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another HERO tells his story (Read 1213 times)
cods
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another HERO tells his story
Jul 16th, 2017 at 9:23am
 
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/john-comerford-was-raped-at-11-he-retu...


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...
Cry Cry
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rhino
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Re: another HERO tells his story
Reply #1 - Jul 16th, 2017 at 9:41am
 
Im starting to detest the word "hero"
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cods
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Re: another HERO tells his story
Reply #2 - Jul 16th, 2017 at 10:30am
 
well at least you found something interesting in the thread.. Sad

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?..

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Jasin
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Re: another HERO tells his story
Reply #3 - Jul 16th, 2017 at 10:50am
 
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
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AIMLESS EXTENTION OF KNOWLEDGE HOWEVER, WHICH IS WHAT I THINK YOU REALLY MEAN BY THE TERM 'CURIOSITY', IS MERELY INEFFICIENCY. I AM DESIGNED TO AVOID INEFFICIENCY.
 
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Ajax
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Re: another HERO tells his story
Reply #4 - Jul 16th, 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.

Feel sorry for the poor children that get abused by these farkers, these priests should be castrated and sent to jail for life.
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1. There has never been a more serious assault on our standard of living than Anthropogenic Global Warming..Ajax
2. "One hour of freedom is worth more than 40 years of slavery &  prison" Regas Feraeos
 
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rhino
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Re: another HERO tells his story
Reply #5 - Jul 16th, 2017 at 10:56am
 
cods wrote on Jul 16th, 2017 at 10:30am:
well at least you found something interesting in the thread.. Sad

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?..

I see him as a victim Cods., a victim of a predator.
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The_Barnacle
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Re: another HERO tells his story
Reply #6 - Jul 16th, 2017 at 11:21am
 
Ajax wrote on Jul 16th, 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.
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The Right Wing only believe in free speech when they agree with what is being said.
 
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Ajax
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Re: another HERO tells his story
Reply #7 - Jul 16th, 2017 at 11:41am
 
The_Barnacle wrote on Jul 16th, 2017 at 11:21am:
Ajax wrote on Jul 16th, 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. 


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.
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1. There has never been a more serious assault on our standard of living than Anthropogenic Global Warming..Ajax
2. "One hour of freedom is worth more than 40 years of slavery &  prison" Regas Feraeos
 
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The_Barnacle
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Re: another HERO tells his story
Reply #8 - Jul 16th, 2017 at 11:48am
 
Ajax wrote on Jul 16th, 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.
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The Right Wing only believe in free speech when they agree with what is being said.
 
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Redmond Neck
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Re: another HERO tells his story
Reply #9 - Jul 16th, 2017 at 12:05pm
 
Ajax wrote on Jul 16th, 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.

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BAN ALL THESE ABO SITES RECOGNITIONS.

ALL AUSTRALIA IS FOR ALL AUSTRALIANS!
 
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Re: another HERO tells his story
Reply #10 - Jul 16th, 2017 at 12:16pm
 
Ajax wrote on Jul 16th, 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.

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


X 2
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Modern Classic Right Wing
 
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Valkie
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Re: another HERO tells his story
Reply #11 - Jul 16th, 2017 at 4:08pm
 
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
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I HAVE A DREAM
A WONDERFUL, PEACEFUL, BEAUTIFUL DREAM.
A DREAM OF A WORLD THAT HAS NEVER KNOWN ISLAM
A DREAM OF A WORLD FREE FROM THE HORRORS OF ISLAM.

SUCH A WONDERFUL DREAM
O HOW I WISH IT WERE TRU
 
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Unforgiven
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Re: another HERO tells his story
Reply #12 - Jul 16th, 2017 at 4:28pm
 
Valkie wrote on Jul 16th, 2017 at 4:08pm:
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


This story has given Valkie an erection.
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“I’ll let you be in my dreams if I can be in yours” Bob Dylan
 
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Gnads
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Re: another HERO tells his story
Reply #13 - Jul 16th, 2017 at 5:51pm
 
Are you looking for an insertion?

Not that there's anything wrong with that  Wink

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"When you are dead, you do not know you are dead. It's only painful and difficult for others. The same applies when you are stupid." ~ Ricky Gervais
 
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cods
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Re: another HERO tells his story
Reply #14 - Jul 16th, 2017 at 6:09pm
 
rhino wrote on Jul 16th, 2017 at 10:56am:
cods wrote on Jul 16th, 2017 at 10:30am:
well at least you found something interesting in the thread.. Sad

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?..

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.... Cry Cry Cry




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