Australian Politics Forum

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/john-comerford-was-raped-at-11-he-returned-to-the-school-at-18-with-a-loaded-shotgun-to-kill-his-rapist-but-he-was-told-he-was-already-dead/news-story/5d61f68d4bbc7d4c17d25c7d118be1cb

MORE than 30 years ago, John Comerford returned to the steps of De La Salle College with a loaded shotgun.

A tormented 18-year-old, he was going to kill the man who stole his life when he was just 11.

But Mr Comerford never got the opportunity to come face-to-face with Brother Anselm Hallam as an adult because as he sat on the steps of the southwestern Sydney school, he was told the teacher was dead.

He would spend the next two decades of his life harbouring the secret of his childhood rape, not telling a soul about the day Anselm caught him alone in the school’s old church.

He was tidying up before a midweek service when he noticed a container of holy bread had been left out.

“I stood there eating it when I heard someone scream behind me,” Mr Comerford said.

“As I turned, I saw Anselm coming towards me. He slapped me hard across the side of my head which knocked me off my feet to the ground.

“He continued to hit me around the head area and as I covered myself up crying … He grabbed me, placed his forearm across the back of my neck and started pulling at my pants.

“Then he started fumbling with something under his uniform, I thought he was getting his strap and all I could think of was he could only give me six (straps) and (that) I have had so many before. I was thinking I would be OK. Then he raped me.”

That assault led Mr Comerford down the dark road of substance abuse, repeated suicide attempts and relationship breakdowns.

“I had been dependent on either drugs or alcohol for much of my life,” Mr Comerford said.

“Last year I was finally diagnosed with severe depression, severe anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.”

I doubt there is enough money or words to compensate John for the life he had stolen from him..

John I pray whats ahead you will find peace of mind you did nothing wrong...you did nothing wrong... :'( :'(

Im starting to detest the word "hero"

well at least you found something interesting in the thread.. :(

to me this man has led a life of torment and be unable to talk to anyone about it....he probably didnt even really understand what drove him to destruction...and now he is in the newspaper picture and story out there......

I am sorry you dont see him as hero....but I trust you are the only one..

I see this as a changing life for John and blimey doesnt he at least deserve that?..

Yes - having worked in Psyche. It is indeed a fine line regarding the true reason behind their such abhorrent behaviour. It also takes a good Medic to break through that behaviour (in a non-security/police manner) and support the patient when they finally look into that deep dark abyss.

I found this Australian Doco quite an effect when I saw it late late on SBS or ABC years ago.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Bird_and_Monster_Man

What perplexes me is how did mongrels like that get into the priesthood.

Didn't they vet them, their background etc.

Feel sorry for the poor children that get abused by these farkers, these priests should be castrated and sent to jail for life.

cods wrote on Jul 16^th, 2017 at 10:30am:

I see him as a victim Cods., a victim of a predator.

Ajax wrote on Jul 16^th, 2017 at 10:52am:

What perplexes me is how did mongrels like that get into the priesthood.

Didn't they vet them, their background etc.

pedophiles are attracted to these sorts of occupations because they enjoy the access to children.
The vow of celibacy required of priests acts as a disincentive for normal balanced people to join.
In some ways it isn't surprising that Catholic priests contain such a high percentage of pedophiles. And the Catholic church has no one but itself to blame.

The_Barnacle wrote on Jul 16^th, 2017 at 11:21am:

Ajax wrote on Jul 16^th, 2017 at 10:52am:

What perplexes me is how did mongrels like that get into the priesthood.

Didn't they vet them, their background etc.

Makes sense, but I would have thought they would have wanted to know their background where they came from etc etc.

Celibacy isn't natural, I think its time they let priests marry and have children, otherwise Catholicism is doomed imo.

Orthodox priests can marry and have children, this has to be done before they become a priest, so many serve an apprenticeship while forming their family and then take their priestly vows.

I don't think I've met an average Greek priest in the burbs who hasn't got a family.

And I can only recall one case of sexual assault between a priest and teenage girl, there might be more that don't get reported.

Celibacy = stupidity

Potential priests should be checked out, background, family even psyche before there allowed to become a priest.

Ajax wrote on Jul 16^th, 2017 at 11:41am:

I would have thought they would have wanted to know their background where they came from etc etc.

I doubt any of them had convictions prior to joining the priesthood.
Don't forget that most of these assaults took place in the 60s, 70s and 80s. When they joined the priesthood it was long before police checks or working with children checks were even thought of.

Ajax wrote on Jul 16^th, 2017 at 11:41am:

Potential priests should be checked out, background, family even psyche before there allowed to become a priest.

I expect Ajax after the RC into child sexual abuse exposure of the Catholic Priests involvement they are now.

I personally think if the current pope had any balls he would get rid of the vow of celibacy or whatever it is called.

Ajax wrote on Jul 16^th, 2017 at 10:52am:

X 2

I wonder how all the slave boys that the muzzos used feel?

I wonder at the child rape of young girl children sold off to dirty old muzzo men feel?

These are the forgotten millions that the muzzos and apologists ignore.

But to shore up thier justification of their perverted practices they cherry pick any ILLEGAL activity perpitrated by normal humans.

It never is a consideration of the sympathiser, sycophant, apologists that these activities are illegal, yet to muzzos it is accpeted practice.

Sick, twisted CULT

Valkie wrote on Jul 16^th, 2017 at 4:08pm:

This story has given Valkie an erection.

Are you looking for an insertion?

Not that there's anything wrong with that ;)

rhino wrote on Jul 16^th, 2017 at 10:56am:

cods wrote on Jul 16^th, 2017 at 10:30am:

I see him as a victim Cods., a victim of a predator.

this is it they are not victims in my eyes....
they dont want pity
they want justice and to know they did nothing to deserve this..
its hard for any of us to even come close to understanding his life since it happened.....

but to suddenly come forward

and have someone listen to his story and to believe him must be an all consuming relief..

I think hes a HERO this is why.

It’s the typical life of a victim and heartbreakingly similar to all the child victims who are now suing the Revesby Catholic school for their alleged abuse in the 1970s and ’80s.

They too had suffered at the hands of Anselm, who was allegedly moved from a school in Melbourne to Revesby following complaints of sexual abuse there. Some allege they were abused by other teachers at the school.

Comerford was raped at his school after a teacher caught him eating the holy bread. Picture: Sam Ruttyn
At the forefront of these cases is Jason Parkinson, of Porters Lawyers, who this week labelled the school a “hotspot of paedophilia in Sydney” back then.

“Men have complained to us that Br Anselm would routinely molest the entire class of children by having them stand up at the side of their desk, and have them unbutton their shorts and then go from one child to the next,” he said.

“There are scores of men who are suffering from the serious psychiatric injuries of childhood sexual abuse.

“Everyone we meet has had suicidal ideations, a large number have actually planned their suicide and many have attempted it and been fortunate to have failed.”

Mr Parkinson is handling more than 1500 cases against independent schools in NSW, including Trinity Grammar, Knox Grammar, St Patrick’s at Goulburn and Newington College.

The Royal Commission Into Institutional Responses To Child Sex Abuse, which launched in 2013, is expected to hand down its final report in December.
Mr Comerford only recently learnt Anselm was actually still
alive at the time he visited the school in 1983, the teacher dying years later at age 92.

Now working as a fly-in fly-out employee in Western Australia, Mr Comerford said he knew it was for the better that he had spent decades thinking his abuser was dead.

However, learning Anselm had allegedly been moved from school to school following complaints had shattered him.

“If I had known earlier, I probably would have done something earlier,” he said.

“As soon as I read that, I rang the solicitor straight away.”

I had been dependent on either drugs or alcohol for much of my life. Last year I was finally diagnosed with severe depression, severe anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder

Responding to Mr Comerford’s story, De La Salle reiterated its “unreserved apology to those who have suffered as a result of abuse endured at any of our facilities”.

“What happened in the past is unacceptable and inexcusable,” it said.

The 52-year-old said the best thing he ever did was finally talk about his assault, something he never shared, even with his mum, before she died.

He said meeting a good counsellor had been a key on his road to getting healthy, along with the love he had received from his four children and partner. “Life is still a struggle, however I have reconnected with my family, who have been fantastic about it all. I have a really supportive partner and a great counsellor who I can talk to about what is going on,” he said.

“I am hoping my story does two things: firstly inspires others to come forward, because I honestly believed I was the only one, and secondly to get closure. I want the school to acknowledge they knew he was a paedophile and moved him to my school knowing that. That will leave me knowing I have done everything that I can to protect the 11-year-old version of me.”

rhino that would have taken so much courage for him to come forward he was unable to tell his mum.... :'( :'( :'(

Unforgiven wrote on Jul 16^th, 2017 at 4:28pm:

Valkie wrote on Jul 16^th, 2017 at 4:08pm:

This story has given Valkie an erection.

this is disgusting...
can you take yourself somewhere else please.

Way back it seemed a bit borderline in school cadets . At 14 years we had to walk up to a nurse and teachers and drop it out for a VD check at Singleton camp (!) . Kids with sexual disease ?

Unforgiven wrote on Jul 16^th, 2017 at 4:28pm:

Valkie wrote on Jul 16^th, 2017 at 4:08pm:

This story has given Valkie an erection.

What is wrong with you, you sad little turd?

You really do need to see someone and possibly be put away for quite a while, until you start thinking like a human being.

Ajax wrote on Jul 16^th, 2017 at 11:41am:

The_Barnacle wrote on Jul 16^th, 2017 at 11:21am:

Ajax wrote on Jul 16^th, 2017 at 10:52am:

What perplexes me is how did mongrels like that get into the priesthood.

Didn't they vet them, their background etc.

Actually, Celibacy is far natural than homosexuality.

Don't mix the two together, one is 'non'-sexual, the other 'homo' sexual.
Many men practice celibacy in many ways: before Marriage, a month before a major sporting contest, during busy periods in their lives, dedication to a duty and more.

It's the 'homo-sexuals' that both corrupt the reputation of Celibacy and exploit it like they exploit their victims. A 'Hetero'-sexual can abuse children and same sex adults as well.

The Catholic Priest is supposed to be pure Celibate ...while his Followers breed like rabbits.
A Protestant Priest breeds like a Rabbit and invented Divorce so he can breed with more women ...while his Followers raise their hands in the air singing "We're in it for the money!"
A Orthodox Priest has the best of both worlds: Breeds and gets paid. Except they don't have much of a Following.
The Pagan Priest (bottom of the cross in the dirt) doesn't breed or get money ...but his many many Followers do at the usual Burning Man Festival.

So there you have the 'Four' Choices of the Compass.
Be you Priest (Individual) or Follower (Mass)
It's the same process that is reflected in every Religion, in every Industry and in every Region of the World.
Can you tell me which one identifies with Australian Politics compared to USA Politics?

Nothing wrong with Celibacy.
But definitely something wrong with Paedophilia and any form of 'sexual abuse' to others.

Alas, yes - there are those men who get confused and think that not having sex with women, think then that they should have sex with other men or boys, etc.

Bilbo Baggins could do it with young Frodo around in all the right ways. Why other Men can't do it? Well, I think the Celibate Males should be given more power to oust the Spiders. I know in St Gregory's - after some negative experiences, they now have more 'female' teachers in the School (to keep an eye on things?) - but they are at constant loggerheads with the male students ...because it is a 'Male Only School' afterall. So this too falls short.

Prevention, is far better than the cure. Even if it is the hardest path to take.

Australian Politics Forum
http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl General Discussion >> General Board >> another HERO tells his story http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1500161016 Message started by cods on Jul 16^th, 2017 at 9:23am