motivating them. For example, going to Rome is the last thing my husband wants to do, or needs to do for his recovery. But he is aware it will attract media coverage, and it is with the support of the media that he can get a voice to influence the big picture.

Trust me; the survivors have some mighty big visions for how this fund can be used to make far reaching change. You say "You can do so much more" – and you're right, they can, but they need help! I think saying "you can do so much more" to our Prime Minister or Cardinal George Pell would be proportional, but it's not a group of high-flying, powerful men we're dealing with here. It is just a group of local Ballarat men, many who are quite broken and can't work, trying to use what brain power they do have to make the world a safer place for our kids. So personally I think that comment is a bit unfair and misplaced Rhonda. Instead, perhaps you could say "You can do so much more, and I'm willing to help you do it". Put your hand up, let us know what skill-set you can offer, because all the survivors are keen to get as much pro-bono help they can so that this money is not wasted on administrative ‘overheads' and is usually for exactly what Australians intended it for.

Allan, the article in today's Age (Catholic School Sex Abuse Scandal: Finding the Courage to Confront the Past) is about the work that is happening in two Ballarat schools to try to protect children. Caring about children is the heart and soul of this issue. Feeding, clothing and immunising children is one type of caring; but so is helping them understand their emotions and how to keep themselves safe. The people who have donated to the gofundme page probably also reach into their pocket when an appeal is put out to help by Red Cross or World Vision.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, it's not ‘either/or'. Just because we're trying to deal with the damage that has occurred locally, and just because the people of Australia are trying to help us do that, doesn't mean we all don't care about what is happening in under-developed countries, or in disadvantaged communities here in Australia…we just haven't found the means or capacity to do anything about that on a large scale (yet). Personally, we have supported international aid agencies for years; as I'm sure have hundreds of the donors to the Ballarat to Rome fund. Another survivor, who has not gone publicly with his story, actually sponsors 10 children via an international aid fund (it used to be 40 but financially he couldn't sustain it). You don't know what anyone else does or doesn't do to help other causes, so it's harsh to criticize them because they choose to help this one.

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