Stuff Digital Edition

School removes abuser portraits, honours

‘‘To find that the abuse was widespread, perennial and systemic was truly astounding.’’ Abuse survivor

The Marist Fathers did not respond to a request for comment.

School board chairpersons Clare Couch and Sean Mahony also declined to comment, instead forwarding, via Catholic church spokesman David McLoughlin, a letter sent to Heasley detailing the redactions. Stuff asked McLoughlin if the school was aware that other offenders remained on the walls, to which Mahony issued a statement via McLoughlin which said: ‘‘We are not aware of other names remaining of people convicted of offences.

‘‘We will investigate Peter McCormack now you have given his name. We ask that you please let us know of any other names you are aware of.’’

Heasley said: ‘‘Our attitude is it is a welcome move but a tentative step . . . the takeaway is we need a lot more black paint [to remove more names].’’ Heasley said he felt the redactions were only due to pressure and he would supply more names to the school. He said one survivor of Shirres’ abuse was initially elated at the news but was now angry after reflecting on the fact they had known of it for two decades.

A survivor of Evatt’s abuse said his emotions were ‘‘raw’’ in response to the news. He said until he read Stuff’s reports on abuse at Silverstream he had assumed he was one of very few victims. ‘‘To find that the abuse was widespread, perennial and systemic was truly astounding.’’

Another Catholic group, the

Marist Brothers, also own a series of Catholic high schools where there have been multiple cases of sexual abuse. The brothers’ Peter Horide said it was their ‘‘intention ... that nothing would be displayed ... that will cause harm to anyone in the community’’.

McLoughlin, on behalf of the wider Catholic church, said the church had plans for all church leaders to review all buildings and remove any honorifics which were ‘‘potentially traumatic’’ for survivors.

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2022-12-03T08:00:00.0000000Z

2022-12-03T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/281603834490736

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