By Patricia Feenan
When Senior NSW Police Detective leader Inspector Peter Fox advised the ABC’s Lateline programme on November eight, 2012, that the Catholic Church had lined up crimes by way of paedophile monks, silenced investigations and destroyed an important proof to prevent prosecution, the general public outrage that ensued prompted a Royal fee into institutional baby abuse. A case of Church interference Fox defined used to be that of Patricia Feenan’s son, Daniel who used to be a fourteen-year-old altar boy whilst he was once first raped via a clergyman within the Newcastle-Maitland diocese.
One of the numerous surprising facets of the case was once how the priest, an in depth kinfolk good friend, set approximately secretly grooming his altar boy sufferer. The priest used to be later came upon to blame of 9 fees of sexual abuse of a minor in a public legal trial in 2004.
Patricia writes with uncooked honesty approximately her son’s negative ordeal, and it’s results on her relatives. She bravely unearths the scars that linger from the callous and infrequently merciless ostracism they persevered, in addition to the denial they encountered from the Catholic group for looking to carry a paedophile priest to justice.
“The tale will surprise and confront because it takes you thru each parent’s worst nightmare. it's also a narrative of therapeutic and desire for the longer term. Patricia Feenan wasn’t only a reliable mum; she is a rare lady who by no means gave up the fight to rescue her relatives from the poor abyss of melancholy created by way of a paedophile priest.” --Detective leader Inspector Peter Fox
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Example text
He climbed up while I continued to support Daniel’s weight. He undid the rope from around his brother’s neck allowing Daniel to lower himself to the ground. He told me he was sorry and went down to the house with his little brother. I collapsed against the tractor wheel and sobbed hysterically. We gathered at the house and I rang John and he drove straight home rather than going to the meeting he had planned to attend. We realised that Daniel needed help and talked to him about seeking someone to talk to.
A simple pastoral visit would have reassured them that the Church needed to involve lay people in the various ministries because of declining priest numbers. He wouldn’t have got the cakes and he may have got some intelligent discussion but he chose to avoid the confrontation. They remained bitter but he still retained his idea that the priest’s opinion would and should go unchallenged. Power and self indulgence! There were other occasions where his power position might have been challenged and so we noticed how he managed situations.
I still have the rose and he still has his generous nature. In hindsight, I can see that he was eager to please, but that shouldn’t take on sinister perceptions as he was just a little boy, loving his family and being grateful for whatever privileges he was awarded as eldest son. While remembering Daniel with warm pride, I cannot fail to mention his marvellous brothers. They were just as contented, loving and appreciative in so many individual and combined ways. The boys were very close, fiercely loyal to each other and were happiest when together.