Richard Jabara, who survived child abuse at the hands of a Catholic priest, was among a handful of churchgoers last night at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne after the Pope’s death was announced.
Jabara, who chairs the In Good Faith Foundation, a charity that advocates for sexual abuse prevention and recovery, said he visited because he wanted to reassure survivors they weren’t alone.
Child abuse survivor Richard Jabara.Credit: Penny Stephens
“I wanted to come down here because when I heard the news, for me personally, it was triggering,” he said. “It brought back memories of the abuse that I suffered at the hands of clergy – of a Catholic priest. But I wanted to let Australians know that we still have to remain vigilant, and there are a lot of people in the community that have suffered at the hands of the church.
“It’s a sad day for Catholics – I’m a Catholic. It’s a sad day for us that we lost the Pope. I hope that the conclave elects somebody who’s equally vigilant and helpful and aware. But as we know, the Catholic Church didn’t come forward, although they knew there was abuse. It took a royal commission and obviously world opinion to get them to admit that there was wrong being done. But still more can be done.
“I also want to send a message to those who may be listening, who have suffered at the hands of clergy abuse, and if this is a triggering event for you, please come forward. There’s help that you can get.”
Jabara described Pope Francis as “a progressive pope” who acknowledged church abuse. But he lamented the ongoing legal fights the church was having with survivors. “Hopefully a new pope will come along and be a bit more open,” he said.
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