My Awakening to Catholicism V with Angies' Story

Easter - Jesus spoke so often of children in general and our need to protect them

From: Angela Read
Sent: Friday, 2 April 2010 4:10:27 PM

To:
Do you know the Priest that Fr Julian has chosen to be your acting Priest for the Easter Masses in Healesville? His name is Barry Robinson. He fled from Boston after he admitted to having sex on three occasions with a 16 yr old boy in the rectory. Thanks to Archbishop Hart he was placed on the supply list for Parish Priests to choose from if they require a priest to assist in their area. Father Robinson, who could not be contacted yesterday, has admitted having sex with the teenager in 1994, and also admitted misconduct (though not with juveniles) while a priest in Chile between 1979 and 1985 .

 

By Barney Zwartz The Age Religious Affairs Writer

January 16, 2004

 

Thank God St Mary's authorities had the decency to protect the children in their care from this man who has admitted that he has had a relationship with a 16 yr old boy. To think he ran away to protect himself after being reported to authorities.

So here he sits with no investigation because the Church did not co-operate with the U.S. Department of Social Services and the Boston District Attorney.

He has the support of Archbishop Hart and the Vicar General Les Tomlinson and the "famous' QC who was put in his position to prevent clergy sexual misconduct and abuse of children and vulnerable adults in the churches. And they are putting Barry Robinson ON a list of priests to do supply work for parishes short of priests. Civil Authorities' concerns about Barry Robinson have been reported in the US and Australian media and the Archdiocese has continued to allow him access to our children. I hear it is up to the Parish Priest to pick from the list of supply priests, I ask Julian how you can do this to our community after we have had to deal with two paedophile priests in our community. These men both claimed their innocence and tried to get off being charged with the offences.

Thankfully they were charged and convicted of their crimes.

It is on record that

§ David Daniel's record of sexual deviance was known about years before the hierarchy allowed him to run loose in this parish. (ref Broken rites)

§ David Daniel was convicted of numerous offences including an indecent act in St Brigid's sacristy while the local bishop was over in the
presbytery.

§ Fr Paul Pavlou was convicted of an indecent act with a minor and possession of child pornography in this parish. (ref Broken rites) Fr Barry Robinson runs away from officials in Boston and hides here in Australia after he was reported for having a sexual relationship with a16 yr old boy.

 

Talk about a Slap in the face for victims, and this community; in fact Catholics everywhere. Thanks to all of my parish members. My family have been part of this catholic community and my eldest son served and participated in the mass as altar boy under 5 or so priests in the time we have been members in this Parish. He assisted with Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals as well as being a Leader of the St Brigid's Youth Group.

My son was determined and focused on getting the truth out there about Pavlou and making sure he would not get another chance to attack another child with his crimes, He was determined to do everything legally possible to have him brought to Justice and get him on the Sex Offenders Register. If my son knew you were allowing another priest with a history of offending into this Parish, after everything he has been through in his fight for justice and decency, in preventing a predator Paedophile from getting another chance of doing
this in a position of power again.

 

Letting Fr Julian be allowed to have the Priest he chose be active, in our Parish, over the Easter weekend would not only be hurtful for my son but he would be completely gutted to know he took a stand to protect the other children in this Parish and stood up and fought when he could have just walked away and stayed at his grandmothers. I had to send him away because, luckily, I Intercepted (by the grace of God) one of Pavlou's sickening messages of adoration for my son.

 

My son's beautiful faith has been damaged incredibly by his treatment by Pavlou. He had expressed the desire to be a priest and was even invited to visit a Salesian's seminary by Pavlou. This final insult will probably be the death of his faith .

 

Why won't you stand up and say NO! Give my son back his dignity and respect!!!! Say no!! no more!!!!!

If a 14 yr old boy can say no, why can't you? Here in a community; where a child, who has devoted his life to his faith; participating in the celebrations of mass for this parish and you say yes to a known sex offender! He wanted to keep your children safe and stood up and fought for them. Yet you can't show your appreciation and say no for your own children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews and agree to allow another self confessed offender back into our church and presbytery. I sit here and cry for the wounded and the innocence that has been lost.

 

A child who is just 16 is not strong enough to take on the battle with the Church and a powerful priest. This is why so many offenders are not brought to justice. For those who claim that it is not a crime for a priest to have sex with a 16 year old "“ It is a jailable offence if a teacher, social worker, doctor, the rapist or person in a position of authority such as an employer is more than two years older than a 16 year old and engages in a sexual relationship with the 16 year old.

 

What people have to realise is that a victim of clergy sexual abuse is not traumatised just once but may be retraumatised by thousands of memories triggered by such things as simply passing a church. This is called PTSD and used to be called 'shell shock'. Why can't we say enough is enough and stand united and demand the Archdiocese and Julian to explain why this priest is on the supply list?

 

Most importantly why did Julian pick him out of all the Priests on the List - to serve in our community that is still healing from 2 previous paedophiles?

Under the conditions of his ministry, he was not allowed to have contact with youths in the parish or at the school. By Farrah Tomazin Education

 

Reporter May 13, 2004

As they said in 2004 he is to be restricted around children so how many of you are going to send your child to the altar for the washing of the feet. A known offender should not be placed in a position of power The pope in 2008 described the abuse as "so grave a betrayal of trust"¦" ""¦it deserves "unequivocal condemnation."

Archbishop Wilson said. "Holy Father, I can assure you that we are all making every effort in our response to cases of sexual abuse, with compassion and care for victims," Pope Benedict said he wanted "to pause to acknowledge the shame which we have all felt as a result of the sexual abuse of minors by some clergy and religious in this country." And, in an addition to his prepared text, he said, "I am deeply sorry for the pain and suffering the victims have endured, and I assure them that as their pastor, I, too, share in their suffering." "These misdeeds, which constitute so grave a betrayal of trust, deserve unequivocal condemnation," the pope said. "They have caused great pain and have damaged the church's witness." Pope Benedict asked the priests and religious to cooperate with the bishops "in combating this evil" by implementing programs designed to protect children, screen church employees and volunteers and to ensure that those who have abused children are never given another opportunity to do so.

 

BARRY ROBINSON has run away and hid with the Archdiocese psychologists here in Australia and is now being allowed back into parish communities where there are potential victims. So it seems to me that the Archdiocese Psychologists, Archbishop Hart and the QC are circumventing civil justice and ignoring the Pope's request that was publicly announced at my son's World Youth Day - that MY SON heard and was so relieved that the Pope is acknowledging Victims by ensuring that those who have abused children are never given another opportunity to do so .

 

When he attended World Youth Day, my son was only starting his battle in bringing Pavlou to justice and have him charged and placed on the sex offender's registrar. So the Archdiocese is not putting in place the restrictions that he should be placed under as requested publicly by the Pope.

 

When placed on the sex offender's register an offender is forbidden to participate in schools, sports or any organisation that has children involved and is not allowed to loiter around parks or libraries That is why we now have a working for children's card and why we are screened but because the Archdiocese has allowed this man to seek help in their shelter there is no civil record even though he and the Archdiocese of Melbourne acknowledge he had sex with a 16 yr old boy.The archdiocese claim they are not responsible for priests actions while they are in a parish and yet Fr Julian has allowed this man into our community.

 

Our parish should be protected with safeguards put in place to ensure that all who have positions of authority and contact with our children are safe. As parents we comply with the law and have checks for working with children cards so we can work in the classrooms of our own children.

I ask you to respect victims everywhere and say NO more secrecy. If you were unaware of this man's evil past then I ask you to consider the fact tonight and contemplate what you are saying to victims everywhere In Ireland,Germany, USA, Canada, UK, Consider the children in Australia and ensure this man, like Pavlou, is not permitted around children and vulnerable adults. I'm sure there are positions in the Archdiocese where he can be accepted and work for God but he is not around children or vulnerable adults.

 

You don't know my story except for all those lovely rumours that are circulating in the community about me which were instigated by Fr Pavlou, the parish's representative of the one "TRUE" Church. I would love to sit and have a coffee and a talk of my journey so you can actually hear my fight in protecting my child from a predator who over-rode my parental boundaries continuously to get with my son to the point I had no choice but to send my son away for his own protection.

 

I also call on Julie to keep good her promise to me that she would implement a program into the school and parish that shows that stranger danger doesn't necessarily means 'stranger' it could be someone you know and trust implicitly. I jumped for joy when Pavlou was convicted. All the fear and dread and the load of judgement and scrutiny fell right of my shoulders - that is one of the heaviest crosses I have carried in my journey.

 

The cross was getting heavier and heavier over the four years we fought to bring Pavlou to justice. Boy did I jump for joy and vindication for my son. I am so proud of him. I ask you to respect victims everywhere and say NO This is one of the reasons I support HEAR and say thank you for your watchful eye on the matters of predators convicted and the ones that have still got to be brought to Justice. If you were ignorant of who this Priest wa sthat was going to celebrate mass this Easter with you and ignorant about the fact that Fr Julian chose him then I ask you to Educate yourself.

 

Listen to victims and their families and learn to be aware of predator behaviour and do your part in keeping our kids safe. Please do this so that my son's battle to keep your children safe was not in vain. I wish everybody Peace and God's Love.

Angela Boede